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"Frankie"

  I climbed off the bus, spying my mom waiting at the front door for me. I could feel the excitement bubbling inside me as I charged down the driveway and to the front door. My mom stepped aside and I slid off my backpack.
"Slow down, Charlie," she called as I took off to my room. "I don't want you slipping and falling."
"I'm fine, mom!" I called back to her as I stepped inside my room.
I shut the door and leaped onto the bed, where my GamePack was at. I'd been waiting all day to play with my virtual dog, Frankie. He's this adorable golden retriever that I rescued from the dog kennel in the game.
I'd taught him these cool tricks too! He can jump up and do a flip in the air. And I even taught him to use his paws to open doors and open drawers. It's useful for when I ask him to retrieve things when, in the game, I'm halfway across the house.
Today when I booted up the game, I gave him some pets and he curled up on the floor beside me. I retrieved a bone from my inventory and gave it to him. He chewed on it for a bit while I pet him. He was so cute. I just wish my mom would let me get a real dog. She say's they're too messy.
While I was petting Frankie, I realized I had some homework I had to get done. I knew mom would kill me if there were assignments that I didn't finish. She said if I get bad grades she'll take away my games. And I can't bear to lose Frankie.
I dropped my GamePack on the bed and grabbed my backpack from the living room. I reached in and grabbed my math book with a couple work sheets. I then raced back into my bedroom. I plopped down on my bed and looked over to my Frankie to see what he's up to. Only to realize that he was gone from the screen.
In a panic, I used the control sticks to look around the little home I had and I couldn't find him anywhere. I started to panic. Where could he be? The game doesn't let dogs go outside on their own.
Could he have been dog-napped?
I frantically looked all around the virtual home, seeing if he was trying to play hide and seek with me. But I tapped every interactable spot I could. But there was nothing.
I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard my door creaking open slowly.
"Mom, is that you?" I asked, shifting around on the bed to face the door. "Mom, I can't find Frankie!"
I listened for a reply from her but I heard nothing. The door slowly creaked open more. It was becoming less scary and more annoying. What was she doing?
Leaping to my feet, I walked over to the door and threw it open. There behind the door stood a golden retriever that looked exactly like Frankie.
"Frankie?" I asked excitedly. "Is that you?"
I reached out to pet him but he dodged my hand and began to growl at me, baring his teeth. I staggered back a bit, my hands clutched close to my chest. But the dog crept closer, a low growl still in its throat.
He let out a loud bark as he bared his sharp teeth again.
"Charlie," my mom called to me from another room. "Turn that game down, I can hear your dog friend barking from here!"
"It's not from the game mom!" I called to her.
I heard footsteps approaching the door. "What do you mean it's not-" She stopped short when she saw the angry dog in my room.
"Mom, help!" I cried out. I could see my mom reaching down, making a grab for the dog. The dog shot around in an instant and charged toward my mom, howling wildly as it tackled her to the ground. I could hear her crying out in pain through the aggressive growling and barking and tearing. I tried to fight the dog off, tried to save my mom, but the dog was determined.
Eventually, my mom's cries faded and the dog was done tearing into her. It turned its head toward me, licking the dripping blood off its lips. Then it stared me down with those same hungry eyes...

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