She didn’t whine or beg. She simply looked at them—as if waiting for an invitation.

Against Tatyana’s protests, Igor let her in. The dog—whom Igor named Lada after his grandmother—went straight to Dima’s crib and sat down, motionless. The First Warning – Days passed. The house warmed. Tatyana’s cough eased. But Lada never left Dima’s side. She followed him like a shadow, her ears pricked at sounds no one else heard.

Then, one night, a low growl woke them. Lada stood rigid, teeth bared, staring into the darkest corner of the room. Tatyana clutched Dima, heart pounding. “What is she looking at?” Igor saw nothing. But the air felt wrong—heavy, thick, as if something unseen pressed in. The Rat and the Truth – They tried to send Lada away