One day, George came home to an empty house. Zoe was gone again, and Rex was alone. The bored dog had torn up a couch cushion. George sighed and got a broom to clean up. “This isn’t us, this isn’t our life,” he muttered to the silent room. Just as he started, his phone rang. He answered, and a low, unfamiliar voice greeted him.
The voice asked George something that surprised him: “Are you the guy who is currently looking after my old police dog Rex?”. George was caught off guard. The voice seemed somewhat familiar, maybe someone he had met through Zoe’s friends. He hesitated but then said, “Yes, that’s me.” The quick and unsettling response took him by surprise.