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The Blossom

Part 2 (Final Part)

By Ash DigestPublished 2 years ago 6 min read
1

Three months later…

“Come on! You’re a wolf. You’re supposed to howl.”

The wolf panted, it’s tongue hanging out, wagging it’s tail. It basically thought it was a dog like Ben. Adam let out a sigh, putting his hands on his hips. “Howl!” The wolf – who Adam had given the name Shade – gave a short bark.

Adam face-palmed. I suppose, he reflected, it didn’t help that he has grown up with Ol’ Ben as his father. It had taken a little while, but Ben finally warmed up to Shade and now they were inseparable.

A chuckle from behind startled him.

He turned around and saw his father standing there with an amused look on his face. “He won’t howl!” Adam pouted. His father threw his head back and laughed out loud. Adam felt hurt by this reaction. This was vital! Wolves are supposed to howl, he thought indignantly.

His father fell silent at the look on Adam’s face. “Well, Shade copies whatever you do,” Father stated. “Why don’t you try -”

“Howling! Of course.” Adam face-palmed. “Why didn’t I think of that?” he muttered, completely oblivious to his father face-palming himself and walking away chortling.

Adam turned to Shade and gave him a little scratch behind the ears. Shade barked – barked – and leaned into Adam’s hand. Adam leaned down to look Shade in the eyes. He was probably being all too serious about it, but he was after all just a kid. “I’m gonna’ howl and I want you to copy exactly what I do, okay?” Shade barked – again!

Swallowing his annoyance, Adam did what he said and howled. It was pretty awful and Adam cringed. Shade cocked his head and looked at Adam inquisitively. Adam did it again, this time sounding much better. Shade’s mouth moved, as if feeling what it would sound like. He then raised his head toward the sky.

And howled.

***

The months went by. Shade became older. Adam and his father brought him on hunting trips, teaching him the ropes there and at the house. His father made him sleep out in the shed because Shade simply refused to be toilet trained like their dog Ben.

When Adam turned ten, his father sent him to a boarding school in another state. Adam had fun, meeting people, making friends, learning new things. Shade, however, became depressed. He missed his Adam. Adam would come back every holiday and spend almost his entire time with Shade.

Then one holiday, he didn’t show up.

The next, he brought a girl.

Then he didn’t spend as much time with Shade as Shade would have liked. Shade and Adam’s father grew closer, forming a grudging bond. Shade’s fur started to turn white as he grew older. Adam’s visit dwindled down as he and the girl continued to hang out. Then they married and his visits increased. They started to bring other people – ones that crawled on all fours, squealed and kept trying to pull his fur.

Shade started to grow weaker and more feebler. Soon, he was unable to climb out of his hay bed in the shed. Adam’s mother would bring him food and water, but he would simply lie there, staring at the food, imagining Adam there, like he used to when he was little. Laughing, scratching his ear, doing their little contests to see who could howl the loudest. Shade prided himself that he could beat Adam every single time.

The shed door creaked open. “Shade?”

Adam?

He raised his head. Yes! He shakily drew himself to his feet and took a step forward…

…and collapsed on the floor.

“Oh, Shade,” Adam fussed as he scooped Shade up in his arms, like he used to. Shade smiled and nuzzled his head into Adam’s chest. He’s back. Adam lowered himself onto the hay and they just sat there together, Adam stroking Shade’s fur, not saying anything yet saying a lot of things as they simply stared at each other.

Adam leaned down and rested his forehead against Shade’s. “Sorry, bud, for not being here over the years,” he whispered.

Shade rumbled contentedly as Adam scratched him behind the ears. He wasn’t afraid to go now. Adam was here. That was all that mattered.

***

Adam stared at him, tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. His parents had told him the news. Shade wasn’t expected to last much longer. Shade stared at him for a moment and Adam could have sworn he saw something in Shade’s eyes. Forgiveness? Happiness? Resignation?

“You’re going to be alright, bud,” he whispered, continuing to stroke Shade’s fur. It was comforting, calming even.

Shade lifted his head towards the shed roof.

And let out a howl.

Beautiful yet haunting. Raw. Sharp.

Just like his mother’s.

Shade them looked at him and smiled, then rested his head in Adam’s arms and let out a joyous sigh.

And then his chest stopped rising. He went completely still. But there was a look of peace on his face.

Adam’s face crumpled as he buried his face in Shade’s still-warm fur. “Goodbye, bud.”

Years later…

“Come on kids, follow me,” Adam said, scooping up one of his sons – Adam Jr – in the crook of his arm and taking his daughter’s hand in his other hand, he began leading them up the hill.

***

Wiping tears off of his face, Adam stepped over the large, rough rock that lay in the middle of the path, Shade’s body wrapped in a blanket, nestled in his arms.

***

“Up we go,” his wife’s words shattered his thoughts and he watched with a fond smile as she lifted their other two sons – Eric and Cody – over the large rock, memories swelling up in his heart, threatening to overflow. He stepped around the rock and followed the rest of his family up the path. His wife – Honey – looked over her shoulder at him, her eyes searching his face. She smiled encouragingly at him and it lifted his spirits.

Thank you he mouthed.

He then spotted it.

The place where they had buried Shade.

“Is this where he is?” Adam’s daughter – Emily – asked, looking up at him. Adam nodded. He was amazed.

A tree had grown where they had buried him. And it was covered in white blossoms. Like Shade’s fur. Letting go of Emily’s hand and putting Adam Jr down, he stepped forward until he was directly in front of the tree. His emotions swirled around, a hurricane forming, as he knelt down and tried to think of the words to say, something he had failed to do when they had buried Shade all those years ago.

Just like his parents had.

Which he had come to rectify.

He deserves something said.

Honey stood behind him and laid a hand on his shoulder. “He knows,” she whispered. “It’s okay.”

He ran his palm up and down the tree’s bark. He knows… Then he had a flash of inspiration. He rested his forehead against the tree, opened his mouth…

…and a howl rolled out.

A breeze rustled his hair and riding on the breeze, faint, staying at the edges, Adam swore he heard Shade howling back, every note a beautiful melody.

THE END

Short Story
1

About the Creator

Ash Digest

One of eight kids, loves photography, writing, sketching, painting and singing! Would add dancing, but I still suck at that lol. I love all things pirate, sci-fi, romantic and fantasy, and hope you enjoy this journey with me :)

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  • Ian Read10 months ago

    I am devastated. Beautiful.

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