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[18+] "Good Bones” by Galen LK (part 2 of 2, read by Icefang)

[18+] In his new home, the ghosts of the past lurk in the space behind mirrors, but Eren isn’t sure that they’re willing to stay there...

Tonight’s story is the second and final part of “Good Bones” by Galen LK.  This is his debut fiction in the furry fandom.  Like all coyotes, he is elusive and mysterious, but you can often find him on Discord, Telegram, and Bluesky.

Read by Icefang, in the Cozy Corner of the Cafe.

thevoice.dog | Apple podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

If you have a story you think would be a good fit, you can check out the requirements, fill out the submission template and get in touch with us.

https://thevoice.dog/episode/18-good-bones-by-galen-lk-part-2-of-2

Transcript
Speaker:

You’re listening to The

Speaker:

Ghost

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

Dog

Speaker:

The

Speaker:

Voice

Speaker:

of Dog.

Speaker:

This

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

Rob

Speaker:

MacWolf,

Speaker:

your

Speaker:

fellow

Speaker:

traveler,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

Tonight’s story

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

second

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

final

Speaker:

part

Speaker:

of “Good

Speaker:

Bones”

Speaker:

by

Speaker:

Galen

Speaker:

LK.

Speaker:

This

Speaker:

is

Speaker:

his

Speaker:

debut

Speaker:

fiction

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the furry fandom. Like all coyotes, he is

Speaker:

elusive

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

mysterious, but

Speaker:

you

Speaker:

can

Speaker:

often

Speaker:

find

Speaker:

him

Speaker:

on

Speaker:

Discord,

Speaker:

Telegram,

Speaker:

and

Speaker:

Bluesky.

Read

Speaker:

by

Speaker:

Icefang,

Speaker:

in

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

Cozy

Speaker:

Corner

Speaker:

of

Speaker:

the

Speaker:

Cafe.

Much

Speaker:

has

Speaker:

said

Speaker:

of the necessity

Speaker:

of

home:

favorable

home:

comparisons

home:

to

home:

pleasure

home:

and to

home:

palaces,

home:

assertions

home:

as

home:

to

home:

its

home:

sweetness, and

home:

that

home:

there

home:

is

home:

in

home:

fact

home:

no

home:

place

home:

like

home:

it.

home:

Claims

home:

that

home:

one’s

home:

home

home:

is

home:

one’s

home:

castle, and if it be a castle then who among us, having

home:

at

home:

last

home:

made

home:

a

home:

house

home:

a

home:

home,

home:

would

home:

not

home:

dare

home:

anything,

home:

do

home:

anything,

home:

to

home:

defend it?

Last

home:

time,

home:

Eren

home:

and

home:

Seth

home:

found their new home haunted by a malevolent spirit using mirrors as a

home:

weapon. When they asked Sage Rayo for help, he

home:

bound

home:

the

home:

ghost

home:

in

home:

place,

home:

but

home:

instead

home:

of

home:

banishing

home:

the

home:

apparition,

home:

he

home:

commanded

home:

the

home:

homeowners

home:

to

home:

study

home:

it

home:

instead, and

home:

conquer

home:

their

home:

own

home:

fears.

Please

home:

enjoy


“Good

home:

Bones”

home:

by

home:

Galen

home:

LK, Part 2

home:

of 2

The

home:

next

home:

evening,

home:

Eren

home:

found

home:

his

home:

husband

home:

sitting

home:

at

home:

the

home:

kitchen

home:

table,

home:

staring

home:

at

home:

the

home:

mirror

home:

in

home:

fascination.

home:

The

home:

cheetah

home:

announced

home:

his

home:

presence

home:

with

home:

one

home:

gentle

home:

hand

home:

on

home:

his

home:

shoulder.

“Any

home:

luck?”

The

home:

wolf

home:

gestured

home:

down

home:

at

home:

the

home:

table,

home:

where

home:

the

home:

plastic

home:

toy

home:

lay. “See

home:

for

home:

yourself.”

He

home:

looked

home:

down

home:

to

home:

the

home:

red-ringed

home:

surface

home:

of

home:

the

home:

mirror

home:

to

home:

see–

home:

light?

home:

The

home:

bright

home:

image

home:

was

home:

hazy,

home:

almost

home:

as

home:

if

home:

seen

home:

through

home:

a

home:

layer

home:

of

home:

frost.

home:

It

home:

was,

home:

so

home:

far

home:

as

home:

he

home:

could

home:

tell,

home:

still

home:

a

home:

reflection

home:

of

home:

the

home:

kitchen;

home:

but

home:

a

home:

kitchen

home:

bathed

home:

in

home:

the

home:

harsh

home:

light

home:

of

home:

midday

home:

sunlight.

“They’re

home:

not

home:

there

home:

at

home:

the

home:

moment,

home:

but

home:

wait

home:

a

home:

bit.”

“Wait for what?,” Eren asked.

“Wait,

home:

I

home:

said!”

home:

The

home:

wolf

home:

beside

home:

him

home:

had

home:

a

home:

toothy

home:

grin.

The

home:

cheetah

home:

stood

home:

impatiently,

home:

doing

home:

his

home:

best.

home:

He’d

home:

never

home:

been

home:

particularly

home:

good

home:

at

home:

keeping

home:

still. “Listen,

home:

should

home:

I

home:

come-”

“There!,”

home:

Seth

home:

interrupted.

A

home:

tall

home:

human

home:

walked

home:

through

home:

the

home:

reflection,

home:

caught

home:

at

home:

a

home:

strange

home:

angle

home:

by

home:

the

home:

position

home:

of

home:

the

home:

mirror.

home:

Eren

home:

was

home:

fairly

home:

sure

home:

that

home:

he

home:

recognized

home:

one

home:

of

home:

the

home:

previous

home:

owners

home:

of

home:

the

home:

house,

home:

though

home:

of

home:

course

home:

he’d

home:

only

home:

seen

home:

her

home:

very

home:

briefly.

home:

She’d

home:

been

home:

one

home:

of

home:

the

home:

two

home:

adults,

home:

presumably

home:

the

home:

mother

home:

of

home:

the

home:

family.

He

home:

was

home:

fascinated.

home:

Had

home:

the

home:

Sage

home:

had

home:

given

home:

them

home:

some

home:

kind

home:

of

home:

magic

home:

mirror?

home:

The

home:

woman

home:

glanced

home:

over

home:

at

home:

something

home:

outside

home:

the

home:

frame

home:

and

home:

laughed

home:

silently,

home:

looking

home:

cheerfully

home:

exasperated.

home:

She

home:

raised

home:

both

home:

hands

home:

and

home:

darted

home:

off

home:

to

home:

the

home:

side,

home:

towards

home:

whatever

home:

she’d

home:

seen.

“It’s

home:

the

home:

past,

home:

I

home:

think.

home:

Or

home:

a

home:

memory

home:

of

home:

it.”

home:

Seth

home:

looked

home:

thoughtful. “It

home:

always

home:

gets

home:

fuzzy

home:

again

home:

when

home:

you

home:

move

home:

the

home:

mirror,

home:

then

home:

jumps

home:

to

home:

some

home:

other

home:

thing.

home:

So

home:

I

home:

don’t

home:

think

home:

it’s

home:

showing

home:

anything

home:

in

home:

real

home:

time.”

Eren’s

home:

jaw

home:

was

home:

hanging

home:

open. “Does

home:

it

home:

work

home:

everywhere?”

“Everywhere

home:

I’ve

home:

tested.

home:

Here,

home:

the

home:

library,

home:

and

home:

in

home:

the

home:

old

home:

nursery.”

“Can

home:

I…?”

“Go

home:

ahead!”

Eren

home:

lifted

home:

the

home:

mirror

home:

tentatively

home:

in

home:

one

home:

paw.

home:

It

home:

was

home:

cold

home:

to

home:

the

home:

touch,

home:

almost

home:

uncomfortably

home:

so,

home:

as

home:

if

home:

it

home:

had

home:

been

home:

in

home:

a

home:

block

home:

of

home:

ice

home:

until

home:

just

home:

that

home:

moment.

home:

He

home:

held

home:

the

home:

surface

home:

vertical,

home:

parallel

home:

to

home:

the

home:

wall

home:

where

home:

he

home:

would

home:

have

home:

a

home:

better

home:

view

home:

of

home:

the

home:

room–

home:

and

home:

realized,

home:

belatedly,

home:

that

home:

he

home:

had

home:

no

home:

reflection

home:

in

home:

it

home:

himself.

As

home:

he

home:

held

home:

the

home:

toy

home:

steady,

home:

the

home:

view

home:

cleared

home:

enough

home:

to

home:

show

home:

two

home:

of

home:

the

home:

younger

home:

humans

home:

seated

home:

at

home:

the

home:

table,

home:

in

home:

the

home:

same

home:

chairs

home:

that

home:

he

home:

and

home:

his

home:

husband

home:

now

home:

occupied;

home:

Eren

home:

hadn’t

home:

seen

home:

either

home:

one

home:

for

home:

months,

home:

but

home:

he

home:

recognized

home:

two

home:

of

home:

the

home:

younger

home:

members

home:

of

home:

the

home:

old

home:

family.

home:

Again,

home:

they

home:

were

home:

bathed

home:

in

home:

the

home:

bright

home:

glow

home:

of

home:

the

home:

sun.

home:

One

home:

of

home:

the

home:

young

home:

women

home:

was

home:

writing

home:

or

home:

drawing

home:

something

home:

on

home:

a

home:

paper

home:

journal,

home:

and

home:

the

home:

other

home:

was

home:

absentmindedly

home:

poking

home:

at

home:

a

home:

telephone

home:

while

home:

chewing

home:

bubblegum.

home:

That

home:

one

home:

gestured

home:

in

home:

annoyance

home:

to

home:

her

home:

sister

home:

and

home:

began

home:

speaking–

home:

there

home:

was

home:

no

home:

sound,

home:

of

home:

course,

home:

but

home:

the

home:

tone

home:

was

home:

clear

home:

enough.

home:

An

home:

argument

home:

broke

home:

out,

home:

until

home:

one

home:

of

home:

the

home:

humans

home:

stuck

home:

her

home:

tongue

home:

out,

home:

and

home:

the

home:

entire

home:

conversation

home:

devolved

home:

into

home:

laughter.

All

home:

those

home:

pallid

home:

human

home:

faces,

home:

active

home:

and

home:

vital,

home:

full

home:

of

home:

strange

home:

life.

home:

Eren

home:

hadn’t

home:

seen

home:

such

home:

faces

home:

for

home:

months,

home:

not

home:

way

home:

out

home:

here.

home:

It

home:

was

home:

different

home:

in

home:

the

home:

city,

home:

he

home:

supposed.

home:

The

home:

city

home:

folk

home:

got

home:

the

home:

chance

home:

to

home:

see

home:

living

home:

humans

home:

all

home:

the

home:

time,

home:

from

home:

what

home:

he

home:

heard.

His

home:

reverie

home:

was

home:

interrupted

home:

by

home:

a

home:

loud

home:

gurgle

home:

in

home:

his

home:

stomach.

home:

He

home:

was

home:

ravenous. “Oh,

home:

right.

home:

Did

home:

we

home:

have

home:

breakfast

home:

ready?”

“Just

home:

some

home:

cold

home:

cuts,

home:

if

home:

that’s

home:

okay.

home:

I

home:

got

home:

a

home:

little

home:

distracted

home:

with…”

home:

The

home:

black

home:

wolf

home:

gestured

home:

toward

home:

the

home:

mirror.

“Sounds

home:

divine,

home:

thanks.”

He

home:

ate

home:

absentmindedly,

home:

wolfing

home:

down

home:

breakfast

home:

with

home:

one

home:

hand

home:

while

home:

he

home:

tried

home:

different

home:

angles

home:

with

home:

the

home:

mirror.

home:

Always

home:

happy

home:

little

home:

domestic

home:

scenes,

home:

one

home:

or

home:

more

home:

of

home:

the

home:

humans

home:

going

home:

about

home:

their

home:

day.

home:

Was

home:

this

home:

what

home:

the

home:

Sage had meant?

home:

Was

home:

he

home:

supposed

home:

to

home:

learn

home:

about

home:

the

home:

humans

home:

who

home:

had

home:

built

home:

this

home:

huge

home:

house,

home:

and

home:

tried

home:

to

home:

fill

home:

it

home:

up

home:

with

home:

their

home:

own

home:

little

home:

lives?

home:

Half-unseen,

home:

the

home:

last

home:

remnants

home:

of

home:

the

home:

sun

home:

vanished

home:

over

home:

the

home:

horizon,

home:

and

home:

night

home:

fell

home:

across

home:

the

home:

forest.

“It’s

home:

cool,

home:

but

home:

I

home:

don’t

home:

get

home:

it,”

home:

Seth

home:

said

home:

beside

home:

him,

home:

echoing

home:

his

home:

thoughts. “Wasn’t

home:

it

home:

kind

home:

of

home:

obvious

home:

that

home:

the

home:

ghost

home:

was

home:

one

home:

of

home:

the

home:

Old

home:

Folks

home:

that

home:

lived

home:

here?

home:

What

home:

are

home:

we

home:

supposed

home:

to

home:

be

home:

getting

home:

out

home:

of

home:

this?”

Eren

home:

leaned

home:

against

home:

his

home:

husband

home:

with

home:

a

home:

gentle

home:

purr,

home:

glad

home:

that

home:

he

home:

hadn’t

home:

been

home:

alone

home:

in

home:

his

home:

thoughts.

home:

Their

home:

bodies

home:

felt

home:

warm

home:

and

home:

strong

home:

together. “He

home:

gave

home:

us

home:

at

home:

least

home:

a

home:

few

home:

days

home:

to

home:

solve

home:

the

home:

riddle.

home:

Give

home:

it

home:

some

home:

time.”
— — —
The

home:

cheetah

home:

wandered

home:

from

home:

room

home:

to

home:

room

home:

for

home:

most

home:

of

home:

the

home:

night,

home:

and

home:

most

home:

of

home:

the

home:

next

home:

one

home:

too.

home:

Always,

home:

those

home:

strange

home:

phantasms

home:

followed

home:

him.

The

home:

house,

home:

once

home:

hollow

home:

and

home:

empty,

home:

suddenly

home:

seemed

home:

full

home:

of

home:

the

home:

Old

home:

Folks’

home:

memories,

home:

every

home:

room

home:

a

home:

history

home:

playing

home:

out

home:

on

home:

the

home:

small

home:

plastic

home:

surface

home:

in

home:

his

home:

paws.

home:

He

home:

found

home:

himself

home:

picturing

home:

the

home:

rooms

home:

as

home:

they

home:

would

home:

seem

home:

in

home:

daylight,

home:

the

home:

harsh

home:

yellow

home:

sun

home:

streaming

home:

in

home:

through

home:

all

home:

the

home:

windows

home:

and

home:

reflecting

home:

from

home:

glass

home:

cabinets

home:

and

home:

polished

home:

wooden

home:

surfaces.

home:

It

home:

was easy,

home:

now,

home:

to

home:

imagine

home:

the

home:

cavernous

home:

rooms

home:

full

home:

of

home:

bustle

home:

and

home:

noise.

Seth,

home:

after

home:

his

home:

initial

home:

enthusiasm,

home:

soon

home:

lost

home:

interest.

home:

By

home:

the

home:

second

home:

night,

home:

he

home:

was

home:

starting

home:

to

home:

meet

home:

his

home:

husband’s

home:

new

home:

obsession

home:

with

home:

worried

home:

glances.

home:

But Eren

home:

couldn’t

home:

understand

home:

Seth’s

home:

concern.

home:

This

home:

was

home:

what

home:

the

home:

Sage

home:

had

home:

asked

home:

for,

home:

wasn’t

home:

it?

home:

Whatever

home:

this

home:

was,

home:

it

home:

wasn’t

home:

fear

home:

any more.

home:

But

home:

he

home:

could

home:

still

home:

feel

home:

the

home:

wolf’s

home:

violet

home:

eyes

home:

following

home:

each

home:

step

home:

he

home:

took.

His

home:

view

home:

of

home:

the

home:

Old

home:

Folks

home:

skipped

home:

through

home:

time

home:

unpredictably–

home:

sometimes

home:

three

home:

children

home:

would

home:

tromp

home:

through

home:

the

home:

front hall in

home:

a

home:

big

home:

gallumphing

home:

herd

home:

on

home:

their

home:

way

home:

back

home:

from

home:

some

home:

outing,

home:

sometimes

home:

two

home:

young

home:

toddlers

home:

would

home:

be

home:

playing

home:

at

home:

some

home:

sort

home:

of

home:

tea

home:

party

home:

in

home:

the

home:

space

home:

under

home:

the

home:

dining

home:

room

home:

table.

home:

Sometimes

home:

teenagers

home:

would

home:

walk

home:

confidently

home:

through

home:

the

home:

hallways,

home:

talking

home:

loudly

home:

and

home:

gesturing

home:

with

home:

long

home:

delicate

home:

hands.

home:

He

home:

learned to

home:

order

home:

the

home:

visions

home:

by

home:

subtler

home:

cues

home:

as

well:

well:

the

well:

slow

well:

recession

well:

of

well:

the

well:

husband’s

well:

hairline

well:

as

well:

he

well:

lost

well:

what

well:

little

well:

fur he had,

well:

the

well:

gradual

well:

expansions

well:

of

well:

laugh

well:

lines

well:

and

well:

wrinkles

well:

across

well:

the

well:

woman’s

well:

face.

well:

Those

well:

pallid

well:

faces

well:

still

well:

seemed

well:

strange

well:

to

well:

him,

well:

of

well:

course,

well:

but

well:

he

well:

was

well:

learning

well:

to

well:

read

well:

the

well:

complex

well:

expressions.

Close

well:

to

well:

midnight

well:

on

well:

the

well:

third

well:

night,

well:

Seth

well:

stepped

well:

in

well:

front

well:

of

well:

him,

well:

blocking

well:

his

well:

aimless

well:

wandering.

“Do

well:

you

well:

think

well:

you’re

well:

giving

well:

the

well:

ghost

well:

less

well:

power

well:

over

well:

us,

well:

with

well:

all

well:

of

well:

this?”

Eren

well:

lowered

well:

the

well:

mirror. “I

well:

don’t

well:

know,”

well:

he

well:

said

well:

honestly.

“Then

well:

stop!,”

well:

the

well:

black

well:

wolf

well:

declared. “Take

well:

a

well:

day,

well:

find

well:

another

well:

angle.”

“We

well:

don’t

well:

have

well:

an

well:

extra

well:

day.

well:

Rayo

well:

will

well:

be

well:

back

well:

any

well:

time

well:

now.”

“Then

well:

let

well:

him

well:

come

well:

back.

well:

The

well:

second-best

well:

solution

well:

is

well:

still

well:

good

well:

enough

well:

for

well:

me.”

Eren

well:

looked

well:

his

well:

husband

well:

up

well:

and

well:

down

well:

in

well:

annoyance. “What’s

well:

bringing

well:

this

well:

on?

well:

Really.”

Seth

well:

hesitated. “It’s…

well:

look,

well:

you

well:

wouldn’t

well:

be

well:

the

well:

first

well:

one

well:

to

well:

get

well:

obsessed

well:

with

well:

the

well:

Old

well:

Folks

well:

in

well:

a

well:

bad

well:

way.

well:

It’s

well:

known

well:

to

well:

happen

well:

sometimes.

well:

People

well:

get

well:

hooked

well:

on

well:

it,

well:

trying

well:

to

well:

figure

well:

the

well:

humans

well:

out,

well:

and

well:

then

well:

they

well:

get…

well:

soft,

well:

you

well:

know?”

“What

well:

do

well:

you

well:

mean

well:

soft?”

“Soft

well:

as in

well:

soft!

well:

Old-fashioned,

well:

backwards-looking!” The

well:

wolf

well:

was

well:

almost

well:

growling

well:

now. “Soft

well:

as in,

well:

caring

well:

more

well:

about

well:

the

well:

way

well:

things

well:

used

well:

to

well:

be

well:

than

well:

about

well:

the

well:

folks

well:

right

well:

in

well:

front

well:

of

well:

them!”

Eren

well:

blinked

well:

slowly,

well:

willing

well:

himself

well:

not

well:

to

well:

join

well:

his

well:

husband

well:

in

well:

anger.

well:

To

well:

see

well:

it

well:

from

well:

his

well:

point

well:

of

well:

view. “Soft

well:

as in

well:

haunted,

well:

you

well:

mean.”

Still

well:

breathing

well:

heavily,

well:

Seth

well:

nodded,

well:

and

well:

paused

well:

to

well:

calm

well:

down. “Yeah.

well:

I

well:

guess

well:

that’s

well:

what

well:

I

well:

mean.”

The cheetah

well:

nodded,

well:

and

well:

took

well:

the

well:

wolf’s

well:

paw

well:

in

well:

his

well:

own. “I’m

well:

here,

well:

love.

well:

I’m

well:

with

well:

you,

well:

right

well:

here,

well:

right

well:

now.

well:

After

well:

what

well:

we

well:

lived

well:

through

well:

together,

well:

I

well:

wouldn’t

well:

have

well:

it

well:

any

well:

other

well:

way.”

well:

He

well:

nuzzled

well:

against

well:

his

well:

husband’s

well:

chest. “I

well:

promise.”

Seth’s arms

well:

were

well:

suddenly

well:

around

well:

him

well:

then,

well:

solid

well:

and

well:

warm. “No

well:

more

well:

of their

well:

cages,

well:

Eren. Not even the

well:

self-inflicted

well:

ones.”

“No more

well:

cages,”

well:

the

well:

cheetah

well:

promised,

well:

still

well:

muffled

well:

in

well:

the

well:

thick

well:

fur

well:

of

well:

Seth’s

well:

embrace.

well:

With

well:

a

well:

sudden

well:

thought,

well:

he

well:

pulled

well:

away. “Actually,

well:

I

well:

think

well:

I

well:

can

well:

do

well:

even

well:

better

well:

than

well:

just

well:

a

well:

promise.

well:

Take

well:

this

well:

thing

well:

and

well:

follow

well:

me.”

Seth

well:

winced

well:

as

well:

he

well:

took

well:

the

well:

mirror,

well:

icy

well:

cold

well:

in

well:

his

well:

paw.

well:

But

well:

he

well:

followed

well:

after

well:

Eren as

well:

the

well:

cheetah

well:

raced

well:

through

well:

the

well:

wood-paneled

well:

hallway

well:

towards

well:

the

well:

basement

well:

stairs. “Where…?”

“It’s

well:

a

well:

surprise!,”

well:

Eren

well:

said

well:

cheerfully. “But

well:

I

well:

think

well:

I

well:

might

well:

have

well:

figured

well:

out

well:

the

well:

answer

well:

to

well:

Rayo’s

well:

riddle.”

well:

Without

well:

waiting,

well:

he

well:

bounced

well:

cheerfully

well:

down

well:

the

well:

steps,

well:

taking

well:

them

well:

two

well:

at

well:

a

well:

time.

The

well:

room

well:

below

well:

was

well:

chilly,

well:

even

well:

through

well:

Eren’s

well:

modest

well:

layer

well:

of

well:

golden

well:

fur.

well:

As

well:

always;

well:

they

well:

mostly

well:

used

well:

the

well:

downstairs

well:

kitchen

well:

for

well:

storage,

well:

and

well:

the

well:

low

well:

temperatures

well:

helped

well:

preserve

well:

the

well:

meat

well:

that

well:

wasn’t

well:

smoked

well:

or

well:

pre-cooked

well:

when

well:

they

well:

got

well:

their

well:

grocery

well:

deliveries.

He

well:

passed

well:

a

well:

squat

well:

pot-bellied

well:

stove

well:

and

well:

a

well:

small

well:

butcher’s

well:

table

well:

on

well:

the

well:

right

well:

wall,

well:

and

well:

wove

well:

through

well:

a

well:

few

well:

dangling

well:

meat-hooks

well:

on

well:

the

well:

end

well:

of

well:

chains

well:

bolted

well:

to

well:

the

well:

ceiling.

well:

Most

well:

were

well:

empty,

well:

of

well:

course.

well:

They

well:

really

well:

only

well:

used

well:

two

well:

or

well:

three

well:

at

well:

a

well:

time,

well:

loaded

well:

up

well:

with

well:

a

well:

modest

well:

flank

well:

or

well:

haunch

well:

until

well:

the

well:

two

well:

of

well:

them

well:

worked

well:

through

well:

the

well:

full

well:

store

well:

and

well:

called

well:

out

well:

for

well:

a

well:

resupply—

well:

as

well:

with

well:

so

well:

much

well:

of

well:

the

well:

house,

well:

it

well:

felt

well:

like

well:

the

well:

downstairs

well:

kitchen

well:

was

well:

just

well:

a

well:

little

well:

bit

well:

too

well:

much

well:

for

well:

them.

well:

Not

well:

for

well:

the

well:

first

well:

time,

well:

Eren

well:

wondered

well:

if

well:

they

well:

should

well:

stick

well:

a

well:

pool

well:

table

well:

or

well:

something

well:

down

well:

here

well:

to

well:

help

well:

fill

well:

up

well:

the

well:

space.

Eren’s

well:

target

well:

was

well:

the

well:

wide,

well:

white

well:

icebox

well:

in

well:

the

well:

back

well:

of

well:

the

well:

room.

well:

That

well:

was

well:

long-term

well:

storage,

well:

where

well:

they

well:

kept

well:

the

well:

perishables

well:

that

well:

they

well:

wanted

well:

to

well:

hold

well:

on to

well:

for

well:

a

well:

year

well:

or

well:

more.

well:

His

well:

padded

well:

footfalls

well:

took

well:

him

well:

quickly

well:

towards

well:

it,

well:

the

well:

concrete

well:

floor

well:

hard

well:

and

well:

cold

well:

below

well:

him.

Behind,

well:

Seth

well:

followed

well:

at

well:

a

well:

distance,

well:

still

well:

looking

well:

bemused.

well:

But

well:

before

well:

either

well:

of

well:

them

well:

could

well:

make

well:

it

well:

to

well:

the

well:

icebox,

well:

Eren

well:

heard

well:

his

well:

husband

well:

cry

well:

out

well:

in

well:

pain.

He

well:

turned

well:

in

well:

time

well:

to

well:

see

well:

the

well:

plastic

well:

mirror

well:

clatter

well:

to

well:

the

well:

floor,

well:

clutching

well:

one

well:

paw

well:

in

well:

agony. “C- cold,” the

well:

wolf

well:

growled out. “Freezing

well:

cold.”

Eren

well:

grabbed

well:

a

well:

stained

well:

cheesecloth

well:

from

well:

the

well:

butcher’s

well:

table

well:

nearby,

well:

and

well:

ran

well:

quickly

well:

to

well:

the

well:

fallen

well:

toy.

well:

Even

well:

through

well:

the

well:

protective

well:

fabric,

well:

the

well:

plastic

well:

handle

well:

was

well:

bitterly

well:

chill,

well:

sending

well:

spikes

well:

of

well:

pain

well:

to

well:

the

well:

roots

well:

of

well:

his

well:

claws.

well:

And

well:

the

well:

image

well:

in

well:

the

well:

mirror

well:

was…

well:

different.

No

well:

longer

well:

a

well:

light,

well:

cheerful

well:

domestic

well:

scene,

well:

the

well:

image

well:

on

well:

the

well:

plastic

well:

surface

well:

was

well:

dark

well:

and

well:

foreboding.

well:

Eren

well:

saw

well:

the

well:

basement

well:

as

well:

they’d

well:

found

well:

it

well:

on

well:

the

well:

day

well:

they

well:

moved

well:

in,

well:

piled

well:

high

well:

with

well:

boxes

well:

and

well:

papers,

well:

illuminated

well:

only

well:

by

well:

a

well:

single

well:

spare

well:

bulb.

Of

well:

course.

well:

The

well:

basement

well:

was

well:

where

well:

the

well:

surviving

well:

Old

well:

Folks

well:

had

well:

made

well:

their

well:

final

well:

stand.

He

well:

saw

well:

two

well:

of

well:

them

well:

hiding

well:

behind

well:

boxes,

well:

crouched

well:

low

well:

in

well:

the

well:

shadows.

well:

To

well:

their

well:

limited

well:

senses,

well:

it

well:

must

well:

have

well:

seemed

well:

pitch

well:

black.

well:

But

well:

then,

well:

they’d

well:

always

well:

been

well:

a

well:

bit

well:

hapless.

Eren

well:

frowned,

well:

and

well:

tried

well:

changing

well:

the

well:

angle

well:

of

well:

the

well:

mirror,

well:

resetting

well:

the

well:

scene

well:

to

well:

something

well:

more

well:

pleasant.

well:

But

well:

the

well:

icy

well:

shock

well:

coming

well:

through

well:

the

well:

handle

well:

didn’t

well:

abate,

well:

and

well:

the

well:

scene

well:

didn’t

well:

change.

well:

The

well:

frightened

well:

girls

well:

were

well:

still

well:

hiding

well:

behind

well:

their

well:

boxes,

well:

denying

well:

the

well:

inevitable.

well:

The

well:

mirror

well:

wouldn’t

well:

be

well:

denied

well:

this

well:

moment,

well:

it

well:

seemed.

Shrugging,

well:

the

well:

cheetah

well:

put

well:

the

well:

cheap

well:

plastic

well:

toy

well:

down

well:

on

well:

the

well:

table. “You

well:

were

well:

right,

well:

hon.

well:

I

well:

don’t

well:

think

well:

we

well:

need

well:

this

well:

any more.”
Seth

well:

looked

well:

on

well:

curiously. “What

well:

do

well:

you

well:

mean?”

“Fear,

well:

right?

well:

That’s

well:

what

well:

Rayo

well:

said.

well:

It’s

well:

about

well:

letting

well:

go,

well:

moving

well:

on.

well:

I’ve

well:

been

well:

letting

well:

this

well:

house

well:

loom

well:

over

well:

us

well:

for

well:

far

well:

too

well:

long.

well:

We

well:

moved

well:

in

well:

months

well:

ago,

well:

but

well:

we

well:

haven’t

well:

made

well:

it

well:

ours

well:

yet.”

well:

Eren

well:

smiled,

well:

ignoring

well:

the

well:

mist

well:

rising

well:

from

well:

the

well:

mirror

well:

beside

well:

him

well:

and

well:

going

well:

back

well:

towards

well:

the

well:

icebox. “Of

well:

course

well:

we’re

well:

collecting

well:

ghosts.

well:

We

well:

might

well:

as

well:

well

well:

be

well:

living

well:

in

well:

a

well:

ruin.”

Seth

well:

scratched

well:

his

well:

ear

well:

pensively,

well:

keeping

well:

one

well:

cautious

well:

eye

well:

on

well:

the

well:

table. “I

well:

have

well:

no

well:

idea

well:

what

well:

you’re

well:

talking

well:

about,

well:

babe.

well:

But

well:

you’re

well:

sounding

well:

like

well:

the

well:

Sage,

well:

so

well:

I

well:

guess

well:

you’re

well:

on to

well:

something?”

Eren

well:

smiled. “It

well:

was

well:

never

well:

a

well:

problem

well:

for

well:

you

well:

to

well:

begin

well:

with,

well:

hon.

well:

You

well:

put

well:

the

well:

war

well:

behind

well:

you

well:

where

well:

it

well:

belongs.

well:

I’ve

well:

been

well:

the

well:

one

well:

that

well:

couldn’t

well:

let

well:

go

well:

of

well:

the

well:

past.”

“Eren,

well:

I…”

“Hush,

well:

you.

well:

Like

well:

I

well:

said,

well:

I’ve

well:

got

well:

this

well:

figured

well:

out.

well:

I

well:

told

well:

myself

well:

I

well:

was

well:

saving

well:

this

well:

for

well:

our

well:

anniversary,

well:

but...

well:

Well,

well:

if

well:

I’m

well:

being

well:

honest,

well:

it

well:

was

well:

really

well:

more

well:

of

well:

a

well:

memento,

well:

or

well:

a

well:

trophy.

well:

No

well:

more

well:

of that. Screw our anniversary. Let’s enjoy this

well:

now,

well:

and

well:

finish

well:

moving

well:

into

well:

our

well:

new

well:

home.

well:

It’s

well:

not

well:

theirs

well:

any more.”

Shuffling

well:

around

well:

towards

well:

the

well:

back

well:

of

well:

the

well:

icebox,

well:

Eren

well:

pulled

well:

a

well:

small

well:

package,

well:

carefully

well:

wrapped

well:

in

well:

twine

well:

and

well:

butcher’s

well:

paper.

well:

Smiling

well:

at

well:

Seth’s

well:

raised

well:

eye,

well:

Eren

well:

carefully

well:

untied

well:

the

well:

string,

well:

gently

well:

unwrapping

well:

the

well:

present

well:

he’d

well:

been

well:

saving

well:

for

well:

his

well:

husband.

“Oh!

well:

Babe,

well:

I

well:

thought

well:

these

well:

were

well:

all

well:

gone!

well:

They

well:

were

well:

for

well:

you,

well:

I

well:

thought

well:

you

well:

ate

well:

them

well:

already!”

well:

The

well:

black

well:

wolf

well:

grinned,

well:

his

well:

fangs

well:

white

well:

and

well:

sharp

well:

in

well:

the

well:

dim

well:

light

well:

of

well:

the

well:

basement.

well:

Before

well:

him,

well:

two

well:

severed

well:

human

well:

hands

well:

lay

well:

at

well:

the

well:

center

well:

of

well:

the

well:

old

well:

paper,

well:

still

well:

clutching

well:

one

well:

another

well:

under

well:

the

well:

thin

well:

layer

well:

of

well:

frost.

“I

well:

know,

well:

I

well:

know,”

well:

Eren

well:

smiled. “It

well:

was

well:

really

well:

nice

well:

of

well:

you

well:

to

well:

save

well:

these

well:

two

well:

for

well:

me,

well:

hon!”

well:

He

well:

licked

well:

his

well:

lips.

well:

He

well:

could

well:

still

well:

remember

well:

that

well:

night

well:

like

well:

it

well:

was

well:

yesterday.

well:

The

well:

meat

well:

had

well:

been

well:

so

well:

tender

well:

and

well:

soft,

well:

the

well:

most

well:

delectable

well:

he’d

well:

ever

well:

had.

well:

Down

well:

to

well:

the

well:

last

well:

morsel.

well:

He’d

well:

spent

well:

hours

well:

sucking

well:

the

well:

delicious

well:

marrow

well:

from

well:

those

well:

thin,

well:

soft

well:

bones. “But

well:

just

well:

this

well:

little

well:

bit,

well:

I

well:

wanted

well:

to

well:

share

well:

with

well:

you.

well:

And

well:

the

well:

palms

well:

are

well:

the

well:

best

well:

part,

well:

so

well:

it

well:

seemed

well:

like

well:

a

well:

fun

well:

little

well:

treat

well:

to

well:

save

well:

for

well:

later.”

The

well:

two

well:

of

well:

them

well:

hardly

well:

ever

well:

got

well:

the

well:

choice

well:

cuts

well:

any more,

well:

not

well:

unless

well:

they

well:

took

well:

a

well:

special

well:

trip

well:

into

well:

the

well:

city.

well:

Both

well:

creature’s

well:

mouths

well:

were

well:

watering

well:

just

well:

thinking

well:

about

well:

it.

well:

Seth

well:

chuckled. “You

well:

really

well:

are

well:

very

well:

sweet.

well:

Let’s

well:

get

well:

this

well:

cooked

well:

up

well:

and

well:

we’ll

well:

share

well:

it

well:

properly.”

“And

well:

hopefully,

well:

no

well:

more

well:

ghost

well:

problems!

well:

This

well:

is

well:

the

well:

last

well:

of

well:

the

well:

old

well:

residents.

well:

After

well:

this,

well:

we’re

well:

officially

well:

moved

well:

in

well:

and

well:

the

well:

house is

well:

ours.”

The

well:

wolf

well:

leaned

well:

in

well:

with

well:

a

well:

smile

well:

and

well:

kissed

well:

him

well:

on

well:

the

well:

snoot. “I’ll

well:

think

well:

of

well:

a

well:

special

well:

recipe.

well:

It’s

well:

still

well:

an

well:

anniversary

well:

celebration,

well:

just

well:

a

well:

little

well:

off-season.”

“With

well:

lots

well:

of cumin?” The cheetah sighed in

well:

mock exasperation.
“Tons

well:

and

well:

tons!”

well:

Seth

well:

laughed

well:

and

well:

made

well:

his

well:

way

well:

upstairs.

well:

Eren

well:

looked

well:

around

well:

himself at

well:

the

well:

downstairs

well:

kitchen,

well:

still

well:

painfully

well:

empty.

well:

He’d

well:

find

well:

ways

well:

to

well:

use

well:

all

well:

this

well:

space,

well:

eventually.

well:

If

well:

nothing

well:

else,

well:

they

well:

should

well:

invite

well:

some

well:

friends

well:

over

well:

from

well:

town,

well:

and

well:

host

well:

a

well:

nice

well:

dinner

well:

party.

As

well:

the

well:

sizzle

well:

of

well:

cooking

well:

drifted

well:

down

well:

from

well:

the

well:

upstairs

well:

kitchen,

well:

Eren

well:

smiled

well:

in

well:

satisfaction.

well:

Stepping

well:

carefully

well:

through

well:

the

well:

basement,

well:

he

well:

wove

well:

his

well:

way

well:

back

well:

through

well:

the

well:

hanging

well:

chunks

well:

of

well:

pale

well:

meat,

well:

suddenly

well:

eager

well:

to

well:

join

well:

his

well:

husband.

well:

Behind

well:

him,

well:

the

well:

mirror

well:

twisted

well:

and

well:

shrank,

well:

releasing

well:

gouts

well:

of

well:

black

well:

smoke

well:

as

well:

the

well:

plastic

well:

melted

well:

away

well:

in

well:

the

well:

heat

well:

of

well:

some

well:

unseen

well:

flame.

He

well:

didn’t

well:

look

well:

back.
— — —
It

well:

was

well:

almost

well:

morning

well:

when

well:

they

well:

finally

well:

heard

well:

Sage

well:

Rayo’s

well:

knock

well:

on

well:

their

well:

door,

well:

the

well:

two

well:

of

well:

them

well:

lounging

well:

peacefully

well:

in

well:

the

well:

plush

well:

red

well:

couches

well:

of

well:

the

well:

living

well:

room.

well:

Reluctantly,

well:

Eren

well:

pried

well:

himself

well:

up

well:

from

well:

under

well:

the

well:

weight

well:

of

well:

his

well:

husband

well:

to

well:

go

well:

attend

well:

the

well:

front

well:

door.

“Dealt

well:

with

well:

your

well:

ghost

well:

problem,

well:

then?,”

well:

the

well:

black-robed

well:

Sage

well:

asked,

well:

looking

well:

over

well:

the

well:

house

well:

with

well:

an

well:

expert

well:

eye.

well:

Behind

well:

him,

well:

a

well:

wooden

well:

cart

well:

was

well:

visible,

well:

piled

well:

high

well:

with

well:

strange

well:

dead

well:

shapes.
“We

well:

think

well:

so.”

“Good.

well:

Spirits

well:

were

well:

active

well:

all

well:

over

well:

the

well:

district,

well:

but

well:

we

well:

haven’t

well:

lost

well:

very

well:

many

well:

to

well:

them.

well:

Fewer

well:

than

well:

one

well:

in

well:

twenty,

well:

by

well:

my

well:

estimate.”
Eren

well:

whistled. “You

well:

said

well:

it

well:

was

well:

a

well:

busy

well:

time

well:

for

well:

hauntings,

well:

but

well:

I

well:

didn’t

well:

realize there

well:

were

well:

quite

well:

that

well:

many.”

Rayo

well:

shrugged. “The

well:

gates

well:

of

well:

hell

well:

are

well:

wide,

well:

but

well:

our war was wider.

well:

Some

well:

trouble

well:

with

well:

ghosts

well:

was

well:

to

well:

be

well:

expected.”

Seth

well:

came

well:

up

well:

behind

well:

him,

well:

holding

well:

the

well:

twisted

well:

chunk

well:

of

well:

plastic

well:

with

well:

a

well:

distasteful

well:

look. “You

well:

want

well:

this,

well:

I’m

well:

guessing?”

“If

well:

you

well:

don’t

well:

mind.”

well:

The

well:

bear

well:

looked

well:

it

well:

over

well:

briefly,

well:

then

well:

tossed

well:

it

well:

nonchalantly

well:

in to

well:

the

well:

wooden

well:

cart

well:

behind

well:

him.

Eren

well:

was

well:

struck

well:

by

well:

a

well:

sudden

well:

thought. “The

well:

city—

well:

was it

well:

much

well:

worse

well:

for

well:

them?

well:

It’s

well:

so

well:

crowded

well:

out

well:

there.”

“No,”

well:

Rayo

well:

shook

well:

his

well:

head “The

well:

city

well:

folk

well:

live

well:

near

well:

the

well:

feeding

well:

pens,

well:

they

well:

see

well:

the

well:

humans

well:

corralled

well:

and

well:

weak

well:

every

well:

day.”

well:

The

well:

bear

well:

glanced

well:

towards

well:

the

well:

distant

well:

light

well:

on

well:

the

well:

horizon,

well:

looking

well:

thoughtful. “The

well:

reality

well:

is

well:

right

well:

in

well:

front

well:

of

well:

them.

well:

Out

well:

here

well:

in

well:

the

well:

country,

well:

you

well:

never

well:

see

well:

humans

well:

alive

well:

any more,

well:

so

well:

the

well:

myth

well:

and

well:

the

well:

memory

well:

has

well:

a

well:

way

well:

of

well:

gaining

well:

power.”

Eren

well:

nodded. “And

well:

it’s

well:

the

well:

memories

well:

that the

well:

ghosts

well:

need.”

“As

well:

you

well:

so

well:

ably

well:

learned.

well:

Congratulations

well:

on

well:

passing

well:

the

well:

test,

well:

Eren.”

The

well:

cheetah

well:

took

well:

his

well:

husband’s

well:

paw

well:

in

well:

his

well:

own. “We

well:

did

well:

it

well:

together.”

The

well:

Sage

well:

smiled

well:

indulgently. “This

well:

was

well:

the

well:

worst

well:

of

well:

it.

well:

Once

well:

we

well:

clear

well:

the

well:

last

well:

few

well:

holdouts

well:

from

well:

the

well:

mountains,

well:

the

well:

Old

well:

Folks

well:

will

well:

be

well:

fully

well:

domesticated.

well:

By

well:

next

well:

year’s

well:

Halloween,

well:

most

well:

of

well:

their

well:

ghosts

well:

will

well:

already

well:

be

well:

fading

well:

away—

well:

not

well:

even

well:

the

well:

dead

well:

can

well:

hold

well:

a

well:

grudge

well:

forever.”

Taking

well:

his

well:

position

well:

in

well:

front

well:

of

well:

the

well:

corpse-cart,

well:

the

well:

bear

well:

lifted

well:

his

well:

burden

well:

with

well:

ease.

well:

He

well:

took

well:

off

well:

down

well:

the

well:

cracked

well:

asphalt

well:

road

well:

with

well:

a

well:

jaunty

well:

whistle,

well:

fading

well:

away

well:

into

well:

the

well:

early

well:

pre-dawn

well:

light.




This

well:

was

well:

the

well:

second

well:

and

well:

final

well:

part

well:

of “Good

well:

Bones”

well:

by

well:

Galen

well:

LK,

well:

read

well:

for

well:

you

well:

by

well:

Icefang,

well:

in

well:

the

well:

Cozy

well:

Corner

well:

of

well:

the

well:

Cafe.

As

well:

always,

well:

you

well:

can

well:

find

well:

more

well:

stories

well:

on

well:

the

well:

web

well:

at

well:

thevoice.dog,

well:

or

well:

find

well:

the

well:

show

well:

wherever

well:

you

well:

get

well:

your

well:

podcasts.

well:

Thank

well:

you

well:

for

well:

listening

well:

to

well:

The

well:

Ghost

well:

of

well:

Dog.

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About the Podcast

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The Voice of Dog
Furry stories to warm the ol' cockles, read by Rob MacWolf and guests. If you have a story that would suit the show, you can get in touch with @VoiceOfDog@meow.social on Mastodon, @voiceofdog.bsky.social on Blue Sky, or @Theodwulf on Telegram.

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