(Back to Aana's POV)
(CUPCAKE ENTERS MY ROOM)
As soon as I heard the familiar sound of his paws on the floor, I turned around and saw him. My adorable Cupcake, the cutest and fluffiest pup in the world. He ran towards me with his tail wagging and his tongue hanging out. He jumped on my bed and snuggled into my arms. I hugged him tightly and kissed his furry head.
"Oh, my Cupcake, you're back! I thought you had forgotten about me! Do you like that Percy more than me? You know how much I missed you, right?" I said to him, looking into his big brown eyes. He barked softly and licked my face. "Yeah, I know, my lil kiddo. You're saying you love me more, right?"
But I still had many questions swirling in my mind. How did he get along with Percy so well when we had just met him? And why did I feel a strange connection with him? Was I a fool for falling in love at first sight? No, that couldn't be. I never believed in such things. Oh God, what was I even saying? I needed to stop thinking about Percy.
"Hey, Cupcake, do you want to hear what happened today?" I asked him, hoping to distract myself from my thoughts. He tilted his head and wagged his tail again. "Of course you do. You're such a good listener." And then I told him everything that had happened that day, from the moment I woke up to the moment he came back. He listened attentively, occasionally barking or whining in response. When I finished, I asked him, "Did I bore you?" And before he could answer, I said, "Of course not. My baby would never be bored of me."
(Cupcake in mind: Does my Aana even have a brain? Poor me! But I love her hugs, and because she loves me a lot I tolerate her just like poor Percy.)
Time is a merciless thief that robs us of the good things in our lives. The night before, we had all slept like babies, without any fear of the undead that had been haunting us for so long. I woke up at 8:30, feeling a rare sense of calm and happiness. I looked around for Cupcake, my faithful furry friend, but he was nowhere to be seen. Maybe he had gone for a stroll in the fresh morning air or to visit Percy. I shrugged and headed downstairs, where I greeted everyone with a bright smile and a cheerful "Good morning". We sipped our coffee and chatted for a while, enjoying the warmth and comfort of our home. Then I went back to my room to take a bath. I splashed some water on my face and felt a surge of gratitude for this simple luxury. When I came down again at 9:30, I noticed that Percy and Cupcake were still missing. I wondered what was keeping them. Surely they wouldn't miss breakfast, especially after such a peaceful night. Maybe they had found something interesting to do or see. Or maybe something was wrong. A pang of worry hit me as I scanned the horizon for any sign of them.
Granny told me that she would go and bring Percy his breakfast and check on Cupcake, my little pup. She said she would feed Cupcake some dog food if he was there. I didn't want her to go through the trouble, so I offered to do it for her. "Granny, let me go. I'll take care of Percy and Cupcake. You should have your breakfast first." I smiled sweetly at her and she agreed.
I was reluctant to go to Percy's room because of the strange feeling of deja vu that had been haunting me. But I felt like I had to go. I told myself that it was nothing to be afraid of.
I picked up the plate of food and the can of dog food and walked out of the room. I knocked on Percy's door, but there was no answer. I felt a surge of worry and tried to push the door open. It opened easily as if it was not locked at all.
I stepped inside the room and was surprised to see Percy still lying on his bed. There was no sign of Cupcake, I set the plate I was holding on the table and went closer to Percy. "Percy, Percy, hey, wake up," I said, shaking him gently. He opened his eyes and looked at me with confusion. "Aana, what are you doing in my room? Is everything okay? Are you hurt?" He asked me with concern, all in one breath. I reassured him that I was fine and asked him how he was feeling. "What do you mean?" He asked. "You never sleep this late and you didn't even show up for breakfast. Are you feeling sick?" I asked him, worried. He admitted that he had a fever and a headache. "What!" I exclaimed and put my palm on his forehead to feel his temperature. He was burning up. I wished we could call a doctor, but that was not possible. I had an idea though. I ran to the bathroom and filled a mug with water. I soaked my clean handkerchief in it and ran back to Percy's room. He was trying to tell me that it was nothing serious, but I ignored him. I told him to lie down and put the wet handkerchief on his forehead. I repeated this several times, sitting beside him for about half an hour. Then I remembered the breakfast I had brought for him. "You're lucky today. There was hot soup for breakfast. Maybe it's not hot anymore, it's been half an hour now," I said, trying to lighten the mood. He chuckled at my remark and took the soup bowl from me. He drank it all and thanked me. Then I noticed the can of dog food on the table and asked him if he knew where Cupcake was. He shook his head and said he hadn't seen Cupcake since yesterday. "Didn't he come to your room last night?" He asked me. I nodded and said he did, but he was gone in the morning.
He told me not to worry about Cupcake
. He said he was a smart pup and he had some special abilities due to his mutation. He could even change into mutant form, so he could take care of himself. He said we would look for him, we'll find him. He tried to get up from the bed, but I stopped him. "No, you need to rest. That's more important. I'll go and look for Cupcake. You stay here and get some sleep. I'll let you know when I find him," I said firmly. He nodded and lay down again. "Okay then. I'll see you later. And thank you for everything," he said softly. I smiled at him and said, "You're welcome." I felt a blush rising on my cheeks and quickly turned away. I left the room and went to look for Cupcake. I decided to skip breakfast for now. I was more concerned about my little pup. He must be hungry and scared too. I searched for him everywhere in the house, but I couldn't find him. I started to panic and wonder what could have happened to him. Emma saw me and asked me what was wrong. I told her about Cupcake and she offered to help me. "Don't worry, we'll find him. Let's look for him together," she said kindly. We searched for him in every corner of the house, but he was nowhere to be seen. Then we heard a terrifying roar coming from the backyard......