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“I’m just over there, I won’t be long!” Klonoa points down the street to the bakery. It was just past a construction site for some new hardware store.

“Geeze, again with the bakery, Klo? You’re going to be so fat…” I sniff. The kid has a real sweet-tooth. Klonoa sticks out his tongue. “I’m going to get bread, stupid! We’re out!”
I stick a fist to my hip and quirk an eyebrow.  “Mhm… And a few danishes just happen to find their way into the bag each time, right?”

“Well, I buy you one every time, but you never eat it! I can’t exactly let it go to waste…”
I roll my eyes. “Of course not. I’ve told you before I hate sugary things like that!”

“Ugh- fine! I just won’t buy you anything anymore.” He pouts and scrunches up his nose. Goddess, he looks funny when he does that.

“Whatever, babe. See you soon.” I wave him off and head into the item shop.

Sigh…
Prices went up yet again. I can barely afford ammunition anymore. I dunno what I’m going to do for Klonoa’s birthday in a couple of weeks…

After purchasing out staples, I walk back to the street. Klonoa is already walking back, a large bag in each arm. I see a loaf of bread poking out of one of them, but I suppose I get to wait ‘till we get home to discover what sweet confectionaries they’re otherwise stuffed with.

Ha, ha, we’d probably have more money if I didn’t let him buy all that… But you just can’t say “no” when he pulls out his ‘puppy-dog-eyes’ routine. Quivering bottom lip and all. And just when you think those golden eyes can’t get any bigger, they do.
I swear he practices in front of a mirror.

He knows how to work me, the buggar.

Hen smiles at me form the other side of the construction mess.

Suddenly, there’s a lot of creaking and someone yells “stop”. Klonoa looks up and so do I.
There’s this horrible, bone-chilling sound: a metallic snap, like an elevator wire going taut in the movies.

The bright and sunny day turns abruptly overcast and I watch in slow-motion as an iron i-beam comes down, hits the ground on the other side of the fence then falls to the side and crushes his fragile frame.
I stand, rooted to the spot. I can’t cry out. I want to run to help; every nerve in my body screaming at me to do so, but I am motionless. Fucking motionless.

This…This isn’t happening…! It can’t!
It’s just a dream! It has to be!

So wake up… Wake up Guntz!
Wake up already…

…”Wake up.”  Ugh…No way… Too early…
“Guntz. Guntz.  Wake up, you lazy bum!”

“Wha?” I squinted in the morning light as my eyes adjusted.
Klonoa, who apparently was hovering over me, gave a bubbly giggle. “Hurry up and put some pants and a shirt on. Today’s shopping day!” When I could finally focus, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.

“Klo… Klonoa, is it really you?” “Who else were you expecting?” I think I must have scared the crap out of him when I grabbed him next but I just couldn’t believe it.

“It was a dream… Thank the Goddess it was a dream…” I squeezed him tight. “Have I told you I love you?” “G-Guntz? What’s wrong?” He struggled faintly under my grip.
I sighed and let go. “Don’t worry about it. I just had some weird-ass dream is all.” I wasn’t going to tell him what happened, he’d be paranoid. A face like his should never know fear, only smiles and the occasional cute pout.

Klonoa looked at me quizzically. “What was it about?” I kissed him gently to shut him up. “Don’t worry about it, babe, okay?” He gave me another look, but then seemed satisfied with my answer, as he leapt from the bed and padded down the hallway, wearing only blue boxer shorts with the pattern of the yellow pieces that adorned his hat. “C’mon! I wanna get going soon!”

I have never seen anyone so excited to go shopping. Ever.

“Oh!” We’re out of milk!” I head him squeal followed by the opening and closing of cupboard doors. “And a whole bunch of other stuff, too!”
I shook my head and went about dressing.

When I came into the kitchen, I saw Klonoa warming up left-over hash browns in a pan.
“Not even bread! Wow, do we need groceries.” He said

We sat down and ate. It wasn’t the best breakfast, but neither of us was exactly a gourmet chef.

I picked at the not as burnt pieces of potato and mumbled,” I need to pick up some more bullets and stuff, too…” “Right! So hurry up and eat!” Klonoa said as he took his plate and cutlery to the sink, Man, was he being loud. And what was with him and hurrying today? I decided to voice one of my concerns, “What is it with you and hurrying today? You’re gonna rush right through life! Stop and smell the flowers, Klo.”
“Flour… We need that as well.” He scribbled it down on a scrap of paper. “I just want to get this shopping over and done with so we can enjoy this beautiful day!” I snorted and put my plate by his. “Oh, and Guntz, you sound like a hippie.”

*~

I yawned as we made our way down the street to town.
The sun was bright and high in the sky.
“Goddess, I can’t function without a cup of coffee…” I mumbled. “Coffee!” Klonoa repeated and pressed the shopping list to the side of a building to write it down. I heard a small snap and jumped, watching the skies.

“Aw, man. I broke the stupid pencil! Oh, well. If I forget, I forget. Who needs coffee on a day like today?” Cue dramatic spin and fruity music…

“Not everyone can be on a natural high like you, Klonoa.” What? I’m grumpy without my morning coffee, and Klonoa’s not all that easy to deal with sometimes…

“Hee, hee, whatever. I’m going to get the bread. You get what you need then we can finish off at the super market, ‘kay? I won’t be long, so neither should you!” Klonoa said and skipped off humming some happy tune. “ Hey! Easy on the danishes and doughnuts, alright?” I reminded him. He stopped and turned around. “Aw, you’re no fun… I’ll get you one!”

“Eugh… No thanks… I’ve told you a hundred times before I don’t like sweet stuff.” Sugar rots your teeth. Then you’ve gotta go to the dentist. No thank you.
“Fine, more for me.”

“Don’t forget the bread, huh?” He just waved me off and walked past a construction job, which I watched with caution. Everything looked fine, but… Bah, now I’m paranoid!

“It was a stupid dream, you idiot…” I reminded myself. When I finally accepted this, I looked into the shop window. “Whaaat? C’mon! That’s bloody highway robbery! Supply and demand my ass; companies are just being gravy sucking pigs!” A couple passers-by looked at me funny. The hell with them.

“Hey, stop! Stop!” someone yelled.

I whipped around. “Klonoa!!”

Klonoa stopped and jumped out of the way of a fallen power tool.
I ran over to him. “Klonoa, holy hell, are you okay?” I hadn’t run that far but my heart beat wildly.

He got up and brushed himself off. “Yeah, I’m fine, are you?” Did I look that freaked? Well, I had good reason to be, but he doesn’t need to know that.
“Yeah. I’ll get my ammo another time, I’ll go with you.”
“Why?” Damn… “Can’t I just walk with you?” It came out a little rougher than I wanted it to.

Klonoa flinched. “Geeze, okay, alright…”

We got to the bakery and picked out what we needed (and a lot of what we didn’t). As we lined up for check out Klonoa groaned.

“What?” I asked as he frantically dug around in his pockets. “I dropped my wallet. Here, you hold these,” he shoved the bags into my arms. “and hold our place in line. I think I dropped it back at the construction site. Be right back!” He was out the door before I could stop him.

I dropped the bags and rushed outside.
There was the i-beam, and Klonoa kneeling on the other side, looking for his wallet.

There was the snap, just as bone-chilling.
The sound upon impact was deafening and the bar hit the ground with such  force that Klonoa fell on his face. It swayed to the side, but Klonoa hadn’t seen it yet.

But this time I can run.

There is no slow-motion this time.

I bolted to him.

And I was a fraction of a second too late…

“It…It’s just another dream...!” I said to myself.

People came rushing over. I saw Klonoa was still alive, but no matter how much I didn’t want to believe it, I knew he wasn’t going to make it.

Description
“I’m just over there, I won’t be long!” Klonoa points down the street to the bakery. It was just past a construction site for some new hardware store.

“Geeze, again with the bakery, Klo? You’re going to be so fat…” I sniff. The kid has a real sweet-tooth. Klonoa sticks out his tongue. “I’m going to get bread, stupid! We’re out!”
I stick a fist to my hip and quirk an eyebrow.  “Mhm… And a few danishes just happen to find their way into the bag each time, right?”

“Well, I buy you one every time, but you never eat it! I can’t exactly let it go to waste…”
I roll my eyes. “Of course not. I’ve told you before I hate sugary things like that!”

“Ugh- fine! I just won’t buy you anything anymore.” He pouts and scrunches up his nose. Goddess, he looks funny when he does that.

“Whatever, babe. See you soon.” I wave him off and head into the item shop.

Sigh…
Prices went up yet again. I can barely afford ammunition anymore. I dunno what I’m going to do for Klonoa’s birthday in a couple of weeks…

After purchasing out staples, I walk back to the street. Klonoa is already walking back, a large bag in each arm. I see a loaf of bread poking out of one of them, but I suppose I get to wait ‘till we get home to discover what sweet confectionaries they’re otherwise stuffed with.

Ha, ha, we’d probably have more money if I didn’t let him buy all that… But you just can’t say “no” when he pulls out his ‘puppy-dog-eyes’ routine. Quivering bottom lip and all. And just when you think those golden eyes can’t get any bigger, they do.
I swear he practices in front of a mirror.

He knows how to work me, the buggar.

Hen smiles at me form the other side of the construction mess.

Suddenly, there’s a lot of creaking and someone yells “stop”. Klonoa looks up and so do I.
There’s this horrible, bone-chilling sound: a metallic snap, like an elevator wire going taut in the movies.

The bright and sunny day turns abruptly overcast and I watch in slow-motion as an iron i-beam comes down, hits the ground on the other side of the fence then falls to the side and crushes his fragile frame.
I stand, rooted to the spot. I can’t cry out. I want to run to help; every nerve in my body screaming at me to do so, but I am motionless. Fucking motionless.

This…This isn’t happening…! It can’t!
It’s just a dream! It has to be!

So wake up… Wake up Guntz!
Wake up already…

…”Wake up.”  Ugh…No way… Too early…
“Guntz. Guntz.  Wake up, you lazy bum!”

“Wha?” I squinted in the morning light as my eyes adjusted.
Klonoa, who apparently was hovering over me, gave a bubbly giggle. “Hurry up and put some pants and a shirt on. Today’s shopping day!” When I could finally focus, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.

“Klo… Klonoa, is it really you?” “Who else were you expecting?” I think I must have scared the crap out of him when I grabbed him next but I just couldn’t believe it.

“It was a dream… Thank the Goddess it was a dream…” I squeezed him tight. “Have I told you I love you?” “G-Guntz? What’s wrong?” He struggled faintly under my grip.
I sighed and let go. “Don’t worry about it. I just had some weird-ass dream is all.” I wasn’t going to tell him what happened, he’d be paranoid. A face like his should never know fear, only smiles and the occasional cute pout.

Klonoa looked at me quizzically. “What was it about?” I kissed him gently to shut him up. “Don’t worry about it, babe, okay?” He gave me another look, but then seemed satisfied with my answer, as he leapt from the bed and padded down the hallway, wearing only blue boxer shorts with the pattern of the yellow pieces that adorned his hat. “C’mon! I wanna get going soon!”

I have never seen anyone so excited to go shopping. Ever.

“Oh!” We’re out of milk!” I head him squeal followed by the opening and closing of cupboard doors. “And a whole bunch of other stuff, too!”
I shook my head and went about dressing.

When I came into the kitchen, I saw Klonoa warming up left-over hash browns in a pan.
“Not even bread! Wow, do we need groceries.” He said

We sat down and ate. It wasn’t the best breakfast, but neither of us was exactly a gourmet chef.

I picked at the not as burnt pieces of potato and mumbled,” I need to pick up some more bullets and stuff, too…” “Right! So hurry up and eat!” Klonoa said as he took his plate and cutlery to the sink, Man, was he being loud. And what was with him and hurrying today? I decided to voice one of my concerns, “What is it with you and hurrying today? You’re gonna rush right through life! Stop and smell the flowers, Klo.”
“Flour… We need that as well.” He scribbled it down on a scrap of paper. “I just want to get this shopping over and done with so we can enjoy this beautiful day!” I snorted and put my plate by his. “Oh, and Guntz, you sound like a hippie.”

*~

I yawned as we made our way down the street to town.
The sun was bright and high in the sky.
“Goddess, I can’t function without a cup of coffee…” I mumbled. “Coffee!” Klonoa repeated and pressed the shopping list to the side of a building to write it down. I heard a small snap and jumped, watching the skies.

“Aw, man. I broke the stupid pencil! Oh, well. If I forget, I forget. Who needs coffee on a day like today?” Cue dramatic spin and fruity music…

“Not everyone can be on a natural high like you, Klonoa.” What? I’m grumpy without my morning coffee, and Klonoa’s not all that easy to deal with sometimes…

“Hee, hee, whatever. I’m going to get the bread. You get what you need then we can finish off at the super market, ‘kay? I won’t be long, so neither should you!” Klonoa said and skipped off humming some happy tune. “ Hey! Easy on the danishes and doughnuts, alright?” I reminded him. He stopped and turned around. “Aw, you’re no fun… I’ll get you one!”

“Eugh… No thanks… I’ve told you a hundred times before I don’t like sweet stuff.” Sugar rots your teeth. Then you’ve gotta go to the dentist. No thank you.
“Fine, more for me.”

“Don’t forget the bread, huh?” He just waved me off and walked past a construction job, which I watched with caution. Everything looked fine, but… Bah, now I’m paranoid!

“It was a stupid dream, you idiot…” I reminded myself. When I finally accepted this, I looked into the shop window. “Whaaat? C’mon! That’s bloody highway robbery! Supply and demand my ass; companies are just being gravy sucking pigs!” A couple passers-by looked at me funny. The hell with them.

“Hey, stop! Stop!” someone yelled.

I whipped around. “Klonoa!!”

Klonoa stopped and jumped out of the way of a fallen power tool.
I ran over to him. “Klonoa, holy hell, are you okay?” I hadn’t run that far but my heart beat wildly.

He got up and brushed himself off. “Yeah, I’m fine, are you?” Did I look that freaked? Well, I had good reason to be, but he doesn’t need to know that.
“Yeah. I’ll get my ammo another time, I’ll go with you.”
“Why?” Damn… “Can’t I just walk with you?” It came out a little rougher than I wanted it to.

Klonoa flinched. “Geeze, okay, alright…”

We got to the bakery and picked out what we needed (and a lot of what we didn’t). As we lined up for check out Klonoa groaned.

“What?” I asked as he frantically dug around in his pockets. “I dropped my wallet. Here, you hold these,” he shoved the bags into my arms. “and hold our place in line. I think I dropped it back at the construction site. Be right back!” He was out the door before I could stop him.

I dropped the bags and rushed outside.
There was the i-beam, and Klonoa kneeling on the other side, looking for his wallet.

There was the snap, just as bone-chilling.
The sound upon impact was deafening and the bar hit the ground with such  force that Klonoa fell on his face. It swayed to the side, but Klonoa hadn’t seen it yet.

But this time I can run.

There is no slow-motion this time.

I bolted to him.

And I was a fraction of a second too late…

“It…It’s just another dream...!” I said to myself.

People came rushing over. I saw Klonoa was still alive, but no matter how much I didn’t want to believe it, I knew he wasn’t going to make it.