When The Blue Moon Flys 1

I pace the room slightly crying into my sleeve. I feel so guilty. I should be there with him. I should be there when he goes. But I'm stupid and I can't get over the fact that he's hurt. I can't look at him that way. It'll only break my heart.

I think of what he would be doing if he were here right now. He would probably be licking my tears or try to tackle me even though I'm more than three times his size.

He was such a sweet dog he didn't deserve to suffer. I try to tell myself I made the right choice but I can't bring myself to do it. I feel like a monster.

The nurse comes out of the room with something wrapped in a blanket. "I'm sorry sweetheart. You did the right thing." She says though I don't believe her "Rocky was a great dog. I'm sorry about what happened to him."

I take the limp body in my arms and rock it gently. The nurse nods to me and leaves the room. I gulp down my tears and begin singing. "Dragon Tales and the Water is Wide. Pirate sails and lost boys fly. Fish bite moonbeams every night. And I love you.

"Godspeed little man. Sweet dreams little man. May my love fly to you each night on angel's wings. Godspeed...sweet dreams.

"The rocket racers all tuckered out. Superman's in pajamas on the couch. Goodnight moon we'll find the mouse. And I love you.

"Godspeed little man. Sweet dreams little man. May my love fly to you each night on angel's wings. Godspeed...sweet dreams.

"God bless Mommy and the match box cars. God bless Dad and thanks for the stars. God say 'amen' wherever you are. And I love you.

"Godspeed little man. Sweet dreams little man. May my love fly to you each night on angel's wings. Godspeed...sweet dreams...godspeed."

I cover his tiny jack russell head with the blanket. "Goodbye Rocky." I say. If I ever said that before he would bark in response but now it was deadly silent.

It all seems so surreal. One moment Rocky was in the park. The next moment he was in the middle on the road with one leg less than normal. I remember hearing his yelp and my legs running me as fast as they could.

Then I remember the vets telling me there were two options. They had said they could save Rocky, but he would live the rest of his life in pain.

I almost cried because I knew what the second option was.

I don't think Rocky deserved to suffer and I don't think I deserved Rocky.

He was the best dog because he didn't care if I was sick or mad or frankly heart broken. Everyday he would make me take him to the park. That reminded me that something hadn't changed.

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I'm still paying off the medical bills for the shot that put Rocky down. I had to move out of my home and move into a ratty apartment building.

I mean it when I say ratty too. The wall paper is torn and tattered. The furniture sends up a plume of dust every time someone sits on it.

The ceilings are water stained and leek horribly. Everytime it rains I have to put out at least ten rusty buckets to stop my apartment from flooding.

The TV is old and barely picks up a signal. When it does manage to turn on the news is always playing. All I learn on the news is celebrities dying. Like apparently today is the anniversary of Kobe Bryant's death. I don't remember him dying in the first place.

I love reading mysteries in hope that I'll solve one someday. I sound like a five year old when I talk about my dreams like that. It almost seems close but I know better.

I read Sherlock Holmes or Nancy Drew. Anything I can do to prepare for something that'll never happen.

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I write down the date on the letter. May 12 1772. I stamp the letter and crumple it up. I know I can't send it.

I shake my head slightly. My name is Caroline and I wish I could just send these stupid letters.

I mumble to myself. I know my life is going good so I can't wrap my mind around why I feel so bad.

This building is so beautiful. We have some of the only wallpaper in town. Floral print too, my favorite. This is one of the strongest buildings in town and is very likely to stand if there were another earthquake.

I know I have good status too. I make candles, something not everyone can do.

I glance up and finally figure out what's been bothering me, this building.

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I invite Margret over since I haven't seen her in a year. She is my best friend and I know I've been denying her help. I know why I'm denying help too. I'm afraid she'll give it to me.

I've learned to love sadness. I've learned to love the feeling rather than the thought. I feel so isolated in my tears that it feels safe. I feel that as long as I cry, no one can touch me. I don't even know why I've gotten so accustomed to it.

I hear a knock on the door and drowsily get up. I open the door. Margret is standing on the other side with a wide smile. He brunette curls graze her shoulders. Her blue eyes give me a look of worry.

"Pinto...you look horrible." Margret says. "Nice to see you too Margret." I say. "What have you been doing to yourself in the last year Pinto?" She asks. "What do you mean?" I ask. "Your hair's pink!" She gestures to my newly dyed hair "I thought you prefered blue."

"Blue reminds me of the gender reveal party and the blue balloon." I say "The baby died before I gave birth to him Margret, you should understand." Margret bites her fist. "But then you got Rocky." My throat catches at the name "Where's that little stinker anyways. Rocky! Rocky!"

"Oh I wouldn't bother calling him. I've already tried." I say. "What do you mean Pinto?" She asks "Have you been doing drugs?" I shake my head. "No," I say "Rocky's dead, got hit by a car."

Margret shakes her head. "Poor doggy." she says "I hope he didn't suffer." I bite my lip. "It was a thirty three thousand pound truck, what do you think?" I snap. "How long has it been since you left the house Pinto?" She asks. I stop for a moment and rerun my thoughts "Too long."

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"Richard has anything odd ever happened in this building?" I ask him. Richard has been in this building longer than anyone. If anyone knows something about it, it's him.

"Not that I can remember." He says "Why do you ask?" I shake my head slowly. "You would think I'm crazy if I told you." I say. "Would I now?" Richard asks and fixes his glasses "Isn't that for me to decide?" I sigh.

"Okay." I begin "I think I saw a ghost." I wait for him to laugh but he stands perfectly still. "Ghost are not real Caroline." There it is "But I do believe you saw something if not anything."

"So you don't think I'm crazy?" I ask. "Oh heavens no. You're quiet mad." He says "But I'm mad too so it's fine."

"Why are you mad?" I ask. "Well less mad more misunderstood, but isn't that what we all are?" He asks. "Yeah I guess."

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"Will you be having coffee?" Margret asks. "No," I say "I can't stand coffee anymore. It reminds me of myself. Bitter." Margret laughs under her breath. "Don't get all dark on me there." She says. "No promises."

"What in the heck is a capybara?" Margret asks. "Odd question." I say. "It's been on my mind for a month and I keep forgetting to look it up on google or ask someone." I think for a moment. "Giant rodents." I say finally. She sticks her tongue out. "I thought they were pigs but man was I wrong!"

"Margret!" The guy behind the counter calls. Margret hurries over. She comes back with two mugs. "That was fast." Margret says "You don't think they have the Flash back there do you? I've always found him kind of hot." I punch her shoulder and laugh. "Don't get all weird on me there." I say. "No promises."

"Why did you want to come here Margret?" I ask her. "Oh Pinto, always getting to the point." She says "I hear there's a mystery in your building." I cough. "What!?" I shout and everyone in the cafe looks over. I blush and lower my voice. "If there was I would know." I say. "No you don't know." Margret says "Yes there is one."

"Well?"

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I look around. Maybe he's here somewhere. I turn the knob to the closet and find him. "What are you looking for?" I ask him. "Something that belongs to me." He says. "Then why are you in my apartment Mudface?" I say.

"That's not my name."

"It should be."

"I'm going to ask you one more time." I say slowly "Why are you in my apartment?" He sighs. "I suppose I can tell you. For now." He says "I'm looking for my gun."

I gulp when I realize why he told me. He thinks he'll find it and shoot me.

"Well it's not here." I say. "That's what you think Caroline." He says. He shouldn't know my name.

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"We're here." I say once back "What's so mysterious about my apartment." Margret snickers. "It's where a criminal was two hundred and sixty one years ago."

"You're crazy." I say. "That's accurate." She says. "Riiiight." I say "Should I call the police?" She smiles. "I certainly hope not." She says.

"Well?" I ask. "Well?" Margret repeats "There was this very evolved gun and this criminal was going to used it to kill the king or whatever. Then he got busted and put in jail. The gun was broken into five pieces and hid somewhere in this building."

I scoff. "Why would I want to find that?" I ask. "Cause profesional detectives haven't been able to find it! If we do we'll be famous." Margret explains. "Wow." I say sarcastically "You're a genius." She laughs. "I know right?"

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"Any clues?" I ask. "One." She responds "A note. It read: My name is Caroline Jack, if you find this note it means you're one step closer to a powerful weapon. Dark damp red ramp. Long bleed great need. Undo brand new. No one knows what it means." I think for a moment.

"Dark damp sounds like the basement. Red ramp I don't know yet. Long bleed is what they used to call this building. Great need means someone needed something. Undo I don't know. Brand new in her time is old now." I say "So if something brand new is old now maybe we have to restore it. maybe a red ramp will lead us to it. Maybe they greatly need someone to restore it."

Margret clapped slowly. "It sounds so easy when you say it." She says. "Yeah I guess."

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We're down in the basement and looking around. "What are we looking for Pinto?" Margret says. "A red ramp apparently." I say.

"Like this?" She asks and points to an open door leading to a red ramp. "Yes!" I say. "The door blended perfectly to the wall." Margret says "I'm surprised I found it."

Margret makes her way down the ramp and I follow after. "I think I know what we have to fix." she says. "What?" I ask. "Well." She gestures towards a table.On the table is a locked box and a broken key.

"How do you plan on fixing it?" I ask. She rummages around in her bag and pulls out and hot glue gun. "That works but doesn't it need power?" I ask. "Battery operated." she says. "Odd."

She grabs the key pieces and glues them together. She finally holds up a rather vintage looking key. I stick it in the lock of the box and open it. There is a gun nozzle and a note inside. We read the note together. "We did it!" Margret exclaims "We found the second clue."