Sylvester: Canis Familiaris!

He suddenly spoke, much to the shock and odd delight of Dennis.

Finally, some form of a response from his captor.

Sylvester: Also known as the common pet dog.

Dennis: Y... yeah...

Being a college drop out did not mean that his knowledge of a genus and species was lacking.

Even more, he was a pet shop worker.

So, knowing such was not only essential, but also elementary.

And as to why he answered?

Simply more "butt kissing."

And then, paradoxically, Sylvester returned to silence.

Leaving a once hopeful Dennis back in the same position as before.

Uncertain terror.

As for Sylvester Perry, he was a man of motive.

There was no way he would have opened this specific computer without rhyme or reasion.

There was a madness to his methods.

After all, what could he possibly want from a pet shop computer?

The answer?

Records.

Sylvester: Ah... Downtown Newman Street.

His sudden words brought more hope to Dennis's soul.

Something more?

Something more to make more sense to his situation?

But.. no?

Still more odd statements.

Sylvester: Canis Lupus Familiaris.

And, yet another.

Why on earth was he talking about dogs?

Dennis remained silent.

Why would he speak?

If he spoke and disturbed the man... what would happen?

That was his logic.

But, ... Sylvester continued....

Sylvester: Did you know... that the Siberian husky is believed to have come down from a line of arctic wolves known as the Taimyr?

Now, all the knowledge in his mind about animals was, well, not insubstantial.

But to know something as specific as that?

Yes, that was beyond his ability.

But still...

Dennis: Oh... I... didn't. Hehe... That's really interesting...

He was hoping, like a child, to hear something of a happy tone from the scientist.

That is what kowtowing to fear does to a man.

Turns him into a morsel of who he once was.

Sylvester, however, droned on.

Without connection to his previous statement.

And, much to Dennis's dismay, without a hint of emotion on his face or voice.

Sylvester: The Taimyr wolf, much like many dog breeds, was tamed.

At that point, Sylvester was still on the computer, typing.

Sylvester: And as being tamed, the most friendly, affable, amicable and amiable were allowed to breed.

With that, he attached his strange device to the computer.

A sound played.

Something was being downloaded.

He then turned to the side, almost as though he was contemplating something, before he simply go up and walked over to Dennis.

Dennis heard the footsteps and immediately begun to count his chances.

What were the odds that Sylvester had come to land the coup de grâce?

Highly likely?

Highly unlikely?

He had no idea.

What were the odds that someone he knew from high school wanted him dead?

What were the odds that someone who he knew from high school could kill?

It wasn't impossible.

His mind went mad with thoughts.

His knowledge about murder mysteries, death, movies and all the such came into full view.

Every thing he knew coming together to make sense of the situation, before...

... Sylvester simply unzipped a sack and pulled out a handful of dog food, before heading back to the computer.

With that, Dennis sighed in massive relief.

No.

In fact, he continued to pant even after that.

What on Earth had just happened?

He didn't see it, but he'd heard it.

Loud and clear.

He just got some animal food.

But.... why?

His eyes turned to the other animals.

All of them were still silent.

All their eyes on Dennis.

Or rather, slightly above him.

Soon later, Sylvester was heard spritzing something.

It was loud and clear.

That was a spritz.

But... to what?

An animal?

The dog food?

Sylvester: Yet another consequence, if you will.

So much had happened between his first and last sentence, that it took Dennis a few more than one would think seconds to understand that he was still talking about Huskies.

Dennis: O... oh....

The spritzing sound stopped.

And another sound played.

The sound that the download had been completed.

That only meant one thing to Dennis.

Was his captor done?

Or better, ...

... what was his captor about to do, now that he was, at least to the best of his "constantly calculating if he will survive this" mind, finally done with what he'd come to do?

And also, what of this massive weight on his stomach?

Sylvester removed his device from the computer and closed it.

He also returned the strange device to his pocket.

And with that, he walked over to one of the cages.

This time, he was in the view of Dennis.

Finally, he could clearly see him.

In a way, it gave him hope. Strength even.

Strength enough to....

Dennis: So... uh....

At the moment, as he could clearly see, Sylvester was doing something to the small dog on the cage.

He knew that dog himself. It was a chihuahua.

Usually a yapper like most of its species, but now, a silent stolid rock.

He then heard munching sounds.

Was it eating?

Did Sylvester just feed it?

Perhaps.

But that also brought an opportunity.

Dennis: Oh, you...

And it took him only a second to understand what had happened.

That was the dog food he'd just spritzed, wasn't it?

Now, he could ask...

... but.. how could he?

Who could he?

Sylvester?

The unpredictable monster infront of him?

No.

He had to play it cool.

Sylvester: And that is that.

The scientist happily and satisfactorily smacked his hands.

Sylvester: Haha....

He turned back to the bags he'd prepared and walked up to them.

Dennis: Oh... uh... you're done?

Sylvester: Yes my boy. Yes.

He then walked out of sight again, leaving Dennis with only one point of interest.

The now eating chihuahua.

It was eating alright.

Quite aggressively he might have added.

In fact, more aggressively than usual.

He could almost swear it was growing as it ate.

But.... it was just changing its posture, ... right?

There was no way...

Sylvester: Did you know that the most aggressive dog species are actually the smaller rather than larger species?

Dennis: Huh?

Sylvester: A truth that holds true for not just dogs, but many animal species.

Dennis: O.... oh.... th... that's....f... fascinating......

Between his fear of Sylvester and his sight of the chihuahua, he was, obviously, quite distracted.

Sylvester: Did you also know....

At that point, Sylvester lifted a large sack, and with an "oomph", threw the sack onto something.

That something?

He had no idea.

But... has far as he could tell, the massive weight on his stomach grew stronger, albeit just a bit, and the reduced immediately.

Almost as though something was on his stomach.

But, even more shocking, as though that something was alive.

After all, why would the weight decrease right after?

But... Sylvester continued.

Sylvester: ... that animals such as dogs tend to stress eat?

Dennis: Oh....

That he could make sense of.

That was why the chihuahua was eating so aggressively.

It calmed him, or perhaps, gave him a bit of relief to think of something else.

Maybe he was just seeing things.

Maybe he could instead focus on Sylvester rather than the now perturbing sight that was the now previously silent but now internally growling larger looking dog.

Dennis: That's...... fascinating.....

Still trying to play mister nice guy.

The perfect captive.

Cause no trouble, and maybe he'd let him live.

Sylvester: Indeed.

The scientist had just thrown up his final bag.

Sylvester: Phew....

He wiped his face before taking a moment to look upon the entirety of the pet shop.

Sylvester: Well... Sever....

He patted something. Something right above Dennis.

He couldn't see it. There was nothing there.

But he could feel it.

The vibrations.

He could feel them just right.

Sylvester: We are done here.

There was no answer.

That only served to scare Dennis the more.

Was he... talking to a mad man?

Did he... somehow underestimate Sylvester's madness?

There was nothing there, wasn't there?

Or.... even more frighteningly.... there was something there... wasn't there?

He felt the vibations.

He couldn't get up.

It was a gnawing thought in his mind.

To think...

... even in this situation on which he knew so little.

He knew even less than he'd thought.

Wikipedia.com, thebeacondog.com, petreader.net, countryliving.com, hepper.com, dogster.com for dog facts