We hovered over the dog, our flashlights cutting through the dim light of the hallway, searching for signs of movement, for entry wounds, for anything that would confirm our growing, irrational dread.
We were already mentally drafting the late-night emergency vet visit. We were calculating the costs, bracing for the worst-case scenario, and feeling that heavy, sinking weight in our stomachs that only comes when you fear for a helpless creature you love.
The silence in the room was suffocating, broken only by the dog’s confused, rhythmic panting. We were trapped in a feedback loop of fear, where every shadow looked like a tentacle and every fiber of the dog’s coat seemed to be concealing a deeper, darker secret.
