Glam Of Talent | Anthology

May Contest: Runner-up

Mind Games by Rutger_Galtiarii_9

1

As Jenny walked into the small, cluttered pet shop, she was immediately greeted by the faint smell of mustiness and disinfectant. The shop was dimly lit, with only a few fluorescent lights overhead, casting an eerie glow over the rows of cages lining the walls. She had been searching for the perfect pet for days: an adorable little pug. And this shop was one of the last places she had not yet visited.

The shop owner, an elderly woman with a kind face and warm smile, greeted her from behind the counter. "Welcome to my little shop," she said, her voice soft and soothing. "What brings you in today?"

Jenny explained her search for a pug, and the shop owner listened intently, her eyes sparkling with interest. When Jenny finished, she nodded thoughtfully and said, "Well, dearie, I think I might have just the thing for you."

She led Jenny to the back of the shop, where a small bundle of energy was waiting in a cozy little pen. The pug's big brown eyes gazed up at Jenny, and she was immediately smitten.

"This is the one," Jenny said, her heart racing with excitement.

The shop owner smiled, but her eyes seemed to cloud over, as she glanced around the shop nervously. "This dog is special," she said. "Very special."

Jenny smiled, thinking she was just trying to make a sale. "Special how?" she asked, bending down to pet the pug.

The elderly woman leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "This dog has... gifts. It can do things, secret things that others cannot. It's a very rare and special breed."

Jenny raised an eyebrow, unsure of what to make of her words. But as she looked into the pug's eyes, she knew this was the dog for her, and she purchased it on the spot.

As Jenny left the store, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. But she was too excited to care. She was going to name her new dog, Daisy, and she had a feeling that this bundle of joy was going to change her life forever.

2

That night Jenny had a very strange dream. She dreamt that Daisy was leading her into a labyrinth, taking her deep within the unending, twisting pathways. After what seemed like hours of following her dog, she stopped. Lost and alone, and facing a never-ending maze, she cried out. Startled, she sat up, and stared into the darkness. She tried to go back to sleep, but each time, she had the same recurring dream.

The next morning, as the sun rose over the quiet suburban neighbourhood, Jenny groggily stumbled out of bed and made her way to the kitchen to have some coffee. Having set the timer the night before, she could smell the rich aroma of the freshly percolated brew.

As she reached for the coffee pot, she was surprised to find her pug, Daisy, staring up at her with an intense look in her eyes.

"Good morning, Daisy," Jenny said, pouring herself a cup of coffee. "Did you sleep well?"

In response, Daisy grunted and snorted, licking her own nose repeatedly. Then she stared up at Jenny with an unnerving intensity. Her eyes were large, dark and glistening.

Still feeling tired, Jenny sat down at the kitchen table and sipped her coffee. Daisy followed quietly behind her, sitting at her feet, and staring at her.

Later that evening, as Jenny sat on the couch watching TV, she noticed Daisy staring at her again. The pug seemed unnaturally intelligent, and Jenny felt almost hypnotized by the dog's gaze. For some reason, she couldn't focus on the TV, and found herself repeatedly getting up and giving Daisy treats.

Over the course of the next few days, Jenny's behaviour became more erratic. She found herself doing things she wouldn't normally do, like taking Daisy on multiple walks a day and buying her expensive toys. She was spending lots of money, but it was always on the dog. And she couldn’t stop herself.

3

Jenny’s unusual behaviour continued...

One day, she unexpectedly decided to throw a big party for all the neighbourhood dogs and their owners. She had never done this before, and she didn’t know why she was doing it this time.

Despite her misgivings, she took a day off work, and spent it preparing for the party, buying decorations, dog-friendly treats and expensive gifts. As the guests arrived, Daisy strutted around the backyard, revelling in the attention.

As the party went on, Jenny again sensed something wasn't right. She couldn't actually remember wanting to have the party, and yet, here she was, hosting it. That's when she noticed Daisy staring at her from across the yard.

Then an odd thought popped into her mind: Is something... controlling me? A chill ran down her spine. However silly that thought might be, she did feel like she was losing control. And that was an odd feeling for someone like her.

Jenny always prided herself in being in control of her life. She had finished business school and was currently working at a large investment bank. Granted, she had been involved in a few questionable deals. But that was to be expected in the cut-throat world of business. Besides, Who was going to know?

Directing her attention back to the party, Jenny decided to keep a close eye on Daisy, if no other reason than to humour her paranoia.

4

A few nights later, as a storm raged outside, Jenny was sitting comfortably by the fireplace with Daisy curled up at her feet. Suddenly, a flash of lightning illuminated the room. In that brief moment, she saw Daisy's eyes shine with an otherworldly light. The pug then stood up, barred its teeth, and growled.

“Daisy, what are doing?” Jenny yelled.

The pug looked at her as though ready to challenge her. Then, it suddenly stopped growling, and immediately laid down. Turning its head, it looked at her...

Terrified, Jenny remembered the old pet store lady’s words: "This dog... can do things, secret things that others cannot.”

She stared at her dog again and slowly backed away, frightened. She now felt that hidden behind Daisy’s cute facade was a dark, sinister force that was trying to control her.

It was at this moment she made the decision to remove Daisy from her home. So far, the pug’s activities were centred mainly on its own selfish interests: toys, food, parties. These were relatively harmless – but expensive – activities. However, there was no telling what dangerous – and harmful – things the pug had planned for her in the days ahead.

The more Jenny thought about it, the more determined she was to get rid of the dog. She wanted to return Daisy to the pet shop right away. But she had a busy work week, involving lots of overtime, so it would have to wait until the weekend.

In the meantime, she had to control Daisy’s ability. She placed Daisy in her dog cage and kept her in it every night. She continued to give her treats, but it was only the inexpensive kind, and only at a set time. She also took her out for walks, but only twice a day. And whenever she was around Daisy, she made sure to wear headphones, with the music on blast, in order to resist the pug’s controlling thoughts.

She vowed to never fall under Daisy's spell again.

Finally, on the day she was going to return the pug to the pet shop, Jenny awoke to discover the television in her bedroom had been turned on. At first, the screen displayed only static. Then it cleared... and a written message appeared:

I know all your secrets. Obey me... or else.

Shocked, Jenny stared at the television screen. She tried to get up from her bed, but discovered she could not move.

Then, she looked down and saw Daisy sitting on the floor next to her bed. Somehow, she had gotten out of her cage. And beside the pug was Jenny’s smashed headphones.

The pug, its dark eyes glistening, stared up at her.

It was smiling...