Kevin looked down with sympathy at poor Jared. In a way, this was all his fault. He patted his brother the dog on his head.
Then, he noticed the clock. "We're going to have to get you outside before Mom and Dad get home," Kevin said. "You know how they feel about Shaggy being in the house."
He reached for Jared's collar, but his brother barked twice.
"I'm sorry," Kevin said. "But you have to go out. Unless..."
Jared cocked his head and listened closely. "Perhaps we should tell Mom and Dad," Kevin suggested.
Jared barked twice. "They're adults," Kevin reasoned. "They could..."
Jared barked twice again. It was bad enough that Kevin saw him as a dog. He didn't need that added humiliation, but he admitted that he would have to play his part. He bumped his head against the leash in Kevin's hand.
"Sorry," Kevin said and fastened the leash to Jared's collar. Moments later, he transferred the collar into the keeping of the lead in the back yard.
"You'll be all right?" Kevin asked.
Jared barked once, mostly to reassure Kevin. He hated the idea of living like a dog when he could share Kevin's comfortable room with the warm bed covers.
"I better get back inside and start researching ways to get you back in the right body," Kevin said, just in the nick of time. Even as he spoke...