Adventures of MGTB: Ep 1

𝓬𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 𝓽𝓱𝓻𝓮𝓮

Chapter 3
Emma G.

I put my empty plate in the sink and let the water wash the leftover sauce down the drain. Lunch is already cold now. I left Theo's plate sitting on the counter for when he comes back, but he's still gone. By now, it's definitely been more than an hour since he left.

"What could that guy be possibly doing outside in this weather for so long?" I mutter to nobody in particular, chucking the pasta on his plate into a spare container to put in the fridge. If he wants to eat lunch, he's going to have to reheat it himself.

Nitro goes on his hourly barking fit again. BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! He leaps off the couch, scurrying over as he jumps onto me. Almost falling, I stumble back and push the stupid dog off of me.

"Bad dog!" I yell awkwardly. "Um. Stop it. Get off. Sleep or something." I don't know how Theo has done it. Maybe one of his magic tricks is the ability to completely tame a dog. Every time he's here, Nitro doesn't bark a word. It's like he can understand Theo completely but ignores everything I say.

It's not my fault I don't like dogs. I never wanted one, but Theo's been wanting a dog his whole life. It's the only thing he's ever asked for and since we sort of don't have any friends or outside connections, I felt bad to not let him get one. So we made a deal — if we did get a dog, he'd be the one looking after it and taking care of it. Not me.

Nitro doesn't go away though, and he doesn't stop barking either. Instead he bites me on the leg, his frantic barking only growing louder. The annoyance on my face disappears. Nitro has never bitten me. Ever.

I step back and watch as he goes berserk, running around in circles and barking. My whole life I could never understand that dog. But right now for the first time I think I can. A compunctuous wave of uneasiness and trepidation washes over me. He's trying to warn me about something.

I bend down with my hands on my knees, worry arising in my expression. "What is it, Nitro?"

The dog barks, running over to the hallway console. He knocks his head on the table before jumping up, his paws clawing at an object in the tray. Following him, I notice what he's clawing at. Theo's phone. He left it on the console.

Theo was only going to go get a pack of icy poles from just down the road. If he was planning on going anywhere for longer than an hour he'd always bring his phone with him. I turn to face the dog in dread, and even knowing he's just a dog, I feel we both have come to the same alarming conclusion. Something's wrong.

"Nitro, stay here. I'll be back soon." I order, pointing at the ground. I grab the spare keys and dash out the apartment door, throwing on some shoes before sprinting down the corridor.

—

Thick layers of sweat cover every inch of my skin, pouring down my forehead. My heart pumps like a hammer drill through my ribcage. Adrenaline has never coursed through my veins so fast before. I dart down the streets, ignoring the burning UV rays and the chirping birds and kids playing with water guns. Approaching at the end of the street is a traffic intersection. All the care I have about road rules and safety are thrown out of the window as I run through it. Cars slide to a stop around me to avoid hitting me, all honking and beeping their horns at one another. But I couldn't care less.

Swivelling down the footpath, I take a turn and run down another street. My feet fly over stones and gravel as I thrust forward, my breathing coming in short gasps. The blood flow to my legs is so hot I feel my entire body from the waist below go numb. I take the last turn down the block where the convenience store should be. As I do, I notice the streets here are completely devoid of people and cars. Is this place closed off?