The second dog barely had time to give her a snarl before the first began thrashing beneath him. Dropping his head, he attempted to grip the first dog’s neck in his jaws. The ginger-haired dog bucked beneath him, placing its hind feet on the larger dog’s stomach for leverage. The two grappled for control, ginger hair mixing with silver until they looked like one throbbing mass.

Her palms damp with sweat, Kara took advantage of their distraction by quickly pressing 9-1-1 on her phone and then Talk.

The dogs rolled across the ground toward her, their teeth flashing as each tried to lay claim to the other’s throat. The ginger dog twisted to the side, latching onto the larger dog’s neck. His teeth embedded in fur and flesh, he grappled for a stronger hold. Blood seeped through silver fur, staining both animals.

Kara stood frozen, waiting for the scream of pain, the crunch of breaking bones, the smell of the blood. How could she be going through this again?

His eyes burning, the silver dog fell onto his back, pulling the ginger dog with him.

This was it. The first dog would kill the second then come for Kara. In her mind she saw Jessie lying on the ground beneath the mutt they’d stumbled on while exploring. They hadn’t realized anything was in the yard when they’d crawled under the fence. Hadn’t even seen the dog until it had been too late. Until it had jumped on Jessie, and thrown her on the ground like a discarded rag doll. Then, not satisfied with simply disabling her friend, the beast had scissored its massive jaws against her throat, crushing tissue and bone all in one vicious bite. And Kara had done nothing. Nothing.

She’d just stood there staring as the dog had lifted its head, its eyes darting wildly around the yard, its feet immersed in her dead friend’s blood. When it had finally focused on her, she’d known it was her turn. Soon she’d be lying on the ground just like Jessie, blood mixing with the dry dirt beneath her.