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My girlfriend came home after a walk with the dog, and something felt… off. I noticed it before she even stepped through the door: a strange glint, a peculiar shape clinging to our dog’s fur, moving in a way that didn’t belong. Fear has a way of filling in the blanks with the worst possible answers. In those first few seconds, our little apartment became a stage for every irrational thought I’d ever had about dogs, parasites, and horrifying surprises. That weird translucent shape wasn’t just an object—it was a warning. It was every nightmare about ticks we’d read about online, every horror story about infections that start with “just a small speck” and end in emergency vet bills. Our hearts thumped in unison as we circled him, crouched down, and examined every inch of his wiry fur. Silence reigned, punctuated only by the dog’s oblivious tail wagging and the occasional nervous laugh from my girlfriend that didn’t mask her own tension. We braced ourselves for the vet visit that now seemed inevitable. I pictured the waiting room, the fluorescent lights, the smell of antiseptic, and the mounting bills. I imagined the words “You need to leave him here overnight,” or worse, “It’s more serious than you think.” Our minds filled in the blanks with scenarios that escalated in severity by the second. The dog, meanwhile, seemed completely unconcerned, sniffing at the carpet as if nothing were wrong. But fear has a contagious rhythm. We whispered theories to each other, each more ludicrous than the last, each tinged with genuine dread. Every hair that moved in the light became a crawling parasite. Every flicker of reflection on the floor became evidence of some invisible menace. Continued on next page:

Then my girlfriend crouched closer, squinting at the shape in the light. Something about it shifted. There was a glimmer…

July 7, 2026