What Are You Hiding?

Ch. 20 Her Name

~Chase's Thoughts~

Do I have to get up? Can't I just stay in bed for the rest of my life? I don't... I don't want to be awake right now. And I don't want to be awake right now because I feel horrible. I feel pain, it's painful to feel what I'm feeling. But, of course, that's not a good enough excuse to tell people, they don't understand. They don't understand. They don't understand... Me.

Reluctantly, Chase gets out of bed and shakes off any sleep. He stretches.

Everyone is probably up by now, eating breakfast or just hanging out... Without me. I've been in my doghouse for way too long anyway. Thank goodness I had extra food in case something like this happened.

The German Shepherd looks over at his secret-keeping box. He starts to make his way over to it, but he's interrupted by a knock on his door.

Huh? Ugh... What is it now!?

~End of Chase's Thoughts~

He opens the door to reveal...

Chase: "Marshall?"

Marshall: "Heeeyy." He replies shyly.

Chase: "What do you want?" He reconsiders. "I mean... Why are you here?"

Marshall: "Well, I um... I kind of... I don't really have anyone else I can talk to and... Um, about yesterday... You asked if I remember the girl who saved your life, right?"

The German Shepherd glances around and then eyes Marshall.

Chase: "Come on in."

Inside Chase's Doghouse

Chase closes the door behind the Dalmatian, then clears his throat.

Chase: "What about-"

Marshall: "I remember a lot about that day..."

Chase: "...go on." He encourages.

Marshall: "I had a strange dream about a day similar to that day, and it helped jog my memory a bit."

Chase: "So, do you remember what she looks like?"

Marshall: "I mean, I saw her from a distance." He closes his eyes. "Her ears were pointed. She had a short tail. She can run pretty fast until..."

Chase: "Until what?"

Marshall: "She got caught by the Blizzard..."

Begin Flashback:

Heavy snow falls. Everything is white and cold. The wind blows like it's trying to wipe anything not nailed down off the face of the Earth.

Marshall: "C-Come on C-Chase can't you f-find the family any f-faster?!" He demands, teeth chattering.

Chase: "I'm t-trying! But it isn't exactly easy, y'know?!"

Marshall: "J-Just hur-rry!"

Chase: "Wait! I t-think I see them!"

In the distance, a few feet away from them, there's a family. A mom, a dad, and a little girl, only four years old at the time.