Status Updates From To the Kennels: And Other S...

‘—noses soon grew accustomed to the smells—breathed—ate—yawned the unrelenting stench. But rodents were impossible to get used to. The mice and rats feared nothing. Now and then a feral cat would appear and they’d scatter—but after a moment they’d return in droves and attack the cat. Living here had taught him their unusual capacity for aggression—In the darkness—insects were screeching, excited by the night air.’

‘—the birds came to be feared more than the—wolf—because they appeared during the day too—let out low, unpleasant cries—formed a large flock that cast dark shadows everywhere they went. They shat everywhere—pecked at everything they could—baby in a stroller—the legs of—elderly person who—had trouble walking—shat on the bodies of—homeless—Several birds were circling in the night sky—cackling cries—’

‘—hadn’t made—effort to forget—nor had he—distracted himself—Discussing stocks and real estate—he confused bankruptcy and bounty—He heard what sounded like a machine operating deep underground—so loud he wondered if they had buried the thing while dismantling the factory. Before he knew it, the barking of dogs from the nearby kennels mingled with the mechanical noise from beneath the floor—freight trucks—speeding by’

‘Forget about hiking. He was the sort that thought, "What’s the point of struggling to get to the top if you’re only going to come back down?" He knew this sort of sentiment would make him seem stubborn and simpleminded, so he didn’t share it with anyone.’

I don't ....I'm not sure I understand the first story......