[ WP ] You are stranded on a deserted island all by yourself for years , when you get rescued . You express your surprise that people are still looking for you after all this time , when one of the rescuers says that you 've only been gone for three days .

The woods buzzed around me. I paused and looked among the trees for any sign of the enemy. I was still safe, for now. I tread wearily along the path as it seemed like I always had. It had been days since my last contact with humanity. 
 
 I passed the long broken cord whose presence reminded me of the attack - the attack which was also, of course, the last time I had seen Hugh. Hugh was my best friend and since I had known him all of my life I knew all about his troubles. He had saved me once, long ago, and I had sworn to him that I would protect him anytime he was in need. My failure on the day of the attack still hurt to remember, and every week that passed only seemed to add to my loss. I had spotted his assailants from a distance - old enemies who seemed to anticipate our travels, and followed ahead of us everywhere we went. The ferocity of my advance had scared them witless and they fled before me into the depths of the woods. I cried out and gave chase until my legs were tired and my lungs burned and the aggressors were nowhere to be found. 
 
 I lowered myself to the ground to catch my breath, and I looked back to reassure Hugh - but he was not there! I knew well how cunning these enemies could be, and the thought of my closest friend being in danger due to my negligence wounded me deeply. I cursed myself, thinking of how stupid my actions had been. And now I had to live with the fact that I never did find him again. 
 
 My reverie ended, and blinking away tears, suddenly all the long months of my isolation seemed to stretch out on the path in both directions. I broke down and fell to the ground. Sitting, I leaned my head back and bared my broken soul to the woods around me with a long, mournful bellow. I felt unable to go on. I laid down on the path. The sounds of the woods were my only company. 
 
 Lost in my misery, I did not notice the rustling beside the path until it was close. Fearing that I had been surprised by the very enemy that had disposed of my friend all those years ago, I leapt up and snarled a curse so vile it would have wilted the Spring flowers around them. 
 
 I heard a gasp, and then a familiar voice said, `` There you are!'' 
 
 It was Hugh! I was found! I jumped and rolled on the ground before him, unable to contain my delight. I ran to him and licked his face wildly. His laughter melted away all of my pain from our decades of separation. He rustled the hair on my back. My tail happily swatted the heads off of dandelions as I danced around him. 
 
 `` Come on boy, we're going to be late getting home tonight.'' He picked up the broken leash. `` Mom's going to kill us for this. But maybe she'll forgive you since you did save me from those vicious squirrels.''
