Paranormalcy

The Barking Dog

Morning

"What is all that racket?" Alyssa asked padding into the kitchen. She was going to get a headache if the drilling noise didn't stop. Alyssa opened the kitchen cabinet and reached past the dog food to grab the coffee.

"Did you hear a dog barking again?" Her sister Shelby asked from the kitchen table.

"No, I didn't hear Diva barking again." Alyssa lied. She couldn't tell Shelby that she heard Diva barking her head off because that would mean she wasn't taking the sleeping pills the doctor prescribed. Those damn pills did their job too well. Not only did they allow her to sleep through the night but they made her dead to the world. A riot could break out in the middle of her bedroom while she was sleeping and she would be none the wiser. She just couldn't risk losing control like that. Not after what happened.

"So, what's all the drilling about?" Alyssa asked Shelby again.

"I asked Nathan to install a few CCTV cameras around the property," Shelby explained.

Alyssa leaned against the laminate counter as her coffee percolated. "Can we even afford that?" She asked. They could barely afford the bottom half of the duplex they rented since both sisters were working their way through college.

"Not really," Shelby said tapping her fingers on the kitchen table. "But I'm worried about you."

Alyssa swallowed hard. Frankly, Shelby's worry was warranted. Hell, she worried for herself. She plastered a fake, everything is okay, smile on her face. She didn't want her sister's or anyone's pity. She just needed to find a way to get over her trauma on her own and until then she had to pretend she was fine.

"I think the cameras are probably a good idea," she said, "I'll see if I can pick up an extra shift at work to help pay it."

"You don't have to do that!" Shelby exclaimed. "I know you hate going to that place..."

Alyssa threw up her hand. "I don't want to argue about it." She said turning around and grabbing the carafe to pour the black liquid into the waiting yellow coffee cup.

Later that night

Alyssa shot straight up in bed. Diva, the miniature pinscher-chihuahua mix, she rescued three years ago barked and growled loudly.

Alyssa laid back down. It was just a dream. But the barking grew louder and more high-pitched than before. She threw the blankets off and stepped into her comfy bunny slippers. Yawning and rubbing her eyes she walked to the computer located in the living room. She spent the day learning from Shelby's boyfriend, Nathan, how to view the camera's footage.

What could it hurt she thought. She'd at least get peace of mind. She opened the laptop and closed her eyes as the bright screen shone in the dark. She gave her eyes a moment to adjust to the light radiating from the screen and then clicked a few programs until she was watching the camera's feed.

She gasped but her breath caught in her throat. She could not believe what she was seeing. She knew his face and remembered the sour smell of his breath. He lurked around the yard checking the windows on her house while Diva yapped at his heels. The monster that attacked her three months earlier was back. She had to get her cell phone from her room and call the police before the monster got into the house and finished what he started all those months before.

Three months earlier

Rat-tat-tat, the knock sounded at her door. Her dog Diva began to bark excitedly. Alyssa put down her textbook and sighed looking at the clock. 8:01pm. "Who could that be?" She questioned the dog as if she would answer. She lifted the small dog in her arms and started walking towards the door. She would have to hold Diva firmly since Diva truly thought she was a big powerful dog and usually tried to intimidate the visitors, welcome or otherwise.

Why was anyone coming over this late, Alyssa wondered. Hopefully, she would be able to send the guest on his or her way quickly. She wanted to get back to her studies. Not only did she have a test on the subject matter the next day, but she found the textbook American History: Formative period to be quite interesting.

She opened the door a crack and peered out. The man standing on the other side was vaguely familiar. "Can I help you?" She questioned.

"Hey Alyssa, I was wondering if you wanted to go out and get a bite to eat." The man said running a hand through his disheveled dark hair.

"Do I know you?" She asked.

"It's Jimmy, from Carters," he said, "Can you let me in?"

Alyssa inhaled a sharp breath. "How did you know where I lived?" She asked as recognition dawned on her. Jimmy was a frequent customer at the restaurant where she worked.

"I followed you home one-day silly." He smiled.

"Why would you do that?" Alyssa asked. She could hear her voice raise an octave in irritation. Diva must have noticed her owner's confusion because the dog started squirming to get out of her hands. Alyssa held her tighter, she couldn't have her dog attacking the man no matter how creepy he was.

"Well, you always are so nice to me so I figured we should go out." He said.

"It's my job to be nice." She tried to explain but the next thing she knew he shoved the door open pushing her back. Diva squirmed and jumped out of her arms running towards the intruder.

"You like me!" He yelled, "I know you do!"

Diva attacked the man's leg and he picked her up throwing her across the room. Alyssa grabbed a lamp off the table and hit the man hard over the top of the head, he stumbled.

Alyssa ran to her dog and scooped her off the hardwood floor before making her way outside. The intruder disappeared by the time the police arrived.

"You're lucky to be alive." One of the police officers said to her as she sat in shock on the front porch. She still clutched her dog's broken body. Diva wasn't as fortunate. Alyssa cried into the dead dog's black fur. Who knows what that monster would have done if not for Diva's sacrifice.

Present

Alyssa watched as the police handcuffed the monster and put him in the patrol car. Shelby sat next to her on the front porch wrapping an arm around her. "I hope that monster never gets out of jail," Alyssa said.

"It was fortunate that you woke up and looked at the camera when you did." Her sister said.

Alyssa stood. "Diva woke me up." She said heading to the laptop to view the CCTV footage.

Diva stood in the middle of the yard happily barking as the police took the assailant away. Another dog barked from across the street and Alyssa watched as Diva crossed a bridge that formed out of nowhere and went to play with other dogs under a rainbow. She smiled knowing that one day they would be reunited.