At least you have Sofia...

That is...until the next day, when you don’t see her. You don’t know why, but you were expecting her to come running first thing in the morning. Of course not to have...sex again, you understand she can’t risk it where her family might see, but at least to come say good morning and hug you or something. Instead, it’s Camilla who lets you out of your cage and feeds you your unappetising breakfast, and Sofia doesn’t even pop her head in. Well, you decide, you’ll just wait until your walk, Sofia will take you to the Dog Park and you’ll see her then. Only, this time it’s Nicole who grudgingly takes you after a lot of nagging from her Mother, hardly even looking away from her phone the whole time.

When you get back home, you still haven’t seen Sofia once, and it’s starting to worry you. Is she avoiding you? Did she regret what she did so much that she can’t even face you? Only...she isn’t around when the family eats dinner together either, or when they sit to watch a movie that night, with you pacing awkwardly around looking for the teenager until Robert snaps at Camilla to lock you up so you stop disturbing them. You lie in your cage, fists and jaw clenched, furious at yourself. Why did you go and take advantage of her like that? No wonder she’s hiding after what you did! It’s all your stupid fault!

Days pass, a week by your estimate, and there’s still no sign of the bubby blonde teenager who was the only person you cared about in this insane world. The other family members don’t even mention her, at least not in earshot of you. You grow more and more worried. One day you even try and get into her room, pawing frantically at the door and shoving it with your shoulder, but it’s been locked tight and you can hardly get it open with these stupid mittens on. There’s another locked door beside it you try as well, worrying she might be trapped in the bedroom you somehow know is behind it for some reason, but you don’t have any more luck there either. In your angry, depressed state, you can’t even be bothered to act much like a willing dog anymore, and the family starts to notice. You hear complaints from Nicole and Luis about how you’re not any fun, no-one bothers to even try and take you on walks after you refuse to leave the house for fear you might miss Sofia’s return.

Then one day, when you’re lying sadly alone in a corner, pawing at the floor, you hear some kind of commotion near the door. Raised voices, arguing with each other. You don’t even bother to stir from your corner. It doesn’t matter...it isn’t like it’s going to be Sofia coming back to you, and if she isn’t around then why does anything even matter?

“You got another one!” Robert’s booming voice makes you flinch. “What the Hell, Camilla? Isn’t one of these mutts enough trouble for us?” Another one? You raise your head...does he mean another pet? There’s going to be someone else in this house as lost and confused as you? The thought makes you scramble back up onto your feet and you crawl down the corridor to investigate. At least having someone else as miserable as you are around might make you feel a bit better.

You crawl around the corner into the living room just as Robert stomps past, looking furious. Camilla is standing in the center of the room, a stubborn pout on her face. She’s leaning over slightly, and you can just see a naked, female body crouched over and cowering beside her, held in place by the collar around her slender neck. You gasp out...it really is another pet!

“No...please, I’m not a dog!” A painfully familiar voice makes you flinch in shock. “My name’s Sofia...why don’t I remember anything else?” That sounds like...Sofia? She’s here?

“Be quiet, girl.” Camilla sighs sharply, and the naked girl flinches back, her long, blonde hair swaying over her slender back. “Don’t worry about him.” The older woman continues in a more reassuring voice, patting the girl gently on the head. “He’ll come around, if you stop barking like that anyway.” The girl straightens awkwardly, trembling like a leaf, and you finally catch a glimpse of her face. Large blue eyes, filled with tears and confusion, flicker over the room, her pink lips trembling as she sobs.

“Sofia!” You call out, hurriedly crawling through the doorway towards her. The teenager turns her head, her eyes going even wider with shock.

“Oh, there you are, Max.” Camilla glances down at you. “You were being so mopey and sad recently. I thought you might need company, so I got us another dog! Blondie’s her name. She’s quite shy...so play nice please.” You ignore the older woman, crawling round her leg to get to the naked, sobbing teenager beside her.

“Sofia!” You gasp, your heart aching with a mixture of relief and worry. Sofia’s back...only somehow, she’s a dog now like you! What the fuck is happening? “Sofia, are you alright?” You ask hurriedly. “What’s going on?”

“I don’t know!” Sofia sobs loudly, shaking her head. It takes you a moment for your brain to catch up and realize she actually understood you. What the hell is this? She was one of them...a person, barely a week ago. Now she’s being treated like a pet, just like you! “Where am I? Who are you?” She stares at you for a moment, her blue eyes swimming with confusion. “I think...maybe I remember, Maxie?”

“So noisy, you two!” Camilla snaps impatiently. “I think I’ll have to put you both outside for a bit until you calm down or Robert’s going to throw a fit.” She leans over and grabs your collar as well, dragging you with her as she steps towards the outside door. You follow along and so does Sofia, both of you clearly too shocked to resist.

Camilla leaves you both in the garden and shuts the door behind her, looking like she might just regret getting two dogs after all. As soon as she’s gone, you scamper over to Sofia, frantic and worried. You can’t understand exactly what’s happened, but somehow her own family has decided she’s a dog now, just like you! No wonder she’s so confused and upset. She’s still crying helplessly, and you awkwardly lift an arm over her shoulder and hug her into your side. She’s trembling like a leaf, and feels so fragile you just want to protect her from everything.

“Sofia…” You murmur reassuringly. “It’s alright...I’m here.” She leans into you, relaxing slightly as you hold her tight against your chest.

“Maxie.” She sniffles in reply, her tear-filled eyes fixed on your face. “I can’t remember anything. I don’t...understand what’s happening. Who are these people? Why...is everyone treating me like a dog? What’s going on, Maxie?” You pause...wondering what you can even say. Do you tell her the truth? From what you can gather her own family doesn’t even seem to recognise her anymore, nor does she remember who they are. Just like what happened to you, everyone’s going to see her as a dog from now on, a pet they can’t even understand. Knowing that...is telling her what you know even going to change anything? Knowing it’s her own Father and Mother treating her like some disobedient dog...can anyone even bear that? Least of all this fragile teenager who deserves so much better... “Maxie…I remember you.” Her hand reaches up suddenly and touches your cheek, soft, trembling fingers tracing along your skin. “Why do I only remember you?” Your heart is torn, but in that moment you know you can only make one choice.

“I...don’t know either.” You murmur, the lie slipping so easily from your throat. “I...don’t understand any of this.”

“Maxie…” She murmurs, her soft, relieved voice making your heart break. “At least you’re here, I don’t have to be so scared if you’re here.” She leans up slightly, her soft, tender lips brushing over your cheek. A single tear wells up painfully in your eye, dripping down your skin to fall on to her bare shoulder.

What the fuck are you doing? Is this the right choice? You don’t know anything anymore, only that this is all your fault! It has to be. Right after you had sex with Sofia, this happens to her! It can’t be a coincidence. You must have caused it somehow. And that means...you can’t tell her the truth, at least not yet. She’s so lost and fragile, it’ll destroy her even knowing as much as you do. For now, you have to keep quiet, you have to keep her safe!

“That’s right...you’re safe.” You lean down, forcing a reassuring smile onto your face. “You don’t have to be scared. I’ll protect you.” She shivers in your embrace, and then smiles, the worry and fear leaving her pretty blue eyes. Her fingers trace along your cheek, gently stroking along her skin.

“I love you, Maxie…” She whispers, her voice trembling. You just smile back at her, and when she leans up to kiss you on the lips you don’t resist, holding her trembling naked body tightly against your own. You can’t tell her...you can’t. At least this way you’ll still be with her...

"I love you too, Blondie..."