Onwards and Upwards
# Chapter 3: Onwards and Upwards There was nothing left to do at camp, we'd already stowed everything worth taking. English shrugged into his pack as I looked up, fussing at the straps to make it fit. The lion's burden was twice the size of mine,...
The More Things Change
# Chapter 2: The More Things Change I mustn't have slept for more than ten minutes at a time that night. I kept waking up to stare at the blank canvas above me. Even with my night vision I couldn't make out a thing in the tent, the night was...
A Breath of Spring
# Chapter 1: A Breath of Spring The wind tossed a few stray snowflakes across my shoulders. I may be snug and warm under a fur coat, but the chill air still made me shiver. Perched on the exposed rocky crest of this steep ridge I could see the...
Wherever Home Is
Chapter 14: Wherever Home IsOctober 15, 198609:42 HoursOutside of West Woodburn, Northumberland, North East England Leaving Darlington and the man who I had assaulted in his vehicle, I very nearly sprinted all the way up to West Woodburn. I only...
Headstones and Heresy
Chapter 13: Headstones and HeresyJune 6, 1988 04:00 HoursWest Woodburn, Northumberland, North East England It was four o'clock in the morning, and I sat in an upstairs suit at the Duck and the Crown inn. Coalburn had been amongst the people who...
The Long Walk
Chapter 12: The Long WalkOctober 1, 198615:19 HoursSouth London, England I sat in the outfitting room of the Kennel for long minutes after Handler Proust had left. Forty-Seven passed by without so much as a word to me. We'd known each other since...
A Night in Tranquility
Chapter 11: TranquillityJune 5, 1988 20:15 HoursWest Woodburn, Northumberland, North East England The rest of the meal passed in relative silence. There was conversation, but I had the feeling that I'd let everyone know where my focus lay when I...
Unexpected Aid
Chapter 10: Unexpected AidJune 5, 1988 10:00 HoursWest Woodburn, Northumberland, North East England The day began late the next morning, despite the fact it was unheard of for me to ever sleep in. I'd even failed to so much as set foot out of my...
A Night Amongst the Ruins
Chapter 9: A Night Amongst the RuinsJune 4, 1988 06:00 HoursWest Woodburn, Northumberland, North East England Master Constable Proust had departed yesterday afternoon, just shortly after the church fire had been finally doused. He'd left that for...
Final Exam
Chapter 8: Final ExamOctober 1, 198609:42 HoursSouth London, England The Final Exams are conducted in a room expressly designed for the purpose. As pups were born all year long, so the finals were ever running. It was a busy location, every Dog...
To Uphold the Law
Chapter 7: To Uphold the LawOctober 1, 198605:19 HoursSouth London, England It was a long time before the lights were to click on, but I couldn't sleep. There were countless reasons for it, but I chose to blame it on one of the many 'side effects'...
Funeral
Chapter 6: Funeral June 3, 1988 06:15 HoursWest Woodburn, Northumberland, North East England I suppose I should be thankful for the small mercies that God hands down to me. After the last couple of days I wouldn't have been surprised if the...