Pawndex -

The creature that shuffled in was a dog. Or had been. A golden retriever, but its fur was patchy, its ribs a xylophone, and its eyes were the color of sour milk. It didn’t bark. It just walked to the center of the floor, lay down, and sighed—a sound that smelled of dust and forgotten birthdays.

The Pawndex began to hum. The crank turned backward, one last time. pawndex

Then the final card flipped.

A three-legged beagle. A parrot with a broken wing, clicking its beak. A skeletal iguana. A ferret with a shattered spine, dragging its hindquarters. They didn't fight or flee. They just gathered in a silent, patient circle, their dead eyes fixed on Elias. The creature that shuffled in was a dog

It was empty. No paw print. Just a deep, thumb-shaped smudge in the center. It didn’t bark

Click.