Psych.

Tick.

Ever since that night in the field, things had looked up. Despite living out of my truck, I had found a place to belong. A job at an animal shelter in a town that wasn't even on a map. It didn't pay much, but it was enough to keep me on my feet and to keep my mind busy. Plus, I had made a friend. A grumpy cat with a short, broken tail. Mikey. No one knew his true age, but by the looks of it he was living on 3 lives.
Not before long, I had adopted Mikey. Not in the proper way, but just sort of stuck with him. My boss was a tall, thicker woman, who had the face of infinite youth. She wore glasses like me. She wasn't much of a boss though, her authority over me was more like a caring friend. She kept me in line, but never doubted my intuition.
Everyday, except Saturday, I would work from dawn to dusk and with a smile on my face. Then, return to my open field with Mikey now by my side. With the incredible mask I had crafted, no one could tell I was a troubled soul. I had been an artist, once upon a time.
One morning, my day off, I had been stirred out of my stiff slumber by a slimy feeling at my feet. I immediately sat up in sudden shock. There, perched on the tips of my toes, was a spotted green frog. A leopard frog, if I remembered correctly. He stared at me as if I was supposed to say something, then proceeded to hop onto my dashboard. It was then that I noticed a small lump clinging to his back.
This is where I met Daebak the frog and Simmi the snail.
Mikey took great interest in them, swatting with his clawless paws and murmuring in his old man's meow. I felt a light in my heart as I watched their little interactions. I decided they could stay as long as they wanted.
In reality, they reminded me of the  best friend I had ever had. Roxy. A small fluff ball of a dog with the biggest attitude I had ever witnessed. She was in fact my partner in crime. But she had left with Her and she had given up her life. And she had broken my heart in the worst way. And I was reminded that all things come to an end no matter how much you wish for forever.
I looked at my new companions and sadly smiled. I would make their lives the happiest and they'd do the same for me in return.
It was written.