me what he told me last night. I let him go and the creek carries him into the ocean. I watch as he drifts away into the fog. We go our separate ways.

            The water is cold and the current is strong, but I swim across with ease. I shake myself dry and sniff the air. The scent of fish is getting stronger. The beach ends at a hill with a trail climbing up it, but the trail doesn’t lead toward the smell of fish. I see the beach hasn’t really ended yet. There are cliffs next to the hill with piles of smooth black pebbles beneath them. The pebbles look like a trail to me. I sniff in the direction they lead. The scent of fish is stronger.

            The waves gently reach toward the cliff, trying to take its pebbles away. Maybe they’re trying to take the cliffs. Maybe they’re trying to take me. I continue down the pebble beach, the scent of fish becoming stronger with each step I take. The beach winds around the cliffs many times, but I’m sure it will lead me to the humans.

            The scent of fish is overpowering now. I can see something up ahead. It glows softly in the fog. It hovers in the fog ahead of me. As I step toward it, the pebbles give way to sand once more. I step closer. The light breaks into four smaller lights. I step closer. The lights are embedded in a wooden door. I step closer. The door is embedded in the wall of an old wooden building. I step closer. I sit down in front of the door and look up at it.

            The cold air bites at my nose and ears. My stomach growls with hunger. My throat begs for fresh water. I only know of one place that can stop the growling, begging, and biting, but it’s too far away now. I take my chances. I howl. I howl for the people to come back. I howl long and loud until I run out of breath. I listen for a response. I hear nothing but the waves meeting the shore, the gulls calling, and the grass rustling.

            The door opens. A bright light blinds me for a moment, but something big and tall steps in the way and blocks it. I look up at the thing, squinting as I try to see the dark figure against the light. It kneels down and extends a hand toward me. The hand smells like fish. I lick it. It tastes like fish. I look at the figure and know it isn’t a fish. It has two eyes and a nose between them. Its face has no snout but it still has a mouth somehow. Its ears are pressed flat against the sides of its head. Its only fur is on the top of its head. It is a human.

            The people came back that day. They came back for me. They always come back. They’ve been waiting in a giant building in the cove. They’ve been digging, fishing, building, and riding boats. They have yards, toys, and a village. They have giant machines, they have selling people, and they have teaching people. They’ve been waiting a long time. I’ve been waiting a long time. Next time I’m alone, I won’t wait so long. I’ll make sure we’re not waiting for each other.