FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

STOP. READ THE FOLLOWING BEFORE DOING ANYTHING MORE. Sorry to be so crass in this introduction, but I have a few things to say before you do anything else (you can actually jsut ignore me if you don't care to hear at all, but all I ask is a minute of your time). First of all, if this is the first of this series you have looked at, you may either read the first installment or this one. Either is fine. Neither is deprecated by reading the other. Now that I have mentioned that, for those of you that read the last installment I have a few things different from the last. For one (because of circumstances I would be happy to explain if you ask), this installment does not have any sexual themes to speak of, while the previous story had plenty of yiff and such. So just a fair warning, but if there is interest and I bring myself to write another installment, it will be much more yiff heavy. And that is all I had to say, onto the more ordinary stuff.

Hey. Well, it took months and months, but here is a sequel to "Just Another Day". I cannot apologize enough for the delay, but I got it done at least right? Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

"He has never belonged here and he has never been my son! He is the love child of you and some punk! That bastard took away my dignity and took away my wife!"

I never liked Butch, and he me, but it really pissed me off when he went at my mom like this. When he went on these rants, he tended to go on about how my mom had cheated on him and wasn't the woman he had married.

He knew very well that I was in the other room. I was just a looming omen to him. I just continued to type on the computer, my anger perking up with each word he spewed from his empty head. I wasn't grinning, but I was bearing it.

My mom was a tough doe, she could stand up with the best of them. Nothing like that thick-headed bull. My mom could actually care about something, all he cares about is being a macho.

"I want that freeloading bastard out of this house! He is eighteen so there is no goddamn excuse any more April!"

I heard my mom yell, "Butch, you can't do that! You have no right!" Suddenly through the yelling, I heard a smack.

I stood straight up from my chair and it rolled away. I rounded the corner and abruptly stopped, my mom stepped back from Butch, clutching her cheek.

"What the fuck Butch! What the hell did you do to my mother!" I ran over to my mom, my feet loudly trotting over to her. My attention was focused on her and I was concerned that ass hurt her. I came close to her and put my hands around her shoulders. "Are you okay mom?"

I looked down at her and she just nodded, still holding her cheek. Then I heard from behind me, "Pack your shit Jason. I want you out within the hour."

I snapped my head back and stared at the back of Butch's head while he walked away, "Where the hell do you get off telling me-"

"Jason..." I turned back to my mom. She looked up into my eyes, "For your safety, you should go."

I looked down, a little tear welling up in the corner of my eye. "But ma-"

She just shook her head, "Don't worry about me. Your mom can handle him." She tried to crack a smile, but instead a tear rolled down her cheek.

I looked down "Okay." I started to take a step away but she grabbed my shoulder, I turned back.

"When you have your stuff, meet me by the front door." I simply nodded a little confused and she released my shoulder and motioned for me to go. I hesitated for a moment, not wanting to go, but her eyes told me to continue. Against myself, my legs carried me out of the room and to the stairs.

Just as I rounded the corner and went up the first step, I heard her begin to sob and her sitting on the couch. I had to clench my eyes to hold back tears of my own as I ascended the stairs. I eventually reached the top and turned left to my room.

I looked around the floor and saw a sort of duffel bag that I usually took to the gym. I grabbed it and unzipped the top. I dumped out its contents onto the floor and walked over to my dresser. I slid open the drawers and stuffed various clothes in the bag, doing my best to pack what I needed.

I grabbed my wallet, my house keys just in case, though Butch would probably change the locks, and a picture by my bed. It was of my mom holding me when I was just a kid, a little horse in her arms.

I looked at it from time to time but now was not the time. I placed it lightly on top of the clothes in my bag and grabbed a small metal case off my desk. The metal box creaked open while I flipped it up. In there sat my passport, which I took, not sure if I would need it or not, and a money clip. There sat the remnants of my summer job last year. Something like five hundred dollars. I grabbed it with a sigh and shoved it in the bag, under the mound of the clothes. I closed the box and looked at it for a second. I rolled my eyes and then shoved it in the bag as well, the sharp outline easily visible through the course fabric.

I snatched my car keys on my way out, stuffing them in my pocket, zipping my bag, and flicking off the light. I left my room, utterly confused by the silence. Not a single muttering was audible in the house. It honestly made me afraid to go down the stairs.

I took one hesitant step, ears still perked, probing for something, anything. There was always a television on or some sort of talking going on. I took one more step. Nothing. I took in a breath and walked down the stairs.

I looked down and saw my mom standing at the door, a laptop in hand and looking at the ground. Standing there, just at the foot of the stairs, she looked up. It was... heartbreaking.

Her face was matted a little from tears I assume and her eyes were partially bloodshot. I dropped my bag and walked to hug her. She put her cheek on my chest and I wrapped my arms around her. I heard her sob into me, a tear or two seeping into my shirt.

I rocked side to side a little, "Its alright." I whispered, "I'll be just fine." She became quiet, aside from a few sniffles. I rubbed my cheek on the top of her head. Then, she pushed me a little on my stomach.

I took a step back and looked down at her and she had gathered the resolve to look me right in the face. Her lip was quivering a little as she held out her paws and the laptop. I slowly moved my hands forward and grabbed the black pad. I looked down a little on it, honestly trying to forget how sad I was at the moment.

"Jason," she spoke softly, her voice a little raspy, "look up a man named Zack Ajax. Find out where he lives and go see him." I looked up from the slight reflection on the folded computer.

I was confused, "But who is-"

She just shook her head a little.

"You will understand soon enough. I... I love you Jason. Please," another tear ran down her cheek, "please be careful... okay?"

I set down the laptop quickly and embraced my mother one more time. "I will mom. I love you too." I held her for a second longer and then she pulled away. I looked at her back to the door. I could feel a sad face, but still grabbed my duffel and the laptop. I walked to the door, and grasped the knob.

I slowly turned the knob and pulled, the big wooden door creaking open. At first just a crack, the warm summer air rushed into the air conditioned entry-room. I could nearly hear it rattle the glass of a chandelier, sounding like a wind chime.

I looked to my mother, as I stepped outside. She looked up and her face stayed strong. I could almost feel like she was proud. I managed to make the slightest of smiles, surprised by her demeanor.

The door creaked behind me, and I kept looking through the crack at her while it got thinner and thinner. That sight was the last I would see of my mother for a very long time, and with the close of that door, the image of her behind it stuck all too well. I blinked, brow a little furrowed and stood by the door for a second, the reality of my situation actually seeping in.

I tentatively turned around into the night, crickets chirping through the black, a hint of a train in the distance.

"Well... I have nothing here now." I thought, bringing myself to walkway. I would be lying to say that first step was easy. I urged my legs to move, and they gave remote hints of movement, my legs tensing and flexing, as if I were to take a step any second.

Suddenly, a warm breeze pelted me in the face. The hot dry air breezed past me, whipping up my mane. It curved up behind me, seeming to bounce off the door and fly forward. My mane shifted with the wind and my shirt whipped in the gust. It was nearly enough to push me forward, my feet forced to catch my movement.

I caught on my first foot on the base of the concrete. The breeze slowly gusted around my face, caressing me. It was almost comforting.

My legs must have ushered up some nerve because I took another step, I slight crunch on some gravel. The security lights flicked on at the step. The next step soon followed, and my body was making progress from the door. I had light footsteps, my mind clear and surprisingly flustered.

The will of the wind helped me out, the side of my 2005 mustang waiting patiently in the driveway. I soon made contact, on the handle of the door, pulling the keys from my pocket. They jingled quietly and made a sort of sliding sound as the key slipped into the door. With a twist of my wrist, the lights within illuminated, dull compared to the blaring security lights.

I almost cringed at the, as usual, annoying beep as I opened the door. It would have made more of an impact had it not been for the drowning locusts, calming the night like with a wave of white noise.

I stepped in, tossing my bag to the passenger seat and lightly setting the laptop next to it, propped at an angle with the base at the bag and the end at the seat. Hopefully it would be safe enough I thought.

I pulled in and closed the door to my side, the overhead light flicking off, but the inside still lit by the outside lights. Considering the light, I easily found the ignition and pushed the key in. That same sliding sound flicked out with the key and with another twist, I heard the revving of the engine. It sounded for a second without ignition and I grunted. releasing my twist and turning again.

After a few more revs, the dash lit up and the engine sparked to life. The mustang gave a rumble and I released the key. "Mm, need to get a new battery on the way." I said surprisingly nonchalantly. I turned my head back and grasped the wheel with my left hand and the other on the top of the seat. I pulled out smoothly, a little gravel crackling under me and backed to my left.

I grasped the wheel with both hands and looked over at the house. I gave a quick sigh and drove forward. I drummed my fingers on the top of the wheel, only stopping to turn onto main street. My lights had lit and peered cones of white light on the asphalt.

I figured I would be best to at least get on the highway and sleep in the car, considering my limited funds and my ignorance as to exactly where I was going and how far.

I cruised through Marbridge, my eyes accustomed to the glare of the streetlights and the people trotting the streets at night. My mind was blank at this point and I was strangely absent-minded. Not angry, not sad, nothing.

My pass through the city to the highway was populated with thoughts to my blank mind. As a result, my exit was pretty hazy. Some little lapse, but it was just another drive it seemed.

The glint of light off the windows, the wide sky only interrupted by a few of the taller buildings. I wouldn't call it picturesque, but it was the epitome of the nightlife in Marbridge.

Despite me being here or not, I had a feeling it would remain the same in my absence. I was almost sorry later that I didn't have a girlfriend at the time to give an intimate goodbye to, but I suppose I wouldn't even have remembered her in my state at the time.

Main street led roughly to the highway, as one might expect, so, aside from a couple of red lights, it was a smooth and engaging ride though where I had lived my entire life.

The bustle of downtown soon passed behind me, the buildings closer then they appeared in my mirrors. The highway laid just a half a mile away so I drove a little farther, distance ever creeping between me and Marbridge.

The suppose I didn't notice the change from asphalt to concrete, because it just began to see the gray pavement and brighter lines. I managed to snap back to my senses to see the river of road that was soon coming within my gaze.

I stared forward a little, the moon hanging surprisingly low in the sky, the twinkle of stars just peaking our of the void sky as the city lights became dimmer and dimmer.

The huge expanse before me must have been a little overwhelming. I somehow started to pull over to the shoulder, just before the entrance. I was legitimately frightened of the task set before me.

"I have no idea where to start... Where do I even go..." I only looked forward, brow furrowing a little peering over the horizon, the eastern mountains subtly jagged peaks embellishing the starlit horizon.

Despite my age, I was beginning to realize just how much of a world was out there. It was so expansive and dark, but I felt nearly comforted by its surreal presence.

"Well, it is late... maybe I can sleep it off." I sighed to myself, hoping to clear my mind to honestly determine the route to my new life. I grabbed the shift and parked, the car moving slightly back as I released the brakes. I reached for the keys and twisted back, the car shutting down and the interior dimming.

After one more look through the windshield, my hand grasped the lever on the side of my seat. As I leaned, the seat followed and my head moved down and back.

Considering the warm night, I doubted the need for a blanket or some such, so, for a pillow, I folded my hands behind my head and lifted my back and then set it back down to get comfortable.

Shutting my eyes, the world darkened and my mind did its best to relax and let go of the stress of the night. At first, silence was ambient there. But as my mind slowed and state began to calm, the subtle sounds of sand and dust whipped along around me. The pleasant presence was nearly soothing if not intriguing.

I tuned in for minutes afterward. My ears flicked, deciding the speed and direction of the breeze. At best, this was the extent of my calm. I may have been silent and hypnotized, but the back of my mind continued to stir and brew questions.

"What exactly am I to do? Do I really have no direction? No cause? No drive?" These nagging thoughts would not relent despite their quiet dispositions. After a good ten minutes of such faint culminations in my mind, something began to grow in the black.

A shape of shadow was appearing in my vision. The silhouette became all the more defined developing form and substance. This was all new to me at the time. I could only suppose it was some sort of sign. But for what? A figure in the foreground of the shadow.

All of a sudden, my eyes flicked open. I was wide awake. Any tranquility from before dissolved. I couldn't help but look up to the roof of the car for a minute, trying to reform the figure.

My brow crumpled a little and I dashed my gaze to catch a glimpse of the laptop Mom had given me. I looked a second longer and then grunted, "Well, I suppose if I am awake..."

I reached over to the passenger side and grabbed the computer. I pulled the screen up and pressed the power on. The thing flickered to life in my lap and illuminated up with a white screen. Then, the interface slowly formed into the desktop.

After a second more of loading the cursor indicated it was set and ready. I moved my finger to the pad and made the cursor to start the internet. It soon popped up and I was left staring at a search bar.

"Well, I suppose I can start here." I clicked the bar and typed in the name my mom had told me. Zack Ajax. A plethora of results soon populated my view.

The first link was to a site called "generation-breeding.gov". I didn't take much notice of the name yet so just moved over to it and clicked. The window went blank before what looked like a resume emerged from the white.

It didn't have a picture, just a sort of emblem with a red crescent on it. That definitely caught my eye first, but I was soon attracted to the information below the mark.

"Class Ten Breeder? What is that supposed to mean?" I was drawing a blank for a moment, before it hit me like a ton of bricks. "Breeder? You mean the men that can make kids?"

We were taught in school the weird enigma that had persisted for the past two generations, mine included, that kept most males from having kids of their own. Somehow, these breeders were the exception.

"So this guy bred my mom and..." I was trying to bemuse it in my mind, realizing how blatantly obvious it should have been. It explained not only my difference between my mother and Butch, but the fighting that was constant through my childhood.

I sat frozen for a moment, eyes almost glazed over in thought. My sat up and my eyes repositioned back onto the screen. I managed to skim down the page enough to find an address and comprehend it.

"622 Summit Peak, Roshen..." I had heard of the city, a couple friends went to some parties out there. To my knowledge, it was East of Marbridge. And I was on the entrance to Interstate 16 East now, the only real route in and out of the city.

I looked down at my lap for a second. Then my head snapped up and I closed the laptop. I moved it back with my bag and reached for my keys.

At this point, I wasn't focused on the pleasantries around me, my paw drew to the ignition and the engine didn't even falter. I grabbed the shift and pushed into drive. I kicked up a cloud of dust in the warm air while I jumped back onto the highway.

I must have been on the road hours, because, before I knew it, daylight was pushing over the mountains and pouring over the glinting snow covered peaks.

As proof of my state of mind, I didn't even notice that I had pulled down my visor. My body was moving by itself. Somehow I stayed awake, or, more like my mind would not let me be tired.

The miles peeled off around me, the scenery blurring into the same panorama over the dessert lined by the mountains. Because of this, it caught my eye when I saw a building out in the distance. It had a large sign above it and as I approached closer it turned out to be gas prices on it.

With the glance over at the dash, I was immediately thankful for the sight. Although the meter was always a little conservative over how much gas I actually had left, I was just teetering over empty. So, as I got closer, I slowed and turned into the lot.

The sun was by now casting shadows on the ground, no morning fog to dim its gaze that sometimes was seen in Marbridge.

"Must be a repair shop too considering the busted up ones over there." I thought as I glanced over at to a couple of beat up cars. One was a black jeep that looked like it got sideswiped by a red car judging by the streak of crimson on it. It almost looked like it was scratched and bleeding what from the color of the red.

There was also a dark green Camero that was in far worse shape. The front left corner was smashed in, the headlight obliterated, and the hood bent up in that direction.

I slowed down to get a good look at it. There was a wolf sitting on a bench next to where the the car was parked looking out over the desert.

"He must have been the one in that. He is lucky to be so unscathed." I pondered to myself while I pulled up to the pump. I parked and removed my keys from the ignition. They slid into my pocket and I stepped out, closing the door behind me. I trotted around the car and made my way to the building.

I glanced at the wolf as I passed and he seemed not to notice. My eyes darted a little when the bell at the door rang, announcing my arrival. Upon seeing the bell I just shook my head and laughed a little, amused by myself.

I reached into my pocket and took out my wallet as an otter came to the counter. I looked out the glass on the store front and looked at the gas pump I was parked at.

"Can I get twenty on, uh, three?" The otter nodded and I handed him a twenty. The register gave ding as he put in the money and I nodded, "Thanks." I pushed out of the store and made my way to the pump. "I guess I can't afford to get better than regular right now." I thought as I pressed the first button on the left and removed the nozzle from the holster. I flipped open the gas cover and set the nozzle in. I pulled the trigger and the meter began to whirl to life behind me.

I leaned back on the mustang and tilted my head down, my fatigue catching up with me. The desert was strangely calming among the slicking of the meter on the pump. I snapped my head back up from my rest when the pump gave a ding.

I scratched my head, "These things must be rather old to be making a ding..." I shook my head and then grabbed the nozzle from my car, replacing it on the holster. I looked over at the wolf on the bench again, this time with a little pity.

"His car was incapacitated and he can't do anything about it. Not sure what I would do..." I decided there was no harm in talking for a little while, if anything to just stretch my legs a little more before heading out. So, I began to approach the bench.

The wolf's eyes turned to me as I approached and I almost thought I saw a bit of a smile. "Wow that must have been kind of nasty huh?" I said glancing at the Camero. The wolf chuckled and looked up.

That was when I got my first real look at his eyes, and it was a strange sight. There was nothing inherently out of place about his gaze, but I felt as if I had seen them before. In some sort of weird Deja Vu, I just barely heard what he said.

"Hehe, yeah got in a bit of a scrape." He pointed down the road from where I had come, his other arm bent over his knee as he leaned forward. "The guy coming at me must have had a bout of narcolepsy because without a moments notice," the wolf moved his hand a little to the left as if it were the car that hit him, "and bang. I was bucked a bit off the road and he must have woken up because he sped off not a second later. What a character."

I chuckled a little. "I guess the damage is more than cosmetic?" He smiled and looked down, "Yeah, well I had to push her up the road until I got here. Thank goodness my road map was current." He laughed lightheartedly.

I cracked a smile and snickered a little, "By the looks of this place, seems like your map could be twenty years old and still show it." He smiled and shook his head and rubbed his cheek. He pointed with his thumb at the car.

"Yeah the engine was bucked back a bit in the impact so the thing is out of commission. And I don't exactly have a few thousand dollar lying around so they are going to tow it back to Marbridge." He let out a sigh. "To think I just got on my way to be stopped. I am supposing I will go home and tell ma I'm not going to be gone for a little while."

"If you don't mind me asking, where were you headed uh..." The wolf chuckled and shook his head as he stood up. He put his paw out and I grabbed it.

"Where are my manners, you can call me Aaron."

"Jason."

We released eachother's hands and he spoke, "Well I was on my way to Roshen. I suppose you know of it since you looked like you were headed into the mountains. Well Jason I won't take away any more of your time." He gave a smile and started to turn around.

My conscious, on top of my innate curiosity for his trip to Roshen, kicked in a little and I grabbed his shoulder lightly. "Hold up a sec."

He turned his head back a little confused, "Yes?" I glanced at my hand and then dropped it to my side and into my pocket.

"Why don't you come with me. I mean your car is going to be towed any way right."

He looked back and then shook his head, "Oh I don't want to be a burden."

"Oh it is no problem, I was heading up that way anyway."

He gave me a confused look, "Well, I guess I might as well." He shrugged, "you have got a deal Jason." He patted my shoulder with his paw, a glint of thanks and even excitement in his eyes.

"Not sure I should trust it, but you wouldn't mind driving for a while would you? Didn't exactly get sleep on the road up here."

He gave a chuckle and a grin. "Considering what you have seen of my driving," He tilted his head directing me to his busted up Camero, "I would say that sleep is pretty important." We both laughed and I nodded for him to follow me to the car. He held up his finger for a second, and then moved in a sort of side skip back to his car. I nodded as he opened his car and got what must have been his things for his trip from there.

While he gathered his accouterments, I walked to my car and opened up the passenger side door and the back door just behind it. I gathered my stuff from the front and tossed it in the back towards the left and carefully leaning in and placing the laptop on the floor just behind the driver's seat.

He soon approached with a suitcase and one or two other bags. I moved away from the door and he placed his stuff in. I closed the door as he moved to the driver side. I pulled my keys out of my right pocket and spoke over the top of the car, "Catch."

I tossed them and they nearly hit him in the face. He laughed with a bit of surprise on his face and opened the door. I stepped in and closed the door behind me. The sound of his door closing came soon after mine.

We looked at eachother, the passenger side far to close to accommodate my legs and the driver's side too far for him. We laughed and I reached to my side and pulled a lever, allowing me to push the seat back for some much needed space. I let out a sigh of relief and, after Aaron did the same as me, he turned on the engine and it stalled a bit before revving up, reminding me to get a new battery.

He grabbed the wheel and turned left onto the highway taking a look back to see anything traffic coming from behind. "And we're off." I smirked a little and, although I hated to leave my guest without company, I found myself leaning on my arms to the right. The was fairly cool on my forearm and I took in a breath of relief, body happy to have some bit of rest.

I don't remember what happened in those last minutes before I fell asleep, not like I ever expect too.

I jerked in to consciousness just with what must have been a bump in the road because my eyes opened a tad, I shut them tightly as a beam of sunshine stabbed through my pupil. I shut them tight, after-images forming from the sudden exposure.

Flashes of some selection of purple, green, red, blue, and most anything of the sort flashed by itself on the screen of my eyelids, each light flickering on just long enough between eachother so that they don't mold into pure white.

I looked at the shades for a moment, beautiful in there own way dancing in and out of my gaze. However, I soon noticed the colors concentrating, molding to a form.

At first I was not sure what it was. Slowly though, it became apparent that it took the form of some silhouetted person turned from me. As I continued to gaze, the form became all the more coherent and detailed, shading along its subtle muscles, white emerging where shadows would often take place.

Her head, by this time I figured by her form she was female, was turned away. Slowly, the neck of the shadow turned and the side of her face was just shy of showing.

"You going to wake up or mope about a little sun?" The image vanished at Aaron inquired. I shook my head a little and carefully opened my eyes this time, moving a hand to block the majority of the rays while my eye's emerged from behind my eyelids.

"Man, you were really out of it. You looked like you were hit by death or something the way you slept so soundly." I shook my head a little and blinked a couple of times, careful not to blind myself again.

I looked out the window to my right. "We must be in the mountains judging by the trees." I said enjoying the scenery.

"It really wasn't that long after you fell asleep that we made in into them. Mind you, you were out cold pretty fast."

I smiled and rubbed my head speaking in a half mumble, "Yeah I was pretty tired."

"Oh I have been meaning to tell you, this is a nice ride."

"What?" I said apparently still in a daze, it hit me a second later, "oh yeah the mustang? Yeah, I would say I am pretty proud of her."

Aaron chuckled a little while we made a sharp turn. "And the handling too. You must have had some work done for it."

"Yeah a good many weekends spent." Just as we turned, the mountains split away and the road stretched forward. I didn't exactly get out here very often so I was surprised by the surroundings.

Green trees stretching out from the highway, the road cutting a path through the trunks. Perhaps not the most tightly packed forest, but from what I knew it stretched all along the Derin Mountains, an impressive enough feat.

The peaks made a veritable rain shadow that often blanketed this side with showers, leaving the desert dry just as it was meant to be. Even looking up here there were many more clouds than I remembered from earlier today. Perhaps it might have been the time difference but these clouds had substance, not at all like the wispy streams of white that veined through the sky over Marbridge.

And the color of the sky only accentuated, what seemed a deeper blue with more character than the pale heavens back home. I was not sure if it was the effect of the trees or that of the clouds, but it was relatively awe-inspiring, enough so that I barely heard Aaron when he addressed me.

I snapped my head back. "What?"

He glanced over, "I asked why you were on your way to Roshin in the first place?"

I wasn't sure how to answer that. At first I supposed it was the only place I could go, but then I got to thinking of what I expected to find there. My eyes opened up a bit at the question and I pondered.

Before long Aaron was snapping his fingers in front of my face, "Hello Jason? Man you have to stop spacing out on me."

I still wasn't really sure as I began to speak, "Well, I suppose I am trying to find someone, and I was told I could find him in Roshin."

Aaron nodded a little,"Hm about the same boat as me. My mom sent me out to find this man named Zack Ajax." I tried to subdue my surprise as he uttered that name.

I swallowed and formed some surprisingly collected words, "Do you know why exactly?"

I bit by lip a little as he spoke, "Not really. Mom didn't give me any details. She just said that is was time I meet him."

I was in a state of disbelief, that I would meet someone with apparently the same journey as me. I took a deep but quiet breath and thought through my response.

"I have nothing to hide then if he is doing the same... well, here goes nothing." I cleared my throat, and he glanced over a bit, "Um, yeah. Sort of like that for me too..."

He turned his head, quickly and looked at me and said quickly, "Wait what? You mean... you are going to..." He stared straight at me for a second and looked, he might have even tilted his head a little. I was nervous as hell for some reason; his look was piercing my eyes, like he was gauging how truthful I was being. I was nervous but could tell I was looking at him with a fair amount of confidence.

Suddenly, he let out a very quick breath and he had a very strained smile that he must have been trying to hold back. I was almost startled when he broke out in laughter. We were lucky the road was straight because Aaron had shut his eyes and his laugh was filling the entire car.

Although I was a little worried about the possibility of crashing, when he opened his eyes again and looked at me mouth open a little, I could not help myself. It wasn't long before we were both consumed with laughter, we would have sounded crazy to anyone else as we jerkily swerved a little on the road.

I squinted my eyes up past the situation, they snapped open and I saw us careening toward a tree.

I tried to form words but my mouth was just left open really not sure how to respond. Aaron laughed for a half a second longer before he squinted his eyes open as well and I suppose they fell on mine. He immediately swiveled his neck to see a tree trunk become ever more uncomfortably close to the front. Then the car suddenly stopped and I heard the wheels screech.

I bucked forward on the seatbelt and then jumped back, bouncing just a tad on the seating. I rose my head and thought the worst. We must have not hit the brakes fast enough and smashed headlong into the tree. I almost didn't want to look up until I realized that the airbags had not deployed.

My eyes snapped open and I looked straight forward. I let out a breath when I saw that, from the best I can tell, we had made no contact with the trunk. I looked over at Aaron, his leg apparently still tense from slamming on the brakes like he did.

He was panting hard and trying to calm down. But when our eyes met and just stared for a second. This time I was the one who broke out, throwing my head back and laughing.

Aaron followed suit and we sat in the car like two idiots, not particularly sure if we were laughing at the similarities in our journeys or the fact that we nearly crashed the car by laughing so hard.

I felt a tear go down my face as I nearly suffocated in my eruption of glee. I managed to say during the fit, "You... you have lost driving privileges."

Aaron spoke in a similar fashion," Aw, but we were... having so much fun."

I reached for the shift weakly and pulled it back to park. Aaron dropped his paws form the steering-wheel and released the tension in his leg. I slowly reached for my seatbelt and pressed in the button.

It took minutes for us to calm down, minutes filled with desperate panting and false scares of renewed laughter. My eyes were closed as I regathered composure, eventually sustaining calm breaths. I took in a deep inhale and released it relieved. Then my eyes flipped open and reached to take off my seat belt and glanced over to Aaron.

He nodded looking like he was chuckling to himself and unbuckled himself. I cracked a smile, happy it was understood. Each of us opened our car doors and slid out, leaving them open considering it would not take long, We passed around the back of the mustang mostly because there was little room to squeeze between the front and the tree just inches from it. I looked down once or twice to see skid marks leading up to the tires. "Your breaks are pretty efficient if I do say so myself." Aaron said plainly.

I laughed and shook my head a little from side to side. "Let's hope that we don't have to test them out again so soon."

He nodded as we passed around and moved towards the front doors. My hand rode up the hood and slide over until splaying left to grasp the door. I took a step in and sat, the door closing soon behind and my hand just slipping in as to not be slammed.

I pulled down the seatbelt and it clicked into place. I heard a similar click to the right and grasped the steering wheel. I reached down and shifted into reverse and hooked my arm around the seat as I twisted my torso.

I put on some gas and the turned the steering wheel right. We bumped up back onto the road and I dropped my hand back down to the shift. Soon I had both hands up and we sped up down the road.

We were silent for a minute or two going down the road, I suppose we were being careful not to end up on the side of the road again. The street was winding in front of us to a broad turn through the forest. I shook my head a little and chuckled lightly.

"What?" Aaron said from the side.

"You know it really is pretty unreal. The fact that we are doing the same thing much less doing it so close in time."

I glanced over and saw him shrug, "Eh, I believe things happen for a reason. There are no coincidences." I said nothing but I suppose I agreed. I was probably thinking of something to say but my memory shot off the topic, and I know precisely why.

Through the broad turn came a crack in the trees. At first it was just a sliver of landscape, but, as we rounded it, my eyes went wide out over the hole through the trees. My breathing went soft and a hush fell over the car, only the wheels kicking up gravel beneath me made the slightest of noises. But I only assume that because that was the least of my concerns.

Out in front of us, the forest froze and a bright sort of light shined above the road towards us. The car continued straight forward on the road, almost magnetically drawn to it. As we passed out of the halted forest, a panorama of serenity surrounded my vision. I could hardly believe what these mountains had always been hiding. This road ran along through the landscape of the rolling green fields.

Not only was it a surprising sight in contrast to the desert, it was summer after all. It may have been simple grass dotted with pouches of color from wildflowers, but it was so vibrant and alive I felt an energy pool in me. Since the road continued predictably, I got a good look around, the forest shrinking behind me and from my thoughts.

I was awe struck by what sat upon on of the more impressive hills. It was probably the largest tree I had ever seen. Its majestic boughs swung in the breeze above its truck which slightly slanted to present the shadow of the vibrant branches mostly on one side. Although the sun was high and obscured my vision, it looked like somebody was by the tree, what I guessed to be a bicycle nearby. I couldn't have recognized the figure even if I had a hint to who it was.

I thought to myself, "Well it isn't so much close to the forest. Neither is it close to the town." My mind was silent for a second before the fact I had just mentioned hit me. My head turned quickly from the tree to a city that the road was funneling me towards.

I turned to Aaron and he must have just been as awe struck as me because his eyes were wide and he was looking around just as curious as I was. He soon caught my glance at him and then got the hint to look forward, eyes still wide.

"I...Is that it?" I said slowly.

"I suppose so..." the wolf said nonchalantly.

"Good..." I uttered, feeling like something should be said, but not sure what. Suffice to say we were both very quiet, exchanging in only short occasional glances at each other while the road crackled beneath our wheels.

The sun was very high in the sky, leaving few shadows even as we closed in on the city where its structures should have cast some darkness. We slowed on the approach, generally heeding the signs we passed, the streets fairly empty of cars, but the sidewalks were far from devoid of people.

People liberally dotted each block of each street: walking, jogging, biking, or even sitting and having a drink with others. In fact the only shadows that seemed visible were the moving bits of dark on the pavement cast by furs and the awnings and parasols that many sat under.

I could only assume this was the main street since it lead straight from the only road out of the forest we rode through previously. We passed a park or two as we drove at an unassuming twenty-five miles per hour before I blinked a couple of times, dusting away what I suppose was shock, so that I could turn to Aaron.

"Um do you know what street we need to be on?"

He glanced over and then shook his head a little, "uh, pardon... oh yeah the street right right." He collected his consciousness again as I had just did and looked around. I nodded tentatively as he pulled out the map from the glove compartment. I glanced back over when I hear the sound of the paper map unfolding.

When I looked over Aaron was running his finger down the paper, "Let's see, let's see... ah ha." He poked his claw down on the paper.

"Summit Peak. Hm what street did we pass last?" I looked up just as I passed under where a street sign hanged. I missed seeing it forward and looked back as we passed it. As a result, I could only read the second half of the sign, "something Ridge Road." I said carefully and I heard a rustling of papers.

When I looked over to Aaron, we had pulled out much more of the map from its folds, some of it pressing to the window. He grumbled, "No good there are like three Ridge Roads. OH! Hurry what is this one?" I glanced up quickly just in time to see it.

"Ah let's see... Summit Peak!" I yelled a little surprised and turned onto the road. As my hands jerked left along with the car, I heard the map crumple while Aaron was pushed to the window. The wheel squealled a little as I made the tight turn, accidentally speeding up in the turn. My head whipped a little as we steadied out and I compensated for the turn, for although we were not going too fast, it was a sharp turn to get back on the street.

He grumbled a little while he straightened out the map, "What the hell was that?"

I turned with a chuckle and a relieved face, "Hey, at least we found it." He just shook his head with a half smile and proceeded to fold the paper of the map on itself and tucking it away.

There was a park to the left and a row of pleasant looking houses to the right. Not in the way someone may call suburban district houses nice though. They had more character with different styles and color pallets with separate flora making up the front yards. No two were the same and were actually quite entertaining to see while passing. All the houses had even addresses so we could only assume we would come to 622 eventually.

"God I am nervous. Or maybe excited. A little hard to tell at this point I guess." Aaron uttered to break the silence and hopefully cut a bit of the tension as we moved down the road. I shared his sentiments but didn't articulate them. Maybe I was just waiting to see it and wasn't paying attention. Either way, with the passing of 620, our destination was eminent.

My palms were a little sweaty as a home came into sight. Sleek looking was the best way for me to describe it. The front face was formed from gray bricks at the base and it seemed like it slanted up to the left. After a few feet of wall made of the gray brick, it was interrupted shaped spots of what seemed like cream colored stucco.

There was less and less brick as the wall rose up with more of the stucco replacing it to a point where at the top of the slant was all cream. It looked surprisingly natural among the grass that surrounded it and the bushes and shrubs the lined the sidewalk up to the front door. Though the foliage seemed organized and planned, it by no means structured the walkway. It only directed the walk as if it were a river trailing up it.

I was still partially transfixed on the home as I parked on the street. I braked by the curb and reached for the shift, hooking it in park before reaching for the key. I twisted it counterclockwise and the engine shut off. After shifting the keys into my right pocket, I looked over at Aaron. He met my glance and gave a slight exhale and nodded. I reached for the car door and took a similar breath.

The light flicked on in the car as I stepped out, Aaron soon following suit. I locked the doors with a switch on the side of the door and shut the door behind me. I walked in front of the car, my hand riding along it as I moved. My hand fell to my side as I walked away from the car, Aaron walking beside me. I would have called it casual, but we were coming up slowly on the house.

As we walked closer, each looking around curiously at our surroundings, I noticed that on the left side of the house was a stairwell that lead to the rooftop. And I was surprised to see as I walked up that the roof was a balcony on one side. I also began to notice the conspicuous lack of windows on the front face of the house.

I found it odd, but somehow made the entire home more mysterious. It almost invited us to come and see what it held. We soon began to reach the end of the walkway, or what we soon found to be guiding us to the front door.

The door was mostly what looked like glass with shined metal supports crossing it for structural sustainance. You could say that the glass was fogged but I suppose I saw it more as obscured. I could see sort of distorted versions of the inside, thoroughly hiding what the inside was like, but still allowing a sort of mood and feeling to transcend the crystaline barrier. It was comforting in tandem with the air breezing around me plesantly, soft peeps of birds scattered through the flow of the air. I glanced over to Aaron as we both settled facing forward. He didn't glance back. I assumed I would be the one to make the move to the door.

_There you go. Yeah cliff hangers suck, but if I didn't cut this off somewhere I would never have been able to post this. As usual, I vastly appreciate you giving me your time and attention and reading my story, I hope you enjoyed it. Almost as important, I vastly appreciate any and all feedback you are willing to give me, it helps me make my writing better and it motivates me to write more. Thanks for reading. _