Chapter 3: The Beginning Part 3/3 (EMOTIONAL WARNING!)
It felt like time had come to a stop. I couldn't believe what she just said. I kept repeating to myself, "There's no way this is true! They'll come back eventually" But in reality, I wanted to avoid it all. I heard Skye calling my name a few times, but I couldn't respond. Slowly, my head began to feel lighter, and that's all I could remember that day. Thus began a long and painful cycle of me waking up then falling right back asleep for the next week. I thought that it was all a dream and I would wake up soon, but no matter how many times I went through the cycle, nothing changed. In fact, things slowly became worse. There were times when the veterinarians would leave my door slightly open which allowed me to listen in on a few conversations. That's when I overheard two of them mentioning my mother and how she had also recently passed away due to a heart attack a few hours after hearing what happened to Dad and Todd.
After hearing this, I started to lose myself overtime. It was the day that I was released from the vet. Since Todd had passed away and my brothers weren't around, Delilah had no choice but to sign Skye and me up for Adventure Bay's animal shelter. She promised to look over me until then, but even so, I couldn't control myself. Every day, Skye would ask me if I was doing okay and I would always try my best to hide my emotions. This later caused my personality to change. I began to eat less than usual, scratched through Delilah's carpets, and barked whenever I smelled something burning for the next three weeks. Then one evening, Delilah decided to take Skye and me out for a picnic at the park for my sake. It seemed like a good idea at first, but I made things a bit more complicated. While they were setting up the blanket and food, I noticed two small squirrels holding something in their mouths. Without thinking, I chased after them before Delilah noticed I was making a scene.
I ended up following them through a crowd of people for the next half hour until they made their way up a tree. I wanted to climb with them, but Delilah had got a hold of me before I could jump. I tried to break free from her grip but she completely had me restrained as people told her to consider buying a lease. She agreed with them and told Skye to clean up the picnic area before we went back to her apartment. By the time we made it back, my energy was almost drained out, so instead of sleeping on my crate, I made my way to the nearest corner and collapsed for the night. I thought I'd be okay if I continued to hide my emotions, but a few hours later, I started to feel extremely guilty. I couldn't tell what was wrong, so I ended up whimpering to myself.
Eventually, Skye nudged a plate of apple slices next to me and sat down. I stood up and tried my best to act casual, but I'm guessing she already figured something was off. She wanted to make sure I ate something that night since we didn't eat at the park, but the longer she stayed, the harder it was for me to remain calm. A few minutes went by until she asked me if I was feeling okay. I gave her the same response, but she stared at me with a concerned expression. She told me there was nothing wrong with letting out my emotions. That both her and Delilah were worried about me. A few seconds passed, I wanted to tell her I was fine a second time, but instead, I ended up breaking down.
At that moment, I realized that I was running away from the truth. I thought hiding my emotions would allow me to forget it all but in reality, I was being a coward. I slowly laid back on the floor and cried as Skye gently patted my head. That's when Delilah made her way over to where Skye and I were and placed me on her lap. She let me cry for as long as I needed, then I told them everything that was on my mind. I explained how I blamed myself for everything that happened to Dad and Todd and how I overheard the veterinarian's conversation about Mom. Delilah understood how I felt and told me that it wasn't my fault. Those things happen that we can't control and we'll have to move on. She also mentioned that things could get worse after Skye and I leave, but as long as I have someone by my side there will always be a light. That's when Skye promised me that she'll always be there for me whenever I needed help, and for the first time in weeks, I felt a smile across my face. The guilt began to fade away after that conversation. I thanked them for being there for me that night and later apologized for having them worry.
Ever since then, things began to change for me. I stopped ignoring my emotions and moved on with Skye and Delilah by my side. There were times when I dreamed of my family still being around, but whenever I reached out for them, I would wake up. These past few days have been hard, but without their help, I don't think I would have made it this far. It's been two days since we said our goodbyes to Delilah and embarked on the S.S. Cromewel, A small merchant ship that's meant for family vacations or tourist attractions. Except this time, Skye and I are their only passengers. Before we left, Delilah promised that one day, she would come back for us, and until then, we will be waiting. Thus, our story begins...