I had just arrived home after a long day at work. I decided to watch the sunset although I was incredibly tired. The sky was burning red and was now becoming navy blue. I watched the colors intertwine while my mind was busy thinking about all the work I had to do. There was no way I could’ve finished them all. I could hear the neighbor’s dog barking from downstairs. This was worrying because her voice sounded croaky instead of flat like it usually does. She was howling, in a way. I didn’t want to disturb the neighbors by going downstairs and checking up on the dog, so I just sat there until the barking stopped. I thought of that dog, a golden retriever whose fur was more white than golden, who never failed to make me smile anytime I saw her. Her eyes were constantly sparkling, which meant she was excited to interact with people and she was looking for affection. Usually when people really want to be loved, others say that those people are like puppies. She was the kind of “puppies” they were talking about. When she finally became silent, I got up from the table and started to write the reports I was supposed to write.
It was around 7 pm and I had just finished studying. I walked to the kitchen, bringing my attention to the rusty walls of the hallway which were starting to turn grey from white. It was not the first time I was smelling the dampness of the air in this small, boring house. However, it was the first time I felt like this house was so old, that it was slowly going to melt or collapse. I quickly fixed myself a cup of coffee and was about to drink it when I heard the dog start to bark again. I usually don’t mind the barking, but there was something peculiar about her voice today. It was almost like she was begging, or crying for help. I finally decided to go downstairs to inform the neighbor about this strangeness, so I opened the door and started going down the marble stairs which were colored soft pink and didn’t match the yellow walls in this little dark box of an apartment. I could tell that the howling was getting louder and louder as I got closer to the neighbor’s door. I finally rang the bell and waited for about five minutes for the neighbors to answer, but the howling had stopped and I couldn’t even hear anyone breathing inside. I knocked three or four times after that, but no one answered. I quickly went upstairs and called the neighbor. The barking was even louder until I dialed his number, and stopped when the neighbor answered. he told me that he was out on a walk with his dog and that they have been out for about two hours. It turns out that my mind was playing tricks on me, I thought; so I apologized to the neighbor and went outside for some fresh air.