I thought everyone was like this. This night was just like that. Dad had gone out for the night so it was only Mum and I at home. Mum had changed into... her nightie earlier as she wanted to be comfortable after a long day. It was coming to the end of winter and as we snuggled together watching some movie, Mum had her arm around me and was lightly stroking my hair. It felt nice. I have always been close to Mum, being an only child will do that. As such, I never wanted for affection and it all. I picked it up and fitted it into its place at the end of the bed, the down tubes slotting snugly into the bed frame. From the storage box in the corner I pulled out a heavy studded dog collar with a length of chain attached and buckled it around her neck. The other end of the chain I clipped to the headboard before unfastening her arm chains. She immediately pulled her arms down to her sides to release the tension in her shoulders. I scooped her up in my arms and carried her around to the end. I saw her through the back door, feeding Emma at the table. She saw me and came to the door.“Hi Derek, you look good this morning. I hope everything is back to normal?”“Well, I’m not sure there will ever be a normal again. But I feel good and I really think it will still work like it’s supposed to. I hope so, anyway.”“You just go ahead and swim. When I get through feeding Emma her cereal, she’ll want a nap, so I’ll bring her out by the pool and we’ll swim while she sleeps.” She patted my cheek.. "Mitch Connel stood on the edge of the road, peering down the incline, where his flashlight simply reflected light off of falling snowflakes, rather than illuminating the terrain. Just enough light got past the falling snow that he could see bent and torn underbrush. This had to be the place, but he couldn't see far enough to spot the car.He'd have to come back in the morning.If the roads were passable.He got back in the department's 4WD and slipped and slid back to town. The office was warm,.