The vehicle stopped.
I looked up and saw a pet hospital by the roadside. It looked fairly large from the outside, but it probably wasn't part of a chain. The sign simply read "Pet Hospital," with no business name, and I couldn't see any street signs nearby.
The mother and daughter helped carry Little White out of the vehicle. The mother even reached out and took my hand.
I didn't sense anything strange about her.
Inside the pet hospital, a receptionist greeted us, and we were soon led to a room in the back.
A veterinarian in a white coat came out.
Those people carried Little White into the room and told us to wait outside.
Someone poured me a glass of water. I didn't drink it, but after the mother and daughter urged me, I took a sip.
The fishy stench immediately made me vomit, and I dropped the cup.
With a slap, the paper cup hit the floor, spilling water everywhere.
In that instant, I felt that same chill of dread.
It wasn't my subconscious telling me something was wrong or warning me of danger. Something had come nearby, and its presence made me shudder.
Yin energy appeared around us, filling the entire corridor with a strange smell.
Click.
The door opened.
The doctor, wearing a mask, came out carrying Little White.
"Is this your dog, little one?" the doctor asked.
This wasn't one of the doctors who had gone inside earlier!
I answered obediently, then asked anxiously, "Is Little White better?"
"It refuses to take its medicine, so it isn't better yet." The doctor held Little White and crouched down. The eyes visible above his mask curved slightly, as if he were smiling.
I stared into those eyes, feeling as though I were being watched by a