Lydia crouched, finishing her business in the yard. She stayed on all fours, finding it more comfortable, before forcing herself onto her legs.
She headed back toward the door, and discovered it was closed and apparently had locked. "Shit..." she muttered. "Busterrr!" She called.
She waited by the door until it opened again, so she was able to go inside. Buster, having let her in, walked on all fours to the kitchen table, and then stood up on his hind legs and resumed drinking from a mug. After a few sips, he returned to all fours.
There was a refilled bowl of food and water on the floor nearby, and her mouth began to water as she took stock of the juicy meat within. She walked over and hovered her face over the food. Her stomach growled again, reminding her of how hungry she was, and she dug in face first. When she ate her fill, she licked her lips. "Wait," she paused. "How did the bowl get filled?" she mused.
She got up again, and walked around to look. She kept slipping back to walking on all fours. The same thing was happening to Buster. He kept rising on his hind legs...each time he did, spending more time in that position...as if they were strengthening to support him.
Ethan sat down at the kitchen table as Abby slid a bowl of cereal in front of him. "I hope that is almond milk..." he said.
"There's nothing else in the refrigerator," she responded. "Or half the cabinets..."
"I really didn't want to go to the store like this," Ethan said. "I mean...like...what if people see me..." He gestured to the dress he was wearing.
"What if we starve instead?"
"They let you order groceries now," Ethan said.
"Grow up," Abby said. "You can't hide in your apartment forever."
"Not forever, maybe till Monday..." he replied.
"We're going out...we'll buy some groceries...maybe some cleaning supplies...maybe something to make this place less depressing." Abby said.
"Fine," he said, pouting. "But I want to check on my friend Lydia...she hasn't been in school since the first day this happened..."
"Lydia...is she your girlfriend or something?"
"No....gross....she's just like my best friend."
After a trip to the market, Ethan and Abby pulled up to Lydia's place. "I don't know why you get to drive," Ethan complained.
"Because you nearly hit a parked car...Honestly...you're so distracted it is like you never drove before," she said, looking down on him.
She reached out and rang the doorbell. They could hear someone yelling, "Bell!! Bell!" inside. A few moments later, the door swung open.
