Catnap hit the ground hard, gasping as the Prototype's claws dug into his chest. The pain was real. Too real.
Dogday didn't think—he reacted.
"GET OFF HIM!"
He grabbed the closest thing he could—a rusted metal pipe—and swung it straight into the Prototype's side. It barely flinched.
"Dogday, water!" Poppy yelled.
Dogday's ears perked. "What?!"
"Water hurts him!"
Catnap's eyes widened. "The sprinklers!"
Dogday ran.
The Prototype growled, its jagged, rusted fingers curling tighter around Catnap. "You can't escape me," it hissed, its voice crawling under Catnap's skin like static. "I am in your mind. I am in your body. I will never let you go."*
"SHUT UP!" Catnap snarled, his claws slashing at the Prototype's arm. It wasn't enough to hurt it—just enough to stall.
Dogday leaped onto a fallen console, his paws scrambling over broken buttons and shattered screens. His eyes locked onto the rusted sprinkler valve mounted on the ceiling.
"Bingo."*
He grabbed the valve and twisted.
It didn't budge.
"Come on, come on—"
The Prototype turned its head. It knew.
"DOGDAY!" Poppy screamed.
It lunged.
Dogday jumped out of the way just as the Prototype's claws smashed into the panel, sending sparks flying.
And then—
The sprinklers activated.
Cold water rained down from the ceiling, soaking everything in the room.
The Prototype shrieked.
Its body convulsed, the water sizzling as it touched its rotting metal frame. Thick, black smoke poured from its joints, its red eyes flickering.
"IT'S WORKING!" Dogday yelled.
The Prototype staggered, its claws twitching, its massive body cracking apart.
"NO," it hissed, its voice glitching, breaking apart. "NO, THIS ISN'T—"
Catnap kicked it back toward the mirror.
"You're finished!"*
The Prototype screamed as its body collapsed, its form twisting into a mess of wires and black sludge, the water tearing through it like acid.
The factory trembled.
The mirror's broken surface glowed.
And with one final, inhuman screech—
The Prototype was sucked back inside.
The glass sealed.
The room fell silent.
It was over.
Catnap collapsed, his breath coming in sharp gasps.
Dogday rushed to his side, his fur dripping wet. "Are you okay?!"
Catnap managed a weak chuckle. "Better than him."*
Poppy stared at the mirror. "He's trapped," she whispered. "For good this time."*
Dogday sighed in relief, pulling Catnap into a tight hug. "Let's never do that again."*
Catnap leaned into him, exhausted but alive.
"Agreed."*
For the first time in weeks...
The nightmare was finally over or was it...
YOU ARE READING
The Silent Paw and The Gentle Bark
RomanceIn the quiet corners of the whimsical Playtime Co. factory, Catnap, a sleek and mysterious cat, and Dogday, an energetic and loyal dog, share an unbreakable bond. Best friends for as long as they can remember, the two are inseparable-exploring, play...
