Dr. Lindsay arrived the next morning, conducting a thorough assessment right on Chloe’s living room floor. She checked Max’s vitals, shined a light in his eyes, and examined his tense posture. “Physically, he’s in perfect health, Chloe,” Lindsay said, shaking her head in confusion as Max continued to stare fixedly at the locked door.
“His stress isn’t coming from a medical issue or standard separation anxiety. It’s a goal-oriented compulsion. It’s almost like he has a job he’s being prevented from doing.” Lindsay suggested a mild sedative to help Max relax, but the medication barely seemed to touch the giant dog’s fierce determination.
He remained standing by the window, his large muscles trembling, watching the sky darken as heavy, ominous clouds began to roll in from the coast. The atmosphere in the house grew suffocatingly tense. The neighborhood was on high alert, animal control was patrolling, and a historic summer storm was brewing outside, threatening to break everything.