HOME | DD

Description
"Knock knock."

The lights lit up in tandem, as if to announce Dennis's arrival with a grand entrance.

"Errr… anybody home?" He expected a reply. Only silence responded back.

"I'm coming in…"

The lad rubbed his eyes in astonishment as he took a 360 degree glance around his surroundings. The place was huge – if the front lobby alone was large enough to accommodate a few hundred people, what bigger surprises could be in store for him?

Dennis couldn't wait to find out.

He hurried to check all the angles and corners of the ground floor, mesmerized with every little discovery he made. The boy was smiling ear to ear when he discovered what the backyard has in store for him – a giant winding tube slide was the main attraction, circling the huge irregular shaped pool below it. Dennis could feel his adrenaline rush as he imagined himself plunging into the refreshing crystal clear waters from over 50 feet high.

"Later. I've got all the time for this." Dennis reassured himself as he walked away. Familiarizing himself with the floor plan comes first in his list of priorities. First things first.

Dennis advanced towards the marble staircase, eager to find out what awaited him in the upper levels. Surely there aren't just empty rooms upstairs, he hoped as he fancied all sorts of lush amenities in his mind. His daydreaming came to a sudden halt when strange noises from a distance grew increasingly audible with every tick of the clock.

Footsteps?! The startled Dennis had stopped expecting any company ever since he set foot into the venue. Why now?

Clomp clomp clomp clomp. He wasn't mistaken. The sound was fast approaching.

"Who's there?" Dennis hollered.

Warf!

What in the world..?

His answer came into sight almost instantaneously, when a shiny four-legged mechanical being popped out from the corner and, like a child that had long missed his parent, hurried towards his direction.

Warf warf! The creature sounded as it wagged its metallic tail playfully.

"A dog?" Dennis arched down to took a closer look. As he approached, a cylindrical lens barrel – and the rotating focus ring on its front – became visible behind the reflective glass covering on the canine's head. "Anyone ever said you look like a camera?" He wondered aloud.

"No, you're the first to call me that, warf warf!"

Dennis was taken aback by surprise. "Whoa! It talks!"

"You must be Dennis. My name is SPOT. I'm so glad we finally met, master. Warf warf!"

Mas... ter..? That single word seemed to have penetrated deep into his heart. Dennis had always wanted a pet since childhood, and dogs were on the top of the list.

"Welcome to Calave! Shutter Pedigree Observation uniT at your service, warf warf!"

Dennis stared blankly into the face of the canine, at loss as to what to say.

"So Spot, know any cool tricks?" He managed to utter.

"I can talk, warf!"

"That's awesome…" Dennis gave SPOT a stern look. "Like I didn't know that, dummy!"

"Warf! I bet I can do anything you tell me to, warf warf!" The puppy retorted.

"Oh yeah?" Dennis loved a challenge. He unstrapped his backpack and sprang into an L-kick freeze. "Bet you can't stand on one hand like this!"

"My pedigree form isn't designed for that, warf warf!"

"Yeah, right."

"My job is to keep you happy, healthy, and strong during your entire stay here at Calave. I'll prepare your meals, wash your clothes, and keep this place safe and clean. You're under the watchful protection of Shutter Pedigree Observation uniT. Warf warf!"

"Nice..." Dennis replied, wondering as to how a small animal only two feet tall could even reach the stove.

"And if you're feeling lonesome and just want some company, I'll always be around. Maybe we could play catch or some video games together. Warf warf!"

"Yeah… sure thing."

"That's all I have to say, warf! It's your turn. Your orders, master! Warf warf!"

This is getting pretty interesting. Dennis thought to himself. He turned to the robot. "Well Spot, show me around!"

"Yes, master! Warf!" SPOT answered eagerly. And upstairs they went.

Speechless.

Perhaps that was the one adjective that would describe Dennis after his tour around the mansion. The water park in the backyard was nothing compared to the state-of-the-art 4D entertainment and game room, the ambient music hall, the cutting edge fitness center, the invigorating sauna and steam rooms, the luxurious whirlpool bathtubs… and that was only the beginning; there were more – far more than anything he ever imagined in his wildest dreams!

"And this is your room, warf!"

"It's dark. Where's the switch?"

"The room's voice activated, warf! Just say the name of the object and tell it what to do, warf warf!"

Dennis didn't hesitate one second. "Lights... on!"

The room illuminated like magic, revealing a floor area of at least three times bigger than his chambers back in New York. SPOT remained by the doorstep, observing the restless lad wander excitedly around the oversized bedroom, trying out different commands as he saw fit.

"Please make yourself at home as I leave you for a moment to bring your things upstairs. Warf warf!" And the dog disappeared from sight, leaving a trail of barks with its every step.

"Gaah! Enough with the warfing already!" Dennis exclaimed, physically and mentally overwhelmed since morning. The happenings were just too farfetched; all his dreams were coming true in a single day – arriving at Japan, riding in a limousine, acquiring a mansion, meeting SPOT…

"I need to recharge..."

Dennis flung off his jacket and plopped down on one of the king-sized beds inside the bedroom. He could feel the tension from his muscles ease away as the soft mattress slowly brought his mind to a state of peace and rest.

"Oh yeah, this is the life…"

A loud "CRAP!" escaped Dennis's lips.

SPOT hustled to the boy's aid. "What's wrong, master? Warf!"

"Aaah... aaah..." Dennis was noticably troubled as he rummaged through his belongings. "Where is it?"

"Your camera is on the table, warf warf!"

"Found it! Thanks!"

But that was the least of his problems. Falling asleep wasn't part of his plans for the afternoon, and Dennis was worried that his itinerary would drastically change because of what had happened.

"It's 3:05pm, master. Your mid-afternoon snack is waiting downstairs. Warf warf!"

"Oh cut me some slack! I've got more important things to do than eat right now!" Dennis yelled back, relieved to hear that he didn't waste the day away.

"Going somewhere, warf?" SPOT questioned as he noticed hurry towards the bedroom door, camera in one hand and hoverboard in the other.

"You bet I am! I can't wait to step out of this house and start exploring the area!"

SPOT dropped its head and whimpered. "Have I failed you, master? Don't you want to spend time with me? Waaarf..."

"Aw, come on! I was just about to invite you to come along."

"I can't, warf! I need remain inside Calave and be on guard for suspicious looking strangers, warf warf!"

"Aww... too bad." Dennis stroked the puppy consolingly on the head. "Don't worry, I'll be back before it gets dark!"

"Warf! Wait!" SPOT tensed itself and started making strange sounds as it crouched down. "Wawawawawawa..."

"Uh... you okay, Spot?"

"...wawawawawawarf!!" A roll of paper dropped to the floor. SPOT gingerly picked it up in its mouth and offered it to Dennis. "Warh warh!"

"Err...what's that?" Dennis asked, reluctant to touch the paper that seemed to have come out of the mechanical dog's behind.

"Ih a hihinihy nah, warh!"

"Wuuut?"

He took the paper and unrolled it anyway, revealing a colorful page filled with graphical representations of different landmarks within a 10 kilometer radius, along with detailed instructions on how to get to those places.

"Awesome! Thanks, Spot! But I was already planning to trek the woods nearby today."

"Evergrowth? That place is off limits to the public, master. Warf warf!"

"Eh? For real?"

"There is no law prohibiting anyone from going inside, but..."

"No big deal then! Sounds like the kind of place for me!" Dennis interrupted.

"No! You must never enter that horrible place! It's haunted and infested with monsters!"

"Ha?! There's no such things as monsters!"

"Warf! There are! They're everywhere! Warf warf!" The agitated SPOT insisted.

Dennis walked out onto the balcony to investigate. The forest, clearly within sight, looked as peaceful and enchanting as the last time he saw it. He turned to SPOT, "So... where are they?"

"They're... they're..." The dog was at a loss for words. "Then how would you explain those mysterious disappearances that occured in the past?"

"We'll never know unless we go find out ourselves, right?" Dennis retorted. SPOT's efforts to protect the lad were having an opposite effect and were increasingly piqueing his curiosity. There should be some reason why they put me here, Dennis thought to himself.

"No! I can't afford to lose you, warf warf!"

"Don't worry, I'll take extra precaution." He said as he walked downstairs towards the main entrance. SPOT followed him at a close distance, pleading with him to change his mind as they went along.

"Fine, fine! I'll go to the one of the places you just mentioned."

SPOT silenced down after giving Dennis a bark of approval, but ran off and blocked the entrance as soon as it appeared within sight. "I'm sorry but I have to do this, master! Warf warf!"

"What the hell?! Are you going insane, mutt?" Dennis raged. His patience was almost at its limit and he was starting to lose his cool. The boy was accustomed to a life with no rules to obey, no guidelines to follow, and no constraints to restict his freedom. He wasn't going to let a robot order him around.

"It's for your own good, master! Warf warf!"

Inhale, exhale, Dennis. Getting mad at the dog won't do you any good, Dennis told himself. I need a plan. Quick!

Convincing probably won't work, he brainstormed. If only I could manage to distract him and shift his attention to something else. Then again, the dog showed no signs of leaving its post, and it looked determined to stay on guard the entire time. Never hurts to try though. And if all else fails, Dennis knew he could easily overpower the little robot, who was only a third of his size.

I've only got one shot at this! Here goes...

"Hey Spot, look! There's a bone!"

"A bone? Where! Warf! Warf warf!"

"Over there!" Dennis pointed towards some random direction. To his surprise, the dog got up and ran off in search of the object that never existed. Now that was convenient.

"Bye, Spot!" Dennis snickered as he closed the doors behind him.

He ollied down the entrance stairs, strutting his stuff as he slid down.

Blazing across the street, Dennis made a sharp turn around the corner. The forest appeared within sight, looking much closer than ever from where he stood.

"Well... here we are."

And Dennis disappeared into the depths of the Evergrowth.

Description
"Knock knock."

The lights lit up in tandem, as if to announce Dennis's arrival with a grand entrance.

"Errr… anybody home?" He expected a reply. Only silence responded back.

"I'm coming in…"

The lad rubbed his eyes in astonishment as he took a 360 degree glance around his surroundings. The place was huge – if the front lobby alone was large enough to accommodate a few hundred people, what bigger surprises could be in store for him?

Dennis couldn't wait to find out.

He hurried to check all the angles and corners of the ground floor, mesmerized with every little discovery he made. The boy was smiling ear to ear when he discovered what the backyard has in store for him – a giant winding tube slide was the main attraction, circling the huge irregular shaped pool below it. Dennis could feel his adrenaline rush as he imagined himself plunging into the refreshing crystal clear waters from over 50 feet high.

"Later. I've got all the time for this." Dennis reassured himself as he walked away. Familiarizing himself with the floor plan comes first in his list of priorities. First things first.

Dennis advanced towards the marble staircase, eager to find out what awaited him in the upper levels. Surely there aren't just empty rooms upstairs, he hoped as he fancied all sorts of lush amenities in his mind. His daydreaming came to a sudden halt when strange noises from a distance grew increasingly audible with every tick of the clock.

Footsteps?! The startled Dennis had stopped expecting any company ever since he set foot into the venue. Why now?

Clomp clomp clomp clomp. He wasn't mistaken. The sound was fast approaching.

"Who's there?" Dennis hollered.

Warf!

What in the world..?

His answer came into sight almost instantaneously, when a shiny four-legged mechanical being popped out from the corner and, like a child that had long missed his parent, hurried towards his direction.

Warf warf! The creature sounded as it wagged its metallic tail playfully.

"A dog?" Dennis arched down to took a closer look. As he approached, a cylindrical lens barrel – and the rotating focus ring on its front – became visible behind the reflective glass covering on the canine's head. "Anyone ever said you look like a camera?" He wondered aloud.

"No, you're the first to call me that, warf warf!"

Dennis was taken aback by surprise. "Whoa! It talks!"

"You must be Dennis. My name is SPOT. I'm so glad we finally met, master. Warf warf!"

Mas... ter..? That single word seemed to have penetrated deep into his heart. Dennis had always wanted a pet since childhood, and dogs were on the top of the list.

"Welcome to Calave! Shutter Pedigree Observation uniT at your service, warf warf!"

Dennis stared blankly into the face of the canine, at loss as to what to say.

"So Spot, know any cool tricks?" He managed to utter.

"I can talk, warf!"

"That's awesome…" Dennis gave SPOT a stern look. "Like I didn't know that, dummy!"

"Warf! I bet I can do anything you tell me to, warf warf!" The puppy retorted.

"Oh yeah?" Dennis loved a challenge. He unstrapped his backpack and sprang into an L-kick freeze. "Bet you can't stand on one hand like this!"

"My pedigree form isn't designed for that, warf warf!"

"Yeah, right."

"My job is to keep you happy, healthy, and strong during your entire stay here at Calave. I'll prepare your meals, wash your clothes, and keep this place safe and clean. You're under the watchful protection of Shutter Pedigree Observation uniT. Warf warf!"

"Nice..." Dennis replied, wondering as to how a small animal only two feet tall could even reach the stove.

"And if you're feeling lonesome and just want some company, I'll always be around. Maybe we could play catch or some video games together. Warf warf!"

"Yeah… sure thing."

"That's all I have to say, warf! It's your turn. Your orders, master! Warf warf!"

This is getting pretty interesting. Dennis thought to himself. He turned to the robot. "Well Spot, show me around!"

"Yes, master! Warf!" SPOT answered eagerly. And upstairs they went.

Speechless.

Perhaps that was the one adjective that would describe Dennis after his tour around the mansion. The water park in the backyard was nothing compared to the state-of-the-art 4D entertainment and game room, the ambient music hall, the cutting edge fitness center, the invigorating sauna and steam rooms, the luxurious whirlpool bathtubs… and that was only the beginning; there were more – far more than anything he ever imagined in his wildest dreams!

"And this is your room, warf!"

"It's dark. Where's the switch?"

"The room's voice activated, warf! Just say the name of the object and tell it what to do, warf warf!"

Dennis didn't hesitate one second. "Lights... on!"

The room illuminated like magic, revealing a floor area of at least three times bigger than his chambers back in New York. SPOT remained by the doorstep, observing the restless lad wander excitedly around the oversized bedroom, trying out different commands as he saw fit.

"Please make yourself at home as I leave you for a moment to bring your things upstairs. Warf warf!" And the dog disappeared from sight, leaving a trail of barks with its every step.

"Gaah! Enough with the warfing already!" Dennis exclaimed, physically and mentally overwhelmed since morning. The happenings were just too farfetched; all his dreams were coming true in a single day – arriving at Japan, riding in a limousine, acquiring a mansion, meeting SPOT…

"I need to recharge..."

Dennis flung off his jacket and plopped down on one of the king-sized beds inside the bedroom. He could feel the tension from his muscles ease away as the soft mattress slowly brought his mind to a state of peace and rest.

"Oh yeah, this is the life…"

A loud "CRAP!" escaped Dennis's lips.

SPOT hustled to the boy's aid. "What's wrong, master? Warf!"

"Aaah... aaah..." Dennis was noticably troubled as he rummaged through his belongings. "Where is it?"

"Your camera is on the table, warf warf!"

"Found it! Thanks!"

But that was the least of his problems. Falling asleep wasn't part of his plans for the afternoon, and Dennis was worried that his itinerary would drastically change because of what had happened.

"It's 3:05pm, master. Your mid-afternoon snack is waiting downstairs. Warf warf!"

"Oh cut me some slack! I've got more important things to do than eat right now!" Dennis yelled back, relieved to hear that he didn't waste the day away.

"Going somewhere, warf?" SPOT questioned as he noticed hurry towards the bedroom door, camera in one hand and hoverboard in the other.

"You bet I am! I can't wait to step out of this house and start exploring the area!"

SPOT dropped its head and whimpered. "Have I failed you, master? Don't you want to spend time with me? Waaarf..."

"Aw, come on! I was just about to invite you to come along."

"I can't, warf! I need remain inside Calave and be on guard for suspicious looking strangers, warf warf!"

"Aww... too bad." Dennis stroked the puppy consolingly on the head. "Don't worry, I'll be back before it gets dark!"

"Warf! Wait!" SPOT tensed itself and started making strange sounds as it crouched down. "Wawawawawawa..."

"Uh... you okay, Spot?"

"...wawawawawawarf!!" A roll of paper dropped to the floor. SPOT gingerly picked it up in its mouth and offered it to Dennis. "Warh warh!"

"Err...what's that?" Dennis asked, reluctant to touch the paper that seemed to have come out of the mechanical dog's behind.

"Ih a hihinihy nah, warh!"

"Wuuut?"

He took the paper and unrolled it anyway, revealing a colorful page filled with graphical representations of different landmarks within a 10 kilometer radius, along with detailed instructions on how to get to those places.

"Awesome! Thanks, Spot! But I was already planning to trek the woods nearby today."

"Evergrowth? That place is off limits to the public, master. Warf warf!"

"Eh? For real?"

"There is no law prohibiting anyone from going inside, but..."

"No big deal then! Sounds like the kind of place for me!" Dennis interrupted.

"No! You must never enter that horrible place! It's haunted and infested with monsters!"

"Ha?! There's no such things as monsters!"

"Warf! There are! They're everywhere! Warf warf!" The agitated SPOT insisted.

Dennis walked out onto the balcony to investigate. The forest, clearly within sight, looked as peaceful and enchanting as the last time he saw it. He turned to SPOT, "So... where are they?"

"They're... they're..." The dog was at a loss for words. "Then how would you explain those mysterious disappearances that occured in the past?"

"We'll never know unless we go find out ourselves, right?" Dennis retorted. SPOT's efforts to protect the lad were having an opposite effect and were increasingly piqueing his curiosity. There should be some reason why they put me here, Dennis thought to himself.

"No! I can't afford to lose you, warf warf!"

"Don't worry, I'll take extra precaution." He said as he walked downstairs towards the main entrance. SPOT followed him at a close distance, pleading with him to change his mind as they went along.

"Fine, fine! I'll go to the one of the places you just mentioned."

SPOT silenced down after giving Dennis a bark of approval, but ran off and blocked the entrance as soon as it appeared within sight. "I'm sorry but I have to do this, master! Warf warf!"

"What the hell?! Are you going insane, mutt?" Dennis raged. His patience was almost at its limit and he was starting to lose his cool. The boy was accustomed to a life with no rules to obey, no guidelines to follow, and no constraints to restict his freedom. He wasn't going to let a robot order him around.

"It's for your own good, master! Warf warf!"

Inhale, exhale, Dennis. Getting mad at the dog won't do you any good, Dennis told himself. I need a plan. Quick!

Convincing probably won't work, he brainstormed. If only I could manage to distract him and shift his attention to something else. Then again, the dog showed no signs of leaving its post, and it looked determined to stay on guard the entire time. Never hurts to try though. And if all else fails, Dennis knew he could easily overpower the little robot, who was only a third of his size.

I've only got one shot at this! Here goes...

"Hey Spot, look! There's a bone!"

"A bone? Where! Warf! Warf warf!"

"Over there!" Dennis pointed towards some random direction. To his surprise, the dog got up and ran off in search of the object that never existed. Now that was convenient.

"Bye, Spot!" Dennis snickered as he closed the doors behind him.

He ollied down the entrance stairs, strutting his stuff as he slid down.

Blazing across the street, Dennis made a sharp turn around the corner. The forest appeared within sight, looking much closer than ever from where he stood.

"Well... here we are."

And Dennis disappeared into the depths of the Evergrowth.