ou'll do what I say and I say you're not going out." Zach opened his mouth to object, but a gasp came out as he was slapped across the face. "Don't even think about taking back." Zach frowned "but It's...." again he was interrupted, but this time with a punch to the face. He staggered back clutching his cheek. He began to cry and was hit again this time his upper arm. "Shut up with the crocodile tears is doesn't hurt." Zach did his best to stop crying knowing it would make things worse. He just wished he could go see his mom. It was her birthday and the whole family was getting together. He knew he wasn't going and pulled out his phone to say he couldn't make it<br/><br/>"That was about a month before my family helped me get away from him." Dan nodded and wrote something down. "did it take that long for your family to realize you were in an abusive relationship?" Zach shook his head "no they kind of knew before, but I wasn't ready to leave him." Dan nodded and again wrote something down. "Can you tell me what made you realize you had to get out?" Zach was quiet and tried thinking of that night, but it made his stomach drop and he shook his head vehemently. "Okay okay we don't have to talk about it today." Zach relaxed a little and gave a grateful smile. Dan was good at knowing when to drop a subject. He pushed Zach, but not too far or too hard. Dan looked at the clock "that's all the time we have for today Zach I'll see you same time next week." Zach nodded and got up shaking Dan's hand before he left.<br/><br/>Zach headed to Crashes Landing. A no kill animal shelter that he worked at. He was actually the accountant, but he helped also worked with the animals on a voluntary basis. Today he had to go over the books, but then he'd go help out. He'd take a few of the dogs for a walk, maybe help groom some of the cats. Whatever they needed done. Supposedly they were getting someone new and he was worried about meeting them. He use to be great with new people and while he'd gotten over having panic attacks everything he met someone new it still made him wary.<br/><br/>Zach didn't have the ability to communicate with animals. He knew a few people who could, but if didn't run in his family. He'd always wanted to be able to talk to pets, but accepted he couldn't. Still he liked seeing what people who could talk to animals heard. He faintly remembered the new guy could talk to snakes and thought of the small collection of snakes the shelter had. They didn't take in that many snakes, but it was preferable to setting them free where they could get in trouble.