Decided By Fate (Preview)

Act 1, Chapter 2

While sitting there on the bed, I could only watch as the big dog seemed to submit to the little girl's petting. Chloe had complete control over him, even if she didn't know it. While distracted by Chloe's behaviour, I hadn't realized I had finished all the food on the plate. My eyes never looked back at the food as I continued to stare at my younger counterpart, who seemed to be enjoying herself immensely. Except, like everything in life, all good things have to come to an end.

There was only one thing more substantial to a dog than a little kid's love, and that one thing was food. I watched in utter shock as the dog got a glimpse of the empty plate on my lap. All that remained was a mixture of sauces left over from their sources. Although that seemed to be enough, as Chloe and I witnessed, the dog bulk up. As if he had shed off his old age, the dog easily hopped onto the bed. Tyco passed by Chloe, leaving her sitting behind him. In retaliation, the tiny girl tried to wrap herself around the dog, but it had no effect. Tyco's erratic movements kept the little girl at bay while taking his new position at my side.

The beast of an animal was standing over my legs, panting as he looked down at the empty plate. I could only watch, feeling each breath leave my body until Chloe hopped off the bed and ran back to the door. Her little legs moved faster than the rest of her could comprehend. She stumbled toward the room's threshold, then peered around the corner. Looking up, I knew she had to be looking at her parents.

"Help!" She panickedly screamed.

The little girl's voice was loud but weak as she tried to catch her breath, but the two adults hadn't seen what had been happening. With no choice, they heeded the little girl's plea, and they came running into my room. They didn't get too far, as they stopped almost immediately. They could see the dog lying beside me as my hand gently caressed the fur on his back. Tyco seemed at peace, lying beside my leg with his head pointing toward my feet.

Meanwhile in my other hand, I had my phone back out and continued to scroll through my lack of a social life. In unison, Tyco and I casually turned to see the two adults adjust themselves so they didn't seem as concerned. As they did this, Chloe peered out between the gap their legs made when they stood side by side. Cherry and Hank both looked at each other, then down at Chloe. Who seemed just as surprised to see the dog sitting so tame next to me. Yet, the three of them were still oblivious to my gaze.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

As the words left my mouth, my hand stopped running down Tyco's back, causing him to raise his head higher while looking at the intruders in the room. Chloe was the one to take the lead. She tried to abide by her parents' request to make nice as she stumbled over and leaned on the bed. Her hand reached out and patted the dog on the head before she turned to look up at me.

"Are you okay?" She asked, with a concerned look still on her face.

"I'm fine; why?" I replied as she looked back at the dog.

"Tyco was on the bed and acting scary," Chloe mentioned through her broken child speak.

I did my best to understand the little girl's explanation that I was forced into trying to interpret. My mind was racing to fill in the blanks that I hadn't heard. Surprisingly, it wasn't hard to decipher as I looked at the little girl and patted her playfully on the head like she did to Tyco.

"I'm okay, Chloe," I assured her.

"Okay," She answered, while I was unsure how the conversation would be comprehended in the little girl's head and what kind of response she would muster from it. I was surprised when she turned around and ran back to the adults in the room. "She's okay."