I spot the couch and the shadowy space beneath it.
Aha! I could hide under there! The sky monster won’t see me and swoop down and capture me!
Adrenaline surged through my paws. I bolt toward the couch and dive headfirst, squirming like a panicked snake into the narrow darkness. Dust clung to my fur, but I didn’t care. I curled up tight, feeling my heart pound.
My frantic eyes dart toward the backyard door, tracking every flicker of light, every new crackle in the sky. Thankfully, the couch mutes the worst of the monster’s deafening voice, but the vibrations still ripple through the floor and my bones.
BOOM. CRACK. BOOM.
Each one louder. Closer. More frequent. I press myself deeper into the shadows, trembling, barely breathing.
I began to worry if my owner is safe out there.
And then finally, silence.
I took a shallow, shivering breath.
BOOM!
A final monster roared, louder than all the others, like it was making one last attempt to scare me. I flinched hard.
And then… silence again. But this time, it was a peaceful silence filled with the usual quiet murmuring of animals, plants, and humans.
Is it over? I cautiously peeked my head out from under the couch. Outside, the sky had gone dark and quiet. No more flashes. Just the soft creak of the house and a faint breeze through the open door.
“Oh, Ace!”
It was her! My owner! She is alive, and she found me!
Happy that we both are alive, I rush over and give her face one big, grateful lick. Who knows? Maybe it is she who saved me and everyone else from those fireworks!
______________________________________________________________THE END________________________________________________________
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