A Dog's Life, Part Lab, Part Dog.

Lily the dog ate a bag of Christmas chocolates. I found her in the basement, gasping and struggling to breathe. Her gums were speckled black and pink; as I opened her jaws it seemed as though the bright pink roof of her mouth had somehow detached in one horrifying piece. There was metal wiring and I grabbed it and yanked it out, and realized that she'd eaten some kid's retainer. She leaped to her feet, spluttering, shook, and wagged her tail weekly. It was almost Christmas. We had no plans to go anywhere, nothing complicated to look forward to. The air was crisp and clear, and my kid was home