The Wounds We Heal

Chapter thirty-five: Double Trouble

"Anybody know what they're up to?" Chase wondered, turning to walk sideways toward the door of the Lookout. Watching them disappear down the hill, right as Ryder and the remaining pups came through them.

"Not a clue," Ned said deadpanned. Not even he knew of his sister's plans for the German Shepherd.

"Am I missing something, cause suddenly I feel like a lightning rod for that?" Chase wondered.

"Gee, sounds like you're not the only one, Chase." Marshall quipped sarcastically, sending him a distasteful look, which the German Shepherd returned with a dry one.

"Cool it, Marshmallow. There's no need to pour gas on the fire and burn what's around you," Ned said in a semi-serious tone.

"What?" the two pups wondered simultaneously, both looking at him at the same time.

"There's no need to argue. Besides, Chase just wanted to know what the others were up to. If we don't know, we can't tell him. Simple," Ned explained.

"Yes, we get it, Ned,.." Chase sighed. "We were talking about the first part."

"You mean you were." Marshall quipped again, earning him a frown from Chase, who walked away finally.

Ryder, having seen this, began an approach.

"Marshall, is everything ok?" he asked, kneeling behind the Dalmatian's left shoulder. "You seem like you wanna make Chase mad.."

"Not really but.. maybe. At least he'd blow off some of that steam he's been bottling up." The Dalmatian admitted sourly, sitting down now with his ears drooping. "We all know he's been trying so hard to do that lately."

"Well, don't worry." Ryder said, confidently standing once again and aided by a hand on his knee. "We'll get through to him somehow.. you'll see.."

"I sure hope so.." Marshall sighed, watching after their other friends, who were long gone by now.

xxxx

"Wooaah, dude! HaHAAA!!" Zuma howled, as they sped down Main Street.

"This doesn't seem too bad!" Snowflake said as they sped up.

"Speak for yourself!" Chester cried, hanging on for dear life. "You sure you know how to drive this thing? Not that there really is a way!"

"Yes! We just turn when we need to! The rope is our handlebar and breaks!" Snowflake said, hoping the controls would work when needed.

People watched after them as soon as they zipped by them, some even smiling or watching in either awe or confusion.

"Yeah dude,.. See? We just pull this rope and.." But when Zuma put both paws up on the rope and pulled down, the cable jerked and the rope loosened out of the pup's grasp.

"Uh.. oh.." Zuma said.

"Uh oh?!" Chester breathed in looking up at him. "What's 'uh oh'?!"

"Um.." Zuma trailed.

"Nope, don't tell me.. don't even say it.." Chester cried, crouching down to squeeze his eyes shut.

"We got a problem.." Zuma finally said.. And that's when the cable completely snapped, sending the parachute right back at them.

"Oof! The cable broke." Zuma sighed, now wearing the parachute with his two friends.

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO TELL ME!!!" Chester exclaimed. But before he could say anything further the oversized skateboard beneath them began to weave back and forth.