Winter's pitiful screams filled my ears, causing me to squirm with disgust. She struggled against Sheldon, but he commanded power over her. He whipped her around, the knife pressed tightly to her neck, causing a trickle of blood to zigzag down it. Pride spread over me as I watched myself. Ruthless—like a trained assassin. She'd learn her lesson. They'd all learn their lessons tonight.

Shhhh, he whispered in her ear. A delightful grin spread across his face.

Turning from him, I readied myself at the bottom of the stairs in a predatory crouch, licking my chops in anticipation. I was relishing the moment I could sink my fangs deep into the neck of that jackass detective—teach him a final lesson.

Much to my disappointment, no one emerged. The footsteps continued in earnest upstairs, accompanied by confused shouts and hollow banging, but the stairs remained empty. Across the room, the obsessive pounding on the side door suddenly fell silent and I scanned the room, instantly suspicious.

A swift movement in the window caught my eye.

With a calculated snarl, I stalked towards it, all the while keeping a watchful eye on the stairs—just in case. Once again, I prepared to pounce. A heavy stick of some sort came barreling towards the window. I took a step back. Persistent little bastards.

The stick hit the window with force. I braced myself for the shatter of glass, drooling over the thought of ripping Lance to pieces, when he tried to come through. A second passed. Nothing. I blinked, questioning what I'd just seen. The stick swung again—with more force than before—still nothing. Where there should have been the ear ringing clash of a shattered window pane, there was silence—like a silent movie.

Outside of the window, Lance and Mr. Rose's voices rose, yelling Winter's name in between frantic curses. Other objects hit the window, and other windows, with the same effect as the first. The front door handle twisted and turned, but it didn't budge.

Sheldon's low laugh called to me from across the room. I turned and our eyes met, a flow of dark energy surging back and forth between the two of us, threatening to lift me off of my feet with the strength of it. "Looks like we have time after all."

My eyes met Winter's for a brief second, causing me to recoil. Something inside me shuddered. I'd expected to see hate and loathing, maybe even pain and disappointment. But, there was something worse. Hope.

Terrified of the spark her eyes were igniting, I quickly turned my gaze back to the door, then to the stairway. She was playing me—a master at manipulation—just like my mother. Winter didn't want me. Just like my mother didn't want me. She'd fooled me every time, two days before the social worker showed up, she'd been freaking supermom. I'd eaten it up, I was so desperate to believe it. They were all the same in the end.

With new found hatred, I turned my eyes back on Winter. She quivered, a tear rolling down her cheek. Her eyes fell to the ground. That's right, conniving whore. If the tables were turned, she'd kill me instantly and throw herself at Terrence. I meant nothing to her and she meant nothing to me.

"Let's show this bitch what happens when they don't obey." Sheldon grabbed a hold of Winter's hair and dragged her back over towards the kitchen.

She screamed, flipping herself around, her knees squealing across the tile, hands to her head. In the middle of the cold kitchen floor, Sheldon forced her onto her back and straddled her, the flashlight shining bright in her face. Her eyes glowed with fear—staring up at the ceiling...

A memory tugged hard in the back of my mind. This whole thing seemed so familiar.

Wake up.

My head snapped around, scanning the darkness. Eyes narrowed, teeth bared, ready to strike.

Wake up, Pickle. Please!

I crouched down, snarling. Shut up! Shut up! I shook my head hard, trying to get rid of the voice—and the horrible thing it was doing to my mind. Somewhere, deep down inside, something was waking up.

Pickle, save her!

My heart pounded. Winnie. A vision came over me. Winnie's little white body wrapped in a blanket surrounded by smoke. I could have left but I hadn't. I'd risked my life to drag her out. A warm sensation coursed through my veins—it was so strong, there was no holding it back.

I sat back on my haunches, thoughts clashing violently around in my mind. I loved her. I loved Winnie.

In front of me, Sheldon held the knife up above Winter's thrashing arms. With a violent tug, he ripped her shirt open, little pink buttons springing onto the white tile floor.

"Sheldon, don't! Please don't!" Winter begged, her words sending chills down my spine.

"It's a little too late for that," Sheldon hissed.

"Please Sheldon," Winter breathed. "Let me go. My father, he needs me! I can't leave him now."

The knife came down with driving force. In a blood curdling scream, she cried her last word, "Please!"

Something jolted inside of me and locked into place. My legs were moving before my mind even realized it. In two frantic strides, I slammed with full force into Sheldon, knocking him over sideways. The knife fell from his grip as he bellowed out in surprise.

Winter scrambled on all fours away from him, her foot grazing the knife, causing it to spin on the floor.

"No!" Sheldon rose up, his eyes wild as they centered on mine. "No! Why!?"

For a second I could see his composure break—I could feel the utter despair as the realization hit him—in the end he couldn't even trust himself.

I turned towards Winter who was frozen on the floor a few feet away, watching us both through horror stricken eyes. She jerked back as I took a step towards her. I barked, frustrated more than ever that I couldn't say the words. Run! Run Winter! Get out of here!

In partial shock, she lifted herself onto wobbling legs, backing away slowly. Her face was painted with terror and confusion. She was about to turn, when her expression suddenly contorted. "No!" she screamed, her eyes wide, bolting towards me.

A hot sensation hit my back, sending waves of excruciating pain racking through my body. I gasped and choked, the metalic taste of blood springing up my throat into my mouth.

Winter's feet flew past me. She raced to the kitchen counter and a drawer crashed open. The ringing in my ears was growing louder by the minute, blackness creeping in on all edges of my vision. I struggled to turn, willing her to run, to get the hell out of there. The cocking of a gun brought me back to my senses, and I toppled over to my side—vision blurring—each breath filled with blood.

"Stay away from him." Winter commanded, her voice trembling. "Stay the hell away from everyone I love."

Sheldon stood frozen beside me, his hands in fists. Slowly, he shoved them into the pockets of his jeans. "If you kill me, you kill him. We are one, we are the same." He nodded towards me, taking a small step towards her.

"He is not you," Winter spat.

"That's where you're wrong, Winter." Sheldon took another step.

"Stay back!" Winter shook the gun to emphasize her words. Her eyes shot towards me and back.

"Pickle holds my spirit." His grin was vicious. "He's come from the future. I'm surprised you didn't know."

"You're crazy," Winter breathed.

"What's crazy is a dog that can spell," Sheldon drawled, his hands gripping around something in his pocket. "You knew there was something about him, didn't you?"

Shoot him, Winter! I cried silently, the pain edging away to numbness. Shoot him, now!

"Pickle is good." Winter's voice wavered. "He saved my life. He's nothing like you."

Sheldon charged her—the gun fired. Its blast jerked her hand up, the bullet narrowly missing his shoulder. In a flash, he was on her, roaring with rage, a taser concealed in his hand. It connected with her stomach, sending her body jolting—the gun falling from her hand—clattering onto the floor. She stepped back, doubled over, shrieking in pain.

He leapt down to grab the gun. "No!" Winter screamed. Her foot shot out and connected with his shoulder. He toppled over, his fingers inches from the weapon.

Growling furiously, he grabbed Winter's leg, jerking it violently from under her. She fell, flailing to the ground with a thud.

Beside them, I struggled to breathe, drowning in my own blood. I couldn't die. I couldn't let him win. As my thoughts grew weaker and farther away, I did something I'd never done once before in my life. I closed my eyes and prayed—with every ounce of strength I had left. Don't let this be it. Please. Don't let this whole thing be for nothing. Save Winter. She deserves to live.

A tremendous flash of white light spread across the room, blinding me. It spread over the entire house like a shock wave, everything shook. The air was filled with an electric charge, an unseeable force surrounding it. Suddenly, sunlight shone brilliantly through the windows. The lights and appliances in the house turned on one after the other with a buzz of electricity.

Footsteps raced down the stairs.

"Winter!" Terrence yelled. The two officers followed behind, guns drawn.

The side door splintered and bent, flying open. Lance and Mr. Rose rushed inside, Winnie following swiftly behind them, Sparky on her back.

A shot rang out. They all froze.

Winter laid on the ground, Sheldon on top of her.

"No, God, No!" Mr. Rose pleaded, running towards her.

The two bodies lie very still. Then, Winter whimpered underneath the weight of Sheldon's body. Terrence and Lance sprang forward to roll him off of her.

She was alive. A calm warmness settled in around me. Winter was alive.

Pickle! Winnie's pink tongue softly licked my nose. She nusled my neck gently.You did it, Pickle. You saved us all.

Congratulations you crazy fool, you've proved me wrong. I squinted at Sparky's fuzzy outline. He tilted his head. Although I couldn't make out his eyes, I could feel gratitude and sadness in his projection.

"Oh no," Winter sobbed, coming to stand over me. "He's hurt really bad. Lance, we have to get him to the vet."

"Winter." Her father grabbed her hand and pulled her head to his chest. "It's too late, honey."

Lance wrapped a blanket around me as I struggled for one more breath.

When Winnie laid down beside me, her head came to rest on mine. Goodbye Pickle. Her projection was faint. We don't belong here anymore.

***

Winter struggled to control her sobbing breaths as she watched Winnie lay down next to Pickle, and lick him one last time before his dying breath. Her grip tightened around her father's hand. "He saved my life," she whispered.

Lance knelt down and gently pulled the blanket over Pickle's head. Winnie suddenly stood and faced him. He sat back as he looked into her eyes. Winter? No, that made no sense. The feeling of recognition was so strong, though.

Winnie placed a paw gently on his face and licked his nose, her eyes full of love. In a flash, she changed suddenly, as if something had parted from her body. She stood, confused for a few seconds. Then, with an excited tail wag, she barked and ran towards the door, begging to be let out.

The little bird on her back squawked and flew frantically into the window, suddenly seeming wild instead of tame. Terrence opened the door and let them both out.

Winter came up quietly beside him, her cheeks streaming with tears. She watched the little white dog make her way up to the barn to greet the other dogs, overcome with an instinctive feeling that whatever was special about the animals had left with Pickle. Sirens ran in the distance as back up arrived on the scene. Pausing, she turned slowly, feeling Terrence's eyes resting on her.

Turning, she caught her breath. He looked down, embarrassed, his eyes filled with tears. When he finally found the courage to raise his eyes again. His voice was soft and gentle. "I'm sorry—I—that whole time I was trapped upstairs, banging on doors, walking down endless hallways." He paused, glancing over at Lance and Mr. Rose who were unapologetically eying them. "I thought you were dead." He shook his head, struggling to fight back the tears. "I'm just so glad you're alive, Winter. It's so strange. Ever since the day I met you—I feel like I've known you for years." He laughed. " I never believed in reincarnation. But if there was such a thing, I'd swear our spirits met in another life." 

A humongous thanks to SallyMason1 for taking time out of her busy life to proof read and give me advice on this story. I will be posting an epilogue soon, and a few other finishing touches. Thanks so much to all of you who have read, commented and voted on Winter Rose. I really appreciate it!