Gemotions

Rain slicked the windows, blurring the outside world into a gray watercolor painting. A low growl rumbled from beneath the porch. “Mom, I hear something," Leo whispered, clutching his teddy bear. His face was pale.

His mother, hunched over the stove, paused, her spoon suspended mid-air. “Probably just the wind,” she said, but her voice lacked conviction.

The growl intensified, followed by a muffled thud. Leo squeezed his eyes shut. His mother moved to the window, peering through the rain-streaked glass. She saw the dog, its teeth bared in a silent snarl, its body coiled and tense. She quickly pulled the curtains closed. “Stay here,” she instructed, her voice a strained whisper as she hurried to the front door.