I was 22 when this happened. At the time I had just graduated college, I was between jobs,

and doing odd work around my small town, like babysitting, cleaning houses, running errands,

basically anything that paid cash.

A woman I'd dog sat for in the past recommended me to a friend of her neighbors, a man named Craig.

He called me one afternoon and explained he'd be traveling for a week and needed someone to stay in his house to look after his golden retriever, Max.

He said Max was an anxious dog who did best

with someone actually staying overnight rather than just coming by to feed him, and the pay he

offered was a little more than usual, so I agreed. I met Craig two days later. He was in his

late 40s, tall wearing wire rim glasses and a windbreaker. Nothing about him seemed strange at first.

Maybe a little overly friendly, but not creepy. His house was on the edge of town, tucked back in a wooded area.

The place itself was nice, but a little dated, like with beige carpets and floral curtains.

Craig walked me through everything, how often to let Max out, where the spare key was,

which fridge items I could use.

He told me I could stay in the guest bedroom, which was right off the living room on the

first floor.

I started the job on a Monday.

The first two nights were normal.

I watched TV in the living room, then

took Max on his evening walks, and then slept in the guest room with him curled up at the foot

of the bed. It was the third night when things went wrong. I had been sitting on the bed

scrolling through my phone when I noticed something odd. On the dresser across from the bed,

next to a small lamp was a digital

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