What’s wonderful about this is that there is a fascinating ambiguity around whether the dog’s bark is pivotal or not – are the ensuing screams a direct result of the bark, or is it merely coincidence in this city of claustrophic mystery?

A gripping read – MH :)

Or is the dog barking because of what caused the screams?

Neat story, and it seems to suggest a monster of some sort. With the idea of a cycle and an associated dog I was thinking werewolves, but I could be wrong. Great start!

You’re missing an ‘of’ before anticipation.

This is still brilliant, however. The despair and hate of city life echoes Manchester or London or the scummy part of Cardiff. As, MH said the dog’s bark is beautifully ambiguous (almost exactly) – is the dog a signal or merely a metaphor for something crueller? More cruel?

The ending will haunt me; I want to know – but at the same time am left feeling full with the cliffhanger ending.

This piece sings with tension. Quite brilliantly executed.

Can I come out from behind the sofa now?

Tense, dark, and mysterious.

I suspect you meant “passing” rather than “parsing”.

Another excellently open-ended piece, however. Ripe to be built upon.

This reminded me of Van Helsing character, the Dr from the original Bram Stoker’s Dracula story, not the hollywood movie butchered version.

Congrats on the feature.