Amy Parker's alarm went off at 5:30 PM.
She groaned immediately and rolled onto her stomach, pulling the blanket over her shoulders.
Five more minutes.
That was what she told herself every evening. But five more minutes usually turned into fifteen.
A few seconds later a cold wet nose pressed against her cheek.
Amy cracked one eye open. A golden retriever sat beside the bed staring at her expectantly, tail thumping happily against the mattress.
Cooper.
Of course.
Amy stared back at him.
"You know," she muttered sleepily, "normal dogs let people wake up naturally."
Cooper barked once.
Amy sighed.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm up."
She slowly sat up and stretched while Cooper immediately jumped off the bed and trotted toward the bedroom door.
Outside the apartment window the evening sky had begun turning orange and purple as the sun disappeared behind distant trees. Working night shift had completely ruined Amy's internal clock years ago.
Breakfast happened at dinner.
Dinner happened around dawn.
Lunch happened whenever she remembered food existed.
Amy shuffled into the kitchen while Cooper danced circles around her feet.
"Okay, okay, I know. You're starving. You haven't eaten in..." She glanced at the clock. "...like four whole hours."
Cooper stared at her dramatically.
Amy laughed softly.
Her apartment wasn't large, but it was comfortable. Small kitchen, tiny living room, one bedroom. Nothing fancy, but enough space for her and Cooper.
Amy unlocked the back door and Cooper immediately realized what was happening.
His ears perked up instantly.
"Oh no," Amy said, already smiling.
Cooper spun in a circle so fast his paws slipped across the kitchen floor.
"Seriously?"
His tail slammed against the wall while he bounced beside the door excitedly.
"You've done this every night for three years and you still act as though it's the best thing ever."
The second Amy opened the door, Cooper shot outside into the fenced backyard like he had just been launched from a cannon.
Cool evening air drifted into the apartment.
Amy leaned against the doorway and watched him run and jump around, like a little energetic puppy.
Cooper immediately ran one giant lap around the yard for absolutely no reason before finally stopping near the fence.
Amy smiled.
Every night.
Same routine.
Same unnecessary sprint.
A few minutes later he came racing back toward the door looking extremely pleased with himself, for doing his business outside like a the good boy he was and chasing off the local wildlife from the yard.
Amy scratched behind his ears as he ran inside.
"Good job protecting the yard from dangerous squirrels and birds."
Cooper looked proud.
Amy walked into the kitchen and filled his food bowl and topped off his water dish.
The dog immediately buried his face in the food bowl, like the fat boy hadn't eaten just a few hours ago.
Amy stared.
"You act like I never feed you."
While Cooper inhaled dinner, Amy opened the refrigerator.
Leftover grilled chicken.
Rice.
Vegetables.
Good enough.
She tossed everything into a pan and started reheating it while coffee brewed nearby.
The apartment remained quiet except for Cooper eating and the soft sounds of a weather report playing on television.
"...Rain expected throughout the evening with possible thunderstorms after midnight..."
Perfect.
Amy sat at the kitchen table eating her leftovers,while scrolling through her phone.
Three missed texts from her mother.
Mom:
You should call me sometime this week.
Mom:
Love you.
Mom:
And stop ignoring me.
Amy smiled.
Then another message caught her eye.
Jenny:
You working tonight?
Amy laughed quietly.
Amy:
Yeah, getting ready now.
Forty minutes later Amy stood in front of the mirror wearing blue scrubs and pulling her dark brown hair into a ponytail.
She looked tired.
Not physically.
Just...
Worn down.
Sunnyvale had felt different lately.
Ever since the disappearances started.
People smiled less.
Security walked around more.
Patients whispered.
Even Amy found herself checking over her shoulder sometimes.
Which was ridiculous.
People wandered.
Mistakes happened.
That's all this was.
Probably, maybe...
Cooper whined softly near the door, he wanted to go with her.
Amy grabbed her keys and bag and knelt beside him.
"I'll be back in the morning, you know that. You need to be my good boy, stay here and protect the house."
Cooper immediately licked her face, like he understood the assignment.
Amy laughed.
"Okay, okay, I will bring you treats when i get home."
Twenty minutes later Amy pulled into Sunnyvale's employee parking lot. Rain had started falling lightly.
The massive building rose above her against the dark sky, windows glowing warmly from inside.
From a distance Sunnyvale looked comforting.
Safe.
Like any ordinary hospital.
Amy grabbed her bag and headed toward the employee entrance.
Above her, the glowing Sunnyvale sign reflected against wet pavement.
Another night shift was beginning.
And before sunrise—
something else would be awake too.