Fluff and Fantasy

Apollo

I went to get the mail. The rain pools up and worms unearth themselves. The water mats down my curly hair and I reach for the mailbox. As I got back in the house, two envelopes caught my eye. I opened the pink letter first. Notice: Due to insufficient payments your house will be repossessed. An eviction notice. Ever since the carpentry shop I worked went under I have been working odd jobs. I opened the small note next. The English was rough but it got its point across. Dear Roscoe Fairrington, we regret to say to you that your grandfather has passed away. However, it seems that you are to inherit his fortune and property. Surely this was a scam. I looked up the agency online and matched it to the one on the card. Still not convinced, I decided to give them a call.

"Hello, thanks for calling Engel & Volkers. This is Carol, how may I help you today?" a friendly voice answered.

My anxiety kicks in and I stumble on the words,"Hi. I was wondering about a-a-a letter I received in the mail today. I was wondering if my grandfather left me his estate?"

"Of course. Can I get a name?"

"Roscoe Fairrington."

"Ok. And the name of the land owner?"

"Daniel Fairrington."

"Mhm. Yes it appears he has. After his death on the 15th it was found in his will that his fortune and estate should go to Roscoe Fairrington. Can I help you with anything else?"

"No that's everything. Thanks."

I looked around my house. It was small with very little furniture, not much to miss. I put the letter on the kitchen counter and went to bed.

The next morning I fed my dog, Apollo, and headed off to work. The next few hours aren't much to tell. I waited on tables and cleaned up after customers. When my shift was finally over, I went to the store. I stood in line my arms full with flattened cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, styrofoam, and packing tape. "Going somewhere?" the cashier asked. "Uh, ya." I replied hesitantly, not wanting to make much of a conversation. The cashier said something I didn't hear as I grabbed my bags and left.

That night was mostly spent packing and wrestling Apollo for the bubble wrap. Since I don't own a lot, I had a total of six boxes and a suitcase. I laid my head against the wall and began to doze off. Colors swirled and I imagined what the house would look like. Apollo woke me after a couple of minutes with his wet nose and laid against me. "Good Night buddy," I slurred as the colors faded my vision.

We had an early start that morning. After a quick breakfast of fast food, we were on our way to the airport. People from all over carried bags and packages. Apollo seemed happier than ever to see so many new people in one place. From the airport, we caught a flight to Greenland. We passed over oceans and fields. Next we headed to the docks to catch a boat on it's way to Norway.

It was a Wednesday and our second week on the ship, Hudson as they called it, when a boat in the distance caught the captain's eye. Upon closer inspection it was found to be the Catalina. The Catalina was one of the most feared pirate ships in the north Atlantic. In the next hour chaos ensued as crewmen scurried about to man their stations. We were quickly turned and ready to out run them when a single object ruined it all. The initial impact swayed us all as the sound of scraping metal and bursting hoses filled the air. Orange began to appear on the oceans blue surface as lifeboats were being inflated. Another tremor rocked the ship as more orange was being filled up and drifting away.

A sudden sharp pain in my head sent me reeling. I heard my dog barking as I hit the deck hard. Boots crossed my vision as the world around me faded and I let the waves rock me to sleep.

I awoke with a start. My head spun and sweat burned my eyes. Several dripping, exhausted faces stared at me with hollow expressions. The room was hot and dark with small red emergency lights sending the occasional glimpse into the abyss. Apollo lay still in the corner with the rise and fall of his chest as the only indicator of life. Some monstrous voice spoke into the void,"Is everyone still here?" it rasped.

"Yes. Roscoe just woke up," an equally scratched throat replied. Nods and whispered agreements confirmed everyone's survival. The raspy questioner shifted and the flash of red revealed it to be the captain.

"Roscoe, can you move?" he called out.

"Yes. Where are we?" I inquired as I peered into the darkness.

"We are in the boiler room. But we can't stay here for much longer."

Metal screamed, men groaned, and sunlight flooded into the room. The small hole from the cannonball shrapnel was now large enough to squirm through. One by one we dropped ourselves into the water, staying as quiet as possible. I hit the water and cold salt wrapped me in its arms. My head broke the surface and I motioned for Apollo to follow me. We edge around the side of the ship and out into the open water.

My arms and legs were burning, quivering as they struggled to keep my head above water. I had lost sight of everyone else long ago. I dip below the surface and scold myself. I'm drowning just off the coast. A mile away from salvation and my muscles give out. Salt water sets my nose on fire as I try to take one last breath.

Cough. My lungs heave and vomit tickles the back of my throat. Sand claws at my face and body. Sunlight stabs at my back and eyes. I sit up shivering and frozen to the bone. The sky is partially cloudy yet I still have a sunburn. I stand on my feet, stumbling forward, and head off to find some help.

The man in the gray hat, I think he said his name was Hank, handed me a glass of tea. The heat filled me as I took a sip. After Hank found me wandering the beach he took me to the police station. An officer opened the door and took a seat next to me.

"You claim your ship was attacked by the Catalina. Where are the other crew members and passengers?" she asked. After answering all their questions, finding out where I landed and getting a new change of clothes, I asked if they had found a great dane anywhere. They said they hadn't and I should check the pound. After thanking them and leaving a description I headed out to find Apollo myself.

I was on the beach staring out into the distance and quickly losing hope. I had checked every shelter I could find and had been searching the beach for hours. I was considering leaving when a lump in the distance caught my attention. I ran towards it, feeling my spirits rising. I saw his face first. It was wet and covered in sand. Then the red caught my attention. His paws, side, and stomach were oozing thick, red blood. Tears filled my eyes as I dropped to the ground. His chest rose and fell in shallow, labored breaths. My jaw set and my eyes burned as I slid my hands underneath his body. I ran two miles to the vet, making wrong turns along the way. I burst through the doors, yelling for help. Nurses crowded, an older one guided me to a room and I laid him down on the table. A doctor started yelling for strange sounding tools and a kind, small nurse pulled me from the room.

The lobby spun and spiraled as I sat in the chair, thoughts flooding my mind. How am I going to get home? How am I supposed to pay for this? Will he be okay? I was interrupted by the kind nurse. "Your friend is very lucky. He lost a lot of blood," she smiled at me with sympathy. I followed her to the room where he slept. Apollo's body was covered in bandages and he sort of smiled when I scratched his head. Everything was going to be fine.

My grandpa's house was large but run down. We made several stops at the hardware store, met up with Lila, the kind nurse from the vet, and headed up to the property. Between painting and handing me screwdrivers, Apollo was a big help. With the house intact, a new friend, and a job offer from the hardware store, we were going to be just fine. True friends stick with you until the end and Apollo and I were hanging on; that's all that mattered.