I always thought that the black dog followed you around. Waiting
for an opportune time to attack. But that is not the case at all. The black dog
lives within. It mostly sleeps but when it awakes it quickly turns into a terrifying growling beast, teeth bared and lip curled back in a vicious snarl. Ready to
attack. It forms out of the darkness that you’d forgotten was even there. Barking
menacingly at anyone who dares to come near. Sometimes it has such power that
it takes on three heads. Each of them a wild entity unto themselves. There is
danger for anybody who approaches. But the biggest danger is for within. It
builds in strength by feeding on the darkness. And as it rises, it feasts also
on the internal organs. Shaking its head as it tears into the stomach and
spills out the guts. Black blood dripping from its slavering fangs. It takes
control of the voice, rendering its host silent. Like a stunned rabbit caught
in the jaws of a wolf. Sometimes it speaks with a guttural growl that will make
bystanders recoil in alarm. They think it comes from you. Sometimes it howls
with the power of a screaming banshee that has risen from the grave. Its urgent
despair clear for all to hear. Sometimes its sorrow is so deep and its control
so complete that nothing else matters at all. It is all consuming. It is not an
animal that can be easily placated. Do not try to pet or tame it. If a well-meaning
person tries to approach they may be mauled. Sometimes mortally. It may savage
their arm but really it yearns to rip at their throat. And if there is nobody
to attack, it will resume quietly eating. Chewing away at the liver. Crunching
through intestines and kidneys. Its appetite can seem insatiable but often as
quickly as it appears, it will lay back down and go to sleep. Nobody knows for
how long. The cold darkness vanishes. Maybe a hint of warmth appears. It’s as
if it was never there. Where did it go? Perhaps it became distracted and with its
anger diffused it shrinks to a size that cannot be detected. But it is still
there. It is lurking. And nobody knows when exactly it will again rise in its rage
filled fury.
