Short breaths. That is all I could hear as I was walking home from school. My parents were out of town for the week; thus, I was by myself. As I was walking down the path that led to my home, I had this sensation of uncertainty. I felt the hair on my skin rise as anxiousness took over my body. I started walking faster as I saw my home in the distance with the faint noise of barking coming from that direction. Once I finally reached the gravel pathway, I stepped up to the entrance. That is when I heard a branch snapping behind me. Quickly, I turned around to see nothing, only a dark abyss. I sighed and opened the door, shutting and locking it behind me. That is when I was attacked by a ferocious beast or, you could call him Doli, the Great Pyrenees. He gave me slobbery kisses and not far behind him was his favorite stuffed bear. He always takes it with him everywhere, even to go to the bathroom! I stood up after a while and looked around the house to see if anything was messed up. As I was looking around the house, I saw something dash past the window. I went to look to see what it was, only to see nothing, only the evening sky and the silhouettes of the woodland behind my house. 

“Must be my imagination,” I spoke to myself as I walked away from the window.

When I turned my attention back to my dog he was already at the back door, stuffed bear in mouth, waiting to be let out to do his business. As I let him outside, I got that sensation of uncertainty again. It has been a long day, so perhaps I’m just tired. A few minutes later, I hear Doli scratching at the back door. As I let him in, he was walking weirdly. 

“Doli?” I questioned my dog as he would understand me.

Doli stops and stares at me like I grew two heads. We sat there for what felt like hours. His eyes looked different, almost human-like. He eventually started to walk again over to his dog bed to sleep for the night. 

“Am I going insane?” I ask myself.

I decided to let it go because I was tired and just wanted the day to end, so I walked upstairs as nothing major had happened. I finally was able to go to bed and just be done for the day. I saw my dog in the corner of my eye as I succumbed to the darkness. 

Scratching. That is all I could hear as I opened my eyes slowly. Turning over, I looked at the clock to see red blinking digits on my face. One-thirty AM. Sighing, I got up to see what the scratching was all about. As I was walking downstairs, the noise was getting louder. I couldn’t see Doli anywhere. When I finally made it downstairs, I was able to locate where the noise was coming from, the back door. I gradually made my way over to see if I could catch a glimpse of anything through the small window. I was only able to make out a small figure. Quickly, I ran to the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and made my way back over to the back door. I unlocked it slowly, and the door opened, revealing my dog Doli wagging his tail with his bear in his mouth. I froze as I heard an inhumane growl behind me. Noticing the shadow of what I thought was my dog growing behind me. Sh*t.