Through all the twists and bends?

Will you follow your dreams?

Ailish sat on the couch at Merrick’s house, staring at the front door. She hadn’t answered it for days, nor had she picked up the phone, or checked the mail. Merrick had let the calls flood in, the mail pile up, the doorknocks echo, and gradually the calls stopped coming, the knocks got quieter, and they were alone again. But now Ailish walked up to the front door bravely and flung it open. She ran out to the path couch and jumped up on it.

"COME AND GET ME, YOU FUCKER!" She screamed to the sky. "You took my MUM, you’ve got MY DAD, why not MERRICK? HUH? Why not me…"

She fell down onto the couch and let the tears fall again, her eyes still red and puffy from last night’s crying session as she went through old photographs. The dog barked, dashing around the side of the house to interrupt the commotion with his entrance. Ailish looked at the mangy thing of scruff sitting at her feet.

"Come on Fido, let’s go for a walk."

The dog’s ears pricked up at the word ‘walk’ and he disappeared back around to the rear of the yard, re-emerging with a leash in his mouth.

"Hah. Good dog."

She looked back at the house and remembered Merrick, still asleep. She shrugged. He’d guess that she’d just stepped out. That is if he woke up while she was gone, which was highly unlikely. She clipped the dog’s leash on and walked out the front gate, leaving it open behind her.

"Where to, Fido?"

The dog led Ailish down the street to the train platform, and sat just behind the regulation yellow line. He looked up at the person holding his leash, as if to say, "Well?"

Ailish laughed. "Okay, so which way are we going? To the city? I don’t have a problem with that, you?"

The dog scratched his ear with his hind leg, then barked at an overflying bird.

"I’ll take that as no objections," Ailish replied, as a city-bound train flew into the lonely station. "Come on Fido dog." The solemn girl led the rowdy dog onto the empty carriage. She was slightly upset that no one else was inside, as she liked to look at the people she shared a space with, to try and guess what was going on in their heads. But at the same time, she was happy to be alone. She let the dog off his chain, and he ran up and down the centre aisle, barking loudly as the train moved off the platform.

"This is fun, hey dog.

Fun."

She hadn’t used that word for weeks. The train’s noises occupied her head, keeping out the thoughts of anything else entirely, and for once she could just smile. A clanging at the back of the carriage made her turn around sharply as she caught sight of the porter moving slowly but purposefully towards her.

"Ticket?"

Ailish instinctively put her hand to her pocket before remembering she hadn’t purchased a ticket before hopping aboard.

"Uh, I’m really sorry, I forgot to get one. Could I just buy one off you?"

The porter sighed. "I suppose you could, but you’re not really supposed to, girlie. Make sure you get one before boarding next time."

"Thankyou so much, I won’t forget next time, really I won’t." She reached for her wallet to get out the change for the ticket. Once again, an absence of item was present.

"You won’t believe this, " she said, hesitantly laughing, "I didn’t bring my wallet with me. Funny, huh?"

The porter shook his head. "No, not really. Look, miss, I don’t want to have to do this…" He grabbed her wrist and led her to the carriage door. "Next stop and you’ll have to leave, I’m afraid." A scuffle and a bark, and Fido made himself present.

"Great timing, Fido," Ailish muttered. The porter’s ears blew steam.

"And this is your dog?" He inquired.

"Ah, sort of. Well, in this circumstance, yes, I suppose."

"Right. That’s it." He let Ailish go for a second, only to chase Fido around the carriage three times before returning. "Uh, he’s your dog, you catch him."

Ailish whistled and the mutt came trotting over with a smug look on his face.

"Of all the times you have to be my dog…"

The porter shook his head disapprovingly. He motioned to the seat next to the door and Ailish sat, frowning at the dog sitting happily, oblivious to the troubled circumstances surrounding him. Looking out the window, Ailish sighed as the train slowed.

"Okay miss, if you’ll follow me…"

Ailish sheepishly hid her face from the happy families boarding the train as the porter escorted her through the crowd and to the ticket booth.

"Here’s a phone, ring home. Do your parents know where you were headed?"

Ailish smiled sarcastically at the man. "Oh, fuck, I forgot to tell dad. Whoops, he’s dead, I forgot that too."

The man’s face registered emotion for a second or two before he spoke again.

"Look, I’ll let you off this time. I’m still going to write your name up, though." He produced a pen and paper from his uniform pocket.

"Ailish Fiennes."

"Thankyou."

"Any time."

"Don’t get smart now, you’ve done so well up to here."

She smiled sweetly. "I’m sorry. Can I go now?"