The morning after Scar left, I woke feeling oddly refreshed. It was as if I didn't remember what had happened the night before... I glanced to my right and saw only Sweets... I'd naturally assumed that Scar had gotten up and gone downstairs, so I hopped up, pulled on my Perry the Platypus house shoes, and trotted downstairs...
I got downstairs and threw on a pot of coffee, something that Scar loved.
"Scar!" I called, expecting to hear the treading of her paws and the clicking of her claws on the polished wood floor. It was then that I noticed that the house had a distinctly different feel. I glanced around, expecting to see Scar's big fluffy soft letto in its usual corner, o to hear her yip in her usual good morning. But there was no trace of her, aside from strands of pelliccia on the floor.
There was no sign of the kids either, which was odd. Usually, Scarlett would have sought me out so she could have her daily insulin shot, o Jon would have pounced on my Perry shoes.
"Kids?" I called.

It was then that I remembered...
A strangled cry lept from my throat as I dropped to my knees. It wasn't possible! How could they all just be gone! As fast as I could, I burst into Jenna's room. She was still here, as was Kodi and Aleu. Bolt hadn't gone anywhere either... It was just Scar and our kids.
I pulled my phone out and speed-dialed Scar.

* * *

In Silent Hill, Scar felt her phone vibrate and start playing music. "She Will Be Loved" da Maroon 5. Just to check, she glanced at the screen. On it was a picture of Colby.
With a snarl, she jabbed the ignore button and put it down.

* * *

The call went to her voicemail.
"Hi, you've reached Scar, please leave a message and I'll call te back!"
"Scar, it's Colby. Please call me back when te get this. Are the kids with you? And where did te go? Call me back. I Amore you."
I cut the connection and put the phone up.


*later that day*

A few hours later, Sweets was awake and running around playing with Bolt and Aleu like normal. What interested me was the fact that she hadn't bothered to ask where Scar o the kids had gone. That realization made me understand that Scar was really gone. It pained me to realize it, but it was the truth.
"Sweets?" I detto softly.
She glanced up at me with a broad grin on her face, but it was gone in seconds. She broke off her game and trotted over to me, jumping up into my lap and laying there. Her ears were folded flat and her tail, for once in its life, was still.
"You okay, Colby?" she asked uncertainly.
For an answer, I just rubbed her ears until she fell asleep.