Not a backup plan.

Spring

"I'm pretty sure he's dead."
How did I get here, you ask? But I have to tell you first about how I met Chase.
***

Last winter was the longest in over 100 years, it was also the coldest winter, and it took even longer for spring to come. When spring did show up, I was like an excited puppy that's discovered grass for the first time.
I had an early day from school in late May a total treat, so I decided to rush home pick up my little Chihuahua Aria and go for a very long walk in the forest. What I didn't plan on was having to interact with anyone, but just a walk in the forest with my dog.
The flowers were just beginning to bloom in the forest, the trees were turning green and the breeze was perfect. I drove to the park with excitement, the day had been a long day of looking at slides, and my lunch hour wasn't nearly long enough and I had to work through it on school work.
As soon as I got to the park my excitement was spilling over, I parked the car with haste and we left for a long luxurious walk in this forest in the city. I took off Aria's harness so she could run free. She was excited as I was, her little tail wagging feverishly, I thought she could probably smell all the new things she would be discovering today on our walk. I had not given her the amount of attention she deserves, but was very glad for this outing. She's a curious little dog, even though she only weighs five pounds and loves walking for hours on without tiring out.
I took a deep breath and could smell the flowers blooming around me, Aria was chasing a rabbit. The trail was so quiet and peaceful, not a soul around to bother us and it was exactly what I needed.
I know the park like the back of my hand, all the trails and the routes. We decided to take a trail we hadn't taken in a while, the sun was shining through the trees, we still had hours of day light to enjoy.
A few minutes into this trail I could hear someone else calling their dog. "Marshall, come here boy!" I heard a baritone voice say. Around the bush a big brown dog jumped out running and straight towards us only stopping a couple feet from me to smell Aria. Tail wagging and supper excited. Again I heard "Marshall, where are you boy?" I hear that voice again. I assumed this excited ball of joy jumping around me was Marshall, so I responded "He's here!" A few seconds later a man appeared around the same bush, wearing a baseball cap, white T-shirt and shorts. I couldn't see his face clearly because the sun was shining into my eyes but something about his stature and the way he walked made the hair on the back of neck tingle...