To George and Zoe’s relief, over the next few days, Rex’s bizarre and unsettling behaviors seemed to vanish. The eerie barking at night and the relentless scratching at the bedroom door faded away, and the Doberman reverted to the calm, well-behaved dog Corey had described. A sense of relief washed over George and Zoe—peace had returned to their home. Yet, neither of them realized that this calmness was only temporary.
With Rex seemingly back to his old self, life returned to a semblance of normalcy. The friendly Doberman blended effortlessly into their daily routines. However, one morning, as Zoe was getting ready, Rex wandered into their bedroom. She didn’t pay him much attention; his quiet presence had become familiar.
As Zoe slipped on her socks, Rex’s silent gaze went unnoticed, a mundane part of her morning routine. But when she looked up, Rex was suddenly standing right in front of her—and then did something she would never have expected. A shiver ran down her spine, shattering the morning’s calm and bringing back the sense of unease she thought had disappeared.
A low, guttural growl rumbled from Rex, and before Zoe could react, he lunged at her. The sheer weight of the Doberman knocked her off balance, sending her tumbling back onto the bed. Rex pinned her down with his massive body. Her heart raced—this was not the familiar, gentle Rex. This was a stranger: unpredictable, frightening, and aggressive.
Zoe struggled beneath him, terror flooding her voice. “AAAAAAH! HELP!” she screamed, her shriek echoing through the room. The sound spurred George into action. His heart pounded as he sprinted to the bedroom, only to be confronted with a scene that made him freeze for a moment: Zoe, terrified, pinned beneath Rex. Adrenaline surged through him, and instinct took over.
George grabbed Rex by the collar, his hands trembling from shock and fear, and pulled the dog off Zoe. He pushed Rex out of the room and, with shaking hands, locked the door. The heavy door now stood between them and a dog who had transformed from companion to threat in an instant.
Zoe panted, her face pale, a mix of fear and fury written across her features. Every ounce of trust she had placed in Rex as a harmless, well-trained pet was shattered. “We need to call Corey,” she demanded, her voice quivering. “He needs to come back and take Rex—now!”
George’s hands shook as he tried to process what had happened. Fear and disbelief tangled in his mind. He reached for his phone to call Corey, only to remember with a sinking feeling that Corey would be out of cell service for the next few days. They were trapped with a dog who had turned into a frightening stranger almost overnight.
Zoe, still shaken, avoided Rex entirely. The dog she had agreed to care for had become something she was scared of. Yet no matter what she did, Rex refused to leave her side.
Instead, he grew obsessively affectionate. Wherever Zoe went, Rex followed, always staying close. On the couch, he would rest his head on her stomach, curling up as if he belonged there. Zoe couldn’t understand the sudden intensity of his attachment. She wanted space, but it seemed impossible to escape his presence. Why had Rex become so fixated on her?