Tomas

Chapter 11

Song - "Naruto Shippuden OST - Loneliness"

Tomas sat at the bar.

"What'll it be, sir?" The waitress cautiously asked.

"Milk. Luke warm." Tomas demanded.

The waitress nodded and headed to the back. Tomas turned his head slightly, listening to the conversation next to him.

"I just don't know what to do anymore." The dog confided in another. It downed a shot of some clear liquid and immediately ordered another.

"Come on," the other dog consoled him, "things'll get better."

"Better? I can't even take my kids to the doctor! They say they don't know what's wrong with em!"

"Mine too, Bo."

"There ain't no one governin this place anymore. A guy can get robbed on the street, and ain't no one there willin to help." The dog downed another shot. "I'll tell ya, the world's gone to hell."

The waitress put down the glass of milk in front of Tomas. It startled him so much, he almost struck her with the back of his fist. She winced and put her arms out to protect herself. He brought his fist back down.

"My apologies, sir." Her voice shivered. She scurried away.

Tomas downed the milk. And quickly he grew drowsy. One moment became the next. His awareness became confined to the boundaries of his own mind.

And the next moment he found himself on the shore. The sand beneath his feet. The moon, bigger than usual in the sky. He lifted his paw and found himself holding an empty bottle. He threw the bottle out to the sea. The wind pulled him towards the water.

The cat was right.

Tomas walked himself to the docks.

He untied his boat.

He looked up, and there was Ruk. Smiling down at him.

He walked up the plank, onto the boat.

He took the wheel and steered it against the current. Heading back out to sea.

The current pulled him toward the rocks.

But he did not fight it like last time.

The rocks hit the starboard side, tearing wood off the hull.

Water poured in, flooding the boat.

Tomas kept steering out to sea.

The current became calm. Docile.

He embraced the cool sea air. It blew his fur gently back.

He smiled. As he knew what was about to come.

He smiled for the townsfolk.

He smiled for the trees and the flowers.

He smiled for the world.

Because he knew…

The current picked up again. Rocking the boat violently back and forth.

The moon disappeared behind the murky clouds.

It began to rain.

The boat was flooded up to his knees now.

Waves crashed into it, nearly pushing it over.

He let go of the wheel and walked toward the front of the boat.

Struggling to keep his balance.

He lifted himself up. Onto the railing of the boat.

He looked out to the sea. Welcoming.

A giant wave came toward him.

It grew taller as it raged closer and closer.

He looked into its depths.

And he saw the island.