Dog Boy

30

Lucas typed rapidly away on the analog keyboard, testing out line of code after line of code. He typed in a change, tested it, and observed the results, writing them down in a document. He'd been at this for an hour. It was his routine every day after getting home - much to Meagan's displeasure.

Every morning he got the old laptop out, typing away before getting ready, and he did all he could after getting home from work. At work, he had access to machines that weren't astounding, but far better than this old thing. But when he wasn't at work, he needed a way to keep going, keep testing. The laptop was an ancient thing, being as much as ten years old. It wasn't able to compact, change into a tablet, or any other modern conveniences - but he liked the feeling of the analog keys.

It continued on and on, comparing the canis virus that was actively changing people throughout the world, and the later cancer treatments that had proved inert. Somewhere, he was certain, he would find the key to unlock this. It was incredibly unlikely he'd discover that key when he was combing through the virus's instructions by hand, rather than using an AI or a supercomputer - or both, but doing nothing on this pained him.

"Dad?"

Lucas jumped a little at Ashley poking her head into the bedroom. She now had completely changed. Covered entirely in fur, two big drooping ears. She was so... different.

"Yes?" Lucas asked, making only a slight glance to her. He'd learned that looking directly at Matt or Ashley often led him to involuntarily making a displeased expression - and so not looking directly at them, while unkind, was preferable to the alternative.

"Mom has dinner ready."

"Alright," Lucas said, "tell her to put mine in the oven for now."

"She said specifically she wants you to come now."

Lucas let out a long pained sigh. It hurt him to not be working on this - but his nonstop working had been straining Meagan. They'd had a tense conversation several nights ago, where she said some things that sounded a lot like a suggestion to give up. He wished he had responded to her better.

"Okay," Lucas said, "I'm coming."

He got off of his and Meagan's bed, and made himself look presentable in the mirror the best he could. Walking out into the kitchen, he found a different scene than normal - the table was actually set, with a nice pork loin dinner.

Lucas suddenly realized how hungry he was - and hungry specifically for real meaningful food, not the bare essential, fast food stuff he'd been shoveling in. He immediately felt a deep guilt wash over him as he looked to his wife and children, and joined them sitting down.

He had been neglecting them. So much had happened, and he had responded with contempt rather than the love and nurturing a father should provide. Ashley and Matt were feeling more and more distant from him. He'd grown so obsessed with curing their disease at some future date, that he hadn't given mind to caring for them in the present.

There was a moment of awkward silence at the table. It had been a great deal of time, weeks, since they had actually sat around as a family at the table. He caught the gaze of Matt and Ashley, and looked deeply into their altered appearances. Lucas desperately wanted to help them feel like their home was a place they could relax - but then he looked at how they had changed...

"Eh hem," Meagan said.

Lucas looked to her, and she bowed her head - and began saying grace. Lucas was surprised, and the kids seemed to be as well. It had been... a very, very long time since something like this. The impression from Meagan was very clear - she felt that their family needed serious help.