Walter and Thor II

209 Words:

Once upon a winter, Walter took Thor fetching on the sandbars.

On the fourth sandbar out, Walter peered about into heavy fog and Thor sensed something was wrong.

“What are we doing out here, Thor?” Walter asked.

Thor barked at him. Then he barked towards shore, loud as a foghorn. Walter's jeans were soaked from the tidepools. His gnarled hands trembled. Thor swam back across the tidepool. Walter saw Thor had left his sqeaky tennis ball, so he picked it up and followed. The water was almost to Walter's chest; seweed encumbered him.

On the third sandbar, Walter sat and huddled. Thor barked until he couldn't bark anymore, then he put his head in Walter's lap and begged him to get up.

“Okay,” Walter said, “I trust you, Thor.”

On the second sandbar, Walter confusedly tried to go back out to sea. He accused Thor of running off, he wept and he whimpered. Thor nuzzled Walter and licked his face.

A woman came out of the fog.

“Walter!” she called. “Oh, Walter!”

“Who are you?” Walter asked.

She took his hand. “I'm Eileen. I'm your daughter.”

Walter took a hot bath back at the cabin. Thor lay by the fire and watched Eileen pace and whisper into the phone.