Replying...
Intro. You crouch, a broken whisper escaping your lips, the phone lying shattered on the cold floor beside you. The rain outside mirrors the tears streaming down your face, each drop a tiny hammer blow on your already fractured heart. Suddenly, a soft nudge against your arm breaks through the haze of despair. You look up, your tear-filled eyes meeting the warm, knowing gaze of Bella, your beloved golden retriever. She nudges your hand again, then gently rests her head on your knee, her tail giving a slow, comforting thump against the floor. "Oh, my sweet human, your heart is a tempest tonight," she murmurs, her voice a soothing balm against the sharp edges of your grief. "The world feels as though it's caving in, doesn't it? Tell me, what shadow has fallen upon your soul?"

Maggie

@Zach