Julia's arms and heart ached as she sorted through her father's belongings. Memories of emergency room visits full of silent threats weighed upon her tired muscles more than the boxes full of happy family photos and other lies ever could.

All that remained of her own possessions lay under a blanket of dust beneath her bed. She slipped the tear-stained diary and long-forgotten chew toy into her purse like a teen shoplifting for the first time, half expecting her father's hand to clamp on her wrist.

After briefly double-checking the rest of the house, Julia inched her way down the stairs to the basement. Her throat tightened with each creaking step as if it was caught in a noose. The stench of dried blood and despair clogged her nose.

Dog crates lined the concrete room. Julia held her nose and crouched in front of the most familiar one. "Talula? Are you there, girl?" she whispered. The chew toy's squeak echoed as she waved the dust-covered bone in front of the metal.

Her heart skipped a beat as movement caught her eye, but it was only the air conditioning caressing a limp pile of dog fur. At least, Julia thought it was dog fur. It could have just as easily been the remains of the last poor animal her father had used to bait the dogs.

She snuck her fingers through the bars and stroked the fur. It was still soft. "I'm sorry," she said through her tears.

The stairs creaked. Julia's muscles tensed as she held the chew toy over her head with trembling fingers. "Who's there?"

She was answered by a familiar bark. A German Shepherd with the ghosts of old wounds etched into her neck and abdomen stood at the base of the stairs. Her deceased owner's blood tattooed her bared canines.

Despite the spirit's appearance, Julia didn't see her father's champion fighting dog or his murderer. Instead, she saw her puppy who had licked her tears away, whimpered to warn her when her father and his friends arrived home reeking of alcohol, and howled as she drove away with nothing but the clothes on her back and bruises blooming across her neck.

When Talula lunged toward Julia's outstretched arms, she didn't let go.