The Roar of the Night

4

After what happened with Scorpion at the hotel, Alex decided it would be best to get out of town for a while, get away from the chaos while our house was still undergoing repairs. It wasn't easy to convince me, but we finally agreed to go to his mother's house, on the outskirts, a quiet place where Alex believed we would be safe. **I knew that calm never lasted long**, but I accepted because Alex needed it.

When we arrived, **Alex's mother, Clara, greeted us with a mixture of affection and amazement**, especially when she saw me. Her boyfriend, Tom, was behind her, watching me with a suspicious look. **I was wearing the mask**, only revealing the lower part of my face so as not to scare them too much.

—Is this Rex? Clara asked, trying to sound calm, although her voice trembled slightly.

—Yes, mom. **It's him** —said Alex, with a reassuring smile—. Only... now it's a little different.

"A little..." Tom murmured, crossing his arms as he looked me up and down. And that suit? He seems more of a threat than a friend.

I remained silent. I knew that, to them, I was a strange, even terrifying creature. **I showed only my face**, revealing my skin under the symbiote, but I did not dare to remove the mask completely. I didn't want to cause them more fear than necessary.

"The important thing is that Rex is still Rex," Alex said, taking his mother's hand tenderly. He's my friend, and I know they can get used to it.

Dinner that night was... awkward, to say the least. **I sat on the floor next to the table**, like I always did at home when I was a normal dog, but something about the situation didn't add up. Clara served the food, a steaming plate that smelled delicious, and although I was grateful, I didn't know how to behave in that situation.

"Rex, you can sit at the table if you want," Clara said, but I declined, feeling more comfortable on the floor.

When they started eating, I leaned over to my plate and started eating directly from it, **like I used to do before the fusion with the symbiote**. I didn't have hands to use utensils back then, and even though I did now, the instinct was still there. I felt ridiculous.

—Are you seriously going to eat like that? said Tom scornfully, watching him devour the food. Can't use a fork? **Looks like he hasn't changed that much after all**.

Tom's words were like little needles. **I could feel his disdain and distrust throughout dinner**. Alex tried to defend me, but the discomfort was palpable. Even Clara, although kinder, didn't know how to act around me. I just continued eating, trying to ignore the stares.

The rest of the day was the same. **Tom wouldn't stop making comments**. About how I walked, about how I didn't behave like a human, about how strange it was to see myself in the suit. Every word was a reminder that, no matter how much he had changed, he was still a dog at heart.

At the end of the afternoon, after hours of comments and sidelong glances, **I felt like I couldn't take it anymore**. I walked away from the house, looking for some fresh air, trying to calm down. Alex tried to talk to me, but I asked for a moment alone.

As I was walking through the yard, I heard a noise. **Something wasn't right**. I looked up and saw a figure on the horizon, approaching quickly. The metal arms gleamed in the setting sun, and there was no mistaking who it was.

**Doctor Octopus**.

—Whoa, whoa, whoa. **So here's the famous dog in the alien suit**," he said with a wicked smile as he approached, mechanical arms extending rapidly. I came to take what is mine.

My heart raced. **I couldn't let him take the symbiote**. Without wasting any time, the mask of the suit covered my face completely, and I prepared for battle. **The Venom suit wrapped around me tightly**, giving me the strength I needed to face this new enemy.Octopus's first attack went straight towards me, but I narrowly dodged it. I knew it wouldn't be easy to beat him. **His mechanical arms were fast and strong**, and although I was too, I couldn't allow a single mistake.

In the middle of the fight, **I heard a scream from the house**. Tom had gone out into the garden, probably to see what was happening, and now one of Octopus's arms had him trapped.

-Aid! Tom cried, struggling to free himself as the mechanical arm squeezed him tightly.Without thinking, I **ran towards them**. I jumped at Octopus, grabbing the arm that was holding Tom and tearing it out of his grasp. Tom fell to the ground, gasping, as I covered him with my body, ready for the next attack.

—Don't touch it! —I roared, launching myself against Octopus again. This time I pushed him with all my strength, knocking him down before he could react.

But **it wasn't enough**. One of Octopus's other arms extended toward Clara, who had run outside to see what was happening. I saw her paralyzed by fear, and I knew she wouldn't make it in time.

—Alex, the mother! —I shouted, and Alex, without hesitation, ran towards Octopus.

**Alex lunged at the villain**, hitting the mechanical arm that was trying to reach Clara. **With a quick movement, he removed the device Octopus used to control his arms**, leaving him vulnerable.

I took advantage of the moment. With a final roar, I launched Octopus away from the house. **I knew I wouldn't be back anytime soon**.

Silence fell over the garden, and we all stood still, breathing heavily. **We had won**, but the tension was still in the air.

Later that night, **we all sat down at the table**. Dinner was different this time. Clara and Alex were grateful, but Tom...Tom looked embarrassed.

"Rex..." Tom said after a long silence. I'm sorry about before. **I have misjudged you**. You are more human than I thought.

He looked at me, and for the first time, I saw sincerity in his eyes.

—Would you like to sit with us at the table? —he asked me.

I stared at him, surprised. It wasn't what I expected, but **I agreed**.

I sat in one of the chairs, somewhat uncomfortable, but grateful for the gesture. Before we started eating, Tom looked at me again and smiled.

—Could you say a prayer before we eat? —he asked me. I nodded again, although I had never done anything like that before. **I didn't know how to bless food**, but I murmured a few words of gratitude, mainly for the peace that, at least for that night, seemed to have settled into our lives.

As I was about to eat, **Tom looked at me** with a crooked smile.

—And use the cutlery this time, Rex.

I let out a small laugh. Maybe things wouldn't be so awkward after all.