The cold mud feels good as it oozes between my toes. Where am I running to this time? The screams and yells echo in my head as I run between the branches heavy with new growth and the remnants of the recent rain.

To the barrel, I decide. Yes, I am running to the barrel. I see it in my mind, sunk in the mud of the swamp next to the decaying and collapsed cabin long since abandoned.

Panting and leaning on my knees, I reach the spot. Its still here like I trusted it would be since nobody ever ventured this far into the forest. “Who put it here?” I wonder to myself imagining a troupe of traveling thieves or escaped slaves making their mad dash for freedom and escaping their life of pain. As I wade toward the barrel through the deep muck of the swamp, I see one of my traveling companions, my faithful mutt Sabrina (aka Wiener) excitedly wagging her tail.

“leave me alone!” I shout causing her to become more animated and excited, hoping for a playful romp in the mud with me.

“go AWAY!!” I scream.

Into the muck of the swamp she jumps, so happy to be away from the house and exploring the swamp with me, while in the distance Kaiser begins barking for our location.

“Can’t I ever be alone?” I groan, my mind slipping into deep thought about how the house is always so full. I’m enjoying the solitude until I hear Weiner yelp directing my attentions to where I find her and Kaiser rolling in the tall grasses on the edges of the small swamp. How nice to be a dog I think as I trudge back out of the mud towards my frolicking friends. As I feel the water seeping up my pant leg, I’m reminded of why I ventured out here in the first place, turning back towards the barrel.

Stepping carefully through the moss covered mud towards the rickety cabin I reach the decaying wood of what once was the roof and scramble carefully up onto it, shaking the mud free from my boots. Just beyond the decaying roof lies the barrel containing my secret treasure buried there many spring times ago. Taking care not to catch myself on a rusty nail, I clamor over the rotted wood reaching the peak just in time to lose my balance and slide, landing face-first in the coolness of the mud. I roll over in time to catch Kaiser jumping from the roof to be with me in the wettness of the swamp.

Wagging his tail, he licks the mud from my eyes, whimpering for me to play with him.

“Now look at what you’ve done… stupid dog!!” I yell.

Shocked at my anger over his playfulness, I gather myself from the mud, and I pluck Kaiser up and hold his wet, filthy body to me as I mumble apologies for my outburst. The mud prevents me from keeping a good grip on him and he pushes off me back into the mud where we roll around and play for awhile.

The screams float back into my consciences from the fight still ongoing at the house, reminding me of my mission. I make my way, around the piles of wood stuck from the mud like evil spikes, towards the barrel, my waterlogged and muddy boots are heavy in the thickness of the swamp.