Hello readers for the third time! Wow! I cannot believe I wrote this much about something very silly! Must be those coke zeros! God help me. I'll try to keep the yapping shorter this time, but sometimes I just can't help it. I return from the beach back to the lower parts of society to perform my duties for my meager bread. I miss it already; the sand, the water, the lazy river, the coke zeros, gah! I could go on forever. Had a nice drive back besides my mind being absolutely plague by this monstrosity. I just wish I had some icecream perhaps chocolate or a fancy flavor.

Another chapter and more silliness, did I already say God help me? Try to enjoy.

"The New Love Song" by The Avett Brothers - Really good mushy song, love all their music :)

-XOXO Gorble

-Chapter 3-

He was thirteen again, skipping stones in the middle of July. The weather was muggy in July, the oversized t-shirt clung to the sweat on his back. A tall weed, they called them cowboy weeds, rolled in his mouth as he spoke to someone. Oak leaves fluttered to the water on his right, he could see someone. In the tree was the cat, they moved on the branch to escape the beating sun. They were reading some kind of book, a large one, even at that age the cat was so smart. He liked that about him, the way he was always thinking for two.

Deftly, the cat climbed down the tree and stood before him. A growth spurt put the cat about a head taller, which drove him crazy. When the cat placed their chin on his head, it stopped bothering him. The contact made his face hot and he could smell lavender again.

Luckily, he woke up more peacefully this time, only feeling the dull pangs of hunger. It didn't matter now, he could still smell it like a stink.

"Doc?" He whispered, there was no reply. He raised his voice to call again.

"Hey Doc, I need to make a phone call, you there?"

"I'm afraid that won't be possible at the moment." A man in fatigues came into view, he looked stern and important, more trouble.

"I'm with Army CounterIntelligence, let's get right to work then." He dragged to face the bedside, taking a seat and setting a clipboard in his lap.

"I'll comply in any way I can, sir." Military jackoffs, it's usually best to go along with what they say. It was about shortcuts now, the finish line was closing in and all he wanted to do was sprint.

"Good sport, now according to military records, you have been AWOL for a year and some change, yes?" He bit his tongue, 'away without official leave' was a way to put it.

"Yes sir."

"And why were you AWOL, soldier?"

"I was captured, holed up some place." The man squinted his eyes and stared into his, trying to discern if he was lying.

"And, you're not a communist are you?"

The interrogation thinned his patience, but granted him with interesting information. His vacation, as dubbed by officer kissass, came out to 1 year 4 months and some change, around that time another of other soldiers had disappeared. With intel provided by him, a search in rescue operation was to be performed to potentially rescue any other captives. He was ordered to remain on base until the completion of the mission, for confidentiality purposes. In all the wisdom of the military complex, he was granted access to a phone.

It was one of those chunky satellite phones, he pressed the brick to his ear after typing in the familiar number. The fur on his neck stood up straight and lightning shot his body. Every moment was leading up to this.

It was all dashed a second later when the line failed to connect the 2nd and 3rd time. He almost had the heart to try again but establishing some kind of contact was a priority. He needed a logical guy, so he made a logical call.

"Hello?"

"Hey Bubba, it's-"

"Dogday?!" He was cut off by an out of character exasperation. He smiled at the sentiment.

"Yeah, it's me"

"What happened man?! Nobody's heard from you in a year! You stopped returning calls and then the military was at the door with a flag saying you were MIA!"

"Well I was, been a bad year for me… was in a camp."

An understanding silence was answered enough, he continued on.

"Yeah, but I got out, nothing I couldn't handle." He didn't truly believe himself, but sometimes you have to be tough, because someone needs you.

"I'm glad you're safe man, everyone's been dying to hear from you." The fur on his neck electrified again and something sweetly familiar invaded his senses.

"How's Catnap?" The phone sighed and he could feel himself deflate against the cot. Nothing was ever that easy.

"He disappeared, I know you guys were close friends and all…" Close friends didn't begin to describe their relationship. "The news must've spooked him real bad because nobody has been able to reach him, no phone, email or nothing." He could sense the distress through the phone, there was no use in troubling his buddies.

"It's alright really Bubba, I'll call you in a week. You just let me know if you find anything out, copy?"

"Got it, stay safe, Dogday."

"You too, Bubba." His demeanor shifted as soon as the call dropped. The weight of his goal pushing further away was almost crippling. Almost, he had waded through too much shit to just give up here. Sadly, there wasn't much to do now except rest and recover.

Heavy rain pounded the thin roof causing a cacophony of sound within. Except, it couldn't be heard at all, deafening rage exploded from within. The bottle had always made his father angry, atop the other miseries surrounding his life, namely his son.

He never found out what he saw or what gave him the premonition of his alternative lifestyle choices, but any spark was enough for the keg to blow. And blow it did. The heat of blood trickled down his chin and a deep throbbing pain settled. Weary eyes stared at his aggressor and he felt terror. The sanity had left in favor of blind rage, death was a probable outcome if he remained.

So he fled, and he was running through the rain, away from everything he had ever known. Almost everything, but he would never dare show weakness to him. He saw himself as a pillar of strength, the rock, tolerance was his only redeeming qualities. He wasn't smart or good at much so he had to be strong. But he couldn't see three feet in front of him through tear-blurred eyes.

He was before the lake again, trees whipping and swaying in the rain. Maybe he deserved what he got and maybe he should go back so the old man could finish the job. He clutched his knees to himself and shrank into the little cover provided by the familiar oak.

The rain pelting him suddenly stopped but he could still hear its continuous roar. He looked up to see that cat standing above him with an umbrella. Shame burned his face and his emotions redoubled. He began to sob loudly. Without a word, the cat knelt down and held him tightly. Always thinking for two.