“Hey Mom, it’s Cass. You won’t believe this, but Shepherd Skyline shook up a storm last night. Shops in town are a mess, believe it or not, even The Snooty Snout Boutique. Our training center isn’t exactly ‘pawfect’ and Bell’s park is struggling. But don’t worry, Eddie, Whisky and I, we’re sticking together – facing this new apocalyptic world head-on. PS: I could really use some of that cheese right now. Much love, Cass 🐾”

I’d never been one for strolling along Shepherd Skyline, or any height for that matter, although it offered the best view of Spencerville. Yet that’s where my legs took me. Eddie and Whisky, my formidable allies, followed suit, their eyes sparkling with curiosity, or perhaps mischief.

“One small step for a dog and one giant leap for dogkind,” said Whisky as we stood on the ledge, gazing at the lights twinkling from the Lower Dalmatian Desert to Corgi Castle. As I peered through my precious moments eyes, for a moment I felt as big as my 55lbs.

The peace didn’t last long. The ground beneath us shifted, and the peaceful night turned into a whirl of panic. We had all heard the tales of the Great Earthquake that time and again rattled the land, leaving behind a post-apocalyptic Spencerville. But experiencing it, ah, that was an entirely different ball game.

Once the quake ceased, we descended from the Skyline and found a world changed forever. The Snooty Snout Boutique looked no longer snooty, rather snotty. The floor was littered with colorful knitted sweaters and leather collars. Next, we rushed to The Pawfect Training Center, or rather what was left of it. The clear glass of The Groom Room lay shattered, revealing the deserted grooming stations within.

The usually bustling Waggle n’ Wok was eerily quiet. The steaming stir fries and wonderful aromas were replaced by overturned tables and a deafening silence. I wondered if they still had some cheese stashed somewhere…

Whisky broke the silence, his nose twitching in the air, “Smell that? Citrus. Some giant’s been here.” I recoiled at the mention. My nose scrunching and eyes watering automatically.

Pulling ourselves together, we ventured to Bell’s Park, my sanctuary, my safe space. It was heart wrenching to witness the destruction, my favorite rubber duck toy lay deflated, a casualty of the earthquake.

“Cass,” Eddie started, his golden coat flecked with debris, “we stick together, yeah?”

I nuzzled him, grateful for the companionship, “Yeah, Eddie. Through thick and thin.”

Life after the Great Earthquake was going to be a test of perseverance, of adaptation. The world was changing, and so were we.

I wondered about my family – how they were faring in the new world order. As I thought about them, I felt a spark of determination ignite within me. I knew then that we, the walking pets of Spencerville, were survivors and we were going to reclaim our nearly perfect town. But one thing’s for sure, I wouldn’t be facing another apocalypse without a chunk of cheese in my paw and my fellow survivors by my side. Post-apocalyptic Spencerville, here we come.

The End.