That night, she sat awake, staring at the shed outside where Shadow remained locked up on most days. She could vaguely see the panther’s profile, wild and majestic, through a window. Elise realized what she had built: a cage of love, one storm away from collapse. She shivered, knowing she would soon have to choose what she couldn’t bear.
Days later, a wildlife officer knocked. His clipboard brimmed with reports: missing pets, strange tracks. Elise kept the door half-closed, insisting she’d seen nothing unusual. Shadow crouched upstairs, silent but coiled. When the officer left, Elise pressed her back against the door, sweat slicking her palms. The walls were closing in.