Last chapter! And it's a looooong one. So enjoy it while it lasts! I'm thinking about making a follow up! And maybe an alternate/bad ending... Maybe an AU... Ooh, I gave myself goosebumps!
Think about what I can create based on this piece of work!
So... How's everything in the real world?
It's been about a week since Luca and Giulia left for school in Genova. Life's been pretty awesome, actually. For starters, rare sightings of Ercole recently. Except yesterday, when he 'accidentally' 'tripped' and poured water on me. He made not very good insults about my appearance. Undeterred, all I did was growl and bark, and he left me alone.
Another thing, I've been helping Massimo and Alberto with fishing, courtesy of my top notch herding skills. And Machiavelli is being nice to me! He purred and rubbed himself against my legs this morning before we left to go fishing!
He's being nice to me!
Everyone is. Portorosso has been respecting me the way I like being respected. Not for a sea monster hunter, but a hero of my own.
Oh, did I mention that Alberto and I sometimes visit the Paguros? Down there, I can REALLY use my herding skills, with the goatfish (of course it takes all my willpower not to eat one, the predator I am). I got pinched by one of Lorenzo's show crabs one time... In the worst possible spot. The flat end of my tail. As thick as my skin is, in my tail especially.
Holy carp, did it hurt. I screamed like I got caught in a trappola per topi (mouse trap). And that wasn't pleasant, either. Which crab was it? Pinchy-pessa? The one I shouldn't look in the eyes or apologize to. Apparently she can sense weakness. That was when the little stinker pinched my tail.
She lives up to her name, I'll tell you that much.
Not only is Alberto a fisherman alongside Massimo, he also got a job as a lifeguard. I'm his "assistant lifeguard" as he so delicately puts it, since I wanted to be in on the action. The job is actually pretty fun. I swim with the kids, some ask for a ride on my back, others for a wave (of which I use my thick alligator tail for)... It's a good life. Two jobs, a home to come to. Life's good, overall.
I'm pretty much doing the same job as Alberto's is because I don't wanna him out of my sight. I'm sure he feels the same way about me.
Doesn't mean to say I don't miss my other two best friends... The past couple days, I felt like a good quarter of me, to be accurate, was missing. I've been acting depressed and uninterested. And I'm positive Alberto and Massimo have noticed. My crestfallen sighs and blank looks are dead giveaways.
I mean, I may have a home, but I'm still owner-less. The surprise Alberto had for me, it was just a privilege to sleep in the bed with him. Nothing special. I thought he knew about my dilemma here... But even after mentioning my owner preferences to him, I guess not. Talking to him can be the verbal equivalent to banging one's head against a wall.
It's not like that most of the time, though, but that surprise didn't make me feel very special.
Back to the present, I'm sitting on Mount Portorosso, looking down at the train tracks. I remember when I was first up here... Training Luca for the downhill portion of the cycling leg of the race... Giulia pointing out the train to Genova... Alberto's decline to Luca going there...
It brings back good memories, but those good memories bring up tears almost every time. And this time, when Alberto found me, he caught me crying.
"Thinking about them again?" He asked. I nodded. "I miss them." I muttered, sniffing. "I mean, I was fully on board with him going to school. Always have been, even when he turned his back on you that one time... But I didn't think my yearning would be THIS bad, y'know?"
YOU ARE READING
A Sea Dog's Tale
FantasyA half sea-monster street dog, rumored to have eaten sea monsters all his life, befriends two sea monsters in Portorosso, Italy and is eventually noticed for who he truly is by everyone who resides there. Rated PG for mild death threats and animal...
