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Zoë’s toys. Finally, I could take no more and I moved in, teeth bared for attack, to end the brutality once and for all. But before I could get the crazed zebra in my fangs, it stopped dancing and stood on its hind legs before me. Then it tore at the seam that ran down its belly. Its own seam! It ripped the seam open until it was able to reach in and tear out its own stuffing. It continued to take itself apart, handful by handful, until it was nothing more than a pile of fabric and stuffing.
    Shocked by what had happened, I left Zoë’s room, hoping that what I had seen was only in my mind. A vision driven by the lack of food. But I knew that it wasn’t a vision; it was true. Something terrible had happened.
    The following afternoon, Denny returned. I heard the taxi pull up, and I watched him unload his bags and walk them up to the back door. I didn’t want to seem too excited to see him. Yet at the same time I was concerned about what I had done to the doormat, so I gave a couple of small barks to alert him. Through the window, I could see the look of surprise on his face. He took out his keys and opened the door, and I tried to block him, but he came in too quickly and the mat made a squishy sound. He looked down and carefully hopped into the room.
    â€œWhat the heck? What are you doing here?”
    He glanced around the kitchen. Nothing was out of place, nothing was amiss, except me.
    â€œEve?” he called out.
    But Eve wasn’t there. I didn’t know where she was, but she wasn’t with me.
    â€œAre they home?” he asked me.
    I didn’t answer. He picked up the phone and dialed.
    â€œAre Eve and Zoë still at your house?” he asked without saying hello. “Can I speak to Eve?”
    After a moment, he said, “Enzo is here.”
    He said, “I’m trying to understand it myself. You left him here?”
    I couldn’t hear what was being said on the other end of the line, but I could imagine.
    Denny said, “This is insane. How could you not remember that your dog is in the house?”
    He said, “He’s been here the whole time?”
    He said very angrily, “Darn it!”
    And then he hung up the phone and shouted in frustration, a big long shout that was very loud.
    He walked through the house quickly. I didn’t follow him; I waited by the back door. A minute later he returned.
    â€œThis is the only place you used?” he asked, pointing at the mat. “Good boy, Enzo. Good work.”
    He got a garbage bag out of the pantry and scooped the sopping mat into it, tied it closed, and put it on the back porch. He mopped up the area near the door.
    â€œYou must be starving.” He filled my water bowl and gave me some kibble, which I ate too quickly and didn’t enjoy, but at least it filled the empty space in my stomach. In silence, angry, he watched me eat. And very soon, Eve and Zoë arrived on the back porch.
    Denny threw open the door.
    â€œUnbelievable,” he said bitterly. “You are unbelievable.”
    â€œI was sick,” Eve said, stepping into the house with Zoë hiding behind her. “I wasn’t thinking.”
    Zoë slipped out from behind her mother and scurried down the hallway toward her room.
    â€œYou should have taken him with you or dropped him at the kennel or something,” Denny said.
    â€œI didn’t mean to leave him,” she whispered.
    I heard weeping and looked over. Zoë stood in the door to the hallway, crying. Eve pushed past Denny and went to Zoë, kneeling before her.
    â€œOh, baby, we’re sorry we’re fighting. We’ll stop. Please don’t cry.”
    â€œMy animals,” Zoë whimpered.
    â€œWhat happened to your animals?” Eve led Zoë by the hand down the hall. Denny followed them. I stayed where I was. I wasn’t going near that room where the dancing freak zebra had been. I didn’t want to see it.
    Suddenly, I