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Jack gasped, finding himself laying muzzle-down on a rough pine floor. He pushed himself up onto his arms, and realized that his arms were bare, showing his tan and black fur. He shivered and looked down at his body. Sweat pants, no shirt. He looked around the room. It was a tiny room with log walls, like a cabin. Four windows, no door. He stood up, the rough pine irritating his pawpads, and walked to the window. Outside, it was just white. No ground, so sky, just white nothingness. But there was a figure in the distance.

"H-hello?" he called out, hugging himself and his bare chest. The figure remained motionless. "Hello? Who's there?" The figure moved slightly, and a coil of what seemed to be rope fell from his hand. It was yellow, and had thick black ends.

Electrical cords. Jack's heart raced. He screamed and grabbed the shutters on either side of the window, slamming them shut. They didn't close, they just bounced back open. And now the figure was closer. Jack tried to slam them again. They bounced back open. The figure was closer, and now recognizable. James.

In a panicked frenzy, jack kept slamming the shutters. Over and over again. James got closer and closer. 'STAY CLOSED! PLEASE!' was all Jack could think as he kept slamming the shutters in utterly terrified futility. James was almost at the window. One more time, Jack slammed the windows. It stayed shut. He sighed in relief.

His sigh was cut short by the cords wrapping around his neck. He gurgled, thrashing and grabbing the cords with his paws. They were yanked back hard, and he was dragged across the rough pine floor, his feet clawing trying to stop himself. He was slammed against the wall, the cords now hanging from a large nail. His feet could barely touch the ground, his toes brushing against the pine. He looked terrified into James's eyes, struggling and completely unable to breath. James smiled and looked over his shoulder. Sleeping in the corner of the room was Cassandra. Jack's eyes grew even wider. James grinned a sadistic smile, and turned to Cassandra. He began to walk towards her.

Jack couldn't even scream.

Loud knocks shattered my dream. I gasped and thrashed, turning over onto my back and sitting up strait with lightning speed. I looked around disoriented, rubbing my neck. I swore I could still feel the coils around my neck... I was panting, wheezing, he heart racing and my palms sweaty. But I didn't feel any coils. Just my neck fluff and the collar of the t-shirt I apparently wore to bed.

"David?" asked the deep voice from the other side, accompanied by another knock. It was George. "David is everything alright?"

"...yes, yes, I'm fine." I mumbled, just loud enough to be heard through the door. I swung my legs over the side of my bed and looked at the analogue clock on the wall, illuminated by early morning light. Eight in the morning. I groaned and rubbed my temples.

"May I come in?"

"Sure." I groaned. The door opened. Dressed in a large grey bathrobe, with his pajama pants and shite t-shirt underneath, George lumbered into the room. He looked at me for a moment, then sat down in the chair opposite of the bed. He clasped his hands together.

"Do you want to tell me what happened?" He asked, his eyes looking into mine. I gulped.

"What are you talking about?" I knew damn well what he was talking about. My screaming probably woke up his neighbours too. But I was not about to admit defeat. George sighed.

"Well nevermind. I got a call from the DA. They're dropping the charges against you." My heart fluttered in fear.

"Wait... there were some against me?" I asked, shaking slightly. The old judge nodded.

"Yes, for about an hour or two. I told them you weren't going anywhere so they could pick you up in the morning. Then something else happened..." I tilted my head, my ears perking up.

"Something else?"

"Well, obviously they secured your apartment. It was trashed."

"TRASHED!?" I snorted and furrowed my brow. "What do you mean trashe_d?_Somebody broke into my fucking house!?"

"Relax David," said George. "I have more to say." I crossed my arms, fuming. "They were beginning to have second thoughts about charging you. Then Cassandra called us."

"Cassandra?" I sighed. Oh this wasn't good.

"When she came home in the morning, her house was trashed too. She called the police. Obviously, this kinda proved your story so the DA dropped the charges." George sat back in his chair and rubbed his eyes.

"Your car is being released from evidence and you can take it back now." He paused. "Cassandra is also at the station." He twiddled his thumbs. "Obviously, neither of you are safe now. I've offered her to stay here for a while. With you." My heart stopped, a lump forming in my throat. I shook my head. George raised his eyebrow. "Hm? What's the matter?"

"I... I don't think she wants to be anywhere near me right now."

"Oh? Well when I told her you were here, she seemed very excited..." He smirked and stood up. "I'll call a cab for you."

"Thanks." I mumbled, sighing and rubbing my neck. He left the room and softly clicked the door closed.

---

I walked into the room. From the row of blue benches along the side, Cassandra didn't even notice me. She was wearing a slate hoodie and jeans, doing something on her phone. Her eyes were hidden by her white bangs. I gulped and approached, the officer behind the window eyeing me intently. I stopped a couple feet short of her. She looked up at me, her grey eyes showing how tired and worn she really was. I smiled warmly and offered my hand to help her out of her seat.

Instead, she leaped to her feet and hugged me tight, digging her fingers into my windbreaker as she held me tight. I was taken completely by surprise, and it took me a few seconds to hug her back. We stood there in silence for the longest time. We didn't say anything as we left the room, my arm around her shoulder as he kept hugging me.

The drive was uneventful, though oddly satisfying. It was nice to finally have my car back. Cassandra's brow furrowed when I took the exit to George's house.

"Where are we going?" She asked, looking out the window. Then, she turned around to look out the back window, to see if anybody was following us. Nobody was. I already checked.

"We can't go home just yet." I said, being as calm and confident as possible in an attempt to hide how frustrated it actually made me. It was mostly successful. "I've been living at George's."

"Who's George?" she asked as I pulled into the driveway. As I opened my car door, the door to George's front door opened, and the great ape lumbered out, waving at us. I waved back and locked the car once Cassandra had gotten out and closed her door.

"I see you've brought the misses back safe and sound?" He said. His delivery was stone-faced with no hint of sarcasm.

"Misses?" Cassandra blushed. "What? Erm-"

"Come on now George, she's a bit shaken." I put my arm around her, nudging her. "Be polite!" George chuckled and held the door open.

"Alright alright, come on inside."

We walked into my room. She sat down on the bed as I closed - then locked - the door. She rubbed her temples and yawned. I sat down beside her, putting an arm around her shoulder.

"How you holding up?" I asked. She sighed and I felt her shoulders droop.

"I'm fine." She said, shrugging off my arm. "It's nothing." Yeah.

"No, there's something wrong." I said, holding her hand. The fur on the back of her neck bristled, but I ignored that. "This is not easy for anybody. Just say it." She sighed and pulled her hand away, standing up. She fiddled with the phone in her pocket, then turned to me.

"Look... I'm fine, alright? Compared to what you have been through... it's nothing." She averted her gaze.

"What _I've_been through?" I thought about this carefully before I spoke. "What I have been through doesn't matter right now. This isn't a competition, alright? Don't belittle yourself." I patted the bed beside me. "Please, tell me. If it's really that small, that means it can be fixed easy."

"It's not small." She snapped back, glaring at me. Her eyes began to water, then she closed them and took a deep breath. "I-I'm sorry..." She sat down beside me, folding her hands in her lap and trying to keep herself composed. I heard a car go past the window. Her ears perked up and she looked to the window. I sighed and put an arm around her.

"You're scared, aren't you?" I paused. She didn't respond. "You're afraid of everything now. Every little noise, ever car, every person on the-" She put a finger to lips, and I stopped mid-sentence. After a few moments, she finally leaned into me a little bit.

"How do you do it?" She asked, her eyes closed. "Always being afraid, always being on edge... ugh." She put her arm around me, and I could feel the fabric of my shirt pressing against my scar. "Just always so paranoid and afraid. Checking everything all the time..." She trailed off.

"It gets better." I said, resting my cheek on the top of her head. "You get into a routine. Double-check the locks, close the blinds, start the car with the door open, make three right turns if you're feeling like you're being followed..." She shook her head.

"But what about your feelings?" she asked. I paused.

"What do you mean my feelings?"

"Like, always being afraid. Always on edge. How can you live like that? Your mind always alert and sleepless..." She looked into my eyes.

"I... I guess you get used to it, I guess. I never really think about it. I just... do it." I felt my heart sink as I said the last words. "It's just how I am now."

The realization hit me. It's how I am now. Paranoid, always on edge, alert at all times, ready to fight or flee at any given moment... what have I become? I looked to Cassandra, whose eyes were closed as she leaned into me. _What will she become? What will I make her?_I gulped and turned my head away. She sighed and put a hand on my chest. My heart fluttered.

"If you say so, hun..." She leaned her head up and kissed the bottom of my chin. "I'm feeling a little sleepy. She smirked and moved her hand up to my neck, tugging down the neck of my T-shirt a bit. "And I need something warm to cuddle up to..." My heart raced as her fingers touched my fur. I gulped and chuckled, kissing the top of her head.