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Part 1… Okay, I want to admit something right off the bat. My misconceptions about poodles were totally wrong. Sure they may look cute and prissy, but beyond that they were highly intelligent and loyal dogs. Onyx especially so. The last few months had been spent training me to work with her and vice versa. For the trainers, my situation was especially unique. Not many dogs would be working at an aquarium. Then the day finally came. Onyx and I graduated from our training. She could finally come home with me and accompany me in public. She was officially a licensed service dog. I managed to hold it together just enough to get Onyx packed up and myself in the car. Once I closed the driver’s door, I lost it. I began crying my eyes out. The emotions were just too damn much. Onyx sensed that her human was in distress and sprang into action. The vest around her shoulders carried a great weight of responsibility. She remembered her training and nudged herself against him. He needed comfort. “Thanks girl,” I said as I regained my wits and tossed her a small treat. “Let’s head for home.” Stu watched as the little yellow Kia Seltos crossover pulled into the yard. He had given Galen the car as a gift for the hard work he had done and what he had overcome. Now one more piece of his puzzle was finally arriving. “Galen! Welcome home and congratulations,” my friend greeted warmly. “Need a hand with anything in the car?” “Yeah. There’s a bag of dog food and other stuff I picked up at the pet store,” I replied to my friend as I opened the passenger door to let Onyx out. “Go find your spot and go potty.” “So that’s Onyx? The pictures you showed us don’t do her justice,” Stu said as he grabbed the bag of food from the back. “Yep. But you know the rules: when the vest is on, she’s on the job.” “Got it. Like the rest of us, she’s probably on alert 24/7 too.” “You got it.” After taking care of her business, Onyx began sniffing around. So this was “home?” She had been here before. By the scents she was picking up, there were two other dogs living here, both male. “Anyone else around?” “Nope. Jason and I arranged the work schedules so you two could have the house to yourselves for a bit. Even though she’s been well trained, I didn’t want your partner coming back into chaos.” “Thanks. Onyx, come!” “Where do you want the bag of dog food?” “Leave it by the door to my room.” I opened the door to the farmhouse and Onyx followed me upstairs with her tags jingling. My studio was tucked away on the third floor into one of the big dorm window bays. Once I had decided to make it my home permanently, Stu had no problem with allowing for some personalization. In anticipation of her arrival, my friends had put together a welcome basket for Onyx. Justin had used his metal working skills and built a set of hooks to keep her leashes and other essentials organized. Alex, our head chef, baked up some treats for her. Then there even was a basket of toys and a pair of custom dog bowls! “Off the clock,” I said to my partner as I took off her vest. That was her cue to relax. She could be a dog again… Part 2… I took a few moments and sat down on the couch. It had been just shy of nine months since I came to the Calder Institute as a veterinary student. At the time, I was pretty well broken and banged up after an abusive situation at boarding school in England. The staff had nursed me back to health and helped me pass my board exams. In the process, they had also become my family. In that process, they discovered I had post traumatic stress disorder, better known as PTSD, along with a few other mental quirks. I was on the autistic spectrum as well. This just made my situation even more complex. However, I was FINALLY beginning to accept that this was who I was. There was a knock on my open door. It was April Staz, our in house mental health professional. She had also become a trusted friend in this whole process and the one that had recommended the service dog. “Congratulations are in order for both of you,” she said warmly as she leaned against the frame. “It looks like she’s beginning to settle in okay.” “Yeah. She’s been here as part of the training, so it’s not totally unfamiliar.” “I’m more curious to see how she’s going to fit into the rest of the pack and how she’s going to handle things during your wet side rotations.” Onyx finished getting the lay of this area and noticed her human talking with another. She made her way over and started sniffing her. She had the scent of one of the other dogs on her. She must be his human. “I can’t believe how much she’s grown since we first met her,” remarked April as she rubbed the dog’s curly black coat. “How big will she get?” “Probably about 60 pounds at the most, likely just over 50. With her spunk, she can easily handle Dozer and Thor.” The counselor smiled a bit. Galen had come a very long way since he first joined the team. He had been scared and had built up a hard shell around his heart. He was afraid of getting hurt again. The staff had shown him love and the true meaning of care. In return, he had slowly started to bloom into something beautiful and unique. “Who’s cooking tonight,” I asked as something delicious started wafting through the house. “It’s definitely heavy on the garlic.” “I think it’s Becky. She got some old family recipes when she and Terje went to Italy last month,” replied April. “This is going to be good.” While the humans ate dinner, Onyx got acquainted with her new housemates. By their smell, they were the two male dogs she had sniffed out earlier. The big black and tan one was named Thor and the smaller brown and white one went by Dozer. I looked over at the dogs sniffing and checking each other out. There were times I wondered how they really communicated and what they were saying to one another. I knew there was body language, but did they really think like humans? “So you’re the one that Galen’s been talking about,” Thor said to Onyx. “Welcome to our pack.” “I do not envy your task. Getting him this far has been tough. My human and I have spent many hours trying to mend what was broken,” chimed in Dozer. “I have spent my fair share of time doing my best.” “How badly was he hurt,” asked Onyx. “It was an evil beyond words. The physical scars are nothing compared to the ones on his soul. It’s going to take a pure heart like yours to help overcome it.” Onyx laid her head down between her paws. What did she get herself into? Why did she have to pick THIS human to help? “Dozer, is the woman I saw upstairs your human,” she asked. “Yes she is. Her husband rescued me when I was a pup. All the humans here are good,” he replied. “Especially the one they call Stu.” “Onyx, time for bed,” I beckoned. “Need to go potty first,” I said to my partner. She replied with a small bark and waited by the door. Onyx watched as Galen got ready. For the first time, she finally saw the physical scars that Dozer was talking about. They looked horrific and his soul shared that pain. I looked at Onyx on her bed one last time before I turned out the light. Today had been nerve wracking and exhausting. Tomorrow started a new chapter in my life. Tomorrow would be the first full day with my partner… Part 3… The cold wet nose woke me out of a sound sleep. I guess Onyx was awake. She probably needed to go out too. Oh well. That was one more reason why I needed her. “Do you want breakfast first or do you want to go for a run,” I asked her. She grabbed the leash off the hook and placed it next to me. “Guess that answers that question.” Onyx waited patiently while her human got ready. Last night had been really comfortable. She was exhausted after getting her bearings. However, the conversation with her fellow housemates had been enlightening. There was a lot more to Galen’s story than she expected. I let Onyx set the pace. In the misty morning air, I began to feel more alive. Having a running partner with boundless energy was going to help me loose those pounds I put on in college in no time. Paws and soles hitting the asphalt together. Two hearts beating as one. Onyx was setting the right tone for me this morning. She was doing her job and adjusting her pace to match my needs. My usual two mile loop absolutely flew by. “You two ready for breakfast,” Stu asked as we came in. “I’ll feed her upstairs while I taking my shower, but if you want to cook up some extra plain scrambled eggs, go for it,” I replied. “She’s earned it. A bit of extra protein will be good. Oh and a sausage breakfast burrito for me. “I did a you a favor a put out an all hands memo this morning about Onyx. We already have a couple other staff members with service dogs, so I figured it would be a good reminder.” “Thanks. What time should I meet you so she can meet our two pinniped friends?” “Before lunch works. I’ll see you then.” Breakfast gave Onyx chance to truly sense Stu’s aura. Dozer was right. He was a good person. The way he spoke to her human with care and love was a thing of beauty. “Okay girl, time to go to work,” I said as I put on her vest. Immediately, she became all business. The switch had been flipped and she was ready to go. I began gathering the rest of the things my partner and I needed for the day. She would be on a leash until she got used to working with me in the main building. Knowing how smart she was, that probably wouldn’t take long. Onyx was in awe as she walked through the main building with her partner. Even though she has been here before as part of her training, this was different. This was for real! This was part of her home now! She peered inside the fish tanks and marveled at the creatures swimming within. There was so much movement to see and enjoy! It made the squirrels and other furry animals outside seem downright boring. “Morning Linda,” I said as I dropped by the personnel office. “May I please get a badge printed up for my partner here?” “Oh yes! Jason gave me a heads up on that before his wet side rotation started,” she replied. “Her pictures do not do her justice. She’s beautiful! I’m so glad that you found another missing piece in your puzzle.” “Thanks. For some reason, she picked me, not the other way around. Never in a million years did I think I’d have a poodle for a service dog!” Linda quickly found the paperwork she was looking for. All land based service animals had their own files just like their humans. They were granted the same privileges and protection as any other employee at the Institute. “Alright Onyx, place your paw on the scanner and press here,” I said to my partner. “Then we’ll have your picture taken.” Onyx smiled as she jumped up on the chair in front of the camera. There was a quick flash that dazzled her eyes for a moment and then it was over. Thankfully, there was a treat at the end. Linda began typing up the badge with the dog’s information… “Name: Onyx Department: Animal Care Position: Personal Assistant Assigned to: Dr. Galen Beddoe Employee number: K9-007” “Alright, you’re all set,” she said. “Welcome aboard Onyx!” Onyx began beaming with pride as Galen attached the badge to her vest. It looked like the same one he had clipped to his belt. She wasn’t expecting such a warm welcome. I quickly made my way up to my office in the animal care area. 24/7/365, someone was always up here keeping an eye on things. One wall was a bank of screens keeping tabs on the parameters in each of the tanks. Normally my boss Dr. Val Marin would be in charge on the dry side, but she started her wet side rotation last week. She entrusted me to handle the whole department on my own. “Good morning everyone,” I said as the techs gathered round for our quick morning meeting. “Meet our newest team member, Onyx. Now just a reminder about the service dog guidelines…” Part 4… Onyx was keeping an eye on her human as he went about his duties. The other humans in the area acknowledged her as one of their own. However, they all realized that she had her own tasks to worry about. Galen had done a marvelous job preparing her spot in his office. There was a small couch she quickly made herself at home on. It had enough elevation to see him, but still low enough to the ground where she could run to him without much effort. Then there was a couple of toys and a water bowl that was always fresh. After being away for a few days doing my final training, the emails and paperwork had begun to stack up. It was a lot of normal stuff. Inquires from other aquariums asking for help. Updates on supply orders. Time off requests and so on. Then there was one more that REALLY caught my attention… All of a sudden, Onyx noticed a subtle change in Galen’s normal smell and his demeanor. “That’s my cue,” she thought to herself as she sprang off the couch. The email was from the British lawyer who had worked on my case. Floyd Kendrick had begun making it his mission to get justice for those who had been abused at Penwick. Two more victims had come forward. “Crap. That makes over a dozen,” I muttered to myself. “Two more sentenced to a life of living hell through no fault of their own. Onyx knew exactly where her human’s hand would be. The change in smell was getting stronger. This was going to be bad… “Is he alright,” one tech asked another as they looked into Galen’s office. “No. Something set him off. This is exactly what Onyx was trained for,” replied the other. “Let her do her job. I’ll fill you in later.” Onyx was right next to me, warm and comforting. He curly black fur began grounding me back to reality. It helped me refocus the task at hand. After a few moments, my heart stopped racing and the adrenaline surge tapered off. “Thank you,” I said as I looked into her eyes. “Without you, that would have been a lot worse.” Onyx replied with a gentle bark and her tongue hanging out. Her training and instincts kicked in exactly as her human trainers said they would. Next time she would be a bit quicker to react. “Going for a walk to check things and take Onyx out. Let me know if you need anything,” I said to the techs. “Hold that thought. Got one of the sea otters who hasn’t eaten anything since last night,” said one of them. “Can you do a quick exam? It’s being brought up now.” “Hang tight girl. This shouldn’t take long.” Onyx watched as the furry creature with a dense plush coat, a white head, and big webbed hind feet was carried in. It was hurtling, but she didn’t know why. However, her human seemed to know. He moved with swiftness and precision. “Think I found the problem,” I said to the techs. “Grab me a pair of forceps and hold the mouth open. There we go! A bloody sea urchin spine got stuck in its throat!” “How did that happen?” “Probably a midnight snack gone wrong.” “Orders?” “Start an IV with antibiotics. See if he’ll start eating again, and do a blood draw to be on the safe side.” “Anything special?” “Yeah. Start off with small pieces of scallop or clam. Let me know if he gets worse.” “Yes Doctor Beddoe. On it!” “Sorry about that girl. Duty called,” I said with a smile. “Now we’ll go out.” For Onyx, it was a cacophony of strange sights and smells as they went out to the concourse. As much as she wanted to explore and make new friends, the vest on her back was a gentle reminder that she was on the job. The only human she had to worry about was Galen. Stu had his own task list for the day. As much as it was his passion, running a facility like this took a lot of work. If it wasn’t for everyone involved, it would be a lot tougher. That is precisely why he invested in good people like Galen. Fighting for him and getting Onyx trained had cost a pretty penny. The man had his issues, but he had heart, knowledge, and was trying to grow. That’s what mattered most. Stu could work with the rest. “Come in,” he said as there was a knock on his door. “How are things going Galen? How’s your partner doing?” “She’s already been worth it. I got an email from Floyd this morning,” I replied calmly. “Two more victims came forward.” “How did you react?” “It was a good damn bloody gut punch. If it wasn’t for Onyx here, I probably would still be bawling my eyes out.” Onyx began looking around and spied two big creatures in the corner. They seemed friendly, so she went to investigate… Part 5… “You must be Onyx,” said the big grey creature. “I am Earl.” “So you’re the one I’ve heard about? The one who is an ambassador of this place,” replied the dog. “I have heard about you and your story. What kind of creature are you?” “I am a harbor seal. My original home is far from here, but Stu rescued me when I was a pup. Since then, these humans have become my family.” “What of your friend here? She looks different.” “My name is Reia. I was born here. The humans rescued my mother when I was in the womb,” the sea Lion greeted warmly. “You must be the one that Galen was talking about and excited to bring home.” “Yes. I was specifically trained to assist him,” replied Onyx. “A great evil caused him pain. My job is to be there when that evil creeps in and help him chase it away. How did my human end up here?” “For lack of a better term, Stu and the rest of the staff rescued him like they did my mother and Earl,” said the sea Lion. “How did you choose him? We all know that it wasn’t by accident.” Onyx didn’t quite know how to answer that question. “Something in my soul told me that I was needed,” she replied. “You have chosen well sister. He is a healer. It takes a special heart to help a healer. He is one that takes care of animals when they are sick,” Earl said as he gently put his flipper on her back. “You are part of our pack now.” Reia shuffled over and inspected Onyx more closely. She was unique compared to the other dogs. “You’re beautiful. Join us in the water at some point?” “When I am able. I have a job to do.” “There’s one more unique thing about this pack of humans. They can transform themselves and stay in the water for extended periods of time. Sometimes it is hours but others it may be days,” Earl explained to Onyx. “When that happens, another human will take care of you. In return, my sister and I will look after your human. It is the way our pack works together.” “But you don’t have the training I do! How will you…,” replied Onyx. “Sister, brother Earl has many years of experience. Trust me. He has taught me well,” said Reia as she gently nudged the dog. “Your human will be in good flippers. You have our word. The humans here have taken excellent care of us. Taking care of them is how we return the favor.” The dog finally began to understand. She was in a new world with different rules. She would still have more to learn. “Looks like they’re getting along well,” remarked Stu as he looked over at the animals. “It does appear that way,” I replied with a smile. “That dog is certainly special.” “Look who she has to take care of. I am proud of how far you’ve come. With Onyx at your side, you will go a lot further too.” Once again, Stu was right. One of the visions I had during my extended time at the bottom of the dive center was a black wolf. It stood by as I walked my path. It seemed to be protecting me from something. That black wolf could easily be interpreted now as my new partner… “What’ll it be Galen,” asked the cook in the staff cafe. “Want something special for Onyx?” “Sure. Double cheeseburger and a side of fries for me and a plain hamburger for her,” I replied. “Hold the bun.” With a tray in hand, I looked around the cafe. April caught me eye and beckoned me over. She was sitting at a table with Dozer and couple other staff members. One was Dr. Akinyi Warui and the other Tyquon Williams. The former was the head exhibits curator and the latter our executive Sous chef. “How you holding up kiddo,” Dozer asked Onyx as they sat under the table. “Today has been very interesting so far,” she replied. “Want half my burger? Galen is generous, but it’s a bit too much at the moment. Don’t want to get too full in case I have to spring into action.” “Understandable. How’s he been holding up?” “Had an incident this morning, but it’s been quiet so far. He mentioned something that if I hadn’t been there, he would have much worse.” “I have seen him worse. My human has helped him immensely. My fur bares the stains of his tears. I have heard the horrors of the evil that hurt him.” “Then I take it your human helps heal what has broken their souls?” “Yes. Even though I have not been formally trained like you, my role is one of comfort. The humans in her office often find that having me there to hold to can be helpful. The two dogs listened to the human conversation above their heads. For the most part, it was joyful. They were always listening in case they were needed. “Something else happened today. I met Earl and Reia,” said Onyx. “They are definitely a unique pair.” “Oh yes they are. Stu has relied on Earl to be his judge of character. If a human gets his approval, then they are good,” replied Dozer. “The seal has a unique ability to see beyond any mask that any human puts up. He can see their true soul.” “Come on girl! Back to work,” I said to Onyx. “Alright gang! See you at dinner!” I brought her outside for a potty and sat down on one of the benches in the courtyard. Stu was definitely right. She WAS special. Even better, the rest of the staff had already accepted her as one of their own. From the treats made by Alex to the welcome from my techs, she was making friends easily. She had already become worth her weight in gold… Part 6… “Okay girl, off the clock,” I said as I hung her vest up. I heard Dozer, Thor, and the kids playing outside. “Go join your friends. I’ll be down in a couple of minutes.” Onyx scampered downstairs and out to the back yard. There were two young human girls playing with her friends. They were chasing a soccer ball around and trying to keep it from the girls. “Alright boys! Count me in,” she said with her tail wagging. “I like these odds!” “Don’t play too rough. They’re still growing,” replied Dozer as he nudged the ball. “But show me what you got! Let’s see if you got some chops behind those pretty curls!” Onyx began staring her friend down. It was game on! After her long first day, she needed to blow off some serious steam. I watched from the kitchen window as Onyx went full bore with her new “brothers,” I began to relax myself. “Want some help,” I asked April. “Sure. Would you please toss some ground beef and onions on the flat top? We’re making shepherds pie tonight,” she replied. “How did today go?” “Well enough. Still getting used to my partner and she’s getting used to me. How did your day go?” “This place is a double edged sword. You guys might have issues that would make any other shrink cringe. However, you also have some of the biggest hearts I have ever seen. Frankly, I enjoy it. I enjoy the other parts of the job. Just observing the guests is fun.” She looked out the window at the kids and dogs playing together. That was the other aspect. It was a great caring environment for the girls to grow up in. “How much color do you want on those onions?” “Got a bit darker than you would on a cheesesteak.” “Yes chef.” “You run pretty good for a girl,” Dozer said to Onyx. “Oh please! I could out run and out swim you,” she replied with tongue wagging. “Let’s see you keep up with my human.” “Hey you two! Play nice! Next time, it’s two on one,” chimed in Thor. “Looser has to be the demonstration animal the next time Val teaches a first aid clinic.” “Eeew! Human breath,” moaned Dozer. “I’d rather let the girls use my white parts as an artistic medium again!” “Are they girls that bad,” Onyx asked. “No. They’re really pretty good. It was just a rainy day and they ran out of paper to use,” he replied with a grin. “A quick bath and I was good as new! April was more mad than I was!” “Oh that’s wild. Say Thor, where’s your human? I haven’t met them yet.” “By the smell on you, I take it you’ve met Reia and Earl. Bridgid is on the wet side with them,” he replied. “From what I hear, your human will be joining them at some point.” “There’s good news to that. I know he will be in good paws with Earl by his side.” “Kids! Come wash up for dinner,” I bellowed. “That includes you furry ones too!” “Would you mind laying down food for the pups,” April asked me. “I bet they worked up an appetite for sure!” “Absolutely! Food bowls are in the cabinet marked dog supplies?” “Yep. Food is in the bin in the closet. Thor gets two cups and Dozer gets one. Full bowls of water too.” “Boy, those girls go hard! I think they actually wore me out,” I said to my brothers. “But they played well!” The next morning, Onyx woke up feeling excited. She nudged Galen out of his slumber and dropped the leash at his feet. He got the hint that she wanted to run with him. “Alright girl, you set the pace this morning,” I said to my pup. “Let her rip.” Onyx smiled at her human with tail wagging and exuberant barking. Fine. He wanted full throttle, he would get full throttle. Her paws dug into the dirt as she clawed for grip. The grounds crew watched as Galen and Onyx took off down the driveway. The latter was a black blur as the former did his best to hang on to the leash. Joe cracked a smile because this was the happiest he’d seen the young veterinarian in months. “Okay, maybe not that fast,” I shouted to my puppy. She understood and backed down just enough so I could keep up. Underneath that curly coat lay a lean athletic body. I was beginning to feel bad for others that misunderstood the breed. Onyx felt herself flying down the road. Galen seemed to appreciate her intensity and drive. She began focusing on marching his pace and speed. Her heart began beating in synch with his with each passing stride. “Good girl,” I said as we came back to the farmhouse. “Let’s get cleaned up and off to work.” Part 7… Onyx was greeted warmly by the vet techs as she walked in with her human. She watched him as he did his rounds and checked on all the creatures in his care. That included the sea otter that had been brought in yesterday. “How are you feeling today,” she asked the otter through the bars of his cage. “Hurting… so… much…,” it tried to respond. “I’ll do what I can. My human will take care of you.” Onyx began barking excitedly in an attempt get Galen’s attention. His mission to look after the creatures was hers as well. After all, they were a team. “Onyx, is everyone okay,” I asked my partner. She was looking intently at the otter. “Let’s do a more thorough exam. Move him to a table and grab me the ultrasound.” “Yes Doctor,” replied the tech. “Anything else?” “Yeah. Was he eating?” “Some, but not as much as he normally has.” I pulled up the file for his blood work on the computer screen. “Come on, give me a bloody clue here,” I muttered to myself. This was the toughest part of being a vet. Animals couldn’t talk and tell you. “What is causing his pain?” “Ultrasound is ready. I gave him a mild sedative so he won’t squirm as much.” “Thank you. Let’s take a peek. Hopefully I can get SOMETHING through that thick fur.” I began moving from top to bottom with my mind racing with the possibilities. The animal had been moving okay while on exhibit. Yesterday I had removed the urchin spine. There might be something deeper. “Bingo! Found something! There’s a blockage right at the entrance the small intestine,” I exclaimed. “Shave the belly and prep him for surgery.” “Open belly,” asked the tech. “Only as a last resort. I’m going to try and do this laparoscopically. The techs looked at Dr. Beddoe like he was crazy. However, they had learned this young man had a brilliant mind when it came to medicine. They also knew that Stu had invested in the most bleeding edge equipment and training. Onyx watched as her human went to work. She knew that when he was engrossed in a task like this the darkness would be held at bay. Her real work would begin when it was over or if something went wrong. “Patient ready? Let me know if there’s any changes in his vitals,” I asked. “Let’s do this. Start the clock. I estimate we have about 30 minutes before we get into the danger zone.” “Starting the clock now. Vitals green,” replied the tech. “I hope you know what you’re doing.” “So do I,” I said as I swallowed the bile building in my throat. “Give me a countdown every five minutes.” I kept looking at the monitor in front of me that showed the camera view. This was going to be tricky at best. I just hoped I hadn’t bitten off more than I could chew. “25 minutes. Vitals are green!” “Found it! Now to see if I can cut it out.” “What is it?” “Don’t know. But it’s been there a while.” “15 minutes. Vitals are green!” “Okay. Got it clear! It’s going to take a bit to finagle it out.” “10 minutes. Oh crap. Oxygen is decreasing.” “Bump up the flow and start tapering off the drugs. Almost done!” “Five minutes! He’s stable.” “Three minutes!” “Got it! A bit closer than I would have liked, but we’re done. Close him up and apply a waterproof dressing on the incisions.” “Yes doctor.” Onyx could tell Galen was exhausted. He sat down on the couch next to her and held her tight. There was also a subtle change in his smell. The darkness was near… “I almost lost him,” I said crying into her curly fur. “Any longer and I would have had a dead otter on the table. I cut it way too damn close!” The dog did her best to wrap herself around her human. Two days and two attacks of the darkness. This was going to be tougher than she realized… “Hey doc! Go take some time. That was rough,” said the tech. “Even Onyx thinks so.” “How’s he doing,” I asked. “Just starting to wake up.” I got up off the couch with my shadow following me. Aside from the shaved patches of fur on his belly, he looked okay. “Tell your human thank you,” the otter said to Onyx. “By his spirit, I can tell he has a passion for what he does.” “You are welcome,” replied the dog. “Heal well brother otter.” “Come on Onyx. Let’s go out and help the guests for a bit,” I said to my partner. Onyx liked the sound of that… Part 8… “When was the last time you went for a dive,” asked April as I sat in her office. “You seem stressed today.” “That and I nearly lost a patient this morning. Had to do emergency surgery on a sea otter,” I replied trying to hold back the tears. “If it wasn’t for Onyx…” “Haw bad was the darkness,” asked Dozer. “I managed to keep it at bay this time,” Onyx replied. “It took all my strength, but I kept him safe. I am torn. On one paw, he needs me, but I don’t know if I have the strength to do it all the time.” “You chose him because your soul saw the need. I will be here to help carry your burden. As my human helps yours, I shall help you.” “Thank you brother.” The dogs listened as the humans talked. They were having a conversation about going inside the fish tanks and checking things out. They even heard Reia and Earl being mentioned. “Have you ever gone into exhibits,” Onyx asked. “No. I don’t mind a bath or a dip in the pool out back on a hot day, but going inside the tanks is not my style,” replied Dozer. “Besides, you wouldn’t be able to hold your breath long enough. They wear special clothing to stay under for shorter periods and turn themselves into fish for longer ones.” “Earl was telling me about that. I’m confident that he will look after my human when he does go to the wet side.” “That he will. He is a seal of his word. There’s one other thing I should let you know: There will be times when he might have to leave you for a bit. Fear not for he will be back.” “Thanks Dozer. I owe you,” Onyx said as she placed his paw on his back. “April, I have a favor to ask you,” I said to my colleague. “Name it,” she replied. “When I start my wet side rotation, I want you to look after Onyx. Besides, it appears she’s already become best friends with Dozer.” “Gladly. Now can we convince Stu to watch the pups while we go into the tanks?” I was a bit nervous about all this. It would be the first time I’d left Onyx alone since she had come home with me. I wasn’t sure if it was going to be tougher on me or her. Onyx watched intently as Galen changed into what he called a “wet suit.” She could see that he winced as it was pulled over the scars on his back. She also guessed that this was part of the special gear that allowed him to survive underwater. “They look weird,” she said to Dozer as they walked into the next room with their humans. “Wait until you see what’s next,” he replied. “The rest of the gear is just so they can breathe!” The poodle looked on as her human was dressed. There were tanks on his back and a big bubble placed over his head. All the while he was trying to reassure her that he would be back. “Alright, let’s do this,” I said to April as the pups and Stu watched on. “Lower us down.” Onyx wasn’t sure what came over her. The instinct to follow Galen was so strong and so inescapable. She took a deep breath and launched herself into the water to go after him. In an instant she felt something different. In the water, it was tougher for the darkness to find him. For some reason, her human felt stronger down here. “Okay, that was a dumb move,” Onyx said as she shook herself dry. “Although I didn’t mind it. There was a freedom and a weightlessness that was enjoyable.” “We all make mistakes sister,” replied Dozer. “Yeah, but in the instant I felt a connection to my ancestors. They were bred to be in the water.” “Come on you two. Let’s go for a walk,” Stu said to the dogs. “Onyx, break time.” Onyx understood that while it wasn’t quite “off the clock,” she could relax a bit. “Oh how I needed this,” I said to April as we swam through the tanks. “It’s been a rough couple of days.” “Yeah. I can tell. Oh look! There’s Val and Jason! Looks like Bridgid is with them,” she replied joyfully. “Earl too!” Earl had made a promise to Onyx. He swam up and gently hugged Galen. In this world, it was his task to help keep the darkness at bay for her. I looked into Earl’s big black soulful eyes. The first time I met him, he had barfed all over me. Since then, he and I had become friends. 300 pounds of blubber and muscle had become one of the gentlest creatures out there. No wonder he couldn’t go back to the wild. “Hey Galen! How are you doing,” asked Val as she swam up. Her aquatic form was simple yet beautiful. It was the bright reddish orange of a Garibaldi. “Pretty good, but I did have to do emergency surgery on that sea otter you sent me,” I replied. “Hopefully he’s going to pull through.” “I have confidence that you did the right thing,” said Val. “It’s why I trust you to handle things and be my right hand man. Are there others in staff with more experience? Absolutely. Do they have your heart? No.” I had to smile for a bit. Val was one of the few people in my life who actually tried to lift me up and see my true potential. This was just one more example… Part 9… “So that’s what they look like with all the gear on,” Onyx said with wide eyed bewilderment. “Yep. The ones with fish tales can stay in the water for days on end,” replied Dozer as they walked with Stu and Thor along the concourses. “Our humans with the bubbles on their heads can only stay down a few hours.” “Looks like our pups are getting along just fine,” said Bridgid. “Alex was telling me they got along great with the Staz girls too.” “Absolutely! Onyx can definitely hold her own,” I replied to my friend with the purple and black tail. “Poodles are definitely more than a pretty haircut. They’re smart, loyal, and a bit of a clown.” “Do I even want to know?” “You’ll love this: So yesterday morning I’m taking a shower after our run. The next thing you know she’s in the shower WITH me! She had weaseled her way in without me realizing it!” “Oh dear lord! It seems like you two have bonded so well so quickly!” My friend was right. Onyx had only been home with me a few days and already my life was much better with her. She actually gave me a reason to get out of bed. In return, she helped when things just got too much. I looked out into the concourses at my partner. Something in her eyes told me that she wanted to be here with me. When I put my hand on the panel, she placed her paw up and met it. Even through the water and the thick panel, I could feel her heart syncing with mine. “See you in a bit…” “Wow. I’ve seen some strong human animal bonds over the years, but that might take the cake,” said Val as she swam up. “How are you going to survive your wet side rotation?” I doubt Mizuki will let her be turned into a mer-dog. The humane society would be all over our case if they found out we were doing experiments on animals.” “Yeah. The only way we get away with the merfolk transformations is because everyone who does it has given express consent and knows the risks.” Stu watched Onyx as she became enamored by Galen is his gear. She couldn’t take his eyes off him, just as a good service dog should. When the vest was on, she was on. There was no easy way around it. Onyx saw her human up late into the night looking at his laptop. She sensed something was brewing in his mind and it was related to her. However, she also knew that he needed his sleep. Thus, she pounced up and slammed his computer closed. Thankfully, he got the hint. The next morning, I found myself in Mizuki’s office. Unlike before, this was actually a social call. After my dive yesterday and seeing Onyx’s desire to join me, I began thinking about something. “Hey doc! Can I pick your brain for a minute,” I asked as I walked in with Onyx. “Sure Galen. I need to do your pre transformation exam anyway,” she replied. “Take a seat on the table and talk to me.” I took off my shirt and the doctor ran through my vitals. She knew to be extra careful and gentle around the scars on my back. Even after all these years, they were still painful. “Have you ever thought about plastic surgery to remove some of the more painful excess tissue,” she asked. “Bloody hell no! They may be painful, but they are a reminder,” I shot back. “A pretty nasty one.” “Doc, they are a reminder that I won the battle and that I need to keep fighting every day. It is also a warning to others that I can handle whatever they can dish out.” Mizuki cracked a rare grin. Galen had come a REALLY long way since he arrived at the Institute. April’s therapy sessions were a big factor. The other thing was the young man was finally in an environment where people loved and cared for one another. “So what was it you wanted to pick my brain about,” she asked as she finished up the exam. “You’re the expert of diving medicine around here. Would it be theoretically possible for Onyx to come with me on a dive,” I asked as my pup’s tail started wagging. “Not a full on wet side rotation, just a standard maintenance dive.” Mizuki was intrigued by the idea… Part 10… “How are you doing brother otter,” Onyx asked as she and Galen started their morning rounds in the vet lab. “Better. Still hurting a bit, but better,” he replied. “Tell your human thank you.” I sat down at my desk and began pouring over tank data. It was one of the more mundane things, but essential nonetheless. However, it was these boring tasks that could be the most dangerous for my mind. Onyx began to notice a subtle change in the air. The darkness was coming back. She began looking at Galen and then looking around. Where was it coming from? My phone pinged with an urgent message from the maintenance department. “911. Freshwater gallery.” Crap. A 911 was never good. I raced through the hallways and corridors at top speed. Onyx was barely keeping up, but she was hot on my heels. If they were asking one of the vets to come down, this had to be bad. “Give me the rundown. What are we dealing with,” I asked as I came screeching to a halt on the wet floor. “When I was doing a routine check, I noticed a couple of the neon tetras belly up and the rest were a touch lethargic,” replied the maintenance tech. “I called you immediately.” My mind began racing. The good news was this tank was isolated from the other ones in the gallery. The fish had some unique requirements that necessitated a dedicated filter system. That meant we didn’t have to worry about it being spread to other exhibits. I took a peek and examined the other fish and my heart sank. For some animals, there was only so much you could do. This was going to be a hard call but hopefully the right one. “Get me some samples and then shut down the tank. Euthanize the remaining fish and we’ll start from scratch once we figure out the cause,” I instructed. “I’ll deal with Stu and Akinyi.” Onyx just stood by. She could see the darkness getting closer for Galen. She would be needed soon enough. He had a task to do and was doing his best to do it calmly. I HATED this part of the job. No veterinarian liked euthanizing animals, but there were times it was necessary. Even though these were common tiny fish, the hurt was all the same. Onyx knew that this was going to be a rough morning. Galen held her close and buried his tears deep into her fur. She began to realize that part of the darkness came from her human caring so much. He cared to the point it pained him when something went wrong. He was empathetic to an abnormally high degree. Reia was right. It took a special heart to help a healer. “May we come in,” asked Stu as he knocked on my door. “Sure. Grab a seat,” I replied still sobbing. “That was tough.” “Some days you need to make the tough call to start a tank over,” said Akyni as she tried to calm me down. “It’s not the first time we’ve had to do it and it sure as heck won’t be the last.” “Look, working with animals is not an exact science. Some days you can do everything right by the book and it still goes wrong,” replied Stu. “That’s why it’s a medical practice. Is this the first time you have had to put an animal down?” I nodded in the affirmative. I remembered the lecture on euthanasia at Tufts. It was definitely heart wrenching as the professor went through the drugs and procedures. He also said “Do it perfectly so you cause the least pain possible.” “If you don’t mind, I’d like to save a couple of the fish and water samples for later,” I said to my friends as they helped console me. “I want to learn everything I can.” Onyx could feel the darkness starting to fade from Galen’s soul. He seemed to be stronger with trusted friends nearby. However, she knew she was still needed. “Can we switch gears for a minute,” asked Stu. “Sure. What’s on your mind,” I replied inquisitively. “I’ve got the dog groomer coming next week for Thor and Dozer. Want me to include Onyx in the mix? From my research, poodles need to be trimmed every 4-6 weeks.” “Why the heck not? My partner deserves a spa day. Just let me know how much I owe you.” “Not a dime. She’s more than earned it. Now how do you want her done up?” I pulled up my laptop to look at the possibilities. There were some groomers that went all out with huge poms on the tail and legs. Some even did some crazy dye work on white dogs. However, that wasn’t my style. I didn’t mind the daily brushing, but my partner was a working dog, not a show dog. “Have them do a basic kennel cut, but maybe go a touch shorter on the ears and head,” I explained. “You got it,” replied Stu. “Nothing but the best for my crew!” I had another burning question in my mind. How would Onyx react when I was on the wet side? How would she stand being away from me from so long? Could I handle being away from her? Stu looked at Galen and then looked at Onyx. Those two had become inseparable. He saw the looks on both their faces. They were both concerned about what was next… Part 11… By now the transformation process actually felt normal. Well, as normal as being turned into a merman can be. “Normal” was what you made it. I woke up in the recovery tank and gave myself a big stretch as the floatation collar was removed. Unlike the first few times, the headache was minimal and I began to relax. However, the final step was always a touch rough. I had to submerge my head and start taking my first watery breaths. With my lungs painful from the carbon dioxide buildup, I opened my mouth and started sucking in water. It burned for a few moments until all the air dissipated, but once that was done, everything felt fine. “You’re good to go,” said the tech as the bottom of the tank opened. It always took me a few flicks of the tail to get into “fish mode.” Having to control one big mass of muscle below my hips was a different way of thinking versus moving on land. For people like Stu who had been doing it for years, it had become second nature for him to go between the terrestrial and the aquatic. “Yeah baby! I am back where I belong,” I screamed as I made my way into the exhibits. The rest of the merfolk just smiled and grinned. To see their friend actually happy and LAUGHING was huge progress. Even though this was work, he was finally learning that he didn’t have to be in survival mode all the time. The youngest veterinarian in the commonwealth was learning cut loose a bit. “Oh the joy and innocence of youth,” said Ralph Killpatrick as he swam up. Our head of maintenance had a tail that could have been a spitting image of Earl’s. He had the distinctive twin flippers and spotted fur of a harbor seal. “Trust me Ralph, you don’t want my youth. Plus my innocence was stripped away that night on the football pitch,” I shot back. “Galen, I’ve had my fair share of trauma. Like Terje, I’m here for you,” he replied. “You’ve definitely grown on me.” I just shook my head a bit and laughed. Ralph was definitely rough around the edges for sure. He was very much a typical blue collar guy for sure. A bit crass, a touch ornery, but had your back when the chips were down. It was through the love of sports where he and I bonded. Being from Boston, he was was a die hard fan of Bruins hockey. In return, I shared my passion for football, (he called it soccer), and my beloved Sunderland FC. We both understood and respect each other’s passion. Ralph looked over the kid. His tail looked striking in a tri-tone hue that moved from the white at the waist to red and finally black at his tail fin. One thing that he respected about Galen was that he wasn’t afraid to do things in his own unique way. Was it unconventional? Absolutely. Did it help him to expand his own way of thinking? Definitely. “So, do all the animals look well,” I asked my friends as I got myself reoriented with the aquatic. “Oh yes. I just got word from the vet techs this morning that the sea otter is recovering nicely,” replied Val as she swam up. “They’re going to move him into the rehab pool starting tomorrow.” I had to breathe a sigh of relief. The fact that he was recovering almost made up for the sting of having to kill off that tetra tank a few days ago. When I first started vet school, the professors warned us that it could be one hell of an emotional roller coaster. They were right. “Galen, are you going to be okay,” asked Jason as he swam up. My friend’s aquatic form lovingly lived up to his nickname of the “Codfather.” With a dark brown background, fine black spots, and a thin white line running down the side, he looked like the iconic Atlantic codfish. “I’ll manage,” I replied stiffly. “I miss my partner.” “I don’t blame you,” said Val. “From what April and Stu have been telling us, she’s been exactly what you needed. “Ever since you met Onyx, you life has changed for the better.” “I think we are needed,” Earl said to Reia. “Tag team?” “You know it brother,” the sea lion replied. “Duty calls!” Before I knew it, my pinniped friends were hot on my tail fin. They embraced me with all their might to help me relax. For some reason, they just knew when they were needed. “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready for dinner. That transformation definitely worked up an appetite,” said Ralph with a grin. “Who’s cooking tonight,” asked Bridgid as we headed towards the wet lounge. “Either Vito or Tyquon. If I remember the schedule correctly, Alex was asked to cater that private party at Alvin for one of our big donors,” replied Jason. “Look, I don’t care who’s cooking, just as along as there’s plenty of it,” I shot back as we made our way up to the lounge. The wet lounge was one of a few places at the Institute where the wet and dry sides met. The other places included the maintenance bay and Stu’s office. In addition to the dining area, it had a nice living room area where meetings could be held and the submerged sleeping pods below. Sure enough, Vito was cooking tonight. That could only one thing: some of the most amazing pizza this side of Italy. The man has spent his life pursuing the so called “perfect pizza.” For his dedication, I admired him. He had an idea of what he wanted and never stopped working to attain it. “Alright Vito, what kind of creations are you going to subject us to tonight,” I quipped as I broke the surface and took my seat. “Nothing too crazy. Felt like sticking with the classics,” replied the chef. “I got some great veggies from the farmer’s market in Shrewsbury this morning, so I’ve been playing around with them.” After demolishing a half dozen pies, Stu came in and there was a familiar barking right behind my friend… Onyx was excited to see her human. With a running start, she launched herself into the water towards him and began swimming around. Her water dog instincts kicked in almost immediately as she got her bearings and made her way towards Galen. “Isn’t this a pleasant surprise,” I said with a shock. Fortunately, there was a perfect place for her to sit next to me in the meeting area. Earl and Reia even decided to join us as well. “Onyx! How nice of you to join us for a bit,” said Reia joyfully. “Enjoying your day off?” “Not quite a day off. I was helping Dozer out. He and April had one of the young chefs in the office. She had just broken up with her girlfriend and was taking it hard,” replied the dog. The sea Lion looked over at Galen. “As you see, This is how they survive in the water for days . It’ll be a couple weeks before he is back on dry land,” she explained. “Stu must trust you. He lets very few people see the human’s aquatic forms unless they are to be invited.” “Why is it that,” asked Onyx. “It is simple. The vast majority of the humans in the world would not believe it possible,” replied Earl. “Many would view it with fear and disbelief. Many others would view it as a perversion of nature. Stu is very careful about who he offers the gift to.” The dog was beginning to understand that this was a very interesting place… Part 12… “Onyx, give me five more minutes,” I moaned as a wet nose and stiff whiskers nudged my face. Of course when I did wake up, I realized that I was in my aquatic form and it was Reia being my alarm clock. I could swear that those girls were in cahoots together for some reason. After her conversation with Onyx last night, Reia agreed to keep him on a normal schedule. That included an early morning wake up call for a run. Or in this case, a long swim. She began nudging him more and more. When that wasn’t enough, she gently nibbled at his tail fin until he got the hint. “Alright, you obviously want me to play with you. Lead on,” I said to the sea Lion. She lead me on a crazy tour of all five of our big tanks. I was at limit trying to keep up, but it was worth it. This was almost as fun as running with Onyx. How many people out there got to start their morning by trying to out swim a creature like her? By the time we got back up to the wet lounge, breakfast was ready. In our aquatic forms, we are about 50% more food than normal. Thus, Tyquon had laid out a freaking feast! FOUR different kinds of pancakes, a platter of bacon, a stack of sausages and a bowl of fresh fruit were demolished in no time flat… Morning also meant that the dry side was hard at work. As the assistant facility manager, Justin always had something to do. That was in addition to managing the small army to handle all the little problems that crept up. He oversaw a crew that ran the gamut from plumbers to IT techs. Today his projects were fairly routine. It was assembling a few new office chairs for the guest services department and overseeing a new sculpture being installed in the food court patio. “Morning Justin. How goes the battle,” greeted Mizuki as she walked into the workshop. “Doc! What a pleasant surprise,” he replied. “What did you break this time?” “Nothing today, but I need your help. Thinking about something for Onyx.” “You have peeked my curiosity. Go on. What did you have in mind?” “We’re going to build a set of scuba gear for her…” “Doc, are you serious? Did I just understand you correctly? We’re going to build a set of diving gear? For a poodle? Is it even safe for dogs?” “Theoretically, yes. The biggest issue is ear equalization, but with a full helmet that’s a non issue. The bigger issue is getting the gear comfortable. “Isn’t that a wardrobe thing?” “Yes, but you have a way of tackling problems that I admire. You know how to adapt and repurpose things for the job.” Justin blushed a bit. Here was a woman with enough knowledge to turn a man into a mermaid, but she still knew when she needed help. For that he respected her. “So where should we start,” he asked. “How about with this,” replied Mizuki as she laid Onyx’s spare service dog vest on the workbench. “We know she’s already comfortable with it, so it seems logical.” “Boy, the humans around here definitely have a lot of problems,” remarked Onyx as she hung out with Dozer in April’s office. “How do you put up with it all day?” “Easy enough,” replied the pit bull. “I know that being around makes my human’s job easier. Some humans just respond better to animals.” “Can you tell me what my human was like before I met him?” “Yes. The darkness and pain in his soul was beyond comprehension. He was angry, terrified, and scared. His aura was filled with bleakness. I spent many hours by his side trying to chase it away.” “So how did he overcome it?” “The same way most evil goes away. We worked as a team to help fight it back until Galen had the strength to start fighting on his own. We stood by his side and set the example.” “Did you ever find the source of the darkness?” “Sadly, yes. When he was a young man, the human equivalent to a puppy, other humans hurt him badly. It was because he was different.” “But he doesn’t look different!” “Not on the outside dear sister. It was because of what was on the inside. From what I understand, he was much smarter than his peers. They feared that and tortured him.” Onyx was beginning to understand more and more about the plight of her human. She had definitely bitten off a bit more that she realized. The scars ran deep into his soul. No wonder he hurt so badly… Part 13… The next days just flew by. I wholly immersed myself in the job purpose of it. When I was in the water, I felt at my happiest as if nothing could get to me. Even though it was long days and a lot of hard work, I loved it. However, the one thing I did miss was my partner. Even with the nightly visits, it just wasn’t quite the same having her always by my side. I needed Onyx with me. That morning Val and I were checking out the Hawaiian reef tank. Our newest of the big tanks, it was doughnut shaped and had a children’s play area in the middle. There were also interactive exhibits as well. “Hey Val. I have a stupid crazy question for you,” I said as we cleaned a few of the massive acrylic viewing panels. “Go for it Galen. I’m all ears,” she replied. “You have more knowledge than I do. Is it possible for a dog to scuba dive?” Val thought for a minute. Her protege had brought up a very interesting question indeed… Stu watched as the colorful truck bearing a cartoon image of a dog in a bathtub and “Paws-itively Radiant Mobile Grooming” on the side pulled into the parking lot. “Good morning Terry,” greeted the huge hulking man as he climbed out of the driver’s seat. Terry looked around at the massive facility. A former pro wrestler, he had grown up in Paxton and seen firsthand how the Institute had impacted the town. Aside from some extra traffic, the good outweighed the bad. “Alright Stu, how many today? You told about Thor and Dozer, but it looks like we have two more,” he said as he looked at the chocolate lab and the black poodle at his side. “Yep. Decided to give a couple of service dogs for our staff the royal treatment as well. Godiva works with a person in guest services and Onyx works with one of our newest senior staff members.” “How do you want Onyx done up?” “Do a basic kennel cut but take the ears and tail a bit shorter.” “So what’s this all about,” asked Onyx. “Spa day,” replied Thor. “That man in the truck is going to make you look amazing!” “As if you don’t already,” chimed in Dozer. “But we know it takes work to look good.” Terry quickly went to work on the pups. The lab, Rottweiler, and pit were going to be pretty straightforward. However, the poodle was going to take some time. The good news was that Stu understood what his skills were worth and paid accordingly. “These human’s hands are magic,” exclaimed Onyx she was rinsed off. “Do you always get treated like this?” “Oh yes. At least every couple of months,” replied Thor with a yawn. “Oh yeah! That’s the spot!” “Just one of the perks of working here,” chimed in Godiva. “If we get treated this well, imagine how our humans feel. I heard my human say that Stu has included extra in her check for my care.” “This is definitely a far cry my start in life. Justin found me in the mud on a construction site when I was a pup,” Dozer said with a smile. “Much like Galen, I have found my place here.” “Alright Stu. Four pretty primped pampered pooches are ready to go,” said Terry has he lead the dogs into the office. “Which card will it be today? Diamond? Platinum? Good old fashioned cash?” “I think we’ll put it on the Onyx card. Been getting some great rewards from that one lately,” Stu replied with a smirk as he slid the card into the reader and punched in the amount. “You’re all set.” The groomer looked at the screen with his jaw hanging. “Stu, you overpaid me!” “No I didn’t. I paid you what I believe you’re worth to me. You hand to drive out here and deal with active four dogs. On top of that, you did an amazing job. Go buy yourself lunch or grab it here if you’d like.” Terry just shook his head. Stu was the total opposite of many his high dollar clients. No haggle. No fuss. No drama. He was actually a joy to deal with. “Oh I feel so pretty,” said Onyx as she caught her reflection in one of the tank panels. “But I wish I was with my human!” “It’ll be about another week before he looses the fins and comes back,” replied Thor. “I believe mine is due back in a few days.” “How do you cope with that?” “You get used to it. Stu makes sure that you get all the love and attention you need. Besides, the fact that you know they’re close by makes up for it.” Onyx took a good hard look inside the tanks. She could sense Galen in there somewhere. The good news was that she knew that Earl and Reia were keeping an eye on him. Even better, the darkness seemed very far away… Part 14… Justin was having fun with the challenge Mizuki had given him. Designing scuba gear for a poodle was turning out to be a bit more difficult that he thought. The good news was that a few of the dive techs were more than willing to lend their expertise. The bad news was that standard tanks they used would be too heavy for the dog. He began doing some digging. “Carbon fiber scuba tanks,” he muttered. “We could get away with a smaller lighter tank. Higher pressure, but the same overall capacity. Might take a bit of tweaking, but nothing that he can’t deal with. After two weeks on the wet side, I was happy to transform back. Even with her semi nightly visits, I missed having Onyx by my side and our morning runs. She had really become part of my life in some very unexpected positive ways. When I finally got back to the farmhouse, my partner was thrilled to see me. She leapt off the couch and into my arms nearly knocking me over. Her tail was wagging so hard that I thought it was going to leave a mark in my thigh. Dog breath never smelled so good! Stu just stood there in the kitchen laughing. The sight of Galen so happy was a huge turning point. Onyx really had changed him for the better. They were an unlikely pair that worked well. “The groomer did an excellent job,” I said as Onyx kept licking my face. “I trust she behaved herself.” “For the most part. Had to let her have a bit of fun,” replied my friend as he checked on the pot on the stove. “Mind if I switch gears a bit?” “Sure.” “I know killing off that tetra tank hit you hard, so I did some more digging with the samples you grabbed. There were two factors. The first was that the fish were old. That led to the second factor. Somehow a parasite got into the tank, likely through their food.” I knew exactly where he was going with this. I would have had to make the call eventually. Stu was trying like heck to reassure me that I had made the right one. “Thanks chief,” I replied stiffly. “Let me know when dinner is ready.” Onyx was sensing the darkness was nearby and that her human was tired. She began to wonder if the two could be related. Her human gave so much but took little time for himself. It was just one more thing that she was going to have to help him with. Galen’s screaming woke the dog out of a sound sleep. Something was wrong. He was bolt upright and clammy. The darkness was back. Immediately, she was up on the bed by his side. “Onyx, what the hell is wrong with me? Why can’t I shake these nightmares,” I asked my dog as I looked into her eyes and held her tightly. “I thought I was getting better, but now it seems worse.” The more I held the dog, the more I began to calm down. Her warmth was comforting. Her heart beating with mine and steady breathing began to help calm me. Even though she was “off the clock,” she was still on the job. There was a knock on my door. “It’s open,” I shouted. “Come in.” “Heard the scream. Are you okay,” asked Val as she walked in. “Just the nightmares again. Thankfully, my partner was on it before I knew it.” Val understood. She had been a victim of abuse herself many years ago, except her situation was a relationship was with a violent partner. Her scars were more emotional than physical, but they were no less painful. “Was it the same nightmare you’ve been having all along? The one where you’re back in the middle of the pitch that night,” she inquired. “Kind of. However, this time Onyx was there with me. She was trying to fend off my attackers. Sadly, it still ended the same way,” I replied to my friend. “What does it all mean?” Val just sat there speechless. She was trained in veterinary medicine, not psychology. There were no books or scientific papers written on how parent a young man like Galen. This was definitely a situation she wasn’t prepared for at all… What did it all mean? Some nights I could cope and sleep through it all. Others I sat up crying until I passed out from exhaustion. However, the fact that Onyx was in my dreams was an interesting sign. The black wolf was returning… Onyx sat with Dozer as the dogs listened to the human conversation in April’s office. While Galen got his own advice, Onyx sought her own. Dozer had quickly become a friend and confidant. “Last night was rough,” said Onyx. “But what does it mean when I appear in a human’s dream?” “It means that you have firmly embedded yourself into his psyche. He views you as a permanent part of himself,” replied the pit bull. “You are more than just a service dog. You are his protector and guardian. Conversely, he has become part of you.” “How do you know all this stuff?” “After you eat enough psychology homework and munching on a few textbooks, you begin to pick up a few things.” Onyx just shook her head and laughed. Dozer could be a goofball, but he was a straight shooter. In reality he had just spent way too much time with his human and being a therapy dog. “Believe it or not, this is progress,” April said to me. “The fact that you are recognizing subtle patterns and changes is definitely a solid step in the right direction. It shows that you are becoming more in tune with your own mind.” “In some ways, that’s a bit scary,” I replied calmly. “If it’s scary, then you’re actually on the right track. It shows your willingness to push forward. Frankly, I believe Onyx has helped give you that strength.” “How so?” “In your soul, you knew that you couldn’t do it alone.” I looked at my partner and then at April. They were right. I had come so far, but I still had a long way to go… Part 15… “How are you doing brother otter,” asked Onyx as she accompanied her human on his rounds in the vet lab. “Much better,” he replied as he swam around the recovery pool. “I heard the human saying that it will only be a couple more days. Then I can finally go back to the exhibit!” “Excellent! I am happy to see you get back your family.” “As am I. Please tell your human thank you.” “Guess it’s back to the grind,” I muttered to myself as I looked at my computer. Onyx had taken her usual place on the couch looking over me. In the midst of all this, I got a notification. My old friend Murphy Greene wanted to do a video chat. I happily accepted. I hadn’t had a chance to talk with him in weeks. “Good morning Murph,” I said as his face popped up on the screen. “Although it’s probably afternoon for you.” “Yes it is,” he replied warmly. “How are you doing?” “Pretty well actually. Last was rough, but Onyx is helping a lot. How about you?” “Better, and I have some great news. I just got back from the employment tribunal. Penwick reinstated my pension and position.” “That’s awesome! Back pay too?” “Triple back pay as penalty. Here’s the thing: I’m finally retiring. I’ll finally have some time to travel and enjoy myself.” “Awesome. Any idea where you want to go first?” “The Japanese onsens, Grand Canyon, and Australia area already on my list. However. I would love to come visit you first. You’ve told me so much about that wonderful facility you work at, so I would love to see it with my own eyes.” I paused for a moment. Seeing Murph would be awesome, especially now that I was in a better head space. However, at his age I wasn’t about to offer the full aquatic experience just yet. I COULD definitely give him the grand tour. “Leave everything to us, and wait until you meet Onyx,” I said as my furry friend popped into the camera’s view. “Prepare for and adventure you’ll never forget!” Murphy sat in silence for a minute holding his passport in hand as the screen went blank. He had done plenty of trips to mainland Europe and a couple to Northern Africa. Now for the first time, he would be traveling across the pond. “Sherlock, I’m going leave you alone for a bit,” he said to the big orange tabby cat next to him. “Try not to cause too much havoc while I’m gone.” Across the campus, the hotel manager, Lea Dornburg, was deep into her own tasks. There were staffing schedules to deal with, guest issues to attend to, and the myriad of other hiccups that came along with it. It was a lot of work, but the smiles on the guest’s faces made it all worth it. She began reviewing the special requests for upcoming guests. They ranged from the straightforward to the slightly offbeat. The former included things like a feather free room, extra pillows, or a certain room number. However, it was the latter where it got really interesting. She had one person request a picture of the cast from Deep Space Nine placed on the nightstand at a precise 37.8 degree angle, and that wasn’t even the weirdest one she had seen. She began looking at the list of names of the upcoming guests. Their goal was to greet everyone by name and make each one feel right at home. “Why does this one stand out,” she asked herself. Her eyes got really wide when it hit her… My phone pinged with a new message. To my surprise, it was from Lea. She wanted to see me at my convenience. Well, I probably needed to take a peek at the tanks in the hotel anyway. “Galen! I wasn’t expecting you down so quickly,” the manager said with a shock as I walked up to the front desk with Onyx in tow. “Hopefully I wasn’t disturbing anything, but this is important.” She showed me the screen with the name. Now that I wasn’t expecting. Of all the people to possibly jump back into my life, it had to be him. However, I honestly expected it would happen at some point. In fact, I was actually hopeful. Onyx began sensing something unusual. On the screen was a piece of the darkness. Could that be a source? She immediately got ready just in case she was needed. “Look, I know this is one of the people who harmed you in the past,” said Lea. “What should we do here?” I had made the decision a long time ago about what would happen if this day ever came. I didn’t want revenge. I never wanted compensation. I never wished harm on those who had harmed me. All I ever wanted was an apology. “If he’s coming here, it’s probably not by accident,” I replied calmly. “Don’t do anything just yet. I want to surprise him with an upgrade.” Lea’s jaw dropped. Galen never ceased to amaze her. The young man had been through hell when he was in school. Yet his capacity for compassion was beyond comprehension. He was deeply emphatic to the emotions of others to a sometimes mystical degree. “Alright. If you say so,” she said in surprise. “But I have to ask why you’re doing this?” “Easy. I made a decision a long time ago not to hold a grudge. The universe will place enough burden on those who harmed me that they will eventually try and make amends.” The hotel manager was still stunned. The more she got to know Galen, the more she realized just how unique he really was… As much as I was trying to be calm on the outside, inside I was shaking. I had to sit down for a minute and collect my thoughts. Thankfully, Onyx was by my side in an instant. She knew exactly what to do… “Come on boy! Stay with me here,” the dog thought to herself as she curled up next to Galen. “Hold me tight. There we go. You’re starting to calm down. Match your breathing to mine. Focus on me.” “So what’s up with him,” one of the other desk clerks asked Lea. “Long story,” she replied. “What it boils down to is he was hurt badly in the past. That dog is the only thing keeping him remotely functional right now.” Part 16… The next few days I felt like I was in a haze. I remembered going through all the motions of life. I remembered Onyx just kind of guiding me through what I had to do, but not much else. Eventually, April stuck her head into my office. All she said was “Dive time. Now. Stu will look after the pups.” April watched as the techs geared Galen up. Her friend was definitely off. He had barely spoken in days. The reason she had even dropped by his office was because the techs were concerned. Not even Onyx seemed to be helping. i remembered the water making me feel weightless and April taking my hand. She beckoned me to follow her into the exhibits. I obliged as I knew I was in a safe place. “Lea told me what happened and who’s coming,” April said to me. “How do you feel about it?” “Nervous. The last time I saw his face was at the disciplinary hearing. Now he’s coming into my house. I’m not sure what to think,” I replied. “I told myself that I would forgive him when the day came. Now I’m not so sure.” “I think you can forgive. Like everything else, there’s likely a lot more to his story than you realize. Try and show some compassion to him the same way we have to you.” As the counselor and I talked, the fog in my brain began to lift. My initial instincts were right, but my brain just needed help processing everything. Onyx was good, but sometimes a human touch was required. Down in the maintenance department, Justin was putting the finishing touches on the gear for Onyx. Sure, there would be some fine tuning once it was fitted to the dog, but it was a thing of beauty. The biggest question was how would the pup react? Across the pond, Murphy’s phone pinged with a new email. It was from the Calder Institute… “Mr. Greene, Dr. Beddoe has asked me to make travel arrangements for you. Attached is your confirmation for your flight. You’ll be on a nonstop from Heathrow to Boston on the following date. We’ll have a car pick you up and something special to bring you right to Paxton. As for accommodations and meals, don’t worry about a thing. You are an honored guest. Everything is on me. All I ask is that you bring your sense of adventure. Thank you for joining us, Stuart Calder Director and chief travel agent” Murphy opened up the attachment for the tickets and his eyes bulged right from his head. “An A380 in first class??? Boy, they are going all out for me,” he shouted with surprise. “Guess I need to break out my Sunday best! I wonder what kind of surprise they’ll have for me when I arrive in Boston.” After taking some time to get my head on straight, I was feeling a lot better. Looking at the schedule for the house, Val was supposed to cook tonight. However, she had taken over my morning school group. Thus, it was only fair that I did dinner. “Come on girl, let’s go shopping,” I said to Onyx as we jumped in the car. “Let’s put some of your other training to the test.” Onyx knew that as a service dog she had privileges to go places other dogs couldn’t. One of those place was the grocery store. As she accompanied Galen, she saw some strange looks from the humans around her. She also heard her human answering a few questions about why she was there. By the looks I got, you think people had never seen a poodle as a service dog before. However, when I talked to the store manager, he had my back. He actually understood the rules and did his best to inform his employees. Even though I wasn’t required to show any documentation, I was up front with him about Onyx’s purpose and task. “You look like hell,” Dozen said to the poodle as they curled up under the dinner table. “Brother, you have no idea. This was one of the roughest patches I’ve seen him in,” replied Onyx. “He did thank me for keeping him going.” “Oh I have seen him worse, and you’re right. You actually forced him to get out of bed and face life.” “As much as I hate nibbling on people, sometimes a bit of persuasion is needed. Heck, there was one morning I had to shove him out of bed to make my point.” “You didn’t?” “Yes I damn well did!” Dozer began laughing. Onyx definitely had spunk. She knew her task and was willing to almost anything to get her point across. She was just the swift kick in the tail that Galen needed in life… Part 17… “You guys are serious,” I said in awe as I looked at the workbench. “You actually built a set of scuba gear for Onyx?” “Yes we did,” replied Justin. “We saw how she moped around when you were in the water and had to do something. In fact, I enjoyed the challenge.” “It’s actually a system with your gear as well. There’s a wrist mounted display so you can monitor her and adjust buoyancy as needed,” chimed in Mizuki. “The only thing we need to do to the dog is shave a small amount of hair around her neck so the seal sits right.” “So when can we try it out,” I asked. “I think my partner is ready to do it now.” “Give us a bit to transfer everything over to the dive center. When was the last time you did an exam on her,” replied the doctor. “A few days ago. Everything was looking good.” Onyx stood up on her hind legs and looked at the stuff on the bench. She was beginning to get excited. This would allow her to accompany Galen into the aquatic realms. Even better, she could finally experience the freedom of the water that Earl had been talking about. “I’m amazed at how calm she is,” said Justin as he and Mizuki geared her up. “I can tell she’s excited, but she’s restraining herself.” “Yeah. It’s that temperament that made her a service dog candidate in the first place,” I replied as I looked into her eyes. “Besides, I think she wants to do this.” “We’ve also made a couple more minor changes to your gear as well. Besides the monitoring for Onyx, we decided to try a set of carbon fiber tanks for you,” explained the doctor as she looked at her tablet.” “How are you getting all her vital signs?” “That was pretty easy. I adapted some of the same sensor tech that is used in the transformation wetsuits.” Onyx felt the weight of the strange gear she was wearing. In some ways, it reminded her of the normal service dog vest. In others, like the clear bubble being placed over her head, it was not. As it was locked in, she became aware of the of the gentle hissing of the air from the tanks at her sides. “Lower us down,” I said as we got in position on the platform. “And once again, here we go pushing the limits of what seems possible!” This was all so new and strange for the dog. Quickly, the water rose above her head and she could feel her body getting wet. She hugged Galen’s leg for comfort until the platform stopped moving. By that point, the heaviness from the gear on her back was less noticeable. In an instant she tried moving her paws to swim. Awkward at first, she tried mimicking the human’s movements in her own way. She quickly realized that she could use her tail to help change direction. Her human’s encouraging voice told her she was on the right track! “Onyx, follow me,” I said to my partner as we moved into the exhibit. “You’re a bloody natural!” “Onyx! What a pleasant surprise,” exclaimed Reia as she swam up. “How are you enjoying my world?” “It’s definitely different. These adaptations feel a touch awkward, but I’m slowly getting used to them,” replied the dog. “If it’s any consolation, the humans have felt the same way their first time. This is not their natural habitat. However, it is one they seem to be passionate about. For that I respect them.” Before Onyx knew it, the humans were telling her that it was time to surface. She was having way too much fun playing with the sea Lion and harbor seal. They were just as much part of her pack as Dozer and Thor. Like everything else weird and wonderful, it was part of her world now. Ian was fighting his own demons. About a year ago, he had hit rock bottom. He had tried to hide the pain with drugs and alcohol, but the stain on his soul just wouldn’t go away. He had finally begun to get help through an AA program and some other resources. Things were finally beginning to look up, but now he was working on step nine of the 12 steps. He was going to try and make amends to the person he had harmed the most… Part 18… “Right on time,” said Murphy as the shiny black Mercedes sedan pulled up. “Let’s see now… passport, enough clothes for 10 days, sense of adventure… Yep. I have everything. Be good Sherlock!” The big orange tabby cat responded with a gentle meow as his human left. When he was a kitten, he knew he had chosen well. Murphy treated him like the god he was. “So what’s the special occasion,” asked the driver as the car blasted down the motorway. “Going to see an old friend of mine. He and some others pooled their money to give me this trip as a gift,” replied Murphy. “It should be a ton of fun!” Closer to London, Ian was preparing for his own trip. As much as his dad could be a jerk a times, he had supported him during his recovery. If it wasn’t for the job at the law firm, he would have been totally screwed. “Ian, just remember your main goal,” Angus said to his son. “I applaud the fact that you’re trying to make things right. It was a hard lesson you had to learn.” The young man felt sick just thinking about that night and the aftermath. He and his friends thought they were “teaching him a lesson,” but it had backfired badly. The expulsion was just the start… “Alright Mr. Greene, you’re all set,” said the attendant at the check in desk. “Would you like someone to escort you to the lounge?” “Yes please. I wouldn’t know how to find it if I tried in this maze,” replied Murphy with a grin. “I had no idea flying first came with such perks!” When he saw the lounge, his jaw dropped again. The food and drinks were the rival of a five start restaurant and they were all included with his plane ticket! What really caught his eye was the view of the tarmac outside the window. He found himself being hypnotized by the vehicles and people scurrying about to service the massive beasts. On the other side of things, Ian was happy to be through security and on the next part of the trip. The concourses were busy with people getting to their flights or making transfers. Dozens of different languages being spoken and all overlapping. He felt lost amongst the sea of humanity. There was temptation everywhere as he strolled past the pubs and duty free shops selling wine and other assorted booze from around the world. He had made six months sober, so he knew he could do it. Yet it was a struggle. It was just one part of what he was dealing with. Nervously, he began reviewing his travel plans once he got to Massachusetts. It wasn’t going to be the quickest, using solely public transit never was. The good news was that he would arriving in Boston early enough in day to make all the connections happen. “Alright Mr. Greene, I believe it’s time to get you a your way to Boston,” said the attendant came over. “Thank you. You and your staff have done and excellent job,” Murphy replied. “Lead on.” He was absolutely in awe of the plane before him. The monstrous Airbus stood eight stories tall and had wings that could span a football pitch. It was hard to believe something this big could actually fly! “Mr. Greene, welcome aboard,” said the beautiful young stewardess as she showed him to his seat. “Can I get you anything before we depart?” “Yes. I think I could use a glass of champagne now that I’m finally on my way, and please call me Murphy.” At the other end of the plane, Ian was getting settled in for the flight. It wasn’t going to be luxurious, but it was something. He began to look at it as paying penance for the harm he had caused in the past. “This is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard British Airways flight 217 to Boston. Expected flight time is seven hours 43 minutes and the weather looks good all the way across. Relax and enjoy the flight.” Two men at opposite ends of the plane breathed a sight of relief… Part 19… “Folks, we are beginning our final descent into Boston. Currently local time is 10:21 am. Weather is sunny and breezy. “Boston tower, this is Speedbird two seven requesting landing clearance.” “Roger Speedbird two seven. You are cleared for landing on zero four right. Winds at eight knots and holding steady.” With a deft touch, the pilots brought 400 tons of aircraft out of the sky and onto the tarmac. For them, flying the huge beast was just another day on the job. For the passengers on board, it was the start of a new adventure or the end of one. Each one had a story to tell. Being a first class passenger, Murphy was through customs in no time flat. When he did get through, there was a man holding a sign with his name and a fish drawn on it. “That must be my ride,” he said with a smile. “Not quite. I am here to take you to your ride. Follow me,” the man replied with a smile. Before he knew it, Murph was outside on the tarmac and couldn’t believe what he saw. “Is that for me,” he said aghast looking at the helicopter. “Yes it is! It’ll be about a 30 minute flight and I’ll land you right on the grounds of the Institute. Hop up front! You can take some pictures along the way!” At the other end of things, Ian was facing a slog. He had all his documents ready as he knew that it was going to be a a bear. His instincts were right as he got pulled aside for a secondary search and more questions by customs. “Alright Mr. Innes, what brings you to America today,” asked the customs officer. “It boils down to personal business,” Ian replied flatly. “Just getting to this point has been a journey.” “Can you tell me more?” “I am a recovering alcoholic and I’m trying to make amends to the people I have harmed in the past. One of those people works at the Calder Institute in Paxton.” “Do they know you’re coming to visit?” “Unknown, but I have reservation at the hotel there. I don’t even know IF this will work, but I have to try.” The officer looked at the information on his screen. It showed a sealed juvenile record, but not much else. Maybe the man in front of him was dealing with something related to this? Either way, he had to make a judgment call. The young man appeared to be truthful. One of the items in his possession was a six month recovery coin. “Mr. Innes, I will grant you three weeks to conduct your business,” said the officer as he stamped the passport. “Hopefully it is a fruitful journey. My wife has been five years sober herself. I can understand what you’re going through. Good luck and welcome to America.” “Thank you.” Ian grabbed the bus marked “South Station” and rubbed his eyes. It wasn’t a bad flight, but he had hardly slept. The anxiety of what was to come was hitting hard. He felt like he was getting his life in track after those past transgressions. “Stu, did you seriously charter a helicopter for Murphy,” I asked as the machine touched down in the field. “Yes I did,” Stu replied beaming. “Were you going to deal with Boston traffic this morning?” “No, but I definitely don’t want to see the cost.” “Galen, it’s my money and if I want to spend it on your friend, let me.” When Ian arrived at the station, he checked the big destination board. There were trains and buses heading all over Massachusetts and beyond. His train would be leaving to Worcester on track 7, but he had some time to grab something resembling an early lunch. Or was it dinner? He was confused as he had just jumped five time zones. With a sandwich in hand, he went out the little park and sat down for a minute. Boston was already in full swing for the day. Delivery trucks carrying all manner of goods trundling through the streets, businesspeople heading towards nearby offices for meetings, and an artist setting up to paint were just some of the things that caught his eye. For a moment, it was an oasis of peace in his chaotic world. “Galen! It’s great to see you again my friend,” Murphy greeted me as he hopped out of the chopper. “So this is Calder Institute? It was definitely impressive from the air!” “Wait until you see the inside,” I replied warmly. “How was your trip?” “Do you treat all your guests like that?” “Just the ones we really care about. I know how much you mean to my friend, so why not pull out all stops,” Stu said with a huge grin. “May I take your bag? We’ve set you up with one of our suites in the hotel.” “You have a hotel here too?” “Yep. Plus a sculpture park, a couple of restaurants, an amphitheater, and a few small fish tanks.” I just had to shake my head. Sometimes Stu was too humble about what he had created here. There were times I think he was even even embarrassed about how amazing this place was. Yet I knew that he was proud of it. With a gentle screeching of brakes, the train rolled to a stop. This was the end of the line. Ian was in Worcester. When he stepped out of the beautiful old station, he got a pleasant vibration in the air. This was an old industrial city, by American standards at least, going through a renascence. He could see old buildings with new murals and construction within a few blocks. Amazingly, his timing was perfect. It was only a few minutes before the bus bearing “Airport/Aquarium” on the route board pulled up. After checking with the driver that this was the right bus for Paxton, he hopped aboard and grabbed a seat. The bus trundled through the beautiful neighborhoods north of town. Worcester seemed like a decent little city. Actually, Massachusetts in general was beginning to grow on him. The people had been friendly but not overly so. He was a bit relived in that regard. Through the window, he watched as the Institute came into view. The building looked massive, but seemed to be anchored into the landscape well. Whoever designed it had showed great restraint and great respect. He found his way to the hotel front desk checked in… “Mr. McInnes, I have a pleasant surprise for you,” said the clerk. “You’ll be staying in one of our aquarium view suites.” “What did I do to deserve the upgrade,” Ian inquired. “This is my first time here.” “Occasionally Mr. Calder likes to surprise people. You just happen to be the lucky one today.” Ian took the key card and made his way to his room. When he opened the huge door, he was in awe of what he saw. One whole wall was a panel into one of the exhibits. Fish of all shapes, colors, and sizes swam by! There was one other thing he saw out of place when he looked around the room too. A small note on the coffee table with his name on it. At first he thought it was just a welcome from the staff, but his eyes bulged out of his head when he read it. “Ian, I know why you have come. - Galen.” Part 20… My phone pinged with a new message from Lea. “He has arrived,” it read. I did breathe a sigh of relief. Ian might have been a jerk back then, but people can change. Through my own personal awakening, I learned that a lot can be overcome. If he was willing to come all this way, the least I could do is give him the benefit of the doubt. Ian began looking around the room after he read the note. There were some complimentary snacks on the counter and cold drinks in the fridge. He grabbed a can of Coke and continued looking around. The bed was impossibly fluffy and the shower had more nozzles than a freaking car wash! It was going to be a nice place to relax during his visit. He sat down on the couch and pondered the note again. How had Galen known that he was going to be here? Had he told some of the staff about his past? What the heck had happened to the guy over the years? I dropped Murphy off at his suite and continued my morning dry side rounds with Onyx at my side. So far everything was looking pretty good. We had some new fish arrive last night, so they were in a quarantine tank. Our former sea otter patient was finally back on exhibit and doing well. April caught up with me over lunch. “Heard that you now have two visitors. How are you going to handle this,” she asked. “I honestly don’t know. As big as this place is, it’s inevitable that they’ll cross paths,” I replied calmly. “The other question is how do you think you’ll handle Ian? I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to knock him into next week for what he did.” “Violence is not the answer here. I am going to turn the other cheek and look at this as a fresh start. The man traveled an ocean away to find me. My gut tells me that he’s trying to reconcile the stain on his soul.” “The fact you’re willing to forgive him is amazing.” “Actually, I should be apologizing to him. If I had just kept my mouth shut, I wouldn’t have gotten into this mess.” April stopped mid bite. This wasn’t uncommon with victims of abuse or bullying. They often blamed themselves for the damage that was caused. “Let’s stop this right now. We’ve been over this before. This wasn’t your fault. You fought back in the best way you knew how. You used that brilliant mind of yours and outwitted them. You did the same thing in the courtroom. Back then, you made the right choices.” My friend was right. Sometimes the right thing had its own consequences. Many times, the consequences were good things, but sometimes others saw it as bad. My beat down on the pitch that night was bad at first, but it had also set me on a path that landed me here at the Institute. Ian was hesitant to even leave his room. He stared into the fish tank for hours and looked at the note from Galen again. The six words written on that piece of paper held serious gravity. He was thinking long and hard about how to respond. In a flash, it hit him. He would just keep it simple. He grabbed the pen and notepad off the nightstand and began thinking… Lea came up to my office with a small note in hand. “One of hotel guests asked me to give this to you,” she said. Onyx got a sniff of the paper. It had the scent of the darkness on it. Part of the source was close, possibly even on the grounds itself. She put herself on standby just in case… I took the paper and unfolded it… “Galen, I am ready when you are. - Ian.” “Thanks Lea. Would you hang tight for a minute,” I asked. “Could you return a note for me as well?” “Gladly. It’s good to see that there’s a dialogue starting,” she replied with a smile. Ian heard a knock on the door of his room. “Who is it?” “Lea Dornburg, the hotel manager. I have something for you,” came the reply. He opened the door and was handed a note. Sure enough, it was from Galen. Once again, the response was simple. It simply read “6 pm at Alvin. Bring your appetite.” “Onyx, am I doing the right thing here,” I asked as I dug my hands into her curly black fur. “Am I moving too quickly here?” The poodle listened intently while her human started pouring out his emotions. She could tell that he was trying to process things and reconcile old wounds. This was another part of her task, just to listen and be there. After the notes being passed back and forth all day, Ian was finally ready. He started by exploring that crazy shower. The steamy hot water cascaded over him and it felt so good! The grime from traveling and fear sweat just seemed to melt away… “Are you sure you want to do this so soon,” asked Val as I got myself freshened up after a long crazy day. “I am going into this with an open mind. He’s come all this way. The least I can do is listen,” I replied calmly. “That’s one thing I have admired about you. Your capacity for compassion is unmatched by anyone I have ever met.” I just hoped my friend was right… Part 21… Ian nervously walked down to Alvin. This was it. This was the moment of truth. Everything had been leading up to this. He just hoped he was ready… When went in, he found a beautiful space. It was contemporary with a slight nautical theme. It had clearly been inspired by a yacht with beautiful wood floors and simple stainless steel railings. However, the absolute showpiece was the massive viewing panel. Over two stories tall and three times as long, it dwarfed the the one in his hotel room. I walked in with Onyx at my side and spied Ian sitting at a prime spot by the panel. Even from a distance, I could see that he had aged a lot since I had seen him last. Then again, the last time I had seen him was at a disciplinary hearing in the headmaster’s office seven years ago. Onyx followed her human down to the table. She could tell he was nervous. She could also see that the other human they were meeting was a source of the darkness she had detected. The other thing she caught was a tiny sliver of light trying to push through. “Ian McInnes I presume,” I said as I cautiously held out my hand. “It’s been a long time.” “Galen, or should I say Doctor Beddoe? Congratulations on your DVM,” replied Ian stiffly. “Thank you for meeting me tonight. Who’s your shadow?” “Oh, this is my service dog Onyx. She and I have been together for a few months now.” “If I may ask, what’s her task? I’m guessing a lot has happened since I saw you last.” “To say the least. She’s part of my long term treatment for PTSD.” Alex and Tyquon quietly observed their colleague from the kitchen. “How do you think is going to go down,” asked the former. “I honestly have no clue,” replied the latter. “The senior staff knows the story and how it all went down that night. Maybe Galen feels comfortable enough to do this because he knows we’ll have his back in a hot minute?” “It could also be the fact he’s ready to forgive. Look, we have a job to do tonight. If and when something goes down with our friend, then we’ll worry about it.” “Yes chef.” Ian looked at the menu. He was surprised to see a nice variety of nonalcoholic cocktails and a lack of seafood on it. The latter seemed a touch peculiar to him. “What can I start you with,” asked the waitress as she came around. “I’ll have the purple tang please,” replied Ian. “Green chromis with extra lime and an order of smoked chicken wings,” I said calmly. “So… How long have you been sober? I see you have a six month coin in your hand.” “Yeah. Just over that. I got this shortly before I came on the trip,” he replied stiffly. “Just making it this far has been a challenge.” “I hate to say it, but many of the staff here are fighting their own battles. You know I’m one of them.” “Galen, I thought long and hard about what went down that night. Over the years, I have come to regret every bloody damn second of what I did.” Tyquon did a round of the dining room to check on the other patrons and staff. So far, it was a pretty normal night. In reality, he was keeping a close eye on his friend. Galen wasn’t saying much, but the chef could tell he was listening intently. Onyx too was listening to the conversation above her head. The man with the dark stain on his soul seemed to be fighting his own battle. The spark of light inside the darkness seemed to be getting brighter. The man was fighting his own pain. “Ian, by all rights I should be knocking you into the next millennium for the living hell you caused me,” I said to him. “However, that wouldn’t solve anything and ruin my delicate surgeon’s hands. Ian felt his heart sink. That beautiful steak he had just eaten was threatening to come back and in a very ugly way. His trip could all be for naught depending how Galen reacted and said next. “The good news is that I believe you are being truthful with me about your own struggles and pain. Your remorse is genuine. I may not forget what happened in the past, but I am willing to forgive.” “Thank you Galen,” Ian replied as tears welled up in his eyes. “Where do we go from here?” “Meet me early tomorrow morning. I’ll give you a tour of this place starting from the inside out. “You mean?” “I’m going to blow your mind…” Part 22… Ian had a surprisingly relaxing night and it was probably his best sleep in ages. His first visit with Galen had gone better than he expected. The timing for him to come here definitely felt right. If anything, it was going to be a chance for him to get on track and restart his life. My morning runs always gave me time to think. My brain could just focus on singular thing: my stride and rhythm. With each passing foot, I began to find my second happiest place. Onyx began thinking about the conversation she had heard last night as she matched her human’s speed and pace. Amazingly, Galen had only needed to reach for her for comfort a few times. It definitely could have gone a lot worse. By the time I got back I was famished. Breakfast was sounding pretty good right about now… Murphy was hard at work in the kitchen. Since his wife passed a few years ago, he really didn’t have much motivation to cook. Now he was determined to make these folks a proper full English breakfast. After feeding Onyx and grabbing a shower, I made my way down to the kitchen. Stu was just sitting there watching my friend cook up a storm. “Galen! How was your run,” Murphy greeted in his big boisterous voice. “How did your meeting go last night?” “Murph, that was more than just a meeting. That was a shock from the past,” I replied hesitantly. “There was someone else from Penwick who arrived at the Institute yesterday. In fact, he was on the same flight as you.” “Go on. Tell him,” goaded Stu. “Let’s get it out in the open.” “It was Ian McInnes. He came to apologize for the damage he caused.” Murphy stopped dead in his tracks. The four boys who had tortured Galen were some of the most cocky bastards he had ever seen. They thought they were untouchable at that young age. It had really frosted them when they were outwitted. “So how did it go? I know you were extremely nervous about it,” asked Stu. “His remorse is genuine because I could see it in his eyes,” I replied somberly. “I’m meeting him this morning and taking him on a dive. “For some reason, I have a feeling that he has more secrets to tell.” I found Ian walking along the concourses near the Caribbean reef tank. “Just how big is this place,” he inquired slack jawed. “We have 60 million gallons of exhibit space. The tank you’re looking into right now is our largest one at 15 million gallons,” I replied. “Believe me, it’s a lot of hard work keep everything up to snuff.” “I don’t doubt that.” In the moment, I saw Earl and Reia swimming around. The former put his flippers and nose against the panel. Ian seemed to respond in kind and did the same. Did the harbor seal know something I didn’t? “Earl, why did you do that,” asked Reia as she swam nearby. “He is part of the darkness that Onyx spoke about.” “Yes dear sister, he is. Look closer. There is something else,” replied the seal. Reia held still for a moment and did as she was told. She began to see it. It was a tiny sliver of light trying to push through. That human was trying to fight back. “Let’s go up to wardrobe. I think they want to meet you,” I said with a smile. My two pinniped friends were nodding in agreement. “You mean? But I’ve never been…” replied Ian with a shock. “You’ll be fine. Now come on!” Reluctantly, Ian went with Dr. Beddoe. He was still in a bit of shock at how Galen was treating him, especially after what had happened in the past. He was still expecting some sort of weird revenge. To his surprise, the techs in the Institute’s wardrobe department did an amazing job. The wetsuit they fitted him with felt like a thicker second skin. He was still nervous, but a bit less so. “There you are,” I said as I finished gearing up Onyx. “Let’s finish up and get into the water.” Once again, the nerves were kicking in as the techs geared up Ian. A pair of tanks was strapped to his back and a neck yoke with a hole in the middle was placed over his head. This stuff felt like something out of a science fiction novel or bad late night movie. That especially rang true once the clear bubble shaped helmet was placed over his head and the air started flowing. “The display in your helmet shows the depth and duration remaining,” I explained over the radio. “Hold the railing until the platform hits bottom and if you need to pee, just go in the suit. It’s a normal response in diving physiology. The water will flush it away as you move.” I looked over at my guest as he began floating. Getting used to the sensations of weightlessness and breathing underwater took time for some people. I had a feeling that he might take a bit longer than most. “Lead on,” he said to me. “I can’t believe I’m scuba diving in an aquarium and with a poodle!” I had to bite my tongue for a minute. As much as I wanted to reveal more fun stuff about this place, I couldn’t. Because of his background and how he had harmed me in the past, Stu was reluctant to even let him on the property in the first place. “This is amazing,” Ian said in awe. "This isn’t the same tank we were looking at earlier, is it?” “Correct. This was the first of our “big tanks.” This one is based off the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.” “He looks like he needs a hug,” Reia said with a grin. “More like a two way,” replied Earl. “He’s hurting badly.” “I am not missing out on this dog pile,” shouted Onyx. “Banzai!” “What the blazes? I’m surrounded,” Ian shouted as all three animals swam towards him. In an instant, he was encased in ball of fur, flippers, and paws. Even through the water, he could feel the warmth of their bodies. “You really are hurting,” I said to my friend. "Just how bad is it?” That’s when he dropped the mother of all bombshells on me and began crying. He was the last one alive from that night… Part 23… “I hated to drop that on you,” he said as he tried to get his bearings. “Let’s explore a bit more then I’ll give you more details over lunch.” “Honestly, I think Murphy should hear this too,” I replied somewhat calmly. Even in the water, Onyx’s curly wet fur felt comforting. It was definitely a good thing she had come on the dive this morning. “Wait a minute… Murphy Greene… the groundskeeper from Penwick… is here?!?” “Yep. By sheer coincidence he was on the same flight into Boston as you.” Ian had to catch his breath for a minute. Murph was the ONE person at Penwick who could keep a secret. He was the one you talked to when you broke a computer or a girl broke your heart. He knew how to say the right things to the right people to get things done. He was a mediator and a magician. “Okay, so we’ve got about an hour of air left. Where do you want to take me?” “How about the kelp forest?” A bit later, it was a full house in Stu’s office. I had rounded up April and Dozer because this had the potential to get ugly. Stu grabbed Murphy and couple of pizzas from Vito. “I wish I was seeing you under better circumstances Ian, but here we are,” said Murphy. “I didn’t think my vacation would quite make the hard turn it has.” “Tell me about it, but there is a lot to unload here. You folks could have easily pushed me away after what I did to your friend,” Ian replied. “Okay, let’s put the pity and shame to bed right now. What is said here stays between us unless someone is in danger and we need to bring in additional help,” shot back Stu. “The Institute has always been a place of second chances. You have the floor Mr. McInnes.” “Thank you Mr. Calder. If I may ask, have you done any research on me or my coconspirators,” replied Ian. “Yes. Galen gave me the names when he was working through a panic attack one afternoon. There was yours, Joshua Peters, Augustus Schmidt, and Oliver Smyth. At the time, I found that you and Augustus were sharing a flat, Oliver had joined the Navy Medical Corps, and Josh was dead in an avalanche. However, since that day I have not dug any deeper. There was no need.” “The four of you were troublemakers back then. Sometimes too smart for your own good too,” said Murphy as he shook his head. “So what happened to the other three?” Dozer began weaseling his way next to Ian. The pit Bull had a sense that his services would be needed soon. He and Onyx were going to have a lot to unpack over dinner tonight. Ian began by explaining that Josh’s death was no accident. He had grown up in those mountains and his dad was a ski patroller. The kid could spot a slip zone from a half kilometer away. “I got a note from him a week after the death. It outlined everything he was dealing with and how he just wanted to end it all. He felt guilty for that night. He said that he was going to his happy place one last time and not to tell his parents the truth,” said Ian. “That lead to my first binge drinking episode.” My face was aghast and it mirrored every else’s. The other two were equally as painful. Oliver never made it to boot camp. He was hit by a driver on their cell phone when he was on a training run. Ian had found Augustus dead with a needle in his arm in their apartment last year. “That’s when I FINALLY woke up and realized I had to change. It took three dead bodies to slap me out of the stupor I had been in,” he said sobbing into Dozer’s short course fur. “As much as I hated moving back in with my parents, they realized I needed support to get back on my feet. My dad cut me a deal: I move back but I had to seek treatment. It was definitely fair.” No wonder he had looked older than he seemed. He had been through his own personal hell… “Ian, I forgive you for what has happened in the past. It may not seem like it now, but it took a lot of strength to do this,” I said to him. “Today starts anew with me.” “Thank you,” he replied through the tears. “Where I go from here?” “Do you have a therapist back home,” inquired April. “It sounds like you have a long road ahead of you.” All this time Murphy had been pretty quiet. In the safety of friends old and new, I could tell something was up. I had a feeling that he was about to unload a burden of his own. “Why did I let this happen to you boys,” he sobbed as the tears gushed from his eyes. “Why didn’t I have the balls to fight back against a system that even ALLOWED it to happen? “How many more victims were there,” inquired Ian. “A dozen besides Galen that we know of. The local police did nothing. Hell, it took Stu to give them a swift kick in the nuts to investigate Galen’s case! Hell, who knows how many more are out there?” I saw Ian reach for the trash can and begin retching. The bile in my throat began building, but I somehow managed to keep lunch down. I began hugging Onyx with all my might. It was the only thing keeping me grounded at the moment. I saw April look at Stu. His response was “Don’t worry about the overtime.” Part 24… April finally climbed into bed after a long crazy day. “When this is all over, I think we need a family vacation,” she said to Justin. “Agreed. We definitely got more than we bargained for when we joined this place,” he replied. “Maybe it’s a good thing I didn’t get the job at the drywall plant after all.” “You’re right. The job might be tough, but I love it. It’s nice having the freedom to actually HELP people who need it and not worry about if they can afford it.” I found it hard to fall asleep that night. Even holding Onyx wasn’t helping much. Ian may have harmed me in the past, but now I was looking at him as friend in need of help. To top it all off, my old friend Murphy was dealing with his own ghosts related to all this. “Oh my aching brain,” said Dozer the next morning at breakfast. “Tell me about it,” replied Onyx. “Tough day yesterday? You two didn’t get in until late,” inquired Thor. “Bro, you have it easy! Wag your tail, be nice to the guests, maybe lick a few faces,” shot back Dozer. “Yeah. It was freaking rough. There was a lot unloaded for sure! It’s going to take me a week to get the tear stains out of my fur!” “Like Reia said, it takes a special heart to help a healer. You and I are just lucky we can help each other,” said Onyx. “What was said in the office affected Galen pretty badly. The darkness was trying to attack full force.” “What time did you finally get to sleep?” “Don’t know exactly. Once my human finally did, I stayed up a touch longer just to make sure he was going to be okay. What I do know is that he didn’t want to run this morning. I had to wake him up so I could go out.” “Ouch. I hope today is better for you two,” said the Rottweiler. “Need to get going. Helping my human with a school group this morning!” “April, would you mind looking after Onyx today? I’m bringing our guests over to the dive center,” I asked my friend. “No can do amigo,” she replied. “I’m doing some volunteer work at the women’s shelter in Worcester. Had it on the calendar for a while.” “I’ll do it. Earl and Reia are doing a dry day. They’re doing an animal encounter with that school group. I’m sure they would love the company,” Stu said joyfully. “You go take care of your friends.” “Thanks chief. I owe you one.” Even though Ian had only done one dive and Murphy hadn’t in years, I felt confident in taking them to the dive center this morning. They were both smart enough to follow directions and understand what precautions needed to be taken. Besides, we had medical staff and safety divers on standby. Pat Gustafson, our dive center manager, was in a bit of a grumpy mood. Part of it was because I had begged him last minute to do this. The other part of it was because his schnauzer, Misty, was expecting pups any day now. He was stressed for sure. “You owe me for this,” he said with a grunt as we walked in. “Oh believe me, I’m sure you’ll be calling me at 2 am when she goes into labor,” I replied. “So how deep is this pool,” asked Murphy as he got used to his wetsuit. “200 feet and you gentlemen get to go to the bottom,” replied Pat as he began gearing up my friends. “Your voices are going to sound a bit high pitched with this gas mix.” “There’s helium in it,” inquired Ian. “Yep. Below a certain depth nitrogen starts becoming toxic. The helium is there to help with that. It’ll displace some of the nitrogen in your bloodstream.” “Why do I feel like I’m about to go Mars or something,” Murphy quipped. “And who thought I’d be having an adventure like this at my age.” “I’m just glad I’m sober enough to actually enjoy it,” shot back Ian. “Let’s do this.” With the gear checks done, the platform slowly lowered us into the water. I felt the items in the thigh pocket on my wetsuit. There would be a special surprise for them at the bottom. Murphy followed the others as the platform stopped. Right now, they were only about 10 feet below the surface, but it felt like a different world. All he could really notice was the sound of his own breathing and the gentle hiss of cool air from the pack on his back. He looked at Galen. The young man seemed to be at home and happier in the water. He was also a heck of an instructor too. This was a totally new experience yet the old man felt at ease. “Safety stop,” I said to my friends as we sat on the edge of the hole. “You two feeling anything abnormal?” “You mean other than the overwhelming urge to pee,” replied Murphy. “Actually, that is normal. You either go in your wetsuit or you lie about it. Believe me, wardrobe has dealt with cleaning worse out of the staff clothing. Seal barf is especially nasty!” “I’m feeling okay. A bit nervous, but fine otherwise,” said Ian. “Diver to topside. Three going to the bottom,” I said over the radio. “Top side to divers… Acknowledged. Telemetry looks good. You are clear for bottom.” My friends and I hovered over the hole for a few minutes and began our descent… Part 25… Ian began looking at the hashmarks on the wall denoting depth. They had started at the 50 ft level, but now they were slowly descending. 55… 60… 70… 80… 90… 100… “Okay, hold for few minutes,” I instructed. “Another safety stop,” remarked Ian. “You got it. One of the big things with diving is that you can’t rush. If you do, the consequences could be deadly. Even though this is a controlled environment, the dangers are real.” “Tell me about it. I had many groundskeepers over the years try and circumvent the safety rules I had set out. Sometimes they got away with it, but I had to drag a few to the emergency room to get patched up,” replied Murphy with a slight squeakiness in his voice from the helium. “Before I forget, no bubbles like in normal scuba gear?” “We’re using a rebreather setup. More efficient use of gas. When you use less, you’re able to stay down longer.” “If you want to stay down longer, why not just grow a set of gills,” shot back Ian. Now I REALLY had to bite my tongue. Both these guys were getting dangerously close to the truth. I’d have to talk to Stu and Mizuki to see if we could do something. Murph was definitely healthier and more active than most men his age. With Ian it was going to be more psychological. Murphy watched the marks on the side of the pool. 110… 120… 130… 140… With each passing moment he could feel the pressure building around him. It was weird yet comforting, kind of like a big blanket on a cold winter day. The three of us landed on the bottom with a gentle thud. There was a skyscraper’s worth of water above us and they were doing pretty well. “Welcome to the place where I truly began my healing,” I explained. “I spent almost three days down here. The other staff made sure I was fed and healthy. It was on this very spot I started to learn how to trust others.” “Nowhere to go but up,” remarked Ian as he looked at the side of the pool and hopped around. “Nice. You folks definitely have a sense of humor.” “When you work and live together, you have to keep it light. The other staff members have truly become my family. We’re a bunch of people who have found our fit together. Now, would you like to sign the wall?” Ian grabbed the special marker Galen had pulled from his pocket. He looked at what others had written and thought about what had brought him here. “My past does not define me. Today I begin anew,” he scrawled with his signature. “Your turn Murph,” he said as he passed the marker over. The old man was silent for a minute and thought about his own journey. There was a lot he had hidden behind a stoic British stiff upper lip over the years. It was finally time to break out. “It’s never too late to start over,” he wrote. My friends were beginning to feel the same way I did down here. For some weird metaphysical reason, the spirits had determined that the Institute was a place of renewal and healing. I saw it in Val. I saw it in Terje. I experienced it for myself, and now I saw it in one of the people who had harmed me in the past. “Murph, you mentioned other victims besides Galen. How far back do they go,” inquired Ian. “At least 10 years if not further,” replied Murphy. “We’ve been working with a barrister in Liverpool to help unravel it all,” I side calmly. “It’s been tough, but we’re working on getting justice for them. Murphy has been key to that. Oh and it’s time to start back to the surface. It’s going to take a bit, so we can fill you in more.” Ian’s emotions were all over the map. He knew his dad had represented Penwick for years. Was it possible that he had a hand in covering this up? Part 26… “Boy, those kids were really rowdy today,” said Onyx as she collapsed in a pile with the other dogs and pinnipeds in Stu’s office. “Not the worse I’ve seen,” replied Reia. “But that young girl who went in for a full on hug right away was fun!” “I’m surprised you let it happen. Then again, with all the humans you’ve hugged it’s only natural that it would come back around,” said Earl with a smile. “Her soul was so innocent and sweet. I have feeling that she’s going to go on to great things.” “And the look on that mom’s face when you and I tag teamed that boy when he came up to us…” Dozer said to Thor. “She probably thought that these two big dogs were going to harm her little angel…” “But when we started licking him and showing him love,” replied Thor with his tail wagging. “I think her opinion started to change!” “You two are a pair that could be a full house,” shot back Onyx with grin. “You are definitely great ambassadors for your respective misunderstand breeds.” “You’re no slouch yourself little sister,” said Thor. “People think of poodles and they think of those little spoiled rotten lap dog yappers!” “Why thank you!” As I walked into Stu’s office, Onyx unwedged herself from the pile of fur and flippers and greeted me with tongue and tail wagging. I was happy to see her too. Today had been emotionally draining but fun. “Stu, I have a huge favor to ask,” I began to say with hesitation. “I know we weren’t planning on it initially, but…” “You want to give Murphy and Ian the fully immersive aquatic experience,” replied Stu. How did he know? Was it that easy to see on my face? Then again, Stu had a gift for reading people and their needs. “I took the liberty of having the body shop prepare a couple extra tails just in case,” he continued. “I know that Murphy is close to you and Ian is trying to turn his life around. From what I understand, it’s been tough for the latter to stay sober this long.” “Alright. How should I break it to them?” “I’ll leave that up to you.” Later that evening… “Any idea what Galen wanted to see us about,” asked Ian as he and Murphy walked along the concourses. As guests staying at the hotel, they had the privilege of experiencing the aquarium during the off hours. “I don’t know. All he said to me was “I have my own secret to share,” replied Murphy. “There he is now!” “Sorry to keep you from your nice warm beds as I know it’s been a long day,” I said as I sauntered up with Onyx in tow. “I assure you that it’ll be worth it.” I tapped on the panel three times. Gradually, my friends on the wet side swam into view. What seemed normal to me was about to blow my friends’ minds. Murphy rubbed his eyes in shock. “Is it just me or does that man have the tail of a killer whale,” he remarked in awe. “You know I was joking when I make the crack about growing a set of gills to stay down longer, right,” shot back Ian as his jaw dropped. “This isn’t some sort of bad joke, is it?” “What you are seeing is very real. My colleagues in there are actual merfolk. We refer to it as a wet side rotation,” I explained. “Only the senior staff members, some friends of the Institute, and a few selected invited guests get the opportunity.” The usual questions came rapid fire… “How long does the transformation take?” “A about two days of recovery after the initial ingestion of the solution and tail attachment.” “Is it permanent?” “Nope. Your first time will only be a week. To come back to the dry side, you just need to stay out of the water for 24 hours.” “Any side effects?” “Sadly, you permanently loose all your taste for seafood products.” “Giving up my fish & chips for an adventure like this? Small price to pay.” “When are we going to do this?” “In a couple days. You’ll join in with the normal staff rotation.” Ian and Murphy looked at each other and then at the merfolk in the tank. They came here with different reasons to see the same person. By fate, they had been on the same flight. Now they were going to share an adventure like nothing else… Part 27… “Onyx, be good for April and play nice with the girls,” I said as I left the farmhouse. “Go easy on Dozer too.” My partner responded with a gentle bark and a wagging tail. She knew that I would still be close and could drop in for a visit. In fact, she and the pit bull had become almost inseparable. This morning, I was meeting my friends for breakfast at Alvin before the transformation. For me, it was just part of the job. For them it was going to be a wonderfully new experience. More people had gone into space than had become merfolk. Because of the nature, and some would say, possibly controversial processes, Stu was careful about who we invited into the family. “What’ll it be gentlemen,” said the waitress as she set down a carafe of coffee and pitcher of fresh squeezed orange juice on the table. “The Greek omelette please,” replied Murphy. “Strawberry banana pancakes,” said Ian. “And for you Dr. Beddoe?” “Screw my cholesterol. The hash eggs Benedict,” I replied. “And a side of the baker’s special bread for the toast.” “Cheers my friends,” said Murphy as he held up his coffee cup and looked inside the fish tank. “It’s hard to believe that in 48 hours I’ll be on the other side of that panel looking out.” “I’m definitely nervous,” chimed in Ian. “The doctor tried explain how the process all works, but it went above me head. I did understand that there was a liquid part that was to be drank and special gas you had to breathe. Then the pressure chamber acts as a catalyst to make it all happen.” “Yep. After that the tail is slipped over your legs and some other minor surgery done,” I replied. “As a fellow medical professional, Dr. Shimizu let me witness how it’s done. It’s actually pretty slick.” “Please let me enjoy my breakfast. No talk of medical procedures until AFTER my coffee,” shot back Murphy. “One more question, how does one eat in your aquatic form?” “Quite normally. That’s about the only thing we have surface for. There’s a semi submerged lounge area and one of the other senior staff will take care of the cooking,” I explained. “We do have a special surprise at the first meal after your transformation.” “If it’s half as good as the meals I’ve had here so far, it’ll be delicious,” Ian said to Murphy. “I don’t know. By the way Galen is grinning, it might be something weird,” the old man replied. “Look, we’re about to be turned into mermen. Our friend has found his place here. Let’s just roll with it. This trip has already gone a lot more smoothly than I had ever dreamed.” A couple days later Ian woke up floating in a big tank with a floatation collar around his neck. The headache he had felt worse than any of his hangovers, but he knew that it wasn’t from alcohol. It was because his body had undergone a pretty intense process of being adapted for the aquatic world. Dr. Shimizu had warned him this was one of the side effects. “This should be fun,” he said as he felt his lower half. It had indeed been covered by a fleshy fish tail. “You doing okay Murph?” “Aside from feeling like I’ve been hit by a bloody Routemaster, yes,” the old man replied. “So if I recall the doctor’s instructions, we’ll need to submerge and start breathing water to finalize everything.” “You got it,” said the tech as they removed the collars. “Go ahead whenever you’re ready.” Murphy placed his hands and shoved himself down. The air in his lungs became toxic as the carbon dioxide built up. Despite his own brain saying “stop this you idiot,” he opened his mouth and let the water gush in. There was a touch of panic and then calm as the last tiny bubbles of air escaped. “I guess there’s no turning back now,” Ian muttered to himself as he followed Murphy’s lead. He opened his eyes and mouth. The saltwater began stinging like a thousand needles as his body processed these new sensations. This was incredibly wild. He was actually breathing the water around him! I watched as my friends made their way into the exhibit. Almost a year ago, I was in their fins. “Welcome to my world,” I said as I swam up to hug them. The body shop had outdone themselves once again. Murphy looked around at the other merfolk. The man with the killer whale tale introduced himself as Terje, the director of operations. His wife Becky had the striking red and white striped bottom half with the yellow tail fin. She was one of the friends of the Institute Galen had spoken about and explained that her tail was inspired by a Mediterranean fish called the painted comber. Meanwhile, Ian was getting used to his aquatic form and finally had a chance to look at his own tail. The base was a muddy yellow with bright blue spots. Galen explained that been inspired by an animal called, appropriately enough, the blue spot jawfish. “I never knew fish came in this color,” remarked Murphy as he swam around. His tail was a dark green with some tan highlights on the edges of the scales. “The body shop has a twisted sense of humor at times,” replied another man with an iridescent blue tail. “I’m a perfect example! Thin blue line and all that junk.” “Sorry. I never caught your name.” “Sergeant Diego Torres, Paxton PD,” he replied. “Even the local cops are in on this fun,” Ian asked with a chuckle. “It’s a long story and one of many here,” said Terje. “We’ll tell you over dinner.” Dinner… After being out for almost two days, the newly minted mermen were famished. A good meal and fun stories sounded like a great way to wrap up the day. Part 28… As Ian followed Galen and the others, he finally saw the scars on the veterinarian’s back. Even after all these years, they were still prominent and still looked painful. He began to feel even worse for the damage he had caused. “Alright gang, today is a special event. It’s not often we invite new merfolk into the fold,” said Alex as we sat around the table. “As such, we have a little tradition when this happens. Bon appetite gentleman!” I had to hold back a grin as the chef set down a pair of beautiful colored ceramic bowls in front of Ian and Murphy. All of us around the table knew what was inside and what was coming next. It was a tradition that went back to Stu’s first transformation. “You cheeky bastards,” exclaimed Murphy as he opened the lid. “Well played mates!” “I should have bet you a tenner that they were going to pull something like this,” replied Ian. “Feeding a merman fish food. This actually makes haggis look appetizing!” “Actually haggis isn’t that bad. One of my old undercover assignments was working at a butcher shop,” replied Diego. “We made it in house and occasionally had some if one burst during the cooking process.” “That fish food thing happened because Mizuki was being flip after Stu’s first successful transformation. He was hungry and that’s all she had laying around explained Terje. “From what she tells me, she said something like “you’re part fish now. Eat some fish food!” That sent the whole table into a wave of laughter. Every family or group had those little traditions that brought them together. At the moment, my friends (and I was calling Ian a friend at this point) were becoming part of a unique group. Becoming part of our family was for life. They didn’t quite realize it yet, but we would have their back through the good, bad, and ugly. “I haven’t eaten that much since I was a teenager," remark Murphy as he let out a mighty belch. "Oh excuse me!" I could see something was on Ian’s mind. Thus, I caught his eye and said “follow me.” We swam in silence for a bit. With all that happened in his life recently, I had a hunch that he was confused, bewildered, and just plain lost. I had been there and could sympathize. “Galen, I saw your scars and it brought back some ugly memories of that night. What I did back then was wrong,” Ian said sobbing as we found a perch. “I can’t believe that I was capable of doing such harm.” “Ian, like I said over dinner the other night, I forgive you. You are doing your best to write a new chapter. That’s more than many are trying to do,” I replied. “Look, you’re exhausted. Get some sleep and we’ll continue this in the morning.” Earl and Reia had a restless night. Galen and both his friends were fighting nightmares. The darkness between the three was proving especially tough to combat. Yet they made a solemn promise to Onyx that they would fend it off. “I think we need to get them out of bed early little sister,” the harbor seal said to the sea Lion. “You thinking what I’m thinking,” replied the latter. “Yep. We need to take a visit to brother otter.” Ian felt the stiff whiskers on his chin and the smell of fishy breath. When he woke up, Reia was right in his face. “Hell of a wake up call,” he remarked. “Fine. This better be good.” At the same time, Earl began working on Murphy. It took a couple of nibbles on his tail fin, but the old man got the point. He finally rose from his slumber. Almost instinctively he followed the animal though the facility. He had to take a minute to wrap his head around all this. He was now a merman following a sea Lion to an unknown destination. Could his life be any more surreal at the moment? “There you are,” I said with a smile. “Good to see you trusted Reia.” “She was very convincing,” Ian replied as he scratched her under the chin. “What am I doing here in the kelp forest tank?” “This is the only tank that gets natural light. Just float there and watch outside the window. Be still and in the moment.” That was definitely something he had to work on. For years he’d been in a drugged out barely functioning stupor. Now he was working on picking up the shattered pieces. I watched as the sun came over the horizon and the light began filtering in. For those of us here, it was one of our favorite parts. The light started to illuminate the inky green leaves and my friend’s face. Ian began to feel the sun’s warmth and the gentle touch of Reia. As if on cue, the sea otters began playing around and with him. For the first time in ages, he began to feel joy as the light caressed his face. Reia looked over the Ian. The tiny sliver of light in his soul began to glow brighter and push back against the darkness. He would still have a battle, but she could feel him getting stronger. “Galen, I accept your forgiveness. I cannot undo the past, but I will try to live my life better in the future," Ian said to me with confidence. I looked out the window and then looked at him. I knew he still had a long way to go, and that was perfectly fine. Today he truly began his next chapter…