The Roar of the Night

7

A few hours after receiving the message, the tension in the house was palpable. Alex was visibly nervous, and it wasn't hard to understand why. Her daughter was coming to visit, and although it should be happy news, the concern on her face said it all.

While Alex tried to prepare everything for his daughter's arrival, I decided to lie down in our room for a while. I was tired after fishing, but most of all, I needed to think. I settled into bed, closed my eyes, and soon found myself in that sort of headspace where I could talk to Venom.

—Venom, are you there? —I asked, knowing that he was always present, even if we didn't always talk.

"Yes, Rex," he responded in his usual grave tone.

I was silent for a few moments, searching for the right words.

—Alex's daughter... I remember when she was little, just a four-year-old girl. We played catch in the garden, and sometimes I dressed up as a lady to play tea. She always laughed when I did it, and I enjoyed seeing her happy. But now... now he's ten years old. It's been so long, and I don't know if she can accept me like this. I'm no longer the same dog he grew up with.

Venom listened silently before responding.

"Perhaps it would be best if you stayed away for a while, Rex." Maybe you need time to adjust to your new form before facing something as important as this.I nodded, although it hurt to think about being away from Alex's daughter. She was always a light in our lives, and I was terrified at the thought that now I might scare her instead of making her laugh. After a while, I decided to go downstairs. Alex was in the living room, talking on the phone. I heard fragments of the conversation, but I didn't want to interrupt. Instead, I went to the kitchen and started preparing the salmon we had caught. It was a simple task, but it helped me clear my mind.

When it was time for dinner, I still felt strange using cutlery. It was a sensation that I couldn't quite get used to, although Alex always offered me the option of eating as I did before.

—Would you prefer to do it like before, Rex? —he asked me with a soft smile, trying to relieve the tension.

"No, Alex," I replied, trying to keep my voice firm. I want to do it this way.

We began to eat in silence, but soon the conversation turned to the impending visit.

"I've been thinking about how to handle this with my daughter," Alex said, looking into my eyes with a seriousness he rarely showed.

—Do you have a plan? I asked, knowing that if anyone could handle this situation, it was Alex.

—Yes, Rex. But first, I need you to trust me. This is going to be difficult for everyone, but I believe we can do it together.

I nodded, feeling a mix of fear and hope. The time had come to face what I feared most: Alex's daughter's reaction to what I had become. But with Alex by my side, I knew I wouldn't be alone in this.