PA 3.5: End of a Tail

Chapter XXXI Part I

She covered her ears, trying to drown out the endless screams just outside the door. She couldn't think, her mind consumed with horror and dread, forcing her to remain still atop the toilet, her paw pads pressing against its lid as her skirt lightly brushed against her auburn fur with its motions.

Tears welled in her sharp eyes while the terror outside quickly died down with the gory tearing of meat and bones and spraying of blood. She felt the constant depressive thoughts enter her mind again.

"What's the point?" she grimaced, curling up further to try and fight against the cold of the washroom, letting her hair bunch up in front of her face as she cried. "I couldn't save them, and even if I did, they'd just call me a freak."

Footsteps thudded just outside of the door, someone running down the hall in a blind panic. She gasped, then steadied her breathing, trying to calm her sobs as the dog burst into the bathroom, quickly holding themselves against the door in a vain effort to barricade the cat demon from entering the room.

"I just want a friend," she whined to herself, so under her breath that even the dog a few feet from her wouldn't hear. "Please...." they choked out between soft sobs, "I just want someone to like me."

"NO, PLEASE, NO!" the dog screamed, slashed through the chest by a demon cat sliding its claws through the door, then floating in after the dog had fallen to the floor in agony, begging for their life. "PLEASE, I'LL DO-"

A sickly cleave - like the sound of a watermelon being smashed - rang through the small tiled room, shaking the bloodhound to her core and having her involuntarily let out another sob. She placed her paws in front of her mouth, trying to stifle her breathing. Ichor ran underneath the stall- she could hear it, and it made her shake with the sense of impending doom.

She calmed herself, and there was silence. The bloodhound winced her eyes open, gasped, and then felt the ghost cat hovering just before her slashing into her skull, tearing it in two before she could so much as scream. A wet gurgle escaped from her throat as the dog watched the demon cat's giggle grow in volume, then become a wild cackle, as her arms stiffened, and she felt her body rest.

Then, Echo woke from his trance.

"Oh, Dog, please don't kill me-" he muttered involuntarily, shaking as he opened his eyes, touching at the left side of his head and confirming it was still there. With a shaky sigh, he reminded himself that he wasn't in danger and that the visions weren't real, no matter how sure he was that they were.

"It's okay, it's okay," he exhaled. The wolf slowly unclenched his arms from around his legs, the bodily dysphoria making him feel wobbly as the realization he wasn't a bloodhound shocked him more than he felt it should've- it wasn't the first time, and it probably wouldn't be the last.

A light masculine voice meekly cut its way through the silence of the bathroom. "Echo? Echooo?"

The wolf grumbled, wiping away the bags under his eyes and trying to ignore the reality of all the death he had experienced. He let his feet tap onto the floor, then flushed the empty toilet, walking out of the stall and immediately being greeted by a black and white chihuahua's meek visage, blushing and averting his eyes the moment they met with Echo's.

Both dogs stood there, Echo was confused at the reaction. "You okay Choco?"

"Yeah," he whispered, "Just, looking at people in the washroom makes me nervous."

Echo cocked his eyebrow, moving over to the sink and beginning to wash his paws. "You know I won't get offended if you do, it's not like I'm naked or something," he chuckled.

In the ensuing silence, Echo finished washing and then threw up his grey hood, brushing back a bit of fur that was poking out of the side of his head and then turning to his friend.

"So," the chihuahua began, adjusting the aviators resting on his brow, "Was it really that bad?"

"The cookies?" Echo asked, "No dude, they were great!"

"W-Well, gluten reduced pan-seared double fudge melted brownies," he spouted off, clearly offended by the lack of obsessive attention Echo held for the creation, "But, I mean, it's pretty clear you didn't like them..."

Echo felt a pit in his stomach stir. The vision was bad enough, but his friend acting so sad about his cooking skill all the time was even worse. On occasion, he just wanted to hug the guy.

"Do you think I was throwing them up, or something?"

Choco frowned. "I know they were super bitter tasting, and I'm trying to improve on them, it's just..." he sighed, wiping away something on his face with enough deftness that Echo couldn't tell if it was a tear. "I can't use cocoa, and the alternatives are too bitter..."

Echo surprised Choco by placing a paw on his shoulder, firmly getting his best friend's attention. "Hey, dude, I promise it wasn't bad. You've been doing this stuff your whole life, I know you'll be able to make the perfect desert soon!"

A bit underwhelmed, Choco let his eyes wander to meet Echo's. "Hey, dude?"

"Yeah?"

Choco firmly nodded his head, making the aviators slide into place over his eyes. "Thanks, but you almost sound like a cartoon character."

Frustrated, Echo returned a stern look and reached for Choco's glasses, resting them back upon his brow. "Shut."

"Are you two pooping in there?" Riley called out from just beyond the bathroom corridor. "Or- oh my Dog, just ignore me," she whispered to herself.

Choco frowned at the low voice. "She doesn't really sound super okay, who is she again?"

"Just some lost cat, we're both doing the volunteer thing." Echo took a look at the entrance of the washroom, making sure the turkish van couldn't hear him. "I think she's just jealous you didn't make her anything."

"Pfft... I'm not that good."

"I think you are!" Echo cheered, jabbing himself forward and hugging his friend. "And hey, you have that fundraiser coming up soon, you'll finally be able to see just how much people love your stuff."

Choco smiled, detangling himself from the quick embrace and tucking one of his bangs out of the way of his face. He wordlessly thanked Echo with the shy aversion of his eyes he always used.

They heard a quiet knocking outside of the bathroom, Riley again meekly reminding them that she was outside waiting.