Martinez said.
The four of them returned to the boat and they unloaded the survivors and the supplies.
Rick grabbed Sam by the hand and they walked down the dock with the cat at Sam’s feet.
“You know, we’re gonna have to give him a name,” he told her.
“Already did,” she said, “Pickles!”
“Pickles?”
“Pickles!”
12
The group of 26 survivors on Alcatraz was mixed. Race, social status, age, and gender didn’t matter. Everyone was happy to see everyone else, and they embraced each other like family. With the exception of Rick, Mike, and the two guards who had returned to the dock, the survivors gathered in the prison dining area and shared their stories. Each told of their escape from the mainland and the losses they had inevitably suffered on the way. Billy sat apart from the others, observing the stories and the sympathy alone, until Sam led Pickles away from the group to join him. Pickles greeted Billy by rubbing against his legs, and as he reached down to pet the cat, Sam sat down on the metal bench next to them.
“How come you’re way over here?” she asked him. “You look sad.”
“I am.”
“How come?”
“I have to leave Sam, and I finally feel like I have a family.”
“Where are you going?” Sam asked him, sadness in her voice.
“I don’t know, but I can’t stay here.”
“But why? It’s safe here, and the bad people can’t get us.”
“That’s exactly why, kiddo.” Billy pulled an empty pill bottle out of his pocket and let it drop to the floor. “It isn’t safe for me to be around people.”
“That’s silly! You’re my best friend here, you can’t leave!” Sam looked about to cry.
“Don’t be sad, you’ll flood the place with tears and wash us all into the bay! Just like when Bugs rode that surf board on the tidal wave, remember?”
She shook her head and smiled.
Across the room, Rick and Meara appeared together through a heavy metal door. They had said their congratulations, and paid their respects to each other. Rick introduced Mike to his group of survivors, and Mike did the same for Rick.
“Where’s Sam?” Mike asked looking around. He spotted her with a blond guy sitting away from everyone else.
“Oh, there she is,” he said pointing. Rick and Mike crossed the room to join Sam and Billy. Sam crossed the last few feet in a blur, yelling “Uncle Mike!” as she jumped into his arms. Pickles trotted over and looked at Mike quizzically.
“Good to see you, Sam!” Mike said smiling, “And this must be the critter that saved you.” He put her down, bent over and stroked the cat. “Good cat, doesn’t run with strangers, huh?”
“Nope, he’s awesome!” Sam replied. “His name is Pickles.”
“Pickles huh? Who’s your other friend?” Mike asked looking at Billy.
“That’s Billy, c’mon, I’ll inter-duce you.” She grabbed Mike by the hand and dragged him to Billy.
Mike stopped short a few feet from Billy and looked at him hard. Billy looked back for a second and dropped his head, nodding. Meara continued the last few feet and stuck his hand out offering a handshake. Billy stood up and, looking surprised, returned it.
“You must be Billy, Sam tells me you’re her friend,” Meara said.
“That’s true sir, we’re good friends now.”
“Well, welcome, why don’t you get yourself settled? There’s food cooking and water to wash up with. We can get you a proper shirt too, it will get cold in here tonight. Nasty scar you have there, where did you get it?”
“Childhood injury,” replied Billy. “Accident.”
“OK then. Anyway, get some rest, you earned it.” Meara stuck his hand out one more time and shook Billy’s hand.
“Thank you, sir,” said Billy, sounding a tad confused.
“Sam, would you come with us for a sec please?” Mike asked her.
Sam took Mike’s hand as he led her and Rick back to the group of survivors in the
The four of them returned to the boat and they unloaded the survivors and the supplies.
Rick grabbed Sam by the hand and they walked down the dock with the cat at Sam’s feet.
“You know, we’re gonna have to give him a name,” he told her.
“Already did,” she said, “Pickles!”
“Pickles?”
“Pickles!”
12
The group of 26 survivors on Alcatraz was mixed. Race, social status, age, and gender didn’t matter. Everyone was happy to see everyone else, and they embraced each other like family. With the exception of Rick, Mike, and the two guards who had returned to the dock, the survivors gathered in the prison dining area and shared their stories. Each told of their escape from the mainland and the losses they had inevitably suffered on the way. Billy sat apart from the others, observing the stories and the sympathy alone, until Sam led Pickles away from the group to join him. Pickles greeted Billy by rubbing against his legs, and as he reached down to pet the cat, Sam sat down on the metal bench next to them.
“How come you’re way over here?” she asked him. “You look sad.”
“I am.”
“How come?”
“I have to leave Sam, and I finally feel like I have a family.”
“Where are you going?” Sam asked him, sadness in her voice.
“I don’t know, but I can’t stay here.”
“But why? It’s safe here, and the bad people can’t get us.”
“That’s exactly why, kiddo.” Billy pulled an empty pill bottle out of his pocket and let it drop to the floor. “It isn’t safe for me to be around people.”
“That’s silly! You’re my best friend here, you can’t leave!” Sam looked about to cry.
“Don’t be sad, you’ll flood the place with tears and wash us all into the bay! Just like when Bugs rode that surf board on the tidal wave, remember?”
She shook her head and smiled.
Across the room, Rick and Meara appeared together through a heavy metal door. They had said their congratulations, and paid their respects to each other. Rick introduced Mike to his group of survivors, and Mike did the same for Rick.
“Where’s Sam?” Mike asked looking around. He spotted her with a blond guy sitting away from everyone else.
“Oh, there she is,” he said pointing. Rick and Mike crossed the room to join Sam and Billy. Sam crossed the last few feet in a blur, yelling “Uncle Mike!” as she jumped into his arms. Pickles trotted over and looked at Mike quizzically.
“Good to see you, Sam!” Mike said smiling, “And this must be the critter that saved you.” He put her down, bent over and stroked the cat. “Good cat, doesn’t run with strangers, huh?”
“Nope, he’s awesome!” Sam replied. “His name is Pickles.”
“Pickles huh? Who’s your other friend?” Mike asked looking at Billy.
“That’s Billy, c’mon, I’ll inter-duce you.” She grabbed Mike by the hand and dragged him to Billy.
Mike stopped short a few feet from Billy and looked at him hard. Billy looked back for a second and dropped his head, nodding. Meara continued the last few feet and stuck his hand out offering a handshake. Billy stood up and, looking surprised, returned it.
“You must be Billy, Sam tells me you’re her friend,” Meara said.
“That’s true sir, we’re good friends now.”
“Well, welcome, why don’t you get yourself settled? There’s food cooking and water to wash up with. We can get you a proper shirt too, it will get cold in here tonight. Nasty scar you have there, where did you get it?”
“Childhood injury,” replied Billy. “Accident.”
“OK then. Anyway, get some rest, you earned it.” Meara stuck his hand out one more time and shook Billy’s hand.
“Thank you, sir,” said Billy, sounding a tad confused.
“Sam, would you come with us for a sec please?” Mike asked her.
Sam took Mike’s hand as he led her and Rick back to the group of survivors in the
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