In the Shadows of Love: Billy's Romantic Odyssey.

8 || Crystal Valley.

The dance of an ancient classic, the electric boogie, stirs fresh memories within me, like a breeze of air bringing back moments of joy from a company that left an indelible mark on my heart.

It's been half a decade, countless hours away from the loss of the noblest princess of the valley, and the scars within my heart remain immeasurable. The shockwave of her departure left my heart paralyzed and handicapped, and I lived each hour of my life in a 24-inch world.

Anna became a mere picture, a figment suspended in the air. Her beautiful scent lingered, her enchanting smile played tricks on my conscience, and sometimes I found myself smiling maniacally. I was a true embodiment of madness. I was obsessed about that one and only butterfly effect.

As time passed, days turned into months, and months into years. Selena had also departed, but I held onto her memory within my heart. In my vivid dreams, I often encountered her, laughing like a crackling fire she was. She was breathtakingly beautiful, with wonderful tits that stood proudly on her chest. Her beauty was fair, and thoughts of her would surface not just once but many times, reminding me of her tender care throughout my life.

Selena has been my caregiver; she is humorous and tender and intelligent. She washed away the grime from my face when I felt dark and overwhelmed by the deep, wide river of life. She reminded me of the good things and encouraged me to overlook the minor troubles.

Her love and gentle touch resonated with my heart so profoundly, and perhaps that's why I still held onto the faint hope that Anna, Selena, and I might someday return to my old life.

They abducted Selena the evening I went looking for Anna Marie.

They seemed to have tortured her to death, I realized a splotch of blood on the corolla door, it prompted me the obvious while I seized my hands at the back of my head wandering in my mind what else there was to do.

I have now found my shelter within a mountain cave, not far from the scenic drive where my journey began. I don't believe that moving away from this spot will bring me any closer to finding my lost loved ones.

I am convinced that they are not dead and that one day, they might come back in search of me. I've learned my lesson, and I've become a warrior of the woods. I've mastered the art of hunting and have formed impressive alliances with the forest creatures.

I now have a best friend, and she's a tigress with plain, satin white tail. She's very understanding and patience with human pertinence. She offers me additional protection from hostile ambushes and sometimes lets me play with her little cubs. At least that takes my breath away.

The cave provides warmth and protection from the rain, although the nightly sleeps are cold in there when the fire is out and the logs are wet.

I spend my nights with dear animals, even taming a wild bear who has become like family to me. We walk side by side, forage for food and water in the forest, and return to the cave at every dusk. There, we light a fire, and it has become our ritual, an unbreakable bond.

My bear companion has transformed into my dearest friend. She gazes at me with affectionate eyes, yearning for my gentle strokes on her smooth, thick, gold and white fur, and the undivided attention that I provide, much like caring for a newborn. Her whiskers tickle my bear skin every evening before we retire to peaceful slumber.

The tigress kept it at bay until the day when baby bears ran back to the forest. She was, too, a feline. And often licked me up with her banana-size leaf for a tongue that almost felt like a desirable therapy to my soul.

The abrupt change in my survival patterns was challenging during those initial days. The more time I spent in the woods, the more I assimilated into the natural environment. Wearing animal skins became a preference, and carrying bows and arrows around became my new normal and passion.