Relentless - Part 2: The Pursued - The Gift
“Where are they? Myles? Sophie?” Laney called and whistled, but the dogs did not respond.
She had come to the park, their evening routine after she got home from work, but something had caught their eye, or their nose, and they had nearly pulled her down on her face before the leashes slid roughly from her hands.
She felt herself beginning to panic. What if she couldn’t find them? What if they didn’t come back? They were her constant companions. She couldn’t live without them.
“Sophie! Myles! Come!” She called loudly again as she jogged in the direction they had zoomed off.
She pulled out her phone. Her friend Jeremy would know what to do. He was always there to help her out. After a second he answered.
“Hello?”
“Jeremy, this is Laney. Hey, I’m at Preston Park. Myles and Sophie got away from me. Can you come help me look for them.”
“Um…well, I…I’m kinda busy right now, Laney. I’m sure they’ll be fine. Just hang out for a bit and they’ll probably come loping back in a few minutes.”
Laney was disappointed, but she didn’t let on. “Oh, okay. Well, thanks. See you at work tomorrow.”
She kept walking, but slowed her pace. Jeremy was probably right. They would come back in just a few minutes after they were done stimulating their noses. She headed toward the wooded area because she knew the pups loved to rummage around in the leaves.
Laney was proud of herself. She’d finally stopped messing around and started to take life seriously. After that last weird encounter at the bar, she decided to keep her drinking confined to her small home, and only when she had friends over. She had finally gotten an administrative position at work, got a great raise, good health insurance and a title that made her finally feel worth something. People came to her for advice and looked up to her.
Why was it then, she felt so alone?
Image by Werner Heiber from Pixabay
Still, he pursued her. She could feel it in the quiet moments, which was exactly why she didn’t allow the silence. She had a routine. As she got home she was greeted by the barking of Myles and Sophie, the two rescues she adored. She changed her clothes, put on her headphones, cranked up the music and took the pups for a long walk. When they returned she turned on the TV to have a show on in the back ground as she made herself a healthy meal. It stayed on until she either went to bed, went out with friends or had friends over.
Her life before she left Him was becoming a blur, almost as though it wasn’t real. She had just about convinced herself it was just some sort of weird dream, a fairy tale of sorts, or it had seemed like a fairy tale until something bad had happened; something that He had not stopped. The question always nagged at her, if he really loved her why hadn’t he protected her?
Laney followed the path that wandered into the heavily treed area of the park. Just as she came around a corner she saw Sophie and Myles sitting in front of an elderly man on a bench.
“There you are! You two are in so much trouble.” She reached them and picked up both of their leads.'
“I am so sorry,” Laney said to the man. “They just took off. Just about dragged me with them.”
The gentleman chuckled. “Oh they were zooming for sure, but I could tell they belonged to someone who cared for them very much. I told them they had to sit with me until you came.”
Laney wasn’t sure what to think of the man, but he seemed quite harmless. Plus it was still daylight and there were people around. She sat down next to him.
She smiled. “You told them?”
He was looking off into the woods. He started, as if noticing her for the first time. “What was that?”
“You said, you told Myles and Sophie to sit with you until I came.”
He smiled gently as he patted Myles on the head. “Oh, yes…yes. This one is all for fun. He wanted to keep running, but his sister told him to listen. She’s the one with the deep desire to please you.”
Laney let out a small laugh. “You understand them…who are you Dr. Doolittle?”
The man smiled. “Oh no, no. That was just a made up story. I…well….I have a gift.”
“A gift?”
“Some would call it discernment. Others might call it knowledge…whatever it is I just know I’ve had it since I was seven years old.”
Laney looked at him, trying to figure out if he was serious. She suddenly felt worried for the man. “Are you okay? I mean do you need me to call someone? Do you live around here?”
He gently put a hand on her knee and patted it. “Now don’t you worry. I am perfectly sane, if that’s what you are wondering. I just know things, that’s all.”
Laney was intrigued. “What sorts of things? Has Myles told you he wants another sibling, because I cannot afford another…”
The gentleman burst into laughter, his eyes crinkling with mirth. His smile seemed to make the shaded path burst into light.
“I can tell you that Myles and Sophie were both rescues. Sophie has always loved to submit. It makes her happy to do her owner’s will. She is gentle and peaceful. Myles…well, he’s a lot like you.”
“Me?”
“Yes. He likes to run. He has very little patience for sitting still. Some days he wants to run and run and never turn back.”
Laney looked at Myles. “What? You would do that?”
Myles barked. The man continued. “Oh, he won’t ever leave you. He has a seal.”
“A seal?”
“Yes. Both Sophie and Myles have it. It was given to them by someone very important. You see, Myles and Sophie were both severely treated and abused. He gives them the most important job, to watch over the lost ones…You are very fortunate. He must love you a great deal. Myles and Sophie were created just for you.”
Laney sat there stunned, a tiny pin prick poking her heart. She took a deep breath and willed her mind to override the feelings. She stood up.
“Well, that’s all very interesting. I really need to go. I’ve got friends coming for dinner. Are you sure you don’t want me to call someone?”
The man patted Myles and Sophie again and whispered something only they could hear, then lifted his head to Laney.
“Thank you for sitting with me, even if just for a minute. It means the world to me.” He smiled again.
Laney had to pull the pups away from him as she moved down the path out of the woods. She turned back one time to see if the old man was going to try to follow her, but he was gone.