The Heart Thief

Chapter Five

I had to cut this into two parts :I I really want to update but been delayed.

The threesome dropped to their feet immediately after reaching their next pit stop sanctuary. Twilight approached, passed and night came to rest them of their journey.
            Thanks to Zuma, the known-to-be glitch was confirmed to be an oasis and that set off Ryder to think of ways on how they would reach the place… if he weren’t so exhausted at the moment. According to the map, the whole time, the place was below them but it seemed impossible to reach. There has to be an entrance somewhere.
            Ryder dropped everything and walked to a tree where he started maneuvering actual and virtual maps. It was that important to him.
            On the other hand, Chase felt a little rebellious at what Ryder was doing. He never felt that way before and maybe the intense heat plus fatigue made him feel that way. But whenever he sees that thief, he sees the good side of their adventure.
            He walked beside Ryder and lied on the sand-free cemented ground facing Zuma. He may be glad that Zuma is back with them but he’s coherent to never ignore his instinct again. A thief is a thief.
            Just across their tree, Zuma ate the food Ryder gave him without the slightest idea that an alert German shepherd was spying him. Although he was really hungry, he ate the food slowly, savoring the flavor before going to the pond to drink.
            Afterwards, he curled into a ball and began snoring the moment he closed his eyes.
             “I can’t wait to find the entrance of this oasis,” Ryder hoarsely said. He stretched out a gigantic map that was rolled to a cylinder and asked Chase to assist him by laying a paw.
            “I just wish we could go on our next adventure…” Chase mumbled without realizing that his reply hinted his discomfort and distinction to Ryder’s choice of location.
            Ryder ignored Chase’s reply. He didn’t hear what Chase said as he was really busy. Pulling out another map from his bag, he asked Chase to lend a paw again.
            Chase let out an exasperated sigh – loud enough for Ryder to notice.
            “What’s wrong, Chase?” Ryder asked. His eyes didn’t even look at him.
            Chase snarled and mumbled but didn’t answer.
            “What is it?” Ryder finally looked… pausing his activity to focus on Chase.
            “Well…” Chase rolled his eyes. He seemed hesitant to answer because he never wanted to cross Ryder’s decision. In all their adventures, he never had a voice before. Not a single complaint comes from him in all of Ryder’s decisions. But now, he’s starting to grow his own voice. “I don’t really like this desert…”
            Ryder raised his eyebrow and looked at Chase curiously. “Nobody does,” he added to Chase’s statement.
            “Then why are we here in the first place?” Chase returned a question immediately after Ryder bridged his statement. He didn’t feel comfortable and his heart raced every time Ryder opened his mouth to answer.
            “For a new thrill… Chase, you know that.” Ryder’s voice diminished.
            Chase paused for a long moment and when Ryder thought he wasn’t going to answer anymore, he got back on to analyzing maps. “This isn’t a thrill…” Chase’s voice traveled faintly towards Ryder.
            “Chase…” Ryder stopped his activity. “If you’re going to speak, say it out loud.” He sounded gruff and his tone made Chase flinch.
            Chase breathed and as Ryder went on with the maps, he raised his voice. “This isn’t a thrill… none of our adventures thrilled me!” he accidentally exclaimed.
            “What did you say?” Ryder sounded a little angry and with that slight hint, Chase’s tail dropped between his legs. He almost lost the voice that’s finally growing inside him but he kept on even when fear drowned him.
            “Didn’t you know, Ryder?” He began his pitiful statement. “All our adventures, all the risks we took, they weren’t thrilling for me and I know they weren’t thrilling for you too.”
            “Chase, stop…” Ryder hardened his voice as his hand massaged his temples. Dark circles of stress detailed underneath his eyes and he looked sleepless just by that.
            Chase didn’t stop. He wanted to slap some sense into his master’s head. He knew the sole reason for Ryder’s ‘hunt for thrills’ and he wanted him to stop and move on with what’s happened.
            “Sir,” Chase sat erectly and erased the hoarseness in his voice. “Let’s just stop all of this nonsense.” He failed to tell him the truth… he just couldn’t.
            “Oh you know well this isn’t nonsense, Chase.” Ryder laughed sarcastically. He had a hunch that anytime Chase would translate his purpose. He has to be careful on what to say. He levelled his voice and dropped all the anger. “Come on, now, Chase. This is just us finding happiness all around the world. There’s nothing wrong with that, right?”
            Chase was confused. Why did Ryder sound awfully sarcastic? He noticed the sudden change in his voice and thought he might be containing his anger. He nodded his head in disagreement and said no more afterwards.
            “No?” Ryder folded his arms to his chest and nodded his head the same way Chase did. “Then on our– my next adventure, I’ll just leave you at Katie’s. You like that? You want that?”
            “No, we both stop.” Chase said firmly. He lost all his fear and he’s sure to convince Ryder. “Please? We both know that it’s not the thrill you’re after but–”
            “Chase, don’t say it!” Ryder yelled.
            A sleeping Labrador across them awakened and he witnessed Chase and Ryder’s argument.
            “Then I won’t…” Chase said, “But enough of all of this. There’s more to life than just using it to… to risk everything.”
            Ryder stopped arguing and his expression was enraged. “Who are you to tell me that?” he asked rhetorically. “You’re just my dog and I’m your master. You have no right to tell me what to do.”
            Chase swallowed a gulp and bowed his head to Ryder, “Yes, sir. I’m very sorry, sir.” He answered with highest discipline and walked away.
            He felt hurt to have been told off like that when his purpose was solely for Ryder’s sake. He knew… only he knew Ryder’s reason for going on adventures. He knew that Ryder’s inner daredevil wishes for his downfall so he could be reunited with his deceased parents.
            He just wanted Ryder to realize that he’s too young to die and maybe the reason why he’s still alive is because his time of death is already set. But even if it’s already set, it could be reset if he doesn’t stop all this nonsense.
            Chase turned his head to Ryder for a short moment and ran out swiftly, letting the cool night breeze dry his tears. He felt miserable for Ryder who obviously doesn’t know what he’s doing. He just wanted to help because he loves him. Chase was hurt too when Ryder’s parents died. They were like brothers in a single household.
            He dropped his whole body and thought deeply on each speck of sand that lied so close to him. It felt warm… like a hug and it felt like the whole land embraced him. He enjoyed the comfort of the warm sand and started digging his face.
            “Are you alright?” a mellow voice asked beside him.
            Chase stood up and turned his back, refusing to show Zuma his eyes damped with tears. He just couldn’t show him that he cried. “I’m ugh fine. Can I help you with anything?” he coughed at the question.
            “I saw what happened…” Zuma mumbled, “and I followed you when you ran off.”
            “No wonder you’re here right now.” Chase sarcastically spat. He was sticking to his rude side no matter what. Besides, he doesn’t want Zuma to know that a pup like him cries. He built Zuma’s impression of him and he doesn’t want that to crumble.
            Zuma giggled and sat beside him. Chase turned his back with his head low on the sand as Zuma constantly approached him. “I just wanna help,” he smiled a smile Chase didn’t see.
            At his futile effort, he followed the direction to where Chase faced until he got annoyed of him.
            “You wanna help?” Chase said without looking at him.
            “Well yea–”
            Before he could finish his sentence, Chase jumped on him, cornering him on the ground with the same position as he did before. He could feel Chase’s heart beat thumping at a fast tempo and he could feel his broken breathing. Not long after, Chase’s feeling influenced Zuma. He understood what Chase felt.
            “Then help me,” Chase smirked but his façade was broken when he sniffled.
            He approached Zuma’s mouth, about to kiss him when all of the sudden, Zuma licked his eye.
            “Salty…” Zuma tasted, “You really did cry.”
            Chase got off from Zuma and stuttered at his unexpected action. “I didn’t cry,” he denied.
            Zuma knew perfectly that the pup before him has a high pride and he doesn’t want to take advantage of that to insult him. Although Chase mocked him, insulted him, named his life’s worth which was to be a thief and degraded him, he never felt the slightest contempt corrupt inside him. He felt offended, yes but never angry.
            “For me…” Zuma started, “the most desirable trait I want in another being is their openness – the bravery to cry when wanted to. Confinement of true feelings is an act of cowardice.”
            Chase huffed and wiped his nose with his paw, “Who are you to be pleased? I won’t change who I am for you.”
            Zuma paused. He already expected Chase’s answer to be harsh but still, he felt a little hurt hearing it. “Yes, I’m a-nobody but you don’t have to do it for me... you don’t have to change… you’re already what I said. You cried, didn’t you? Then you are open and brave.” Zuma gave a reassuring smile then continued, “I’m a thief… I’m the lowest of all beings existing in this world and I know I’m not worth anything to anybody. So don’t feel worthless just because you had a little fight with your master.”
            Chase sensed a little something in Zuma’s voice. He realized that what he’s been telling Zuma had a lot of impact on him. He didn’t think that Zuma would be hurt when called a thief thus why he kept on reminding him constantly. He felt guilty and he doesn’t know what to do. Zuma was being really open to him.
            “Don’t say that,” Chase spoke, trying to comfort Zuma a little. “I’m sorry if in the past I called you… a thief.”
            Zuma giggled, “I am…” and he frowned behind Chase. He wasn’t really happy about what he is and to his unfortunate luck, he just came to be.
            “But may I remind you that nobody is worthless.” Chase laughed and regained his confidence, “Even you’re worth something.”
            “That felt… reassuring,” Zuma replied without the slightest idea of what Chase meant. Chase’s answer sounded a little blunt but he just took it as his way of delivering words.
            “I’m serious, Zuma…” Chase’s eyes changed. He walked to Zuma and blew a gust of his breath just behind his ears. “You mean something to me.”
            “A tease?” he interjected at Chase’s last remark. As much as he wanted to think… no, dream of Chase having mutual feelings with him, he didn’t dare to as Chase’s words already marked his mind that he’s  a lowlife – something Chase would never go for. But what confused him was the kiss.
            Chase chuckled and touched his cheek on the side of Zuma’s head. “No…” his body shook at the chuckle. “Guess again,” he eyed him directly without embarrassment that he cried. After all, Zuma did give him a positive view of crying.
            Zuma paused, what could someone like himself mean anything to someone like Chase? If he’s not a tease then what is he?
            “I don’t know...” Zuma swallowed. He sighed afterwards and darted his gaze below the sand, afraid to meet Chase’s.
            Chase didn’t take that as an answer. He didn’t want to. “Come on, guess,” he insisted. He sounded a little perky and he was really eager to have Zuma guess.
            Zuma took a deep breath and gave his best shot, “a foe, a criminal, a deceiver, a liar, a–”
            “Stop there,” Chase broke his hug and held his paw in front of Zuma at a stop signal. “Why do you answer those?” he asked, “Can’t you answer something like… a friend or a companion?”
            “I am all of those things, aren’t I? What do you expect me to answer?” he panted as if he ran a mile and continued with a warm blush on his face, “a… lover or something as absurd as that?” he laughed every word like he didn’t mean it.
            “I just said like a friend or companion,” Chase repeated.
            “Yeah… right, of course you did.” He stopped at embarrassment. He was too carried off by his own feelings that he didn’t even notice what Chase just said. It was like giving his secret off. “So… what am I to you?”
            Chase laid one of his paws on Zuma’s back and spoke closely to him, “a thief,” he said firmly then continued, “A heart thief.”
            “A heart thief?” he said incredulously. He didn’t get the meaning although it was as simple as it sounded. The only other meaning he got than the literal meaning was–
            “You stole my heart.” Chase interrupted Zuma’s thought. It was what exactly Zuma was about to think.
            He was shocked at perceiving Chase’s answer. What he didn’t dare to think of was the answer all along. So that makes the kiss… a real thing. Still, he couldn’t believe the answer.
            Moments of silence passed and Zuma didn’t even realize that he’s gone quiet. It felt like seconds to him when in reality, minutes have passed.
            Chase coughed intentionally to snap Zuma out of his trance. “Zuma?” he coughed again and again until Zuma returned from where he was.
            “Oh ugh yes?” he asked the plainest question as if Chase never said anything that surprised him.
            They felt a strong wind run past them… it felt strong enough to push a wave of sand right into their eyes. Zuma’s expression shifted and Chase knew immediately what was among them – sandstorm.