FROM MY CHEST | LOSTish?

[GARRETT]

[align=center][div style="width: 500px; text-align: justify; font-family: arial; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: 1.4;letter-spacing:.1px"]When his parents had asked him to leave, Garrett had walked out with the intention of being home before sunset. It had been a simple job, one that he'd completed a thousand times before (a gross exaggeration, coming from a kid who's barely three months old): fill up the waterskins, gather some materials for bedding, wash up before dinner. The stream was a while away, but it shouldn't have been that far away. Not long enough for — he doesn't really want to think about it anymore. The young canine's stomach is growling and his feet are tired. They'd felt all frozen back at the stream, both before and after he got home. Although the chill had worn off, he still feels numb all over. Tired — no, exhausted. It was bigger than just tired, than just something that could be fixed with a good night's rest. Whatever he feels numbs his bones and leaves his eyes hooded and footsteps slow. Some corner of his mind keeps him on high alert, picking up the pace whenever there's a noise behind him, and it's gotten him this far.

He's not really sure where this far is. Garrett had followed train tracks for what feels like forever. It was just curiosity, or some kind of hope that whatever lies at the end would have safe shelter. Instead, the pup had found himself at some sort of gate that towers overhead. He tips his head back to stare as water laps at his paws again. Warmer now, but he still feels numb. Who made this? Why? What was it for? The dog hadn't really been trained in social niceties, or even normal social skills, and he's unable to identify the border even when he's standing at it. Luckily, Garrett is too awed to keep walking, and eventually, still urged on by curiosity, the pup rears up and bats at one of the bells. The resulting noise startles him, drawing a foot or so away, dull green eyes wide. Oops.