Julia was oblivious to the events unfolding while she slept each night. Waking up feeling increasingly weak marked the beginning of a life-altering mistake she couldn’t yet comprehend.
Confusion and sorrow engulfed her as she tried to trace the root of her troubles. It dawned on her that everything seemed to unravel after adopting her dog. She wondered if her beloved pet might be linked to the turmoil she had endured.
The Calm After The Storm
When the situation finally calmed down, Julia found herself bewildered and unable to grasp what had just transpired. The events had spiraled out of control, leaving her confused about the root cause.
As an ardent animal enthusiast, Julia had perhaps formed a stronger bond with her pet than usual. However, it was hard to fault her; the profound impact of the rare news from her doctor had transformed her life in ways she could never have anticipated.
A Everyday Woman
Julia Hanson was an everyday woman who relocated to Indiana to carve out her own path, separate from her parents. With a bookkeeping job secured and a modest house rented, she seemed to have everything in place.
Despite this, she found herself grappling with an unexpected sense of loneliness. Realizing that living alone wasn’t as fulfilling as she had hoped, Julia was determined to address this newfound emptiness promptly.
Adopting Her First Pet
Julia decided it was time to adopt her first pet. As a child, she had a beloved sheepdog, and now that she was an adult, she felt ready to bring another animal into her life.
However, Julia was not very knowledgeable about pet care. She wished she had learned more about it earlier, especially as she began noticing symptoms and found herself uncertain about what was happening behind the scenes.
The Perfect Dog
Julia realized she needed to find a dog that truly suited her. With so many animals of varying shapes, sizes, and temperaments, she began her search by visiting several local shelters.
On her third visit, a particular dog caught her eye—an enchanting Shepherd mix with striking eyes. Despite her growing attachment, Julia was uncertain about the challenges that lay ahead.
The Dog Tag
Upon spotting the tag on the dog's cage marked "Bronx," she felt an immediate connection and knew she had to adopt him. Something about the dog struck a chord with her, and she was determined to offer him a new chance at a loving home.
She proceeded to the reception to request an adoption form, hoping to finalize the process by the following day. Little did she know, Bronx was concealing something that would soon come to light.
Two Days Later
Two days later, Julia returned to the shelter with the completed adoption paperwork. With Bronx on a leash, she prepared to take him home, though the shelter staff seemed oddly hesitant. Julia dismissed their reactions and headed straight to her house, eager to settle in with her new companion.
At home, Julia had everything ready: dog food and a water bowl. However, she hadn't purchased a dog bed, a decision she would soon come to regret.
In The Following Days
In the days that followed, Julia ensured Bronx adjusted comfortably to his new environment. The presence of her new companion alleviated her loneliness, though she sensed there might be an underlying issue she hadn't yet identified.
Despite only a week passing since Bronx’s arrival, his mood had noticeably improved compared to his time in the cage. However, a concern arose: he was choosing to sleep on the floor rather than in the bed she had prepared for him.
Not Fond Of The FLoor
The dog clearly wasn't fond of sleeping on the floor. Despite Julia's efforts to make him comfortable with blankets, he still appeared unsettled. His bond with her had already grown strong in just a week, but his discomfort was evident.
One morning, Julia awoke to a peculiar sensation in her bed. As she felt the fur against her skin, it quickly dawned on her what was happening.
Preferred Being Close
Julia soon noticed that her dog clearly preferred curling up close to her on the queen-sized bed. Despite the ample space, the pooch seemed happiest nestled beside her.
To keep things manageable, Julia planned to groom her dog regularly and change her sheets daily. Although it required extra effort, she felt it was a small price to pay for the joy her new pet brought her.
A Strange Habit Starts
Everything was going well at first, but after a month or so of this, her dog picked up a peculiar habit. When Julia started waking up, instead of her dog being by her side, he was actually sitting on the floor and staring at the bed.
She didn't pay much attention to the habit at first. But after a few days of the exact same behavior, she started to feel uneasy. What was he staring at?
Staring At Her Bed
Julia got out of bed and tried to snap Bronx out of it, but he was as if he was in some kind of trance. He was watching the bed and wouldn't take his gaze away. She needed to find out what he was so fixated on.
She decided that the only way to find out would be to set up cameras to figure out what he was doing. But she wouldn't know how harrowing the truth is.
Camera Footage
Julia bought some cameras and set them up in her bedroom, eager to find out what he was doing in the middle of the night. She went to bed, expecting it to be nothing. Perhaps he was just overheated in the middle of the night and preferred lying on the cool floor instead. Either way, she was about to find out.
Julia went to sleep with the cameras ready to record. She slept soundly, knowing she'd soon find out what was going on with her new dog. The next morning, she woke up early and saw Bronx doing the exact same thing. Once she saw the footage, there was no going back.
The Monitor
She looked at the monitor on her laptop and started fast-forwarding the recording. She watched as, at about 4:00 AM, Bronx got up off of the bed and sat on the floor. After about 30 minutes, he turned around and stared at her bed.
For hours, he just stared straight ahead. It felt like something out of a horror movie. What was going on?
What Was Going On?
Julia couldn't understand what was going on. The only other information she could gather from the recording was that her dog was staring at her for a lot longer than she thought. But what was her dog doing?
She knew she had to look closer at the recording to try and figure things out. Or maybe she needed advice from a professional?
Deciding To Take Him To A Vet
Julia couldn't figure out anything else from the recording. She decided to call up a vet and make an appointment to go see him. The next day, she made her way to the vet. But she had no idea what they would have to say once he saw Bronx.
She arrived at the vet with her dog by her side, ready to finally find out what was going on. She walked into the vet's office and put Bronx on the exam table. The vet walked in and greeted her before getting to work. He examined Bronx and even watched the recording that Julia had transferred on her phone. That's when he brought up an important concern.
His Concerns
After a thorough examination and a look at the recording, the vet asked her exactly when and where she got Bronx. The questions made her a little uneasy. What was he getting at? He wanted to run a few tests to test his theory, but it would take a week.
Julia consented to the tests, and then made her way home. All of the tests on were done on Bronx, and now all she had to do was wait a week until the results would come back. Unfortunately, it would be a difficult week waiting for the truth.
Unsure Of Her Actions
That night, Julia didn’t know whether she should let Bronx sleep in her bed or not. He hadn’t done anything wrong, but she was just a little creeped out by everything that had happened.
So she did something that broke her heart. She locked him up in the kitchen and went to bed alone. It was a tough choice, but she couldn’t afford to take any risks.
Crushing Sight
When Julia woke up the next morning, she heard Bronx whining from behind the door. When she opened it, she found him sitting on the floor, moping like a toddler who did something wrong.
She hated seeing him like that, but she felt like she had no other choice. So the next night, she locked him up again, and that was when tragedy struck.
Missing
Julia woke up feeling as guilty as ever, but something was different. There was no whining coming from the kitchen. When she rushed in to check if he was okay, Julia saw the kitchen window was broken. She ran out, but Bronx was long gone.
The day dragged on. She was feeling depressed and blamed herself for what had happened. She felt worse than she did before she adopted Bronx. All she wanted was his company, but it seemed that she managed to push that away, too. Julia had no idea what Bronx was up to.
That Night
Julia woke in the night to the sound of glass shattering, but she was groggy and afraid, so she just pulled her blanket over her head and went back to sleep. But a few minutes later, she felt something warm and furry plop down on her hand, startling her. Had Bronx come home?
With her free hand, Julia wiped her eyes and saw her dog sitting a few inches away. He happily wagged his tail before nudging her hand. That was when Julia realized that the warmth wasn’t coming from him. She froze, dreading what she was about to see. She prayed for it to be anything but what she thought it was.
Was She Brave Enough?
A million things passed through her mind at once. Julia heard that cats would often bring their owners some kind of critter they caught, and she was really hoping it wasn’t a rat or bird. “What is it?” she asked Bronx, her voice shaking nearly as much as she was. He nudged her hand again, and she winced.
After a few minutes of convincing herself, Julia looked down. The sight that greeted her shocked her to her core. It was something that resembled a puppy but was incredibly dirty, and it didn’t look like it was breathing. Had Bronx harmed a puppy in order to earn the affection he had gotten used to?
Cute Little Thing
Julia ran to her bathroom. Not knowing what else to do, she turned on the tap and shoved the puppy underneath it. He started squirming as the dirt fell from his fur. Julia let out a sigh of relief. She was so worried that Bronx had hurt him that she never considered what the other options could be.
Julia examined the little creature. It was some kind of Shepherd pup, but it was so young that it hadn’t opened its eyes yet. Bronx must’ve found it while he was out exploring and probably brought it home because he knew it needed help. Julia sighed, not knowing what she would face when she woke up.
Strange Symptoms
When Julia woke up the next morning, she found the puppy curled up in her hand and Bronx sleeping next to her. She smiled at the sight, but when she lifted the puppy, she realized that something wasn’t right.
Julia had a strange feeling in her hands, particularly the one the puppy had been sleeping on. It was the strangest thing she'd ever experienced. They were red and incredibly itchy.
Nothing Serious
Julia took some allergy medication and went about her day. The medication must’ve worked since she had completely forgotten about her hands by the time she got home.
So she shrugged the symptoms off and paid attention to the two dogs that were in her home. Julia printed some flyers to try to find the puppy’s owner and got dinner ready. But later that night, things took a turn for the worse.
Getting Worse
Julia went to bed that night, assuming that she would be right as rain when the morning came. But at around midnight, she woke up with some serious symptoms.
Her hands had swollen to the point where she couldn’t close them anymore. They were like red, puffy boxing gloves that hurt every time she touched something. This was definitely more serious than an allergy.
Watching The New Footage
Julia realized that her camera was still recording. There might be a clue on there that would explain her new condition. She watched the footage and noticed something different. Just before midnight, Bronx got up and started doing something new. He pushed the puppy aside and was licking her hands.
Watching the previous night’s footage, she saw that he had done the same then. Was he doing it out of affection, or was he jealous of the new pup? Julia couldn’t understand the situation but thought it was better to be safe than sorry. She immediately called her doctor and made an appointment for the next day.
The Doctor
Julia left work early so she could make her appointment. She made her way to the doctor's office and was swiftly taken into the examining room. But just like the vet, her doctor had his concerns.
The doctor did a thorough examination, paying special attention to her hands, and even doing an allergy test. But it didn’t take him very long to give up. He frowned as he led Julia into his office. He clearly had something alarming to tell her. But she had no idea what that might be. Was she developing an allergy to her dog?
Had No Idea
The doctor's frown wasn’t caused by his diagnosis but by the fact that he didn’t have a diagnosis. He had no idea what was causing her symptoms, and he had no idea how to treat it. But he couldn’t let his patient walk out without a diagnosis, either. What if she was contagious?
The doctor took a while to speak, then told Julia that it could be an infection. However, he didn’t seem convinced. Julia thought about what she had seen on her phone and wondered if she should reveal the secret. It could be the key to unraveling this mystery. But was she ready to learn the truth?
Deciding To Show Him
Julia decided that it was worth a shot. She told the doctor what had been happening lately and showed him the video. All Julia wanted was some answers. But once she found them, she would have a tough decision to make. And it was something she never took into consideration.
The doctor watched the video once, and his frown deepened. He watched it over and over again, pausing each time Bronx pushed the puppy away and started licking her hands. Then, he started asking questions about the puppy, and Julia told him as much as she could. But seeing the look in his eyes really had her concerned. What had he seen?