Chapter Thirty Three (Dear Delusion)

AN: Naughty, naughty terrier!

I am happy; I am playing in the yard with my playmates and Dr. Jim. I respect the man; he knows that I am a talented dog. Dr. Jim is strange though, he thinks Captain doesn't exist. He thinks Carolyn is imagining the Captain. How can that be? I see him too. I know he is a good man, why would she think that he isn't real? I think Dr. Jim is the one who is barmy.

Carolyn goes on a trip to the city where they first got me, Philadelphia. I think it is to see a doctor. Why I do not know. We run out to see her when she comes back and she acts different. She ignores Captain even though he is in the room, and he is upset because she thinks she is imagining him. Again I do not understand. He is real although not like she is. She is smart enough to understand that, so what is wrong with her?

Then she tells Jonathan that Captain is not real and he should stop talking to him. My pal is upset and doesn't want to believe her, he loves Captain. This upsets captain greatly, he doesn't like being a "fig" and he loves Jonathan too. He is hurt by Carolyn's sudden rejection of him.

Captain, I call as I run up the stairs. When I enter the attic I find him staring out at the sea. I stop before him and wait for him to look at me. He finally does and I see the pain in his blue eyes.

"Why Scruffy, I thought you were mad at me."

I'm still not happy with you but in this case Carolyn is being very strange. This time it is not your fault.

"Thank you, I think."

So how will you convince her you are real?

"Oh, that shouldn't be too hard, she'll come around soon I imagine," he rubbed his chin as he lost himself in thought.

What if she doesn't? I gave him my best curious look.

"Then I will have to put a plan together."

I have a plan that would make her believe! I yipped happily and spun in a circle, so sure was I of my plan.

"And what would that be, my furry friend?" Captain laughed at my antics.

Touch her!

"What?" He snapped his head in my direction.

Touch her. I know you can.

"It would not be right for me to do so."

I gave him the terrier stare, the one that does not allow for nonsense of any sort, and waited.

"I am a spirit, not of the physical world…" he sputtered.

Are you done yet? I yawned.

"I can't tell her that," he said and crossed his arms in front of him.

No? Now I gave him my innocent expression.

"No," he said firmly and looked away from me.

Then you force me to prove it to her.

"And how will you, a dog, prove that?' He laughed in my face! I'll show him.

I went to stand beside him and lifted my leg. I was more than satisfied when my pee ran down his very solid leg. I looked up at him and gave him the equivalent of a terrier smile.

"Scruffy!" he bellowed, and I ran out of the attic and down the stairs! I may be full of fight but even a terrier knows that sometimes it's smarter to run away. Let him be mad, I had proved my point and he knew it. I ran down the stairs and nearly into Carolyn who was just coming out of the kitchen.

"Scruffy!" Captain bellowed as he appeared in front of my lady. I wisely stepped behind her, and laughed at him.

"What did Scruffy do that has you in such an uproar?" Carolyn asked.

I smiled at him again; he couldn't tell her without giving himself away.

Ha, ha, ha, I chortled.

"He chewed up an artifact of mine," Captain sputtered.

"An artifact? He's kind of small to take on an entire artifact don't you think?"

"Be that as it may, Madame, he did!"

Na, na, na, na, na! I danced around Carolyn's legs and Captain glowered at me.

"You furry little fiend!" He stepped towards me and Carolyn stepped between us. Then he froze and I stopped tormenting him, I knew he had forgotten and was solid now. He stepped back as Carolyn stepped towards him and he became a spirit again, then took a deep breath and relaxed. He glared at me once and then turned his attention to the lady of the house.

"You are speaking to me again?"

"Oh, I am aren't I?" She gave him a funny look, and reached out as if to touch him, but met only air. "You are real? I'm not imagining you?"

"My dear, I know you have a wonderful writer's imagination, but do you think you could ever truly just imagine me?" He stood up proud and tall as his ego took over once again.

You're impossible," she said. Carolyn covered her mouth and laughed, first time she had done that in days.

"Yes, quite. Do you finally believe that I am real? That although spirit I do indeed exist?" He gave her a wary glance.

She studied his face a long time, searching it for I'm not sure what. She must have found it for she finally smiled at him and nodded.

"Thank God!" He rolled his eyes at the heavens. "And will you tell Jonathan too? I quite miss talking to him," he said and both Carolyn and I heard the note of pain in his voice.

"Of course. My apologies, Captain. I thought perhaps there was something wrong with me, that maybe I was so lonely that I was imagining you…" she trailed off, but continued to look at him.

"You are lonely?" He asked in a quiet voice.

"Sometimes," she said and there were tears in her eyes.

"I wish I could help you with that," he whispered.

Now we were getting somewhere. I watched in anticipation.

Carolyn gave him a strange look that seemed to be longing, sadness, and panic, all at the same time, then she bolted out the front door. Captain disappeared immediately. I expected them back so I just waited.

Captain has learned that Carolyn's doctor is coming to visit her, and he plans to torment him. When the doctor arrives he enters the living room and tries to remove Captain's portrait. Bad idea. He wonders why the room is suddenly cold; it is because Captain is there.

The man tries to build a fire and he gets his arm stuck, it is Captain toying with him. It seems Dr. Ryan's clothes are on fire, so I run over to try to help put the fire out. And Carolyn is mad at Captain again.

She tries to convince that Captain is real, but he refuses to believe. Captain is now invisible to the doctor but not to Carolyn. He taunts her and she gets mad, she yells at him, causing me to laugh again. He gets jealous when the doctor uses her first name. Suddenly the doctor is very sleepy. Captain doesn't want them walking together. He haunts him that night and by morning the doctor believes the house is haunted.

Carolyn is upset with Captain. Why did he haunt Dr. Ryan? They have another moment and avoid talking about their feelings. Then Captain says he will resolve the situation.

Captain appears, actually appears to the doctor, but he looks different. They talk and he convinces the doctor that Captain is not real, that the doctor imagined him. Captain is a good talker; he can even charm human men. Why is he so persuasive? And how can that be used to improve their situation?