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"The Stray"

     My friends and I were excited to go see the Grand Canyon. A few weeks ago, we decided to rent an RV and here we are now, on the road trip of a life time.
    Today was our second day out on the road. We'd passed by a few states and each took turns driving when the previous driver was growing tired. James, Corbin, and I had been wanting to do something like this ever since we graduated high school. And now that we were on break after our second year in community college, we were more than ready for this.
    At this point, night had overtaken the world, drowning it in its dark abyss. The only thing illuminating the world around us was the narrow beam of headlight on the road as we drove. It was getting late, so we decided we should find a spot to rest for the night. Unfortunately for us, there wouldn't be another rest stop for a few miles.
    As we drove on, we chatted and joked about random things that now seemed really dumb.
    I was the person driving and I was getting thirsty, so I asked Corbin to toss me a can of orange soda. He threw it and I turned to catch it. As I did, I felt a thump hitting the RV that made my heart leap out of my chest. I immediately slammed on the breaks. We all exchanged horrified glances as we weren't sure what we hit.
    James was the first person outside. Corbin and I followed close behind, using our phones as flashlights. We scanned the road behind the RV until we saw a poor, crippled creature laying on the road, whining as its front paw twitched. It was a dog. It was hard to tell what breed it was, but its head was elongated, and its limbs we long and thin. The poor thing was crying out in pain.
    James took off his jacket and wrapped the poor creature up and we carefully brought it back into the RV. We decided that it was better than just leaving it out here to die.
    As we all got back in the RV, James sat it in the back where the bed was, just beyond the doorway. James told us he'd look after it while Corbin and I sat up front, I still in the driver's seat, as we looked onward for a place to stop and rest for the night. And hopefully to help the poor dog.
    As I drove, I couldn't help but feel terrible for hitting the dog with the RV. After all, I was the one driving. I was the one responsible.
    Corbin tried talking me down, telling me it wasn't my fault. "It's so dark out there, how would you have possibly been able to see the dog? I mean, we're all tired. Accidents happen." His words were kind, but it felt like I was trying to garner sympathy when I should be feeling bad for hurting an animal.
    The night seemed to drag on forever as Corbin and I looked out upon the seemingly endless road, looking for any kind of turn-off. But it felt like it had been a while since we'd heard anything from James. Corbin said he'd go and check on him.
    He stood from the passenger seat and made his way to the closed bedroom door. The door slowly squeaked open and I could hear him calling out for James, but he didn't seem to find him. Then, I heard the door shut and then silence.
    In concern, I pulled over to the shoulder of the road and turned on my warning lights. I turned around to face the bedroom door, calling out for James, for Corbin. But there was nothing. I half expected for the door to open, for at least one of them to call out and say everything was fine. But there was nothing. Nothing but the silent hum of the engine as it remained parked.
    Then, slowly, the door creaked open. The sound of bones snapping echoing through the RV. Behind the door was pitch darkness, but something was stepping forward from the shadows. I hoped and prayed that it was one of my friends playing some kind of a twisted joke on me. But then I saw a furry arm break from the darkness. Then another. Then its head. Its elongated head. As it stepped out from behind the door, the sound of bones snapping grew louder, more aggressive. What seemed to be a tiny dog approaching was now twisting and morphing into something bigger. Something monstrous and uncanny.
    I stared, frozen in fear as the dog was now fully standing on its hind legs just in front of the door, its eyes locked on me. Its eyes looked strangely human. Then, it broke into a full sprint as it raced toward me, lunging and attacking, its mouth wide open to swallow me whole.

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