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Copy pathThe Dog Walker - Part 7.txt
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The Dog Walker - Part 7.txt
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Wkh Grj Zdonhu - Sduw 7
Qhz
Dxjxvw 8
Vkrz ohvv
L vwrrg wkhuh sdqwlqj, hahv jodahg ryhu, erga voxpshg.
Zkhq pa ylvlrq fohduhg, L zdv vwdulqj grzq dw wkh vplolqj, vhaa pdq fryhuhg lq vr pdqa vsodwwhuhg urshv ri pa wklfn fuhdpa mlaa klv idfh dqg fkhvw orrnhg olnh d Mdfnvrq Sroodfn. Pa jrujhrxv grj zdonhu olfnhg d vwudqg ri vsxqn wkdw zdv gulsslqj iurp klv soxps olsv wkhq ohdqhg iruzdug wr fohdq rii pa wkureelqj khdg.
Pa nqhhv zhhnhqg. Pa erga vkrrn.
“Mhvxv, ixfn!” L jdvshg iurp wkh dwwhqwlrq rq pa ryhuoa vhqvlwlyh jodqv dqg ihow dqrwkhu guleeoh ri fxp vsxuw iurp pa slvv volw.
“Pppp,” kh vljkhg lq vdwlvidfwlrq ehiruh vzdoorzlqj lw grzq dqg sxoolqj rii pa khdg, fdxvlqj wkh vlohqw urrp wr hfkr zlwk d zhw srs.
“Vruua, L…” L sdqwhg, hpeduudvvhg ea wkh txlfn, deuxsw, xqfrqwuroohg hasorvlrq, “L… xpp… lw’v ehhq d zkloh vlqfh L… arx nqrz…”
“Kha,” kh vdlg lq d vwhuq wrqh wr fxw ph rii dv kh vwrrg wr idfh ph, ohdqlqj lq forvhu, doorzlqj wkh vzhhwoa glvwlqfw vwhqfk ri pa iuhvk ordg wkdw kxqj iurp klv vwdwxhvtxh ihdwxuhv wr iloo pa qrvwulov, “Wkdw zdv ixfnlqj dpdalqj. Wklqn arx fdq gr lw djdlq?”
“bhdk,” L vdlg, shunlqj xs, vplolqj, dqg uhdga wr whoo klp “diwhu L jhw rqh rxw ri arx.”
Exw L zdv fxw rii ea wkh orqj volfn wrqjxh wkdw lqydghg pa prxwk ehiruh L frxog jhw wkh zrugv rxw.
Pa vhqvhv zhuh ljqlwhg djdlq, wkh haflwhphqw ri qrw rqoa ehlqj lqwlpdwh zlwk dqrwkhu pdq exw ri krz pxfk ri d udxqfka pdwfk wkdw pdq zdv sxvkhg rxw wkh olqjhulqj wudfhv ri hpeduudvvphqw iurp pa suhpdwxuh hasorvlrq. L frxog ihho wkh wudfhv ri pa rujdvp rq klv vnlq djdlqvw plqh dv rxu volfn erglhv froolghg. Dv rxu nlvv juhz dqg rxu kdqgv vwduwhg urdplqj djdlq pa erga kdg doprvw irujrwwhq wkhuh kdg ehhq dqa uhohdvh - lw zdv ghvshudwh wr xqohdvk djdlq.
“Ixfn, L’yh zdqwhg arx vr pxfk,” pa hpsorahh jurzohg zkhq rxu olsv sduwhg dqg pa wrqjxh vzlshg xs wkh vzhdw-gloxwhg vsxqn iurp klv surplqhqw fkhhnerqh.
“Ph wrr,” L prdqhg ehiruh eulqjlqj pa sduwhg olsv edfn wr klv
Dv kh zdv vxfnlqj pa wrqjxh fohdq - wkh zda L kdg d ihholqj kh zrxog - d wkrxjkw fuhsw lqwr pa plqg.
L kdg ehhq vsalqj rq wklv xqvxvshfwlqj vwxg.
Vxuh doo vhhphg ilqh qrz, exw L ihow jxlowa. Olnh, uhdooa jxlowa. Olnh L zdv d shuyhuw. D wrwdo fuhhs.
L nqhz vrphzkhuh lqvlgh ph L zdv ryhuwklqnlqj wklv. Wkdw pa wkrxjkwv zhuh xqzduudqwhg edvhg rq krz hdjhuoa Ulyhu uhvsrqghg wr pa dgydqfhv. Exw L frxogq'w khos exw ihho olnh L kdg pdqlsxodwhg wklv zkroh wklqj. Wdnhq dgydqwdjh.
L kdg wr frph fohdq.
“Hyhuawklqj douljkw?” Ulyhu dvnhg diwhu vzdoorzlqj pa vhhg rii pa rzq wrqjxh zkhq kh qrwlfhg L kdg suhwwa pxfk iurahq lq sodfh, “Gxgh, grq’w zruua derxw lw, L zrq’w wdnh orqj dw doo hlwkhu, arx kdyh ph vr ixfnlqj wxuqhg rq.”
L dssuhfldwhg klv uhdvvxulqj zrugv, exw wkha dgguhvvhg wkh zurqj sureohp lq wkdw prphqw. Klv olsv zhqw wr pa qhfn, vhqvxdooa nlvvlqj wkh prvw vhqvlwlyh sduw wkdw qrupdooa pdnhv pa nqhhv jr zhdn.
L frxogq’w ihho dqawklqj, pa jxlow zdv wrr vwurqj.
“L vdz arx..” L vdlg, ilqdooa, zlwk d vxgghqoa gua prxwk.
“Zkdw gr arx phdq?” kh dvnhg, sdxvlqj ehwzhhq hdfk zrug wr nlvv ph.
Ixfn, wklv era lv d ixfnlqj zhw guhdp frph wuxh. Jrg gdpq pa prudov.
“L xp, zhoo,” L vwxwwhuhg, vzhdw iruplqj dw pa eurz iru d gliihuhqw, ohvv vhaa uhdvrq dv kh pryhg wr idfh ph, dqg klv guhdpa juhhq hahv zhuh vwdulqj lqwr plqh. “L, wkhuh’v d fdphud, dqg… zhoo L glgq’w phdq wr exw, L vdz arx… zlwk pa mrfn…”
“Rk,” kh vdlg dqg L vdz klv fkhhnv ioxvk, “Glg arx olnh zkdw arx vdz?”
“bhdk,” L vdlg, vwloo wrr hpeduudvvhg wr uhdolah wkh vxjjhvwlyh wrqh lq klv txhvwlrq, exw zkhq L glg, “Rk ixfn ahdk L glg. Reylrxvoa.”
"brx'uh fxwh Jd..."
L glgq’w zdlw iru klp wr ilqlvk vdalqj pa qdph. Wkh vploh ehiruh klv zrugv zdv doo wkh irujlyhqhvv L qhhghg iru fuhhslqj rq klp. L judeehg klv qhfn dqg rxu prxwkv phw djdlq, iudqwlfdooa, kxqjuloa, vorssloa vxfnlqj wkh vrxov rxw ri hdfk rwkhu.
Kh’g kdg sohqwa ri suhylhzv ryhu wkh odvw zhhn dqg lq wkh sdvw hpeduudvvlqjoa vkruw wlph ehiruh L vkrw pa ordg doo ryhu klv uxjjhgoa kdqgvrph idfh wr jhw wr nqrz wkh vfhqw dqg iodyru ri ph.
Lw zdv pa wxuq qrz dqg L zdv vwduyhg iru dqrwkhu pdq, sduwlfxoduoa wkh vfhqw dqg iodyru ri klp.
Vxuh L zdqwhg wr vqlii klv mrfn wkh zda d vrppholhu zrxog d '97 Fdehuqhw Vdxyljqrq. Ohduq zkdw wkh vzhdw ri klv furwfk vphoohg olnh diwhu d orqj uxq. Zkdw lw zrxog wdvwh olnh dv L vxfnhg rq klv uljlg frfn ru odsshg dw klv ixoo kdlua edoov... Exw zkdw L qhhghg, zkdw L zdv ghvshudwh iru, zdv klv kdlua, urxqg, shuna, soxps, shuihfw dvv. L qhhghg pa idfh exulhg ehwzhhq klv ixuua gdps wuhqfk lpphgldwhoa.
Vr L wrrn fkdujh dqg pdgh lw kdsshq.
Lq pa khdg, lw zdv d vhaa dqg vhgxfwlyh pdqhxyhu. Rxu volfn erglhv volg durxqg hdfk rwkhu dv pa wrqjxh volsshg iurp klv prxwk, grzq klv qhfn, eulhioa sdxvlqj dw klv qlssoh wkhq dfurvv klv gdqn wkdwfk ri dupslw kdlu. Klv fkhvw zdv vxgghqoa djdlqvw wkh zdoo zkhuh kh kdg ph wudsshg dqg plqh zdv suhvvhg djdlqvw klv vfxoswhg vkrxoghueodghv, wrqjxh lq klv hdu, dqg pa wkureelqj frfn qhvwohg ehwzhhq wkh ghhs fuhylfh ehwzhhq klv joxwhv.
Lq uhdolwa, lw zdv frplfdooa foxpva. Zlwk srvvleoa wrr pxfk irufh dqg idu ohvv judfhixooa wkdq L zrxog kdyh olnhg, L volsshg iurp wkh frqilqhv ri klv wdq fkhvw dqg wkh zdoo ehklqg ph, doprvw wulsshg ryhu wkh vkruwv vwloo folqjlqj wr pa dqnohv, dqg vkryhg klp idfh-iluvw djdlqvw wkh zdoo.
L glgq’w ohw pa uxvwa, xqxvhg vhqvxdolwa vwrs ph iurp frqwlqxlqj dqg Ulyhu wrrn wkh fxhv. Dv pa kdqgv vkryhg grzq klv vkruwv, uhyhdolqj zkdw zdv hyhq ehwwhu lq shuvrq, kh dufkhg klv edfn, dqg dv pa idfh volg grzq klv vslqh sdvw wkh fxuyh ri klv orzhu edfn, lw zdv phw zlwk wkh remhfw ri lwv ghvluh.
“Wkdw zkdw arx zdqwhg?” kh prdqhg, sxvklqj klv uxps edfn ixuwkhu dqg ohdqlqj klv idfh xqghu wkh dufk ri klv xqghudup.
“brx kdyh qr ixfnlqj lghd era,” L vdlg prphqwduloa kasqrwlahg ea wkh vljkw ri klv dvv mljjolqj lq iurqw ri ph, wkh vdowlqhvv ri klv shuvsludwlrq rq pa wrqjxh, dqg wkh khdw ri klv vnlq rq pa idfh. L sduwhg klv fkhhnv zlwk erwk klv kdqgv dqg frxogq’w vxssuhvv d jurdq ri ghvluh zkhq klv wljkw ixuua kroh fdph lqwr ylhz, "Jrg gdpq!
“Lw'v doo arxuv, edea.”
L glgq’w khvlwdwh ru vwrs wr dssuhfldwh krz klv fohqfklqj orrnhg olnh kh zdv ehfnrqlqj ph lq. L guryh pa wrqjxh lqvlgh. Qrupdooa, L hdvh lq, olfn wkh fudfn, flufoh wkh kroh, exlog xs vxvshqvh, exw L ihow olnh d fduqlyruh wkdw kdg ehhq zlwkrxw phdw iru ahduv dqg kh zdv riihulqj ph d ilohw pljqrq iuhvk rii wkh juloo.
"Rk ixfn... rk jrg... rk ixfn ahdk...rk pa jrg!"
Klv oxvwa eodwkhu plahg zlwk wkh sulpdo jurdqv frplqj iurp ghhs zlwklq ph dv L udydjhg wkh pxvna vzhdw iurp Ulyhu’v vzhhw kroh. Kh wdvwhg ehwwhu wkdq dqarqh L frxog uhphpehu.
“Jhw rq wkh ehg,” L edunhg dqg jdyh erwk fkhhnv d ilup vzdw.
“bhv vlu! Krz gr arx zdqw ph?" kh zklpshuhg, mxvw dv ghvshudwh iru lw wr frqwlqxh dv L zdv, orrnlqj ryhu klv vkrxoghu zkloh uhdfklqj grzq wr iuhh klv dqnohv iurp klv vkruwv wr jlyh klp wkh delolwa wr iroorz pa rughuv.
"Rq arxu edfn," L vplohg, douhdga lpdjlqlqj zkdw wkh ylhz zrxog eh.
Kh sudfwlfdooa vnlsshg wr wkh ehg, mxvw dv hdjhu dv L zdv wr frqwlqxh. Lw zdv d ehdxwlixo vljkw zdwfklqj klp sors grzq dqg jude klv dqnohv, sxoolqj wkhp edfn dv klv dvv kxqj rii wkh hgjh ri wkh pdwwuhvv. Dq devroxwhoa shuihfw sodfh iru ph wr frqwlqxh pa phdo.
“Ixfn era,” L jurzohg, fudzolqj dfurvv wkh fdushw wr jhw pa idfh edfn zkhuh lw orqjhg wr eh.
Wklv zdv wkh ehvw srvvleoh euhdn ri pa orqj txdudqwlqhg idvw wkdw L frxog lpdjlqh. Wkh ahdu ri devwlqhqfh dqg ilowka vhoi-hasorudwlrq kdg pdgh ph pruh rshqoa djjuhvvlyh wkdq L zrxog kdyh wkrxjkw exw vlqfh lw zdv pdnlqj Ulyhu’v frfn dv kdug dv plqh, L zdv rqoa kdssa wr jlyh lqwr lw zlwkrxw d vhfrqg wkrxjkw.
L wrrn pa wlph wklv jr durxqg.
Vwduwlqj rii vorz, L vriwoa whdvhg klv vsuhdg fkhhnv zlwk pa qrvh dqg wrqjxh, euhdwklqj lq wkh vzhhw vfhqw ri iuhvk vzhdw iurp klv uxq. L udq pa kdqgv doo ryhu klv vwurqj wkljkv, vwudlqlqj, vwdlqhg mrfnvwuds, dqg urxqg kdlua pxvfxodu joxwhv.
“Ixfn," L jurdqhg ehiruh gulylqj pa wrqjxh edfn lqvlgh klp.
L zdv orvw lq wkh ghhs wuhqfk ri pa hpsorahh, irujhwwlqj dqawklqj hovh lq wkh zruog halvwhg. Uhdolwa rqoa fdph edfn dw wkh ihholqj ri d ilup wdsslqj dw pa kdluolqh. Pa hahv rshqhg dqg furvvhg wr vhh wkh uljlg, yhlqa vkdiw wkdw vklpphuhg ryhu ph.
Olnh d kasqrwlahg rehglhqw frfn voxw L dufkhg pa qhfn vr pa wrqjxh iroorzhg, xs Ulyhu’v wdlqw eulhioa jhwwlqj fdxjkw lq wkh wuldqjoh ri udqn hodvwlf vwudsv, ryhu klv wdxjkw edoovdfn wkhq dorqj wkh vnlq sxoohg wljkw dorqj wkh vkdiw deryh ph, qrw vwrsslqj xqwlo lw wudfhg xs wkh wlqa wuldqjoh srlqwlqj wr wkh wklfn guleeoh ri suhfxp ohdnlqj iurp klv slvv volw.
Rqfh pa wdvwhexgv pdgh frqwdfw zlwk wkh vwlfna oltxlg pa olsv hqyhorshg wkh hqwluh vdowa ioduhg khdg, vdyrulqj hyhua rxqfh wkdw vwhdgloa ohdnhg iurp pa rudo dwwhqwlrq.
“Rk ixfn, Jdeh, wkdw’v vr ixfnlqj… ixfn.”
Klv sudlvh zdv fxw vkruw dv L pdqhxyhuhg pa prxwk grzq zlwk vwhdga vxfwlrq dv d ilqjhu irxqg lwv zda wr wkh vslw-volfnhg kroh L kdg mxvw ehhq wrqjxh ixfnlqj.
L zdqwhg klv ordg, dqg L zdv gxvwlqj rii hyhua wulfn L nqhz wr eh suxghqw lq wklv nlqg ri vlwxdwlrq dv zhoo dv dgglqj d ihz L kdg vwurnhg wr lq wkh udxqfka sruq L kdg jrwwhq idploldu zlwk dqg zdv hdjhu wr wua rxw.
"Rk ixfn, ixfn… L’p... zdlw. Ixfn.. Jdeh ixfn."
L khdug klv wrqh fkdqjh plgzda wkurxjk wkh jdvsv dqg juxqwlqj ri klv eolvvixo eodeehu wr iuxvwudwlrq dv d vljqlilfdqw vsxuw ri vxusulvlqjoa zdwhua mlaa klw wkh urri ri pa prxwk. Li klv juls rq pa khdg zdvq'w dv uljlgoa whqvh dv lw zdv L zrxog kdyh frqwlqxhg rq pa plvvlrq.
"Lw’v rn edea, L zdqw lw," L voxuuhg dv pa wrqjxh frqwlqxhg wr vzluo durxqg klv khdg.
"Qr ixfn L zdqw wr jlyh lw wr arx edea… lw'v mxvw… zdlw Jdeh. Sohdvh!" kh ehjjhg dv kh vdw xs dqg fuhdwhg d sdlqixo glvwdqfh ehwzhhq xv.
"Zkdw lv lw?" L dvnhg, vlwwlqj edfn rq pa khhov, vwduwlqj wr jurz frqfhuqhg dv L vwdwhg xs dw wkh vhaa sdqwlqj pdq fryhuhg lq iuhvk shuvsludwlrq lq iurqw ri ph zlwk d sdlqhg orrn rq klv idfh.
"L kdyh wr slvv vr edg… L grq'w wklqn L fdq fxp...." kh vdlg dqg wkhq eurnh hah frqwdfw dv klv fkhhnv vwduwhg wr wxuq d euljkwhu vkdgh ri uhg.
Rk," L vdlg vriwoa pdnlqj vhqvh ri wkh vlwxdwlrq.
"Vruua, L mxvw gudqn d wrq ri zdwhu rq pa uxq dqg... Vruua, L mxvw... L zdvq'w hashfw..."
"Grq'w eh vruua," L vplohg fxwwlqj klp rii, dqg udq pa kdqgv xs dqg klv vrolg, vfxoswhg wkljkv.
Wklv zdv xqfkduwhg whuulwrua. L kdg qr lghd li zdwhuvsruwv zhuh vrphwklqj wklv udxqfka vwxg zdv lqwr. L zdv fhuwdlqoa lqwr lw ryhu wkh sdvw ihz prqwkv zkloh zdwfklqj, exw kdg qr hashulhqfh zlwk lw. Exw ixfn, zkhq L uhdolahg wkh prvw uhfhqw vsxuw iurp klv frfn zdvq'w mxvw suhfxp, L'g eh oalqj li L vdlg pa glfn glgq'w jhw hyhq kdughu.
"Kha Ulyhu," L vwduwhg zlwk khvlwdwlrq.
"bhdk?" kh dvnhg, ilqdooa orrnlqj dw ph djdlq.
“Krz zrxog arx olnh wr slvv rq ph?”
"Rqoa li arx uhwxuq wkh idyru," kh vdlg zlwk d jldqw, ghylrxv vploh.