Unbroken (#3 in the 'Outcast' series)

Chapter 18

Chapter 18:

Vic's Point of View:

Mike knocked on the door and we waited. We heard someone inside and a few seconds later, the door opened a bit, Jinxx looking at us.

"Hey guys," he said, quickly turning around and doing something before looking back to us. "What's up? What can I do for you?"

"Everything ok in there man?" I asked, both me and Mike trying to see what Jinxx was doing.

"Yeah, just hang on," he said, quickly turning around again, clearly stopping something from coming out the door. "Just gimme a sec."

Jinxx sighed and muttered something to himself before looking to his right and picking something up. He moved aside, opening the door wider so Mike and I could come in. We nodded our thanks and forwarded in. Jinxx looked at us apologetically as he closed the door and I saw what he was holding.

A small puppy was struggling against him and it barked as it saw me and Mike. It wasn't an aggressive bark; it was rather cute actually.

"Sorry guys," he said. "He keeps trying to get out every time the door opens."

"He's so adorable," I said with a smile as I patted his dog.

Jinxx nodded and the puppy barked at me again, happier this time.

"You look real tired," Mike said to Jinxx.

Jinxx nodded. "That's 'cause this guy's been keeping me awake. We've only had 'im a week, but he's so much work to look after."

"Can I hold him?" I asked hopefully.

Jinxx handed his puppy over and I smiled. I'd always wanted a dog, but both parents were against having animals in the house. They didn't like my idea of it living outside either, as they knew it would end up inside some way.

Mike and I followed Jinxx into the kitchen and I set the puppy down onto the floor. It started running around, clearly just completely full of energy. Jinxx glanced down at the puppy which barked at him before he looked back to us.

"So something I can do for you guys?" he asked tiredly, leaning his head on his hand as he looked between us.

"We were wonderin' if you'd wanna come to California with us sometime next week," Mike said, trying to talk over the top of the puppy which was barking excitedly every time one of us spoke. "We're stayin' with our grandma and we're gonna go see how Andy's doing."

Jinxx nodded. "Sounds like a plan. Been talking with the parents since I found out 'bout Andy, so it looks good for me being able to make the trip, and if I can stay with you guys, that'd be even better."

We nodded and Jinxx looked down at the puppy which was now lying at his feet, barking again whenever we spoke.

"Gimme a break from this guy," he said. He looked to us. "I just really need a goodnight's sleep."

***

Andy's Point of View:

The week went by slowly. The psychiatrist came around at the same time every day and Ashley and Juliet usually left around that time so I was by myself with the psychiatrist. By the time Friday came around again, I was bored.

I hadn't seen the guy that was in the same room as me for nearly a week, and I wondered where he'd wandered off to. I'd occasionally hear him moving around after it got dark, but that was the only time he'd make his presence known.

Ashley looked to me.

"So we still don't seem to be doin' much better," he said with a frown. "Y'still seem to be havin' trouble with the whole...eating thing..."