Brenda was desperate to grab her phone. "Hey, um, Kerk. You'd better NOT come here tonight. Brad is completely bored, and he won't be any fun to torment." She listened to his response. "I'm glad...you what?!" She looked out the window and rolled her eyes. "Great, Kerk, bring the entire neighborhood over why don't ya?"

Brad threw himself onto the couch, even surprised himself by his strange attitude. "Okay, Brenda." He concluded tiredly "You can have this back." He threw her the beanie she came into the house with.

"Please..." She was horrified, almost to speechlessness. "Do not... do that!"

"I'm done." Brad hissed."My parent's should be here in about an hour.

Brenda flicked her hair back. "Get to your room." She pointed to the stairs, and Brad sighed.

"Whatever." He trudged down the steps.

Brenda held her phone up again. "Please leave."

She heard the car take off in the front yard.

Brad collapsed onto his bed, sighing loudly into his pillow. He pounded it a few times, and looked up. "This is so strange..." He groaned, before he slammed his head into the pillow once again. His hand slid off his bed, and drooped limply till it was scraping the floor.

Brad had no clue as to why he was suddenly upset, but really, is it a questionable matter? It's complicated enough for him to take in, and once things seemed fine, he was high-hoping himself to exhaustion.

He was tired mentally, but didn't crave sleep, he more craved to have a regular style of life, but that was when he felt something slippery on his palm, and instantly he jumped to alertness.

He softened his expression, "Oh, it's you." He studied into the dog's brown eyes for an instant, but then collapsed again, murmuring, "What's going on?"

Bolt could hear the dread in the voice, but couldn't seem to answer. He did though, slid Brad's limp arm over his head, until it was resting on his soft neck, and Brad began to rub the dog's furry spine.

"This isn't fair!" He sniffled, and instantly exploded with confessions, "It can't be like this, and I'm never able to figure out what's happening, and my parent's are coming here soon. They're going to do something that they might think will help me through this, and I have to go to school tomorrow when the weekend should have started already, but after all that's happened..." He shuddered. "Um..."

Bolt was listening intently, something he hadn't been doing lately, but felt obligated to. "Anything else?"

"I dunno." Brad lifted his head and turned to Bolt, his face stricken with pink, and salty tears. "What do you think?"

Bolt nudged Brad's hand away and stood up on his hind legs, putting his paw up onto the bed, now level with Brad's blurry eyes of vision. He could feel the warm breeze as the canine breathed lightly into his face, in a way drying his tears. "You're really letting this eat you up inside."

"By the way," Brad began coldly, "That's simply a setback of what took place earlier." He felt like showing bolt the bite on his wrist, but couldn't. It wouldn't make things better. If anything, it would once again begin an argument, something they were both experts at.

Bolt nodded. "That was truly my fault. I should have thought things through."

Brad sighed. "Yeah, you...you're right." He turned his head away again, then rolled onto his back.

"You've got priorities to think of right now. I've been foolishly getting involved-"

"You're not foolish. You're just...ignorant."

Bolt managed a sly smile. "You're right about one thing. I was being selfish."

Brad turned his head toward Bolt. "Well, I can understand that, you're missing your home."

Bolt drooped his head, probably remembering what it was all like. Brad felt Bolt's feelings in a strong way, as if he had also been miles away...who knows if he'd ever see them in the next dimension even? It's truly a my story.

Brad looked up at the ceiling. "I can't believe what it would feel like, even though I haven't really experienced it..." He turned again. "I never took the time to realize how lonely you'd be feeling in a world where the only person who can do anything is me." Than he sighed looking dismal again up at the ceiling. "And all I do is treat you rotten." He turned once more to Bolt. "I wish I wasn't so heartless." He could feel another tear.

Bolt was pondering all of this. Realizing that Brad had really been contemplating just how much he knew Bolt could be enduring. "No, you have a very good heart, Brad."

A moment of silence, but Bolt gave the teary eyed Brad another smile, this one was literally out of the grace of his heart. But Brad felt deep inside that he didn't deserve what Bolt was offering him. Bolt somehow knew this. He had a thought, and slowly leaned in just enough to lick Brad's nose just under his eyes. The warm, wet sensation sent a tingle up Brad's spine. It's been years seance he'd ever been respected so much by a dog, as result of a tender lick. He leaned out and kept the sympathetic emotion showing. "You have a very gentle side. And you've proved it well."

Brad couldn't believe what Bolt had just done. He couldn't sustain himself just enough to realize that after all that's happened, how much a small action like a lick on the nose could mean so much. He could feel a few more tears streak down his face, but this time they were out of overwhelming joy. Something he had never expected from this canine. Brad's upset feelings had subsided. He had a friend now, one that may never leave him, but he could see it as clear as a diamond, that Bolt must have been sent one way or another, straight to him.

He slipped out of the bed, slowly, memorized. His face still flushed.

Bolt paced to his side, and noticed that Brad's expression was one of worry...or worse.

Brad hung his head, which hurt from previous stiffness, but it couldn't add more pain anyways. He didn't like to be in such a state in front of Bolt, but he couldn't, but it wasn't his choice to be upset. Letting it out felt like three thousand invisible pounds have been lifted from his back. He turned to Bolt, and brushed his hand on the dog's ear, nothing to really say.

Bolt whimpered softly, his expression looked hurt, and in Brad's head many feelings of regret and sorrow flowed through him like tidal waves, sending a strong message of how Bolt was feeling.

Brad wiped another tear. "Don't blame yourself, Bolt. Please. It's not...you can't, okay..." His shaky tone only made Bolt's sorrow increase.

"It's apparent just the same," Bolt whimpered. "This has your doings out of the picture. I'm the one who should have heard your pleads." He sighed, looking downward at the floor. "Care to...forget about all that's happened? Start over?"

Brad's hand retired from Bolt's head. The idea hadn't occurred so far, but it was something to be tried, especially in such a situation.

Brad nodded solemnly, but almost instantly reconsidered his thoughts. "We can't. We'll never be able to forget."

Bolt understood. "I know. But we don't have to forget...we, just need to begin again."

Brad could feel his heart soften, and a slight excitement filled him, knowing that soon, everything that has happened may be erased in seconds. Brad sat up. "Alright." He wiped his remaining tears, and sniffled softly. "Let's do it."

Bolt grinned, trying to make the situation all the more comfortable for Brad. He lifted his paw. "A casual greeting, from a talking canine like me."

Brad shook the paw in his hand. "Welcome to my home here in Hollywood. I'm sure you'll you'll like it here."

Bolt smiled, his paw still in Brad's hand. "and, hello, to you. My name is Bolt. Miller taken from the family I long to be with again soon. What's yours?"

Brad smirked. "CUT!"

Bolt put his paw down, "You suddenly work for Hollywood too?"

"What was that?" Brad was laughing, which was a good sign, "You have something to say about your family, you can't say it at a time when we're just meeting each other."

"My mistake, young lad. I'll take one more shot at it." He raised his paw and repeated the line twice as fast, and in a sarcastic tone.

"Welcome to Hollywood." Brad took Bolt's paw again.

"It's an interesting place here." Bolt looked around in the room, "And a nice touch with the wide open city."

Brad had to resist stopping again, and trying to laugh. "I'm Bradly Cot. And I run this small city."

"Bolt. and just for the record-" He took his paw down. "I'd give it a school score of... C plus."

Brad smiled, "One would assume that we've met already, and were just goofing off."

"Yeah, they'd really be on to something there." Bolt returned the grin.

"We have to try again."

Bolt rolled his eyes. "We've met three times already, and still you're not satisfied."

"Worth a shot." This time he extended his hand. "I welcome you to Hollywood, newcomer. I'm sure you'll like it here."

Bolt couldn't help himself, and accepted the shake. "I'm Bolt." He clarified.

Brad smiled and nodded in contentment. "I'm Bradly Cot."

They shook inventively, and with such meaning. It wouldn't be a surprise if right then and there, their past was completely sealed.

Sooner than planned, Brad was picked up from the house, and taken onto the surprise date with his parents. But, he had nothing to worry about, and left with a smile, there was nothing that bugged him, the babysitter was leaving the house (so they assumed) homework was done, and all of the issues with Bolt had simply been erased.

Bolt had gotten tired after a bit, and fell asleep on the couch, where the person Brenda had been sitting before she was forced out of the house, because she'd be there alone. Bolt's dreams weren't original, but were scrambled messes of just the strangest imaginable thoughts, but then they began to focus on something in specific.

***

Bolt found himself some place new. Standing on a sidewalk some where in a large city. When he looked up, he saw towering buildings looming over him him loomed buildings, and many tall structures. When he looked left and right, he noticed the traffic that had been passing, but now the cars were all lined up...but oddly. There wasn't a noise. The occasional roaring of the cars, and chatting of the people, or even planes in the sky, none of these things have existed.

Things were moving about 1 mile a day (not hour) things had slowed down so much so, that sound was muffled through time itself. That's when he heard something. A sort of...laughter?

There it was again, just a laugh from a little girl. Bolt stood up and raced toward where that sound could be coming from, his heart was pounding in his chest. He had no idea why he was trying to find this person, but he continued, fully determined.

Soon he came across a small park, grass was everywhere, and on a bench was a small girl, skinny, with black hair, and black skin. He hair was curled and twisted down to he shoulders. She wore a skirt of purple with blue and pink flowers imprinted onto the fabric. She must have been about 11 years old.

But, next to her was too stunning. Another girl, that Bolt recognized completely. It was Penny!

Bolt's heart fluttered, and instantly he raced down the pavement, at a speed that no one could match. It occurred to him just how much he had missed his person, and here she was right in front of him. He kept running, noticing she hadn't seen him yet, would reveal the most amazing reunion.

Than she turned her attention to Bolt, her eyes grew bigger, her smile grew when she saw him, and she instantly jumped off the bench. "BOLT!"

Bolt could feel tears brush his face, as he leaped into the open arms of his owner. Penny was as well weeping, neither could believe it. They have found each other. And in the strangest of places, it was this world, the same that had taken him away from her.

The moment seemed to last forever, and the feeling of that moment was indescribable. Bolt knew that Penny hadn't know where he was, he knew almost everything that Penny was feeling, almost as if they were his own...maybe they were. He had been missing Penny so bad, and almost forgot to think about her. It pained him to the core, but he was here now, and it was absolutely a moment he didn't think he'd live to see. It had never been pictured as such a beautiful time. Penny was here! And he had found her. He couldn't let go, and neither could she. They could embrace for eternity.

The girl on the bench was smiling. She seemed to be ignoring them and staring at something else. She seemed to be just curious at the trees around, and the sky of blue. Than murmured. "He's your dog?"

Penny let go, the link was broken, but her eyes locked on Bolt's. She wiped some tears. "Where have you been?!" He voice was shaken, and cracked up from crying, but he could seance the happiness still inside her.

Bolt whimpered a few times, still amazed that this is all happening. He couldn't think logically. But it didn't seem to matter. Penny was here. How? Since when? Where was here? Who's she with? He turned to the girl, who staggered, and backed off, a terrified look on her face.

Bolt was confused, when he heard her yelp. "I don't like dogs! Please keep him away."

He turned around but Penny wasn't there anymore. He looked around, she wasn't in sight.

His heart suddenly began to pound. "PENNY!"

He sniffed the ground, barked a few times at the girl. "Where is she!? What did you do?!"

She kept screaming, backing off as best she could, until she was climbing onto the bench. "Please don't hurt me." She was almost in tears.

Bolt was infuriated, losing Penny just after he had found her. He examined the grounds a bit more, and he couldn't see her.

He turned back to the girl, and began growling. She was seriously balling, what else was Bolt to think? He can't trust her.

He slowly stepped forward, his teeth bared. "WHERE IS SHE!!" He barked.

The girl staggered and fell, but instantly came to her feet, and sprinted the other way. Bolt followed after her, intending to probably tear her limbs off.

This wasn't like him. He wasn't so assertive to assume things that fast, and he wouldn't go chasing...

Before he could put too much thought into it, there was a swirling sensation all around Bolt. The picture had become as dense as smock and faded away until Bolt found himself running blindly in pitch blackness.

He stopped, as a painful tingle began to rise up from his front ankles, and it rose until it tortured him completely, making his whole body buckle in unimaginable pain.

He fell to the ground, rolling around, trying to scream, but couldn't. There was a loud booming noise that was faintly heard. The pounding of his heart in his ears was so excruciatingly loud. All at once, he rolled to one side, apparently too far, and for an instant was falling in mid air. He slammed into a secondary floor, painfully, and a wave of adrenaline kicked in just as fast. Suddenly he could stand. His legs trembling as he tried to get balanced. Then he saw many colors blind his vision, before they cleared... and he was standing back in the darkened living room.

***

The banging sounded again, terribly loud, and it terrified him greatly. He raced to the window just as the door flew open. He stood there defenseless, and in walked the one person who was banned to be in the home, just as casual as if it was their own.

The girl was Brenda the babysitter.