Breathing Soul

╰┈➤ ❝ [C H A P T E R T H R E E] ❞

    “So, let me get this straight,” Kaz  handed Rena a crate packed with fresh bluegills. “You raced Forres to the house, he was left behind, you waited for him and then boom,” Kaz created a dramatic gesture. “Forres was inside your house all along.”

Rena narrowed her eyes at Kaz, her annoyance etched onto her flushed skin. She was already going through a lot by standing on the pier, assisting Kaz in unloading yesterday’s catch. The early morning sun was already burning hot, the air humid and heavy with the tang of seafoam and the fish's scent. “You can joke about it all you want,” Rena grabbed the crate from Kaz and walked over to the edge of the pier, dropping it in the hull.  “But it happened. And I wasn’t imagining it.”

Kaz chuckled, stacking the last of the buckets into the hull. "Look, Rena. I'm not saying you were seeing things, but..." His tone remained casual, yet there was a hint of scepticism. "What's more likely: that Forres developed a sudden teleportation power, or that he was in the house all along and you just didn't see him?"

"I didn't just not see him, Kaz," Rena retorted, her voice filled with frustration. "I was calling him, for God's sake. If he was back at the house, he would have come out. He always does when I call him."

Kaz placed a hand on the side of the boat, his expression now serious. "I get that. But you were walking around on a dark pier, in the middle of the night, calling out into the dark. Maybe you just didn't notice he was already back home. Dogs are notoriously good at sneaking past us."

"But I heard his barks," Rena protested, her voice now tinged with confusion. "I heard him bark as I was walking, and I swear I heard him panting."

"Couldn't it have been another dog? Or a wild animal? Or maybe the wind is playing tricks?" Kaz grinned mischievously. "Or maybe..."

“If you say it was a ghost, I'm pushing you into the water,” Rena folded her arms, her expression clearly unimpressed.

Kaz chuckled, holding up both hands. "Hey, I'm just throwing out possibilities here. And as crazy as ghosts are..." His eyes glinted with playful mischief. "They're still more believable than telepathic dogs."

"Telepathic dogs? You're the one who's gone mental," Rena grumbled in response, her frustration mixing with amusement at Kaz's teasing. She picked up a small fish from the pile and lobbed it at him, her aim surprisingly accurate.

"Hey!" Kaz exclaimed as the fish splashed in the water next to him. He mock-glared at Rena, his expression full of feigned outrage. "That's a waste of a perfectly good bluegill!"

"Oh please," Rena retorted, her mood lifting a little. "You catch a hundred of those every day. You can spare one."

A comfortable silence fell between them, punctuated only by the soft bobbing of the boat and the distant squawking of gulls. Rena started sorting the remaining fish into smaller piles by type. The sun was now fully risen, its golden light casting long, slender shadows over the pier. The once-empty place was now bustling with early morning fishermen, their voices and the clanging of crates creating a familiar, almost comforting background noise.

"Telepathic dogs aside, let's finish up before we leave for school,” Kaz broke the silence. The words jarred Rena out of her thoughts, reminding her of the mundane worries of her everyday life. The events of last night felt like a strange, half-forgotten dream now, pushed aside by the harsh light of day. "Yeah," she replied, picking up another crate. "Can't afford to be late again."

The two of them quickly fell into a comfortable routine, sorting through the remaining fish with practised hands. Soon, the boat was neatly packed and secure. Kaz stretched, letting out a long yawn. "Man, I'm gonna be dead on my feet in first-period maths," he muttered.