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Sophia padded slowly down the hallway, the echoing of her boots lost in the backdrop noise of the facility. Despite the constant hum of machinery, sounds of shuffling and occasional shouting echoed from the hallway. She ignored the noise and kept walking. It was her job to keep the lights working. It was something she had been doing for nigh on eleven years now, and she couldn't imagine doing much else.

Something moved out of the corner of her eye. Sophia stopped and peered into the gloom. She blinked, but the shadows didn't shift. She started to turn her head, but stopped as a faint scratching sound reached her ears. She held her breath, waiting for the sound to come again.

It is an old dog who barks the loudest. Sophia walked forwards, holding her breath. The scratching grew louder. She could hear it now distinctly. She looked around, but the corridor was empty. When she had started working here, she had been frightened of the dark. Now it barely intimidated her.

There was a scratching just over the left of the doorway fifty meters ahead. Sophia walked forward, holding her breath of the faint scritch-scratch of the dog in the darkness. She stood and stared into the gloom.

"Mister Bien?" She said quietly, her tone more curious than scared.

The scratching stopped.

"Hello?"

Nothing.

She sighed and slowly walked forward. A faint rattling thrummed in the distance. The lights.

The lights that have been going out all over the facility.

Sophia peered into the gloom, her eyes running over the hallway. Everything seemed fine, apart from the central light that had been flickering earlier today. She glanced down at her wrench. The short, stubby tool seemed not to be the most effective. The rattling bounced along the walls a few times, coming closer. Sophia remained rooted to the spot as the rattling grew louder. It had a sound like a small motor, though it was sporadic and irregular.

As she stared into the darkness, her eyes began to burn. The lights were on the point of going out completely. They flickered, hesitantly fading away. Sophia's eyes filmed over in the faint light, and she blinked. Her eyes were losing focus.

"Mister Bien," she said, her voice slowly losing her control over its harshness. "You're late again."

Silence.

The lights were almost completely faded, but Sophia could just make out the outline of the dog in the shadow. Slowly, she took a long stride forward. "Good boy."

The dog shuffled furtively.

"Bad dog. No more. I'm so disappointed."

Sophia stomped forward, cursing out loud. The lights lit up another seventy percent, but the flickering still remained. Her eyes shone brightly as they slid shut.

"No more."

There was a hint of a smile in her voice. "I'm disappointed in you, Mister Bien."

The scratching returned.

She held her foot back and slowly slid-stepped forward onto her toes. "Where are you? Come out and show bravery, old dog."

The scratching reached a fever pitch, and the lights flickered dramatically. Sophia attempted to maintain her balance on the toes of her boot. The lights faded once more.

"Bad dog."

Sophia slowly slid to her left, turning herself to face the dog. "Bad dog," she recited.

The lights flickered back on.

Sophia blinked. Her heart skipped a beat, but she held her ground. She looked the dog in the eyes. "I didn't say you could go," she said quietly.

The scratching slowed down.

Her voice deepened. "And who's going to hold the pain?"

She took a long stride forward, her heart pumping as she closed the gap between them. She reached out her hand towards the dog's head. "Me."

The scratching stopped, save for the faint background sound of machinery. It sounded far away, as if it was on another level of the building. Her eyes were tired.

"Good boy."

She stopped in front of the dog. It shifted on the spot.

"Come on," she said, voice cracking.

The scratching, if possible, grew even louder. Little lines creased her eyes from the strain. The lights still flickered, and her hair was let down around her shoulders. She placed her hand on the dog's head.

"Good boy," she said, close to tears. Her eyes slowly closed, darkness descending upon her vision. The angry crack in her voice became the only sound in the room.

Her eyes snapped open. She turned swiftly to her right, and she was facing the rattling sound again. She froze. Her eyes slowly opened wider and wider, until there was nothing but darkness. Her eyes ran slowly across the room, darting back and forth between the darkness and the door.

She was slowly backing away from the door, her eyes half closed. The rattling sound continued to bounce along the wall, growing louder and louder.

The door slowly creaked open. She braced herself for the worst, closing her eyes before the pain ripped through her. She clenched her teeth as her heels hit the corridor wall. Her hands folded in front of her face. Her face hit the cold wall. Her skull was on fire with the pain.

"Hello?"

She opened her eyes slowly. Wincing, she turned around. She opened her eyes wider than was natural.

The dog sat by the door. It was staring straight at her. Its eyes held much of its master inside them.

Sophia continued to stare at it, one of her hands running up to her bruised head. The lights flickered, and then came on again.

"No more."

She took two long strides forward, her arm outstretched.

"No more."

The dog was quiet, sitting in the middle of the hallway. Sophia opened the door slowly, peering in. She walked slowly, and stood at the foot of the bed.

"What are you doing?" She said, her voice slurring slightly cold. She walked slowly past the bed. Her eyes were dead, reflecting back none of the cool light of the lamp.

The dog was sitting by the door. It was waiting.

"No more," it said, a sad hound.

The lights flickered, and Sophia stepped aside. Her face was pale and her eyes were tired. "No more. Good dog."

Sophia sat in her metal chair. The room was cold. Her body was still, except for the quick flickering of her eyes and the slight knuckle tapping of her hand against her toolbox. She stared straight ahead. The door was closed.

"Come."

There was a shuffling noise. The dog was hesitant.

"Come."

The dog walked forward, its movements slow and tired. It was dragging itself closer. Sophia turned to face it, eyes still dead. She opened her mouth slowly.

"You will not disobey again."

The dog said nothing. It shuffled closer. It stopped in front of her.