Max was standing behind the gate of a house. It was your usual house which you would see in any neighborhood. A big lawn, a pool, and a car parked in the garage. The one odd thing was, that Max was there with a silver-colored chain around his neck, attached to a pole. He appeared impatient like he was looking for someone. He also seemed quite uncomfortable with the tight chain leaving no room for air around his neck. And he was moving furiously, forcing a smile on his face, from one end of the gate as far as the chain can reach to another.

Meanwhile, Charlie was on a walk around the block and it was his first time seeing Max. He looked surprised seeing him chained so barbarically. But, Charlie was new in town and didn’t know if this was a norm here. Yet, he couldn’t stop looking at a fellow brother in pain. He saw the gate was open as he carefully entered through it. Max looked taller than expected as Charlie approached him.

He walked up to him and said, “Hold on! I’ll get these chains off of you!” trying to see if there was an opening where he could remove the chain. Max kept moving and almost ignored Charlie. Charlie didn’t give up as he tried to pull the chain from the gate as hard as he could. Max finally noticed him, he stopped and said, “Oh, the chains can’t actually restrain me. I appreciate the thought, though!” with a big smile. Charlie looked puzzled. He moved closer to Max ignoring the chain and asked, “Then why don’t you free yourself? It’s clearly hurting you brother, look at this rash” pointing it out with his hand. “Oh, that’s just me being silly. I tend to move around a lot to reduce my anxiety and the chain must have hurt my neck. I am getting used to it” he said, looking around.

Max sat down and added, “And, I am not trying to escape. My older brother chained me. I’m sure he must be coming back soon”. Charlie’s curiosity grew, he hadn’t met anyone like Max who wanted to be chained and was happy about it.

“I don’t understand, how could your brother do this to you and you don’t mind it?” Charlie asked as he sat down next to Max.

“No no, he is so sweet. He loves me a lot, and he’s just overprotective of me. He would be so sad if I escaped.” He said looking at the gate. “I never saw you in this neighborhood, where’s your brother and how are you not worried? And what are those scars all over your body, you look hurt.”

“Wow, slow down. Too many questions. I am new in town, moved in here with a friend. And my brother? Um, he passed away last year. It’s quite rough on the streets, he got killed by a rival gang. You should know, that it’s tough for us out there. Hence the scars too.”

“Oh, I am so sorry to hear that” Max said with teary eyes and hugged Charlie. “I have never been out in the streets without my brother or parents, so I don’t know what it’s like. Is it horrible out there?”

“You don’t know? The neighboring towns are crazy, we fight for food every day. Rival gangs. And we get hunted out every week. What’s left of our group moved here as it seemed more peaceful but looking at you chained like this, I don’t know which is worse.”

Max was shocked at this point. He never knew what exactly was out there. His home was happy enough for him, he got food, an amazing family, and a great brother to play with. He was always chained when they got out but he never really questioned it. “Well, I love my family and they do too. I don’t have to fight for food and no one hunts me, it’s the other way around, I get to hunt a few flying beings sometimes.” he added with a chuckle, quickly turning to a straight face, “But, I never hurt a soul. I’m just playful”. He said looking at Charlie. “You should stay with me, I am sure my parents would be okay with that”.

“Haha, I can see you are playful. Hmm, how are your parents like? Are they sweet and have golden yellow hair like you?”

“They sure are sweeter! But, no, they got blue hair but only over their head. You should meet them, they will be out any moment”

Charlie realized who Max was talking about. “Do you mean the two-legged monsters who hunted us? They are all the same!” Charlie said furiously as he stood up. “They took away my parents, beat us up whenever we are spotted on the street and look at you, chain you like you are a slave. Just because they give you food, doesn’t give them the right to keep you like this”.

Max tried to calm him down as he gave him another hug, “Maybe not all two-legged beings are monsters, it’s so messed up what happened to you but, trust me, they are my family. I did get off the chains a bunch of times but it made my family so sad, I realized they needed me as much as I needed them. This chain is just for their assurance, you know?”

Charlie couldn’t wrap his head around what Max was trying to explain. Then he heard someone approaching them, it was a two-legged being like he imagined but this being was small. Charlie sprinted away with terror for safety but not so far as he wanted to see if he should save Max.

Max jumped with happiness as the two-legged being approached him. His tail wagged like a windshield wiper on a rainy day. He licked all over the being’s hand. Charlie never saw someone that happy. He stood there perplexed. The being removed the chain tied to the fence and hugged Max. “I was only gone for two minutes to get the ice cream, here’s yours Max” he said. Max didn’t understand what he said, but he was happy his Hooman was back and hey, the ice cream too. He started walking Max into his home as Charlie approached him.

“See, told you the two-legged beings are nice. Meet my brother, his name is Alex. Our parents are inside. I can introduce them to you too”. Alex turned out to see who Max was barking at.

Charlie was speechless and scared at the same time. “Oh, who are you cute boi?” Alex approached Charlie as he saw his scars. “Someone hurt you bad, you want this ice cream?” He said offering his own.å Alex’s parents heard the noises and came out of the house.

Charlie just stood there for a while. As soon as he saw two big 2-legged beings come out, he grabbed the ice cream and ran away. Alex’s dad picked him up and asked, “Hey son, where’s your ice cream?”.

“I gave it to the doge out there, he is hurt dad. Can we help him?” Alex asked. Alex’s dad walked to Charlie and he sprinted away. “He seems scared. Maybe another time”, he said as it was getting dark.

Max was too delighted to see his parents, he was dancing with happiness and said to Charlie, “Have hope on the two-legged beings my brother, not everyone wants to hurt you.”

Charlie smiled as he took a bite of the ice cream. He heard footsteps of someone walk to him as he turned around. It was his friend Bhasker. “There you are! I was looking all over for you. This town is crazy Charlie, they have got brothers and sisters like us tied up. What’s happening out here?”

“The two-legged beings are not bad as we think they are Bhasker, here try this thing they gave me”

“Really? Don’t believe them, they are all monsters, brother.” He said tasting the ice cream. “Sweet lord, this tastes heavenly.” Bhasker looked at Charlie whose eyes were fixated on Max. “Look at him, how could be let those monsters chain him up and make a slave? And he’s so happy about it!” Bhasker grunted.

Charlie gave one last look as Max smiled at him and said, “Chains can’t restrain him. He’s a good boi.”