Tales of a dream

The dog

It has been a long time since I've stayed here. I haven't been at my dad's place for almost four years now. It's strange, it feels like home, but then again, there's a strange tingling I get in my neck and shoulders. I decided to come up for a visit. Dad wasn't here, he had to go on a business trip out of town, but I stuck around to watch over our dog Sheba. She is a beautiful black lab mixed with something else we never found out. She's the best, the greatest friend I could have ever wanted growing up.

Our house is way out in the middle of nowhere in the far north. I'm talking in the sticks of the sticks. It's a beautiful place, but not great for a person like me who is so dependent on modern technology. We own 8 acres of land with all sorts of different fruits and plants that grow on it. I have many fond memories of going out and picking wild strawberries, or some of the amazing blueberry bushes we grew. I only got here this morning. Instead of jumping on my computer like I normally would I decided to spend the day with Sheba.

It was strange, her attention always seemed to be elsewhere. She would sit there and cuddle and follow me around, but she wouldn't do things like play or fetch. She didn't even accept the scraps I offered while cooking supper. Now that I think of it, she never left me once.

It's after supper and starting to get dark. Dinner is done and everything is cleaned up. I head into the living room, sitting down at the desk. Sheba sits against my leg, staring off always. I rub her head. She leans it to it, but still has her attention elsewhere. "You're being so weird today girl." I pull out my phone from my pocket, plugging it in and turning it on. I had forgotten to charge on the trip so it's been dead for awhile.

I get it on and couldn't help but laugh. So many missed calls and texts from my friend. I'm afraid my face might be on a milk carton back home, if they even do that kind of thing still. I call her up on FaceTime. Immediately I'm barraged by a swarm of questions, how did the trip go, what's it like, the usual 'going on a trip' questions.

We're in the middle of talking and Sheba practically jumps up, half circling around my legs. I brush it off because she's done weirder, especially today, and maybe she's just trying to settle down.

"Hey, listen to me! What's it like to be back home?"

"Oh it's great. Honestly I feel a little uneasy, but I think it's because I've been away so long. It's been great spending time with Sheba."

"Sheba?

"Oh yeah! She's our dog, she's amazing. I'm surprised you haven't heard her moving around, those claws on the hardwood. Here I'll show you." I go to pick up my phone. Sheba stopped her pacing right next to my leg again and starts growling. "Woah, what's the matter girl?" I don't think I've ever heard her growl before in my life. She gets louder, turning into a snarl, hair standing up. "What's up with you?"

I pick up my phone and that's when I see it through the camera. A dog, standing on the back of the couch behind me, almost a perfect split of white on the left and brown on the right. I've never seen this dog or any like it before. I turn around to look at it, but there's nothing there. Shakily I set my phone to the front camera, and raise it up to where the dog was. Through the camera, there it is, now snarling, but still not visible in front of me.

"What's goin-" the internet cuts out. Shivers run down my spine and fear petrifies me. That's when I remembered. Sheba had died almost three years ago.