Getting a car was a good start,   
and also a better job. This Initiative 
thing was ok, but that was always going
to be short term.                      
     I needed something more permanent 
with benefits. Something that also gave
me the time to do all this secret save 
the animals stuff and not always be    
looking for my next job.               
     I didn’t laugh, but I did jump up 
off the couch.                         
     “I gotta go,” I said, and put on  
my coat.                               
     “Maybe, that’s for the best,”  was
all Pee Wee said.                      
     He  misunderstood, but I didn’t   
argue. I opened the door, and said,    
“Maybe, you’re right,” and then left.  
     I’ve lost many other friends since
then for the same reason, but that was 
* the worst.                               
     As I walked down the street, I    
remembered all those times we tried to 
outdo each other, and laughing about it
afterwards, and I couldn’t stop myself.
     I was crying and couldn’t stop.   
This was in so many ways worse than    
what the Darkness did, but I still de- 
served it. Scratches was dead, and she 
could never feel anything  ever  again.
Why should I ever be able to feel good 
again?                                 
     It was raining, and that just     
seemed perfect.                        
     A car drove by and drenched me    
head to foot, and that made it even    
more perfect.                          
     A strong wind picked up, and that 
actually woke me from my drowning dream
of self-pity.                          



CHAPTER 1: WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15th
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