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The shrill barks of Doc, their usually decile terrier, echoed through the silent halls of the house. Blake, sitting on the edge of the tub with a bowl of cereal in her lap, winced at the sound. Across from her, Izzie had her back to the door.
"That dog is possessed," Blake declared through a mouthful of cereal, her spoon clattering dramatically in the bowl. "Did someone steal our Doc and swap it with a wild animal or something?"
Izzie, clutching a mug of coffee, shot her a worried glance. The frantic barking only intensified, punctuated by a low growl that sent shivers down their spines.
"I know, right?" Izzie whispered, her voice tight.
The barking abruptly stopped, replaced by an unsettling silence. Blake frowned, a knot of unease tightening in her stomach. "Am I the only one who—"
Blake's sentence was drowned out by the sound of approaching footsteps and George's muffled shouts.
"Izzie! Blake! Incoming!"
Izzie scrambled to unlock the door just as George burst through, panting and wide-eyed. He slammed the door shut with a bang as a thunderous bark erupted from the other side.
Silence descended once more, broken only by the sound of Izzie taking a sip of coffee and Blake eating her cereal.
"You know," Izzie said lightly, trying to mask her anxiety, "I'm thinking about coloring my hair. Maybe red."
"Red would look good on you," Blake nodded. "I thought about going blonde."
"Yeah, red's good," George sighed. "And blonde's great. I was thinking about cutting mine," he revealed.
"Yeah? It'll look good shorter."
"You think?" George wondered, a little surprised.
Just then, a soft whine came from outside the door, followed by the unmistakable sound of scratching. They all exchanged nervous glances.
