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The warning message: STOP! This story deals with references and scenes of homosexual nature between males in graphic detail. If you're not of the legal age of your country, this is illegal for you to read or even look at. So press Alt+F4 on your keyboard and close this immediately. If you are claim that you are old enough, but are not, and read this anyway and get caught, I will not accept responsibility. This story is a work of M/M furry sex fiction. Brand names belong to their rightful owners. All the characters and events portrayed in this story are fictitious, and unless mentioned here or previously, are copyrighted to Linkin Monroe 2009. * * *

Grandview High School, Chapter Three: If I Said Goodbye, You Know I Would Be Lying to You

• * * Linkin yawned widely, his sharp white canines flashed as he moved to stretch his arms. One of which lay still against the floor, numb from a weight sleeping on it. His mind registered the form as his love, Lashley, with just a dreamy glance. The kangaroo was facing him, his head resting on the Doberman's arm that filled in the place of a pillow and his own arm draped over his floormate's chest. He snoozed undisturbed by the Doberman's waking movements and continued to breathe gently. His chest of light brown fur rose and fell with each of his soft breaths. The air was stuffy and still smelled of sex. As Linkin's eyes scanned the nude kangaroo's full form he couldn't help but rub his only open paw down the kangaroo's lower cut body. Lashley stirred and stretched his arms and legs as he woke up. He blinked in surprise for a moment as he saw the warm fuzzy black-and-rustic colored body beside him. He smiled and snuggled into Linkin's arms. Linkin smiled as he watched the kangaroo buy his muzzle into his short spongy fur. "Hey Perfect," Linkin whispered softly as he petted the side of the kangaroo's muzzle. "Did you sleep well?" Lashley pressed his face against the paw and gave a few short nods. "Mmhmm..." he mumbled. They remained motionless for a moment, watching each other in the quiet, and then Lashley rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "And how about you Handsome?" Linkin chuckled quietly and nuzzled Lashley's neck. "I was warm all night sleeping next to you." Suddenly Lashley's body jerked up right. "All night?" he gasped his eyes wide in surprise. His father would punish him dearly for staying away for that long. Linkin nodded and pulled the kangaroo on top of him, and shifted his body slightly upwards, pressing his plump sheath against the other. He gave Lashley a kiss on the muzzle. The kangaroo churred softly and returned a kiss back. A second later their paws were exploring each other's body. Linkin was the first to discover that the kangaroo's cock was growing, as well as his own. When Lashley's paw touched the Doberman's sensitive cock head, he gasped and blushed hard. Linkin moved his hips as he rubbed his erection through Lashley's fur, the kangaroo giving him the same treatment. After both were preing on each other, Linkin sat up and smirked. "What?" Lashley asked, as he sat on the Doberman's legs, his hard-on against the Dobie's inner thigh. "You're a mess," Linkin commented, picking a flake of dried cum from off of Lashley's fur. "You're covered in cum..." Lashley blushed even redder than before as he looked himself over. It was trueâ€"he was covered in cum. He looked at Linkin's body and saw that his fur was covered in cum as well. "You are too..." "Well, what are we gonna do to fix that?" Linkin asked as he sat up, using the palms of his paws to hold his body up. He tilted his head to the right, his muzzle partly open as he panted lightly. Lashley stared intently at Linkin. "Your eyes are really, really, blue," he pointed out, as he lay a paw on the strong canine's right pectoral, feeling the steady beat of his heart. This time it was Linkin's turn to blush. He ducked his head away and started to trip over his own words. "Oh... well, uh heh, um... yeah those are my mom's." He scratched the back of his head nervously. "But you're avoiding my question..." Lashley leaned closer so that his nose was close enough to feel the tips of the Doberman's short fur and to breathe in his heady scent. He found himself becoming harder as he thought about Linkin. He rubbed his paws slowly up Linkin's back, and placed them on the back of his shoulders as he rested his head on Linkin's right shoulder. He let out a content sigh escape his lips as he closed his eyes as Linkin started to sway back and forth. "How about a nice long swim?" Linkin suggested with a wide maniacal grin that showed every single one of his perfectly sharp white teeth. The kangaroo's head popped up and looked him in the face, his brow furrowed as he thought of the idea, which made Linkin laugh heartily. "And then we will return to the beach and plan from there." Lashley moaned as Linkin tried to shake him loose, but after a few seconds of struggling, the stronger canine scooped him up in his arms and lifted him up in the air. "Okay then," Linkin grinned as he strode up the steps to the deck with Lashley clinging on to him. "If you want to give me a hard time, prepare to get dunked!" With that Linkin tossed Lashley away from him, overboard and into the air. The kangaroo only had two seconds before he realized he was falling down and into the water below. He flailed his arms and legs before he hit the surface of the lukewarm water with a large splash. He sunk a foot down before he righted himself with a clumsy kick and a strong swish of his tail then resurfaced, taking in a loud gasp of air. Treading the water he looked up and saw Linkin cannonball off the edge of the yacht. He moved out of the way just in time to dodge being dragged under, but didn't get far enough not to avoid a ripple wave in the face. The kangaroo laughed and splashed water in the Doberman's breaching face. Linkin returned with a squirt of water to Lashley's face and shouted a "Aha!" as he caught the kangaroo's arm when he was about to splash him again. "I got'cha now," Linkin grinned as he pulled the kangaroo closer to him. Lashley screamed loudly as Linkin dove down, still holding his arm. Suddenly his voice was cut off when his muzzle filled with water and he gasped and sputtered when Linkin brought him up to the surface. "Don't ever do that again!" He choked the words out. "Aw... c'mon Lash," Linkin whined innocently, releasing his hold on Lashley's wrist. "You know I was only playing with you." He started to swim on his back, paws behind his head. Lashley smirked and pounced on Linkin, dragging him under the water. He pushed the Doberman's head down even deeper and emerged. Seconds passed and Linkin didn't come back up. Lashley looked around him and couldn't see Linkin. He dove underwater to see if Linkin was sinking. He would never forgive himself if something were to happen to his Doberman. He didn't see him underwater. Back above water, he looked around again. "Linkin?" his voice carried out waveringly over the waves. "LINKIN?" He spun around, making a splash. That's when he felt something long and pointed rubbing up against his crack, making him shiver and whimper quietly as he looked over his shoulder to see Linkin emerge behind him, his paws wrapping around his waist to grope Lashley's furry sheath. He whimpered as he felt himself become erect, his snaky cock begging for attention. Linkin chuckled and with his strong paw, firmly grasped it and began to paw him off. "Eager, aren't we?" he heard Linkin ask in his ear as he started to hump his ass, his cock head pressed against his still sensitive tailhole. His humping became harder, grinding a needy hard-on against Lashley's tail, moaning loudly, "Oooh yeah... and I'm in," he whispered as he felt the still unyielding anal muscles contract and press down on his own trespasser. He rubbed his paws down Lashley's sides, encouraging him to relax and to just keep on treading water. Lashley breathed in deeply and relaxed the best he could. There was a lot of pressure compressing inside of him, trapped between the cock and his prostrate and when Linkin began to thrust in and out, it felt like a piston exploding with sensation at every hilt. He whimpered and kept on kicking as Linkin moved back and forth, gritting his teeth as Lashley gasped and squeezed his warm fleshly walls around his puppy maker. He felt long spurts of pre shoot up into him, lubing the passageway for the hot rod inside of him. Lashley felt the smooth pad around his cock grip tighter and feverishly began to paw him off and he started panting as he humped against the paw, deriving a happy murr from Linkin behind him. "That's it Lash..." Linkin praised as his growing knot pressed up against his tailhole. The sensation sent shivers up Linkin's back and brought out the feral-side of his older ancestry. He pulled back, and then pushed in even deeper than before, driving his cock in so deep it made Lashley gasp for the expelled breath forced out by the hard thrust against his prostrate. Linkin growled as his swelling knot popped into Lashley's ring then out again, making the kangaroo yip as he took in the knot for the second time in the past twelve hours. His breathing was harsh as he felt his energy begin to drain. He wasn't sure how much longer he could hold out. His legs felt like jelly treading the water during the pair's sex, and his body was about to give up involuntarily. "L-link..." he gasped for air. "I can't kick much more..." "A couple more seconds..." Linkin panted, his thrusts were faster now and he was on the edge of exploding inside of the kangaroo. He didn't know that he would be so turned on by the fact of having sex in the water, even if he was panting as if he were in Hell. His Doberman balls slapped against Lashley's ass cheeks, ready to unleash their contents inside of him. He stroked Lashley off harder in his near climactic fervor, making him moan and jerk back as he came unexpectedly, shooting his load into the water. He moaned as the Doberman's own orgasm finally peaked and without tying the knot, Linkin came into Lashley. One thick rope, followed after another, Linkin filled Lashley's passage to the brim with his sticky hot juice. Linkin arched his back as he pulled Lashley's hips back against his crotch, hilting in him to the fullest the best he could, careful not to go too far. When his orgasm died down the two very tired teens splashed to the back of the yacht and climbed up the ladder and lay sprawled on the deck of the boat, panting hard. Water and diluted sweat matted down their fur. Linkin rolled around onto his chest and murred, caressing Lashley's cheek. "How was that Lash?" "Fucking... amazing..." panted Lashley, closing his eyes and outstretched his arms so that his fur could soak up the heat of the sun to dry off. "Hmmm?" Linkin teased as he climbed on top of Lashley and licked his chin. "I didn't quite hear you. My ears are full of water." Lashley churred and licked Linkin's nose. "It was fucking... amazing," he smiled as he began to toy with the dog-chain around the Doberman's neck. The metal glistened in the sunlight; the silver reflected the almost noon-day sun. A minute passed and then Lashley frowned. "We better start heading back. My folks don't know where I am." Linkin climbed off of Lashley and held him up. "You didn't tell them?" he asked, his voice full of fear and anxiety. He rushed to get the yacht moving and set sail. Lashley stood nervously on the side of the boat, his paw rubbing his forearm and thumping his tail erratically against the wood as he watched the Doberman. "Linkin, I'm sorry..." he pleaded, trying to calm him down. "I guess in all my excitement of seeing you again, I forgot to mention to them I was going out. I didn't know I was going to be gone longer than a day, let alone overnight." He glanced at the naked kangaroo and sighed, lifting his paws up and then dropping them to his side as he gave up. He walked up to Lashley and hugged him. "No... it's my fault. I'm sorry. Let's get you back. Your parents will be worried sick about you, I'm sure." "Not my dad," Lashley muttered in Linkin's ear, as he rubbed his paws down the strong Doberman's back. "He's only going to be fucking angry." Linkin broke the embrace and looked Lashley sternly in the eye. "I'll talk to him. Don't you worry; I'll accept all responsibility for any punishment." Lashley looked up at Linkin, tears swelling in his eyes. He shook his head. "No, Linkin. You can't. J-just... just go..." The Doberman sighed and gave Lashley another soft stroke on the arm before he went to guide the yacht. The sail back to the shore was quiet, neither of them sure of what to say to the other. Thirty-some minutes later, Linkin brought the boat back up to the pier and tied it to the dock. By that time, they had reluctantly put their clothes back on and cleaned up a bit. He helped Lashley off and the two walked side-by-side, Lashley held his flip-flops in his paw and wiggled his feet through the hot sand, letting the grains fill in the racks between his toes. They reached the parking lot, where the white Lamborghini was parked along with several other exotic sport cars. Linkin smirked, trying to look happy without seeming insensitive to the worry etched on the kangaroo's face, as he squeezed Lashley's paw and let go of it. "I'll be right back," he said as he headed toward the large office building. He disappeared behind the door and less than a minute later he was back with a keyring in paw. He jingled it in the air as he disabled the car alarm and opened the gull doors by pressing a button on the mini remote. Lashley climbed into the passenger side seat, pulled the seat belt over his chest and clipped it into the buckle, almost unaware of it from his place in his own thoughts. Linkin sat down, stared at Lashley a bit longer than a standard glance, and then sighed as he started the car. It roared to life in the unmistakable Lamborghini style as he closed the door behind him and put the car into reverse. He twisted his body backward to look behind him, placing a paw on the back of the passenger's side seat headrest. The Doberman pulled the sports car out of the parking lot hastily and turned onto the main road overlooking the entire beach. Lashley stared out the window, noting the dark storm clouds approaching the crowded beach. He wasn't sure how he would explain himself to his father. He turned slowly to face Linkin, his paw extended to hold his. But the Doberman must've been thinking the same thing, because a split-second before Lashley moved, his paw held the kangaroo's and squeezed it again. "Lash, this is utterly and completely one hundred percent my fault. Let me talk to your dad and everything will be all right." Lashley shook his head. "Linkin, you don't know my dad. He'll hurt you if you make him angry and I couldn't bear to live and see you hurt." Clenching his teeth, Linkin returned his attention to the road, even though he still held Lashley's paw. Lashley could tell that he wasn't going to give up so easily, and by the way he was holding his paw, it was obvious he didn't want him to leave. Just like the day before, Lashley began to feel his stomach seizing up as the car went well above the safe speed that was ‘suggested' on the little black and white signs that zoomed past as the car sped up. Taking a glance at Linkin, Lashley saw him with clenched teeth and narrowed eyes, and then unexpectedly he swerved past a ‘slow' truck. Lashley grabbed the door handle from a natural instinct to avoid being tossed around like a doll. "Slow down!" He ordered with a panicked voice. Immediately the Doberman eased up on the accelerator and tapped the brakes, ears perking then laying back in apology. When they had reached a reasonable speed, Linkin resumed on driving. Lashley exhaled and let go of the handle. "Linkin, getting me there faster won't do anything now. I know I'm already busted. I don't need this car or you to get busted because you were going over the speed limit." Linkin sighed and shook his head. "I know... I'm sorry. I just feel responsible for this..." "Don't think about it," Lashley said, putting his paw on the canine's paw resting on the gear stick. Reacting, Linkin's head jerked over to look from the paw to Lashley's smiling face. "I love you." He swallowed as his eyes watered up. "I love you too Lashley." "Then don't do anything about this. Okay?" "I have to," he responded, returning his attention once more to the road. "It's my fault." The hotel appeared above the palm tree tops and Lashley could feel his heartbeat in his throat and butterflies in his stomach. In stark contrast to the day before, the parking lot was empty save a couple rental cars, one of which he recognized as his family's temporary affluence. Linkin pulled up once more in the entryway, killed the engine and climbed out. Lashley remained frozen in his seat. Through the front glass doors of the hotel he could see his brother and mother. From where he was, he could see that she had been crying and Joseph must've heaven knows how long trying to comfort her. Linkin slowly walked around the car to opened Lashley's door and helped him out. Lashley turned to say good bye to his sweetheart, but the Doberman promptly closed the door behind him and ushered him toward the hotel with a paw extended toward the door. "Let's go." He said. The slam of the door caught Joseph's attention, for the older sibling glanced at the door and saw his younger brother walking in with a Doberman flanking him from behind. He nudged his mother, who believed that her son had been kidnapped by some creep, raped then left alone, bleeding and almost dead in an alley somewhere in downtown West Coast. She looked desperately then clasped a paw over her muzzle, which muffed her voice as she cried out Lashley's name and ran to him. He hugged her as she threw her arms over his shoulders and embraced him, fresh tears flowing down her cheeks. "Hey mom," Lashley muttered softly, rocking back and forth where he stood with her as he patted her back lovingly. "I'm safe. I'm back." "Where have you been?" she asked, her voice still trembling and filled with worry. "I've been worried sick about you, and your father has called the authorities. He's over there with the sheriff..." Lashley felt his stomach tighten as his mother's voice faded. The look in her eyes told him that his father was very angry... no, he was fucking furious. Glancing over to the concierge desk where his father was dismissing the sheriff, Lashley's stomach lurched and his heartbeat became rapid. He knew he was safe as long as the sheriff was there. Once he was gone, Lashley knew punishment would be swift. Mr. Parker remained where he was until the sheriff had gone out of the entrance then glared at his youngest son. Lashley swallowed as his dad approached, paws clenched into fists, his short trimmed claws threatening to pierce his pads. He closed his eyes and braced himself for the impact of the blow. But he never felt it hit him. He had forgotten that Linkin had followed behind and now that Doberman was confronting his father. He opened his eyes and saw the Doberman in sturdy if unpracticed martial art stance in front of him, his father's balled paw in his paw. Linkin flicked his wrist and released Mr. Parker's paw, causing the older kangaroo to stumble off balance. Mr. Parker thrashed his thick and powerful tail, striking Linkin in the face and nearly threw him off his feet. Lashley couldn't believe what was happening before his very eyes. His father was growling, furrowing his eyebrows, as he tried to knock Linkin to the ground while Linkin defended himself and his boyfriend, Mrs. Parker was screaming in fits hysteria and Joseph was trying to intercede between the two. "Stay out of this, Joseph," Mr. Parker growled as he tried hitting Linkin with his fist. The smaller Doberman easily blocked the off-balanced throws but didn't strike back. "Calm down, and we'll discuss this Mr. Parker," Linkin was attempting to tire out the strong kangaroo so that they could talk about the situation, but after the tenth blow he knew that Mr. Parker was seriously pissed off and that he wouldn't stop for a minute until he was down. "Discuss what?" Mr. Parker panted a little, beads of sweat started to form on his forehead. "How you warped his mind with ridiculous ideas about gay love?" Linkin paused for a second, his mind reeling with shock. He knew; Mr. Parker somehow figured out that he and Lashley had sex. The shock stopped Linkin's present mind and next thing he knew his shoulder had been bluntly hit by Mr. Parker's arm. He stumbled as he received another blow and went heels over head on to the ground as Mr. Parker's tail struck him like a powerful club. Looking up from the ground, he saw death in the towering kangaroo's eyes. ‘What a shitty way to die,' his last thoughts observed the situation. ‘Some old prick is going to kill me just because his son is gay.' "DAD!" A forceful voice shouted. Mr. Parker turned his head and saw Joseph barreling toward him only a split second before his son's weight dragged him to the floor. His elder son was the only one capable of holding him down. He struggled ragefully against his son's anaconda's body bind, thrashing against his well exercised arms. But he gave up, his muscles strained effortlessly against his son's stronger bones. Panting, he growled. "Let me go, Joseph," Mr. Parker demanded. Joseph watched until Linkin was up on his feet. The youngest Parker rushed to the canine's side immediately and hugged him tight. Even so, Joseph continued to hold his father down. "I'm not letting you go till you calm down dad." "I am CALM!" He shouted as he began to escape again. Mr. Parker's struggles were futile and eventually he was too worn out to even speak, let alone pose any more threat to Linkin, at least for now. So Joseph let his father go. Joseph was up on his feet before Mr. Parker and he offered a paw to help him up. Mr. Parker pushed it aside and got up by himself. He gave a menacing glare to Linkin, pointed his index paw finger accusingly at him and said sternly, "You stay the fuck away from my family, faggot, or you will be sorry." Then he seized Lashley's arm and yanked him away from Linkin. "Joseph, Cathy," he said quickly and calmly, "we're leaving in an hour. Get your things packed and into the car. We're going home." "Dad! No, stop! Let me go!" Lashley screamed, which nearly sent Linkin lunging forward on instinct, but Joseph stopped him with a weighty grip on his shoulder. "You'd only get in more trouble. This time with the law," he muttered as he passed him and followed his father and mother up the stairs, leaving Linkin alone in the lobby. Lashley rolled his body back and forth on the stairs, twisting his arm, trying to get free from his father's hot iron grip. But he tightened his grip and jerked him up, causing Lashley to flail and smash his hip against the edge of the stairs. He felt something break and shatter in his pocket under the force and stopped fighting his father as if his very will was tucked in that pocket. He took one last look at Linkin, his first and only boyfriend for three days. It seemed nearly impossible that he had found love at first sight and now he had lost it in a matter of minutes. "I love you," he mouthed to Linkin who was staring up at him, tears obviously flooding into his eyes. The Doberman replied with his own mouth of words as the tears swelled and rolled down his cheeks. He took a step forward and all Lashley could do was shake his muzzle slowly. Next thing Lashley knew he was up on his feet, still following his father but broken and defeated. The elevator ride up to the fourth story was stone quiet, aside from Lashley's silent sobs. His shoulders shuddered as he held back his tears. His father glared at him and Joseph before he huffed, "We're leaving in five minutes." Lashley was about to protest when the elevator opened and Mr. Parker stepped hastily out of the elevator and went to his room. Lashley shuffled his feet behind Joseph as they went into their room to quickly pack. Joseph opened the door with his door card and let Lashley through before he followed behind. If there was anyone Lashley could cry with, despite his chiding, it was his older brother. He turned around and hugged Joseph tightly as he unleashed the flood of tears into his chest. "Shhh..." Joseph's voice was smoothing and kind as he patted his younger brother's back as he hugged him close. "It'll be okay. Just let it all out." The tears that Lashley cried soaked both of their shirts. He broke the embrace and smiled weakly. "Thank you Joseph," he sniffed as he wiped his wet nose with the back of his paw. Joseph just stood there, paw on Lashley's shoulder as he waited for Lashley to compose himself. But what Lashley did next completely took him off guard. He kissed his cheek. Suddenly a flood of new emotions and feelings washed over Joseph like a shower. It started from the end of his broad muzzle to his throat where it split in several directions to his heart, arms and chest. He felt his fingers tingle as well as the tip of his tail and sheath, which was followed by the warmth touching his feet. He recovered quickly then smiled at Lashley and hugged him again. "That's why I'm here for you little bro," he stated gently. "Now let's get packed before dad gets to our room." Lashley nodded and went to his suitcase where he stuffed whatever clothes that had fallen out into the bag. Reaching into his pocket, he retrieved his crushed cell phone. He tossed it into the ice bucket, thinking that it was a trash can. He took several glances at Joseph who was folding his clothes and putting them nicely into his duffel. Then Lashley's ears perked up when his brother began rummaging through his duffel. "Where is it?" Joseph mumbled. "What's missing?" Lashley asked, squatting up on his hind legs to get a better look at Joseph. "A pair of my boxers," Joseph muttered as he looked under the bed. "Where could I've put it?" Lashley bit his lip and kept quiet as he ducked down, pretending to be looking for the missing boxers. In his mind he already knew where they were. He was wearing them. His face went flush red with embarrassment as Joseph stood up and went into the bathroom, scratching the back of his head. He emerged, paws on his hips and shaking his head as he stood in the doorway. "Damn." "Maybe it'll show up later," Lashley suggested as he zipped up his suitcase. "Maybe you just didn't see it when you packed, but it's still there, ya'know?" Joseph shook his head again as he fetched his duffel and slung it over his shoulder. "Nah, it's okay. I've got plenty of other pairs of boxers... it's just..." He blushed so hard that even Lashley could see it from his bed. "Can you keep a secret?" he asked, looking at Lashley as his tail thumped unsteadily against the floor. A rare sight in the Parker family except from Lashley Lashley nodded and Joseph sighed as his shoulders slumped. "Those boxers belong to someone else... I snagged them on the last day of the football season last year." "What?!" Lashley gasped, his head going into shock from the surprise. He gripped his head and held it tight. "You okay bro?" Joseph asked, bewildered by his brother's random spaz attack. "Yeah," Lashley stammered and shook his head. "I just uh, didn't know you wereâ€"" "NO!" Joseph interrupted Lashley defensively as his face blushed again. "I'm not gay. My own pair was stolen so I took â€" borrowed â€" someone's... I just haven't returned them..." Then he quickly changed the topic, "Five minutes is just about up. Grab your bag and let's go." *** Linkin remained in the entrance, two feet away from the front doors. He was attentively watching the grand staircase, waiting for Lashley to come running to the top of the stairs and fling himself into the air so that he could catch him when he fell. But he never came. He had overheard Mr. Parker tell his wife that they were going to be leaving in the hour, so he waited. After five minutes however, Mrs. Parker came down the stairs, very hurriedly. Linkin's ears perked up and he straightened his pose. She rushed straight to the desk, talked with the receptionist and handed over the plastic door keycards. Before he could ask her about Lashley, she was up the stairs and gone. He swore as he ran both paws through the back of his head and over his cropped ears. He turned around toward the door and beat his clenched fists into the wallâ€"Lashley was gone. Before anxiety could rob him of common sense, Linkin reached into his pocket and took his cell phone out. He quickly sent Lashley's number a text and waited, his fingers squeezing the sides of his phone as he stared at the menu screen waiting for the message saying that he received a new text. When a reply didn't arrive, he worried that Mr. Parker took Lashley's phone; if he saw the text than Lashley would be in deeper trouble. He swore again and pocketed his phone. He would be patient and wait for Lashley. The hour came and passed. Another hour and Linkin's hopeful heart died. Lashley truly was gone. He sighed and turned out the front doors of the hotel. He no longer felt like driving the Lamborghini and instead he started the long walk toward the beach so he could return the keys to his boss. When he arrived at the office building, the sun was setting in the horizon, giving the beach an orange haze as families quickly packed up and prepared to go home as the dark clouds loomed overhead, thunder rolling off in the distance. Linkin flicked an ear as he touched the doorknob and opened the door. Inside his boss was sitting at a table talking to a leopard. When he tossed the keys from the doorway onto the table his boss' head jerked up. Mr. MacIntyre, a strong tall gnu, stared from the keys to Linkin, completely shocked. "Linkin?" Mr. MacIntyre asked, picked up the keys, the stilled silence filled the air. The keys clinked against his hoofed fingers and he closed his fist around them. His eye brows furrowed as he backed out of his chair and rose to his feet with grave reserve. By that time, Linkin was already heading out the door. "That's right!" Mr. MacIntyre's voice projected loudly. "You better leave! And never come back, ‘cause you're fired!" "If you're fast enough, you'll find your car at Boardwalk Hotel," Linkin told him bleakly as he closed the door behind him. Even outside, he could still hear Mr. MacIntyre's booming voice through the walls, "DO YOU HEAR ME?! YOU'RE FUCKING FIRED!!!" Linkin sighed as he stepped out into the night once more. He stuck his paws in his front pockets as he walked toward the direction of his house, scuffling his feet as he walked alone. The evening air was cool and refreshing, and it calmed his senses down. He still had Lashley's address back at home. He smiled to himself as he picked up the pace and soon he was in a jog. *** The clouds had opened up not long after Linkin had started his run for home, and was still raining when he arrived home. His tongue hung out of his muzzle as he walked up the driveway. It was well past ten. His shirt was slung over his broad shoulder; his clothes were drenched with rain and the sweat of a long run. He came up to the front door and gripped the door handle. The front lights were still on, which meant his parents were still awake. He pushed the door open and stepped in, kicking his soggy shoes off onto the shoe mat. He walked down the hallway, dripping water on the finished wood floors and went into the kitchen where his step-mother, Michelle, was sipping something from a mug that she held in both paws. Michelle was an Akita with short white fur and a curled skinny tail that curled over her back. She looked up at Linkin when he walked in and opened the fridge. "Well, there you are," she said, her voice sickly sweet and tender. She set the mug down on the counter and smiled. "Where were you?" "I don't want to talk about it," Linkin muttered as he took the water pitcher off the top shelf and closed the fridge door. He opened a cupboard and retrieved a glass and poured the water to the brim. He chugged the contents with no pretense of restraint and filled it again. "John," she called out as she crossed her arms over her stomach. She twisted her upper torso toward the family room, which was connected to the kitchen. "John, come out here." Linkin heard his father grunt from one of the couches in the family room. He looked in the same direction that his step-mother was and saw his father push himself from off of the couch. He yawned and stretched and stumbled into the kitchen. "Yes Michelle?" he asked, as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. John was a Doberman, and was just as tall as Linkin. The hair on the top of his head was short to the crown and he had brown eyes. In his youth, John had been a football player and his muscles still held on to a slight definition. John had been without a job for the past four months, and somehow the family had seemed to survive on the rainy day funds ensconced in the bank "John," Michelle gave an exaggerated sigh. "Will you ask your son where he's been? And why he's all wet?! He missed hearing your recent good news." Linkin perked his ears and set his glass down, and completely changed his attitude. He only acted defiant to his father's wife. "What's up Dad?" John smiled. "You'll never guess what happened. A company offered me a job. I start in a couple of weeks." "Really? Congratulations," Linkin Answered with all due enthusiasm "You'll have to quit your job, since we're going to be moving," John explained matter-of-factly. "You don't have to worry. I was fired," came the matter-of fact response. "What?!" Michelle exclaimed, a loud gasp escaping from her muzzle. "How? Why?" "As if you care," Linkin muttered, dodging a glance at her as he passed her toward the stairs. "I'm going to bed. Good night." Taking two steps at a time, Linkin bounded up the stairs in a second and went down the hall, not even bothering to stop as he knocked loudly on his younger brother's door, just to let him know he was home, and in a flash, he was in his bedroom, door closed behind him. Locking the door Linkin stripped down to nothing, kicking his sopping pants off onto his bed and pulling his dank socks off, finally tossing them in his empty dirty laundry bin. Then, as if he had run into a brick wall, he stopped. He turned around and looked at the laundry bin. It was empty. He scanned his room. It was clean. Someone had taken the liberty of cleaning his room and doing his laundry. He tore out of the room and down the hall, where his brother was just about to close his door after looking out into the vacant hallway. He didn't even get a word out to Linkin before he was down the stairs and back in the kitchen where Michelle was talking about him to John. "Where are my pants?" Linkin demandingly asked his dumbfounded parents. "Apparently not on," Michelle scowled. "Not funny," Linkin shot a glance at her. "Did you clean my room? Where's my laundry?" She nodded. "Yes, I thought I would do something nice for you, and what do I get in return? Not a thanks, I get yelled at by a naked savage." "I'm not yelling. Where's my laundry? Did you wash my jeans?" Michelle shrugged. "If I did, they're probably still in the dryer. But you don't want to sleep in your jeans. It's not comfortable." Before she even finished her sentence, Linkin was in the laundry room, cut off from the kitchen by a door to the garage. He wrenched opened the dryer door and sure enough his jeans were in there. He swore under his breath, knowing if he swore loudly he would've gotten a scolding from his step-mother. He reached into the pocket and sure enough there was a crinkled piece of paper, the handwriting incoherent, faded by the water. "DAM'MIT!" He shouted, not caring that his father's wife was within fifteen feet of him. There was a loud shriek as his step-mother was shocked by his outcry. "Linkin Daniel Monroe!" Michelle exclaimed, using his entire name in indignation. "How dare you use such foul language, especially not in my house! You'll chase the Spirit of the Lord away. You better pray for forgiveness right away." Linkin clenched his paws into fists and bit his lip from exploding at the bitch. He knew better than to argue with her, even though he could carry the fight well into dawn. He felt the piece of paper; the scrap that held the last hope he had of finding Lashley, crush in the confinement of his closed paw. He swung an angered punch at the dryer door, causing a deep dent in the shape of his fist. He got up and walked past his shocked step-mother and concerned father. He ignored them and went back up the stairs to his room. He locked the door behind him and plopped down face first on his queen-sized bed. He opened his fists and looked at the fragments of paper in his paw from the corner of his eye. He closed his paw around it and closed his eyes. "I swear I'll find you again Lashley," he promised to himself over and over again as weariness overtook him and he fell into an uncomfortable sleep.