Lighthouse Horror Podcast - I Adopted A Dog FROM H*LL. My Wife Loves Him | Scary Stories

Episode Date: March 6, 2024

I should've got a cat.          Story from lowtierWAH Make sure to check out more of their work at u/lowtierWAH  Cover Art from Guilherme Viana          Original Post: Consider a chihuahua as your next guard dog : r/nosleep  Original YouTube link: I Adopted A Dog FROM H*LL. My Wife Loves Him           For more stories like this one, check out my YouTube channel: Lighthouse Horror | YouTube  Patreon: Lighthouse Horror | Patreon Merch: lighthousehorror.com  Music: Lucas King - YouTube Myuu - YouTube  Incompetech  Darren Curtis Music - YouTube Thank you for listening to this scary story! If you enjoyed this new creepypasta story, please check out some of my other horror stories. We'll be uploading new episodes every week, featuring ghost stories, haunted encounters, mysteries, true stories, creepypasta, and anything supernatural and paranormal. Don't miss out on the thrill and suspense that await you in each episode!

When a string of robberies began happening around the suburbs where we lived, Amber had suggested we adopt a guard dog. I knew this wasn't the real reason she wanted a dog, however. It was only six months ago that her childhood dog, Bubba, had died of old age. From what I was told, he lived for almost twenty years. He was an old, ragged chihuahua when I'd met him, with wet, bulging eyes rimmed with gunk, and his tongue constantly slithered out between his gnarled teeth like an earthworm emerging from the mud. I was never fond of Bubba, or any Chihuahua for that matter.

While I knew instinctively that they could be just as loving and loyal as any other breed of dog, I've never met one that was well-behaved. I put up with him for Amber's sake, though, and I mourned with her as he took his last breath in her lap. I knew there was a hole in her heart after Bubba's passing, so the day after she suggested adoption, I surprised her with a trip to our local animal shelter. And that's when we met Bambi. Yep, Bambi, as in the cute deer from the Disney movie of the same name. And of course he was a chihuahua. A slightly larger than average specimen, with a deer-shaped head and a white coat with fawn splotches on his back. In terms of appearance, The name was perfect. But when it came to temperament, he was nothing like the innocent animated

deer. I watched as Amber cooted him from the other side of the cage, and I could already tell much to my misery. She was head over heels for him. The shelter worker next to me appeared surprised that Amber was fawning over him. She said to us that Bambi had been with the shelter for a long time, and that although many families had viewed him, they all turned to her. They all turned to turned him away for one reason or another. She said she once saw a small child burst into little tears of fright just when Bambi looked at her. We have no idea where he's originally from, the worker told us. He was just dumped on our doorstep one day. Nobody claimed ownership of him and he's been here ever since. With no one wanting to adopt him, she told us Bambi

was scheduled to be euthanized. I knew immediately. what Amber's reaction would be, and I withheld my objections as she sprung to her feet and told the employee that we'd love to adopt Bambi as soon as possible. As she and the employee talked away, I spared a glance at what would soon be our new dog. Bambi stood perfectly still, and he was as silent as the grave. This was unusual to me, and a small part of me perked up, thinking that maybe if he was this well-behaved, I wouldn't mind having him around after all. That was until I noticed his eyes. As Bambi's head swiveled from Amber to me, I felt a small shiver roll up my spine. His eyes were so black. No, no, black wasn't the right description here.

It was more like staring into a complete void of nothingness. Like there wasn't any life, behind those dark pits. It felt wrong. And I knew then why that little girl had burst into tears when Bambi looked at her. There was a part of me that wanted to grab Amber's arm and drag her far away from here and let that dog be put down. I stopped that thought dead in its tracks as I forced myself to look away from Bambi. No, come on.

What was I thinking? It was just a dog. And no dog should just be put down like that. I still couldn't get his eyes out of my head, though. And I tapped Amber's shoulder to get her attention. Don't his eyes look, you know, kind of weird to you? I asked, hoping for some validation. Amber turned back to Bambi and knelt down to meet my eyes.

She stuck a finger through the cage, using it to scratch his chin. Oh, you're just the cool it, don't you? Who's a good boy? You are, yes, you are. She said, the whole time she was talking to him. Not once did his tail wag. Not once did he make a sound. Not once did he even blink.

Things only got we brought Bambi to his new home. For sure, I never saw him eat. It should have been more cause for alarm, but he never lost weight or looked to be starving, so he just kind of accepted it for what it was. Amber still left food for him and still took him outside to use the bathroom. But not even once did he actually even pee or poop. He just stood there staring at her, or me, in the unfortunate circumstance that I was the one forced to take him out.

He always stayed perfectly still. Just watching me with those empty eyes until I relented, opened the door for him, and we went back inside. I'll take this opportunity to mention that our house isn't a large one. In fact, it is the smallest one in our neighborhood. My parents had bought it for us at a dirt cheap price as a wedding present a year ago. It's a bit run down, but it's ours, and Amber and I look forward to starting the rest of our lives. It's a one-story made of a red brick and a dark-brown roof that I have to fix every month or two.

Inside, there's just a living room, which housed a glass cabinet filled with family heirlooms, the kitchen dining room, a small hallway with a cramped closet, and an equally cramped bathroom, and two bedrooms. One of them is ours, and the other we use for storage. See, the only reason I bring all this up is that, for whatever reason, Bambi really likes the storage room. Amber tried to coax him into sleeping in our room, but Bambi stubbornly refused every time. And so, his little bed sat in the middle surrounded by cardboard boxes, and that was perfectly fine with me. Bambi never played. He never scampered around like a little

dog should. He never curled into Amber's lap when she patted it. He never did anything that a dog should do. It was wrong. It was wrong and he was wrong, but somehow Amber never saw it like I did. He's shy, she once shot back at me when I tried explaining how I felt. He was dumped on a street and he's been alone ever since. Don't you think that affects him? Of course he won't play or cuddle with us, Adrian. Nobody has given Bambi a chance before, so why should he? He's be trustful of anybody, she'd said. Any other dog would have opened up by now, I argued, feeling like I wanted to pull my hair out. He's not normal.

Why can't you see that? These things take time. Bambi needs time. As his new family, we need to be patient with him. We need to keep showing him love and support, and he'll eventually open up. up to us. I know he will." All the while, Bambi silently watched us before he turned away and patted back to his room. This is how life continued for the next few months, and all day there would be this heavy weight on my shoulders. I felt trapped in my own home, and I felt like

this damn dog was ruining my relationship. Things got more tense between Amber and I. Every day something would set us off, and we'd snap and bark at each other and end the day feeling miserable. Amber continued to work with Bambi while I did my best to ignore him. That would piss her off, and the arguments would start all over again. One night, Amber kicked me out of our room and threw me my pillow in a thin blanket. I'd suggested we returned Bambi to the dog shelter, and needless to say, that conversation ended badly. I laid on the couch. brooding over how unfair my life had become, and how Bambi was at the center of it. This wasn't right.

Before he came along, things were perfect between Amber and I. We were happy and laughing and enjoying life every day. But Bambi. Bambi was like a poison. His silence and his empty eyes hung over our house like some molded tarp. And I was the only one who saw it. I heard the familiar sound of Bambi's nails clicking against the hardwood floor, and I turned my head to see him staring at me from a few feet away.

An all too familiar chill touched the back of my neck, but I ignored it and glared defiantly back at that damn mutt. Can I help you? I asked. Bambi continued to stare at me. And then he grinned. Good God, he grinned, like a human would. His lips stretched upwards, and it was much too large for a damn chihuahua.

His fangs glistened. And for a moment I feared he would leap at me and devour me. That moment of terror stretched for an eternity, and just when I couldn't stand it anymore, The grin disappeared. Bambi turned around and retreated back to his room. I didn't sleep that night, or for most of the week. When the week neared its end, Amber got a call from the hospital. Her mother was in emergency care and was going to be transferred to a hospital in another

city. It's not my place to be airing my mother-in-law's dirty laundry on the internet, so I will refrain from talking about why she was hospitalized. Amber immediately packed her bags in a rush, all while searching for any pet-friendly hotel she could stay at while she would be visiting her mother. None that would allow pets were in our budget, so she reluctantly turned to me and frowned. You need to take care of Bambi while I'm gone, she informed me, making sure I was meeting her eyes.

I need you to promise me that you'll do it. I gulped. After that night on the couch, I'd gone from hating Bambi to being terrified of him. The last thing I wanted was to be alone with him. I forced myself to agree to care for him. For her sake. Okay, I stammered, trying to ignore the demon Chihuahua at our feet. No problem.

Good, Amber said, taking a deep breath and stepping closer to me. She planted a kiss on my lips, the first one in what felt like ages. I-I think some time away from each other will be good for us, she said, not quite meeting my eyes. Things have been hard, but I do love you. I love you too, I replied. And don't worry, Bambi and I will be here when you get back. She closed her eyes and leaned in close to Hugme.

Thank you. whispered. And then she was gone. And I was to be alone with Bambi for the next week and a half. The first two days, I locked myself in my room and just left Bambi to his own devices. By this point, I knew he didn't need to eat or go outside. I knew he wasn't just a Chihuahua. Every time I closed my eyes, all I saw was that horrific, uncanny, evil. grin. I knew that he knew the effect it was having on me, and I knew that behind that empty expression he wore, he must have enjoyed it. Two weeks earlier, and that would have pissed me off. Now it just filled me with dread. I was alone with a monster, and every hour I feared

what he would do to me. On the second night, I'd get my answer. As I laid there, I could faintly hear his nails clicking on the hardwood floor. He was pacing around the house, moving from the living room to the kitchen and back again. It was almost like Bambi was on patrol and it was the most active I'd seen, or rather, heard him. I chewed my bottom lip anxiously. What was different? Was he making his move tonight?

Was he taunting me? Or was it all just coincidence? I suddenly realized that while lost in my theory crafting, I'd lost track of his pacing. I held my breath, wondering where he was in the house. Did he finally go back to his room? I was almost ready to relax. When I heard something scratch at the bottom of the door, I froze, ice shooting straight through my blood as Bambi continued.

you to scratch relentlessly at the door. His tiny nails clawed into the wood desperately. If he was any other dog, I'd coo over the adorable behavior and let him in. But Bambi wasn't doing this to be cute. He was trying to get me. He was trying to kill me. Bambi? I said, hating how my voice cracked in fear.

You better stop it!" The scratching stopped, and silence filled the entire house. Bambi didn't make a sound for the longest time, but then he started scratching again. Only these weren't the scratches of a little chihuahua. They were louder and so much deeper. They belonged to the claws of a much larger animal and the sounds of him trying to be. trying to get through the door echoed through the whole room. I clamped down on my ears and hid under my blanket as I realized that the scratches were starting

from the very top of the door and working their way down to the bottom. Too large. Much too large for even the biggest dog. What was on the other side of that door? What the hell did we bring into our house? house. Stop it! I shouted.

And once more everything went silent. Was it over? Was he gone? The door knob shook. I'd lock the door, but I never expected this. A moment passed. Then Bambi, or whatever Bambi was now, tried again. He threw his weight against the door while he continued to twist and twist.

pull at the doorknob. I watched in horror as the entire doorframe and even the walls shook with each slam against the door. I leapt out from my bed and I searched for something I could use as a weapon. The door was not going to hold. Bambi was going to break in here and kill me. But then the worst thing happened. Something I hadn't even thought possible, but was so... So much worse than him breaking in, Bambi spoke. Adrian... he rasped. His voice, it was that of a being with a throat so dry it hadn't spoken in centuries. No. Millennia. It was the voice of time itself, of the beginning and the end. This voice witnessed.

creation as we know it and will witness the end of everything. It clawed at my hearing, clinging to it with nails more ancient than the earth itself. Adrian, open that door. The door splintered open, and I passed out in fear. It was the sunlight that peeked through the blinds that awoke me. I blinked and stared up at the ceiling. The events of last night filtered through, and with a gasp I shot up, only to realize I couldn't.

Something was weighing me down, something so heavy, I felt like my lungs would burst. I glanced down and a scream was caught in my throat. Bambi was sitting on me. his empty eyes piercing directly through mine. Eyes that I now know told the story of a being far more ancient than I could have imagined. A being who knew the empty abyss were all destined for when we die and who could send me there whenever it wanted. Bambi tilted his head slightly, an action that would have gotten a joyous gasp out of

Amber on any other day. He then stepped off of me and padded through the now broken door. I watched him vanish into his room, and the moment he was out of sight, I raced towards the bathroom, upheaving every content of my stomach for what felt like ours. It was hopeless. I never felt so defeated, so small and insignificant in my entire life. I knew what Bambi was now. And I knew that there was nothing I could do about him. At any moment he could send me to the void in his eyes. My soul trapped forever in an empty hell of his making. I wished in that moment that we never went to that stupid shelter.

I wish we never adopted this thing and brought it into our home. I wanted to take him and drown. him. I wanted him dead and gone, but I knew nothing I did would matter. Bambi wasn't a dog. He looked like one sure, but he was something far, far more powerful. He would come back. He would come back and torment me for eternity because all he saw me as was an insignificant toy for him to ruin and throw away. I paused, wiping my mouth and glancing towards the direction of Bambi's rum. If this was all true, why was I just now doubting it? Contradicting thoughts race through my head, crashing and colliding, and making more contradictions. Why a Chihuahua? Why appear at a shelter? Why

would an Eldritch being allow itself to be taken home? Why not just torture us endlessly? Why act like a—well, nothing like an ordinary dog, but still a dog? Why tolerate Amber? Why go after me? Why speak to me? Why horrify me? Why do all this now when Amber left? Why? I needed to test this. There was no way it could be that stupidly simple. Swallowing my fear, I timidly called Bambi's name. He didn't show.

So I cleared my throat. Bambi? I called. Come here, boy. A few seconds passed, and eventually Bambi peaked around the corner. He gazed at me intensely, but I forced me. myself to let the fear wash over me and steeled myself. I grinned and held out my hand. Come here, Bambi, I cooed, with the same soft tone Amber used. After a few more seconds,

Bambi approached. He stopped the foot away from me, standing perfectly still with his unblinking, abyssal eyes. It was all so perfectly Bambi I realized. With a nervous laugh, I reached over and rubbed the top of his head. His fur was so soft. I'd never realized it, because I'd always refused to touch him. Bambi didn't react to being pet, but I don't think he needed to. If he did, then he wouldn't be Bambi.

You know what? Screw it, I thought. If nobody else wanted this freaky Eldritch demon of a d'Denby, dog, then I guess Amber and I would just have to give him a home instead. Standing up, I whistled for Bambi to follow me as I walked confidently to the kitchen, where his leash laid on the table. Amber had bought it on his first day here, but Bambi always doggedly refused to go on a walk. Well, that was going to change today. The moment Bambi saw the leash, he stopped following and began to turn around.

Hey, not today, I said cheekily, as I scooped the Chihuahua up. Bambi tensed in my arms, and I remembered that this was the first time either of us had picked him up. I gave him a wet smooch on his cheek and carried him out the front door. I set him down on the sidewalk in front of our house and quickly fastened his leash on him. I tugged on it gently. Come on, boy, I encouraged. Let's go. Bambi didn't move. He didn't blink. He didn't wag his tail. All of these I expected of him by now,

yet I continued to gently tug on the leash, always making sure to never hurt him. I wasn't giving up that easily, even if it meant standing here all day, looking like a complete ass in front of the whole neighborhood. And eventually, Bambi took a step forward, followed by another. Our walk began at a snail's pace. I got the feeling Bambi was reluctant about all of this. Amusingly. I think he eventually realized that he, the actual Eldritch deity, was not going to get his way this time. He walked by my side now. His eyes trained forward and his body a little stiff, even though he never showed emotions. I got the impression he was slightly embarrassed to be put here, guided by a leash like a cowman house pet.

A sudden series of bark startled me, and I looked up to see we were passing by a young woman and her own dog, a golden retriever. The dog was pulling at its leash, teeth bared as it snarled and snapped towards Bambi with such unbridled fury. The poor young woman was desperately holding her dog back. back, the look of shock and confusion in her eyes, indicating that this wasn't normal. She tried apologizing over her dog's booming barks, but I waved her off, telling her it's fine. All the while, Bambi was staring ahead.

His head calmly turned towards the much bigger dog. The golden retriever made eye contact with Bambi for only a second. When it suddenly yelped in pain and retreated between its'est, its owner's legs, shaking intensely. The woman looked at her dog's sudden change of behavior and then looked back at us. I knew that she saw what I previously saw in Bambi. I shrugged apologetically as Bambi and I left her behind. Bambi and I settled into a routine after this, after I fixed the bedroom door, of course.

We'd wake up, I'd eat breakfast, I'd take him on a walk before dropping him back. off at the house and leaving for work. I'd come back, take him on another walk, grab some ice cream and a pup cup he never ate, and return home for the night. Despite all this, Bambi never blinked, never moved more than he had to, and never wagged his tail. But that was okay. I knew Bambi wasn't the emotional type. I called and facetimed Amber every day, telling and showing her the progress Bambi and I were making together. To say she was ecstatic would be an understatement. I'd never seen her smile so wide before.

She told me her mother was feeling better and they'd be back the next afternoon. Bambi retreated to his room and I settled into bed, excited for what tomorrow would bring. I didn't process it at first, but what awoke me was the sound of footsteps, Not Bambies, but those of someone wearing heavy boots. Actually, I think there were multiple people by the sounds of it. And I could hear them speaking. I couldn't make out the words, but I think they were trying to be quiet. I blinked in confusion and reached for my phone.

Was Amber back? Did she bring her mom back too? The phone read 241 a.m. No. It wasn't Amber. I listened again and realized that the voices were male. I shot up, suddenly a lot more awake with my heart pounding in my chest. Robbers!

I slowly slid out of my bed, wincing as the floor beneath me creaked. The voices suddenly stopped. I heard footsteps thudding towards my room, and before I could hide, the door was forced open with a mighty kick. I yelled in surprise as a large burly man rushed inside, and I found the barrel of a gun pointed directly at my face. Stay down, he said, as his large boot struck my chest. The air was driven from my lungs as I collapsed onto the floor.

The man pinned me down with his boot. The gun still trained on me. His hand was shaking, I noticed. Shit, he muttered. Shit, shit, shit. He turned his head back and called out to his accomplices. Hurry up, guys, we gotta go. I heard glass shatter, and I realized that they were going after the cabinet full of heirlooms.

Please, I said, stop this. Shut up, the man said. The man was not a professional, some observable. part of me realized. He was beginning to panic. Through blurred vision, I saw a small shape enter the room. It paused and looked up at the man holding me at gunpoint. It was Bambi. Forgetting what he was for a moment, I silently pleaded with him to run and hide. But that wasn't what Bambi did. For the very first time, Bambi barked. It was a shrill, ear-grading noise, very typical for a Chihuahua, that annoying yapping

that drives nails into your head. It was the kind of bark that made you hide your face in embarrassment because your untrained Chihuahua started attacking your guest and you had to lock it in another room. The barking startled the man, who turned towards Bambi and swore loudly. You gotta be joking. He cupped his hand to his mouth and tried talking over Bambi. All right, let's go, guys. People are going to hear this and the cops are going to be on us. Shut him up, one of the others said.

The robber hissed as he stepped off of me. I propped myself against the wall as the man walked towards my dog. I shot my hand out in a feeble attempt to stop him. No, don't, I begged. But I'm not sure who I was talking to in that moment. In slow motion, I watched as the man swung his foot back, intending to kill Bambi in one fierce kick. As it sailed towards the Chihuahua, I saw something that reminded me of why I used to be so scared of Bambi in the first place.

His empty eyes. They weren't empty anymore. There was something moving in them, a maelstrom of eternity. I saw everything. I saw the creation of the universe and its destruction, only for that destruction to lead to another creation. The universe was created and destroyed over and over, and I sat there witnessing all of it. Bambi wasn't an aspect of the void.

He was the void. He was infinity itself. He was where we came from. And he was where we'd return to when we died. This wasn't some Cthulhu-type monster I previously thought was trying to break down my door. This was something far, far worse. Hearing it on the other side of the door was bad enough, but this, my words could never hope to accurately describe what I was witnessing.

I knew in that moment I should have gone mad, that I should have died tearing my eyes out and screaming until I choked on my own gore. But I didn't. I couldn't. Bambi wouldn't let me. I was his. I was now his favorite, destined along with the rest of my family line, to be disciples of his nothingness. The void would love us and protect us, so long as we loved it in return. It was a contradiction beyond everything else, but Bambi didn't care. The rules

were his to make. I was only able to pull my eyes away from him when a blood-curdling scream tore itself from the man. His leg had connected with Bambi, but the Chihuahua of Eternity didn't flinch. Instead, the leg exploded into a shower of blood and gore that cake the entire room in a deep crimson. The man fell to the ground and Bambi was on top of him. bigger now and looking nothing like a dog anymore. The creature before me was nowhere near Bambi's

true form, and it was that alone which gave me courage to watch. It was tall, so tall that I had no idea how it fit in the room. Jagged bones rattled and folded against each other to accommodate the room's small size. It was an aspect of the void. Pure darkness given shape, yet I could see it so clearly. It was skinny. So skinny, I thought, I could wrap my fingers around it. Large dagger-like claws dug into the man's side as he screamed for a mercy that would never come.

There was no face on the creature, yet one of its claws reached up and stabbed into the head, forcibly and violently, tearing into it, until a gaping, bloody maw, resembling a mouth was made. The creature let out a rattling breath before its new mouth dove onto the man's head, feasting on him like a starved prisoner tearing into bread. Two sets of footsteps ran down the hall and stopped just outside the bedroom. I heard two men scream in pure maddening terror, and that caught the creature's attention. It turned towards them. Its claws still ripping into the long dead man, even though there was nothing left to identify

it as one. Just a mushy pile of flesh and blood. It let out a wheezing bark before it lunged towards the two robbers, and I lost sight of it, as it tackled them into the hall. I heard it, though. I heard the ripping and tearing, and I heard their screams being silenced. I sat there, numb and covered in blood and mentally reeling over everything I just witnessed. I heard a low growl, and the creature crawled awkwardly into the rum.

It's impossibly numerous bones shifting and crackling to allow it to to fit. With a bitter laugh, I realized that Bambi never intended to harm me that first night, for if he did, then this would have happened. I thought back to that dog's evil grin and wondered if I misinterpreted that as well. I watched the creature approach and felt fear well up inside me. I instinctively tried to back away. The creature noticed and paused. Shame pulled over me as I forced myself to relax. This was Bambi. This was my Chihuahua.

I noticed one last detail about this form. The large ears perked up on its head. The thing opened its deformed mouth and let out what sounded like a small wine. Adria S. A smile broke past my lips. I held out my hand towards the creature. Good boy, Bambi, I whispered, as it leaned its head against my palm. We stayed like that for a while, but eventually I heard a knock at the door.

I ignored it at first, but as the knocking persisted, I groaned painfully and stood up. As I walked towards the front door, I heard a familiar clicking of nails. Looking down, I saw Bambi following me as a man be following me as a little bit. a chihuahua once again. I knelt down and rubbed his head, and to my surprise, he licked me. I watched in silent awe as all the blood seeped off of me and funneled into Bambi's mouth. Before I knew it, I was completely cleansed, and Bambi promptly returned to the hallway, where I could now see he was licking up all the blood and gore. What a good dog!

I chuckled to myself. I opened the door and smiled. Hello, officer, I greeted. Everything all right? The officer, an older man with a stink eye, looked at me curiously. Uh, some neighbors called about a noise complaint, said they heard shouting in what sounded like a fight. You mind explaining that? Of course, I said.

As I opened the door wider and let the officer three. I showed him the living room and the broken glass of the china cabinet. Some robbers broke in and tried to steal stuff in the cabinet there, I said, pausing, then glancing at the front door. I think I forgot to lock the door, officer, I said. Huh. The officer clicked his tongue and looked around. And the robbers?

Three of them, I clarified. And my guard dog chased him out. Guard dog, the officer asked. And at that moment, Bambi made his entrance. All traces of blood were now gone, and he stopped by my feet. The officer smirked. Huh. You mean this little thing?

Yep. I confirmed with a smile. Bambi here, well, he may not look like much, but he's as fierce as they come. Even bit him a couple times. The officer laughed and bent down to Bambi's level. He began to praise him for being such a brave boy. When he paused, his brow furrowed as he looked into Bambi's eyes. I noticed him start to shake when I cleared my throat to get his attention.

The officer stood up, Yeah. He trailed off and glanced down at Bambi before shaking his head and turned his head. turning back to me. Well, if they're gone, then that's that. But if you want, I can put another officer here for the night to watch your house while you sleep. Make sure they don't come back, you know?

Of course, I agreed. Though I think Bambi here is protection enough. I reached down and patted his head gently, while he looked at me, with those empty, bottomless eyes. moved on after that. Amber came back the next morning, and I told her about the break-in. But not about what Bambi had done. I gave her the same story I gave the officer, and she praised Bambi for being such a brave boy. Imagine her surprise, when, for the very first time, Bambi wagged his tail. I guess she was right about him needing time and all that. Though even five years

later, he's still mostly the same silent, unblinking chihuahua we love. He sleeps with us now, as the second bedroom now belongs to our daughter. Though he doesn't seem to mind his space being stolen, he loves that girl more than anything. If anyone can get him to wag his tail, it's her. Eternity in the void is a lonely thing I'd imagine. Being that eternity, even more so. I sometimes wonder if that's why he chose the form of a Chihuahua to find people who would make his infinite existence a little more meaningful. Now that he's found us, his forever home, he won't be lonely anymore. And when my family line eventually dies off, will return to his void.

Our existence will become part of him. And so he'll never be apart from us. That doesn't scare me, you know. It means I'll always have my loyal, loving guard dog. Sometimes I have nightmares. I'll dream of a blood-soaked room and bodies piled high. But when I wake up, I'll reach over and stroke Bambi's fur. He'll comfort me.

And I'll drift off to sleep with his words echoing in my head. Family, safe, Barbie hotel.