Free Fractured by Amanda Meadows

never leave the pasture," he said at last. "There was a gate that led to an alleyway to a nearby town."
    Hunter risked a look up. But Dr. Gautier was calmly eating his candy, his hands quiet on his lap. The thought that there was no judgment coming from the man helped him continue. He licked his lips and continued.
    "That day wasn't the first. I had sneaked out before all by myself. I'm not sure why. Maybe just because I had been told not to. Nothing happened and I started to think that it was a stupid rule."
    Hunter clenched his hands as he allowed himself to relive that day. It was winter and he had woken snuggled up against his dog. His grandparents were spending the morning working on a giant crossword puzzle in a corner of the kitchen near the wood burning stove. It was a Saturday and his parents were traveling to a wedding.
    He found himself telling Dr. Gautier all the details while he relived each scene in his head. He had jogged down the hall in fluffy bear slippers, wearing thick, striped pajamas. He had paused only to put on his boots and coat so that he could let Coco relieve himself in the back yard. Then they came inside for breakfast, the puppy squatting eagerly at his feet as he dropped bites of pancakes and bacon under the table.
    Afterward, he had dressed quickly, eager to play in the small amount of snow dusting the ground outside. At some point, he had seen the gate in the distance. Coco hadn't been with him the last excursion. He couldn't remember why. Perhaps he had even left Coco inside because he knew he was going to break a rule. Whatever the reason, Coco didn't want to stray outside the gate.
    "It was as though he knew it was wrong," Hunter said softly, as he mangled the piece of candy in his hand.
    "I yelled at him at first. And he just looked at me with his little head turned up to the side like he didn't understand what I was asking."
    Hunter flashed back to Coco sitting there, his beautiful brown coat ruffling in the sharp wind. Those soft brown eyes stared at him curiously. His best friend in the whole world.
    "I don't know why I did it," he whispered. "I was so angry because I wanted to go exploring with him. And just sat there being stubborn. And then, I picked up my foot and nudged him. But he wouldn't budge. I got even angrier. And then I kicked him."
    Hunter's head dropped in his hands and he could feel tears spilling down his cheeks.
    "I kicked my best friend. And he made the worst sound and just started running out the gate. I started to run after him. But he didn't stop. He just ran and ran until I couldn't see him any longer."
    Hunter started to sob. "I don't even know if he survived or not. Every day I went to the gate and looked, hoping he would try to come back. That was the worst part of all. Not knowing if he was dead or alive. And knowing that it was all my fault."
    He felt a soft hand on his shoulder. Dr. Gautier gave his arm a small squeeze and handed him a box of tissues.
    He looked up, his chest tight. He expected to see horror or disgust on Dr. Gautier's face. Instead, he found the man staring at him sympathetically.
    "That's quite a burden to have carried on your shoulders all these years, Hunter. I imagine that it has always been at the back of your mind. And coming back here to Paris probably brought old memories to the surface."
    "You don't look surprised," Hunter said, studying the face of the kind doctor. "Did you somehow know even back then?"
    The doctor shrugged. "I suspected there was more to the story of your dog running away from home. As terrible as that tragedy is, it happens quite frequently in society. Your distress seemed disproportional. A stress which often happens when there is an element of guilt involved. I didn't know what happened. Only that your reaction was extreme."
    "I loved Coco so much," Hunter said. "Even now I ask myself what the hell was past that gate that was worth looking for."
    Dr. Gautier smiled slightly. "Ah, it's the proverbial question in