Chapter 2
"Well? What do you think?" Dash asked, running his fingers through his freshly dyed hair.
Dash's adoptive father, Bob, laughed. "Really, Dashell? Blonde again? What was wrong with brunette?"
Dash shrugged. "I guess... so I can look more like you, Bob."
Bob laughed. "Dash... why don't we go for a drive?"
Dash grinned. He loved going on road trips with Bob. Even though he could outrun Bob's truck ever since he was a child, sometimes it was just nice to relax.
The two of them went down the road, when Dash turned.
"Bob... do you think my speed is abnormal?"
"Hmm..." Bob began, "abnormal how?"
"You teaser." Dash joked. "I mean... ever since I was in school I could outrun my whole class. Isn't that weird?"
"It's better to be an original than a copy." Bob replied, a saying Dash loved to hear anytime he was feeling like an outcast.
The two drove down a new path, now silent.
Dash noticed something was wrong with Bob, but he knew better than to ask.
Eventually, Bob parked the car, and got out. They were at a clearing with no grass or trees. Together, they began to make a fire.
Looking around, Dash realize he very vaguely recognized it.
"This is the place... where you found me, isn't it?"
"Yep." Bob began, looking around. "It was on my annual camping trip. I was camping right where we're standing now."
Dash listened intensely.
"I had just fallen asleep, when I heard a sound. At first I thought I was dreaming... but after accident tripping on the doorway of my tent, I knew I wasn't."
"What did you hear?" Dash asked.
"Voices..." Bob replied. "Hundreds of voices screaming. It chilled me to the bone."
Dash looked at how muscular Bob was and tried to imagine that.
"Eventually," Bob continued, "I saw something running toward me, rather quickly."
"Me?" Dash asked.
Bob nodded. "You were only a toddler. I picked you up and you fell asleep."
Dash's eyes widened. "If I came from somewhere around here, do you think there are more abnormal people like me?"
Bob nodded. "I do believe so."
Dash nervously scratched his arm. "Maybe... I don't know... I might find someone who won't be so repulsed by me..."
Bob inhaled. "I brought you here because I think it's time you set off to find those people."
Dash looked confused. "Don't you love me?" He asked.
Bob nodded. "I do, Dash. But I'm going to be moving on soon too, and where I'm going, you can't come with me."
Dash felt his eyes fill with tears as what Bob said sunk in.
"Don't cry." Bob began, "I've had some good years, the best have been ever since you came into my life, but there comes a time when everyone has to move on. For you, it's growing up. For me... it's something else."