Brutus was a good dog. Oh yes, yes he was indeed. His family loved him dearly. Especially Mark. Brutus and Mark were the best of friends. Even though he was thirteen- maybe especially because he was thirteen- he knew what love was. Not romantic love, of course. Nevertheless, Mark loved Brutus with his whole heart. The two of them frolicked throughout the flowers all day, and if not for his parents calling him in for dinner, Mark would likely opt to stay out all night as well.
Brutus was a three-year old Pitbull Terrier. Contrary to popular belief, pits aren't aggressive; Brutus, aptly named though he may not be, is perfect proof of this. He is more liable to hurt you by jumping up on you and begging for hugs than by biting you. In fact, he had never bitten anyone.
When Brutus was very young, no more than a few weeks, from the way he looked, the Tellers found Brutus, along with three other puppies and a mother, lying on the side of the road. The other three puppies looked as though they had been well-fed, to some extent. Joseph Teller, Mark's father, tore the cheeseburger he was eating into five pieces- enough for everyone- and threw it to them. What ensued was a fight. The mother and the other three puppies greedily ate the whole of the sandwich. The mother got two pieces. Brutus was left with a lonely scrap of lettuce. Brutus lifted his head, and looked into the eyes of Joseph Teller. He approached the SUV, limping, head down, slightly trusting but also reproachful. Joseph opened the door to the back seat where Mark sat, and the dog jumped in with him. The other three puppies and the mother seemed not to notice.
They took the dog home and fed him. They had planned to take him to the shelter, but Brutus had other plans. After being fed, he had a leash put on him by Mark. Mark led him outside, opened the car door, and took off the leash. Brutus darted under the porch, and whined. Mark, thinking inquisitively, shut the car door, and Brutus began to inch out from under the porch. Mark cracked the door open again, and Brutus began to back away.
"Well I'll be damned."
And so, on that day, the Tellers discovered that they now had a dog.
For the next two years, Mark and Brutus were the best of friends. They were absolutely inseparable. Brutus slept at the foot of Mark's bed. Sometimes Brutus slept next to Mark, and they'd cuddle. Mark always thought that, if he lost Brutus, he'd have no clue what to do.
Then one day, August 4th of 2018, just days after Mark's 15th birthday, Mark awoke to find Brutus missing. He called his name; nothing. He screamed with a vibrant echo that rang across the neighborhood in which he lived.
His efforts were fruitless; to put it simply, Brutus was gone.
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Man's Best Friend
HorrorA family dog runs away from home. He returns a year later to the delight of his family. But there's something different about him. Something demonic. And he knows things that could tear the family apart....
