Ghouls (Avenged Sevenfold / Synyster Gates)

Chapter 2

“Um, can I help you?” grunted an overweight man in a high visibility jacket that smelled of sweat and cigarettes (I guess not every American is as cheery and happy as the others I met so far...)

“Oh, yes, I’m here to pick up my dog; Hudson Smith..”

“I’ll go get him,” the large man said bluntly as he faced his back to me and slugged off.

A few moments later the man came back with Hudson, I was glad to see that the man, that I had found was named Paul by looking at the badge on the desk I suppose he was supposed to be wearing, was having some difficulty as Hud pulled him back, not wanting to leave. Although, I was fairly heart-broken by the fact he was so scared he didn’t want to go. It was that moment, though, that the terrified dog pulled his head up and saw me. His eyes lit up, his face turning from dropped and distressed to high and happy. He then tugged away from the security guard, almost pulling him to the ground as he freed from his grasp, as he bounded towards me, almost knocking me over as he leaped up to me. He reached his head up, licking my face violently as he wept, obviously upset that we’d spent so long apart; usually we were never apart for more than a few hours, he even shook from the trauma and excitement.

“So, I’ll just let you take him then.” The man spoke as he dusted himself off.

“Oh, is there no fine or anything or?”

“Oh, right, yeah...” he shot me a quizzical look, probably because I actually offered to pay, “uh, that’s $50 for transport and $10 for care.”

“Oh, surely care would come into the price as a whole; you wouldn’t fly an animal thousands of miles across the world and not care for it..?”

“If you’ve got a problem, take it up with the manager.” I was beginning to think this man was incredibly rude.

“Oh, well, okay then...”

I took the $60 Id kept in my back pocket to give to the bafoon I stood in front of, passing it to him. He arrogantly snatched the bills from my hands to check them against the light, making sure they were real. My angst was almost at its peak; if this man could get any more obnoxious I was going to flip.

He turned his body back to me, a shit eating grin on his face, “okay, have a nice day!”

I was about to lose it when I heard Cam call from behind me, informing me it was time to go. I reluctantly turned to walk away; an over excited Hudson pulling me along. Cam was no better right now; he was ecstatic to see him, finally. Hud jumped up to Cam, his paws reaching just below his shoulders, their eyes almost level.

“Aaaw, Lau, he’s so pretty!” (words I never expected to leave my big brothers mouth, when not talking of his girlfriend) “he’s got such ace eyes! Just like me and you, ay?” he mused, tears forming in his eyes.

“Aaaw, Cam!” tears now began to form in my own eyes, pulling my two favourite people into a close hug; Cam and Hud were basically all I had left now.

“Okay, okay, okay, let’s go!”

Cameron ran down the corridor with Hudson, proudly showing him off to Jade; she squealed and said hello and such as Hud jumped and licked the both of them. Eventually, I caught up and as I took my dog, followed the happy pair to the car.

As we all clambered in, Cam quickly put the radio on, some heavy metal radio station blasted through the speakers. We pulled out of the parking space just as the last song ended and one of mine and Cam’s personal favourite songs began:

“White man came across the sea,

He brought us pain and misery,”

Iron Maiden, Run To The Hills. The both of us screamed as we chimed in, singing to every word.