The sun rose over the hilltop, still invisible to the cratered bowl that half of the city had become. The gigantic chihuahuas roamed the city streets, as they picked off the few last remaining survivors that clung to life in the sewers down below. One approached a manhole cover and dug into the metal seal with impossible strength, and with one sniff of its powerful nostrils two men were sucked out into the open air above. They scattered in the streets, but one was caught under the dog's paw. Immediately blood splattered the street, as the man was ground into the asphalt with a sickening crunch.

Just then, I thought about the sounds that my then small best friend made when she grabbed a treat from my hand. They were little bone-shaped biscuits. She loved them, but that was before. This was our reality now, as we lived with the consequence of our horrible mistake. It all began in lab #1503 outside of Cambridge, Massachusetts. It was one sunny morning, a day just like today, when I pulled up in my gray Jeep Wrangler to the parking garage of the laboratory. The crate in the passenger's seat seemed to shiver. I felt the constant vibrations through the crate as I carried it up into the entrance of the building.

"Today's the day," my partner said.

She beamed as I set the crate down onto the table. I looked through the discreet opening. A patch of brown showed through the breathing holes. I opened the crate. The brown and white spotted chihuahua shook violently, its eyes bulged as it blinked them in their sockets. It was as if they could barely contain them, as they shifted around the room to take in the small dog's surroundings. My partner already had the preparations made. I removed my clipboard from the drawer of the desk. It occurred to me to make sure I was prepared.

"We're not ready for evaluation yet."

I gave a nod, put it back in the drawer.

"Oh, I know," I said.

The dog attempted to move its legs, as they were strapped down onto the table. She placed a clamp on its ear, just tight enough to be snug. It whined and whimpered, scratched at the metal surface with the length of its nails. That was as much movement as it was allowed.

"So, do you have the vial?"

"It's ready, yes," she said.

She walked hastily to the door of the supply room. It opened and shut, her figure just visible behind the thick, warped glass of the door window. She came back out with the vial in hand. The syringes were to the right of the subject. One shone clinically as I removed it from its container. She handed me the vial, filled with a transparent, purple liquid, labeled 'Solution B.'

"Read to me again our hypothesis," I said.

"Our hypothesis is as follows; the initial experiment resulted in a conclusive finding that if we could isolate the strand in a chihuahua's DNA that composes the information for their small size, we can replicate that within other species," she said.

"And what does our current experiment involve," I said.

"Just pull the plunger already," she huffed.

I turned to her with a disapproving look. She let out a sigh.

"To inject Subject A with Solution B, which contains the genes of a larger species to neutralize the expression of that gene, thereby creating a solution inside of Subject A which we would then extract. We would inject the resulting solution into a larger species, with the end result, as we theorize, would possibly make the larger species much smaller in stature." 

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," I said.

Indeed it was quite an exciting prospect, that one could shrink an animal through introducing the end product of this experiment intravenously, one solution which we would label as 'Solution C.' With that the experiment began. I pulled the purple liquid from the vial up into the tube of the syringe, then positioned it at the ready. The dog continued its struggle on the cold metal surface as the needle poked through its skin.

"Alright, let's wrap this up, clean our supplies and go home," I said.

I had a leftover fajita in my refrigerator that was about to expire. Just as I turned, the room rocked with an explosive force. I couldn't believe the resulting monstrosity that now stood before my very own eyes. My partner screamed, but it was cut short in one, horrifying moment, as the monster crushed her head between clenched teeth. Blood seeped in slow pools from its mouth, then gushed out of its gaping maw as it locked eyes with mine. My body wouldn't move. I was stunned into silent terror. In the end, the only reason that I had managed to escape was that the dog still chewed the corpse of my deceased lab partner.

I finally shifted toward the door, on legs that felt like lead, and locked myself inside the supply room. I don't know what happened next. The last thing I noticed was my hands, paled and sickly before everything went dark. When I opened my eyes, I stood shakily from the cold tile and braced myself against the flat door handle. Gunshots fired in the distance from outside. They filtered through the outer wall that bordered the supply room. I dared to open the metal door an inch and peered outside, then stepped out into the hallway. There was nothing there.

I stumbled numbly through the hall, my legs still asleep, then turned the corner carefully. The next segment of lights blinked on and off, then they went out completely the further along I went down the hallway. The growls resounded up the dark exit stairs. A bead of sweat rolled down my temple and soaked through my hair, something that I only noticed at that moment. I was high on adrenaline. My ears had become acutely aware of every sound. The scratching noises trailed closer, then farther away underneath the first floor of the building. If I could just get to the parking garage, I could find my car and get the hell out of dodge.

Suddenly, there was a fierce, low-pitched growl. I turned slowly. The chihuahua looked completely different, as it now had a black and brown pattern. Deep red blood oozed from a brown snout that morphed into a snarl. My lungs exploded with a scream as I sprinted toward my Jeep Wrangler. There were few other cars in the garage now. I turned the keys just as the deer head chihuahua put a massive dent into the front of my car with its long snout. My car rocked and then tilted forward before I reversed blindly away from the thing. I left rough skid marks as I peeled out of the front entrance.

I drove full speed ahead into the waning sunlight. It looked different because it was in fact a different dog, but this was something that my mind simply couldn't accept as I sped past snowdrifts, tinted light orange from the deep red sunset. I couldn't believe what time it was, either. Had I been passed out all day? My hands gripped white-knuckled on the steering wheel as I contemplated what all could have possibly happened during that time. My fingers loosened in one hand, as it hesitated over the dial of the radio. The tense voices cracked before they became clear to me.

"The experiment leaked from an undercover source, just miles outside of the laboratory this morning," a man said.

Pages shuffled hastily behind the microphone. Another reporter cleared her throat. There were screams.

"We have received news that the epidemic has spread to New York as more dogs have been affected. We still have no clear report of what it is causing this exponential growth in the chihuahuas," she said.

My stomach dropped out and I feared I would need to vomit. However, I wouldn't slow down for anything. I nearly tumbled into a snowdrift as I made a sharp turn, then gunned the engine once more, my foot pressed down hard on the gas pedal. I suspected that the airports were in absolute disarray all throughout America, and there was no way I could board a plane here any time soon. If I could make it to Canada before the borders closed, my silent hope was that, somehow just maybe, I could get off of the continent and survive. There was no way those things could make it across the ocean, right?

"We have just received yet another disturbing report, Diane," the man continued somberly.

Her sobs were stifled, though they made it to the microphone to my ears.

"The prime minister of England has just announced that the chihuahuas have dog paddled across the ocean, and have now breached the continent of Europe. All areas of Western Europe have now been quarantined until further notice. Eastern Europe to begin final evacuations tonight."

I slowed to a stop, as I bowed into the steering wheel. My head spun, not only from the breakneck speed that I had gone. All hope was lost. The chihuahuas had quickly spread the mutation to one another, although I wasn't quite sure the method. A rumbling sound filtered through the windshield. As I looked up, four of them stood a few yards ahead. My eyes wandered slowly toward the end of the street. Into the next neighborhood, it was awful. Every single house was flattened to rubble until only fire hydrants remained. One of the four dogs was clothed around its tail in what I could only assume was a tiny sweater.

They had somehow freed themselves of it, before they morphed into their monstrous size, but not before it slipped away from their now wagging appendage. They bounded toward me. My car shook and jumped into the air as I steered desperately, but I didn't have enough time to get away before the car was caught clumsily in one of their mouths. One barked, which caused a deafening ring in my ears. Then they growled and fought fiercely over who would get the treat inside of their brand new toy. Chihuahuas fighting, my god, it is one of the most horrifying things that one could ever possibly witness.

They were ruthless in their attacks, as one went straight for the neck of the other who had me clenched in their jaw. They let go, a loud whine completely disoriented my senses as I fell to the ground in the mangled Jeep. Thankfully I had the sense to grab the walkie-talkie that fell out onto the passenger's seat from the now opened glove box. I jammed it into my pocket as I rolled into a standing position. Blood splattered all over my clothes and into my eyes and mouth. I screamed as I ran, sputtered with the metallic taste in my mouth as I scrambled for shelter. It had been my lucky day, as they were too busy with each other to notice my escape.

I climbed down into an open manhole and into the sewers below. There was no way they could get to such a compact space, if I went far down enough. I hit a dead-end at a grate that closed off access to the rest of the tunnel from top to bottom. A faint light fell in beams on the other side. I turned in the other direction. It was too dark to see what was down there, pitch-black. I considered my options. I could blindly stumble into who-knows-what until I got to the other side, or I could climb back up and take an equally daring risk for the slim hope of some remaining refuge above.

I started down the dark tunnel, my mind already made up. If I kept close to the wall, at least I wouldn't fall into the water. The stench made me wretch on a few occasions, and I didn't know for how long I wandered on down the seemingly endless tunnel. My foot hit something solid, and my heart sank in my chest. I felt hopeless again, as I thought I had hit another dead end. However, the faint sound of water rushed in my ears from someplace right outside. I kicked at the solid surface, and it budged slightly. I peered out into the sliver of light that came through. I had arrived at the water treatment plant.

There were bunkers hidden nearby, as my lab partner and I worked privately and had preparations made in case of an event. Yes, we were very prepared for most everything. Neither one of us had been prepared for this. I felt depressed for a moment as I thought about my lab partner, how quickly she was gone to the merciless chihuahua horde. She was the true impetus for this project, the one who ultimately fueled Subject A to go forth and multiply in the most twisted way possible. All that brain, to waste. I shook these thoughts from my head. I had to find our nearest bunker.

It was just inland of the large body of water that bordered the plant. I crawled out from the end of the sewer and jumped the short distance to the ground. My shoes were wet. The water was slightly murky, but it was passable enough to wash the blood from my skin and clothes. I struggled to climb up the steep cement onto the main highway. Finally, I stood on the edge of the road.

"Hey, you!" someone shouted.

I turned as I brushed debris from my clothes. A man in a Hawaiian shirt approached me.

"Have you seen the size of those things, man? I was like, goddamn!"

I put a finger to my lips. He let out a laugh.

"Nah man, they can't hear us, they're too up high now."

He pointed to a figure that toppled over a skyscraper in the distance. My jaw dropped as a strangled cry escaped my throat. He whistled next to me. The screams filtered through the shock waves as rubble met asphalt. Planes flew overhead with armed men. The chihuahua threw up a massive paw and smacked one to the ground. Another resulting explosion rocked the earth.

"My god," I said, my voice strained.

The man held a pair of binoculars up to me. I gripped them in my hands.

"I took a few pictures with my phone, then everything went offline," he said.

I barely heard him speak, as I attempted to locate the general area of the bunker. If my assessment was correct, it wasn't far.

"You can really see the cluster-fuck with that thing."

I handed it back to him, then uttered a quiet thanks. He ran after me, then followed at my side. 

"Do you need help getting somewhere?"

"No, thank you," I said.

Then I paused for a moment. My lab partner and I had stored enough food for two people to last for several years. That would either be more than enough time for this to blow over, or by that time I would have been driven mad with loneliness. In the latter case, I would then make preparations to kill myself. There would be nothing left to live for if the world continued on in this chaotic state. I turned to him. I still wasn't sure whether I would ultimately let him stay in the bunker with me, but he could prove to be useful.

"Actually..."

We made it to the end of the next street as the moon rose high in the sky, clouded in thick tufts of smoke. Sweat and condensation collected on our foreheads as we moved quietly through the city streets, through the formerly populated area. We crouched down behind a dumpster when one sniffed the entrance to the dilapidated old Taco Bell. The place was greasy and unkempt, the building itself ancient. It needed a wrecking ball taken to it ages ago. However, it remained one of the few buildings left untouched. The sweat dripped from my brow as my walkie-talkie made a cracking sound.

I had attempted to contact someone. We moved carefully into the restaurant. Finally, a voice filtered more clearly through the static.

"Hello?" they said.

Heavy breathing interrupted their speech.

"Hello, I'm here. Where are you?"

I took in a breath, then answered hesitantly.

"We're inside of a Taco Bell, not far from the water treatment plant in Cambridge," I said quietly.

The voice paused at the other end. For a moment I thought I had lost them.

"I'm inside of a Taco Bell too, but not the same one. I'm about a mile out of Worcester," he said.

I looked at the man in the Hawaiian shirt as I shook my head.

"Good luck out there," I said.

A chewing sound filtered from the end. My blood ran cold.

"Thank you, and this is a good fajita. I'm better off than most," he said, between mouthfuls of food.

I turned off the walkie-talkie and put it back in my lab coat pocket. I let out a sigh. We waited quietly in the dark. Two ears cast massive shadows in the dimly lit streets, the asphalt rumbled. An entire herd moved through the area. It appeared we would have to wait for a while longer. The man shivered violently in the thin shirt.

"So, where are you from, anyway?" I asked.

"I came off of my flight from San Andrés this morning," he said.

"San Andreas? That isn't far from my uncle's place in Modesto," I said.

"No man, El Centro. I'm from Colombia," he said.

I blew out a silent breath in relief; I almost made a lame joke about his particularly narrow escape, as all Californians were in close proximity to the Beverly Hills Chihuahua.

"I didn't have time to get my coat from my luggage. Everything went to hell at the airport," he said.

I huffed, as I smiled slightly.

"What else is new?" I said.

He let out a snort. Then, I glanced at the floor to ceiling window. A single, dark eye blinked as it looked right inside at us. The man looked as though he were about to jump out of his skin. He paled as he toppled over the stool he was in and ran toward the bathroom. We made it inside as the paw smacked through and glass shrapnel exploded across the room. I looked down as I noticed the blood that dripped into a pool on the bathroom floor. My lab coat was ripped, my arm badly cut.

"Well, there's no glass stuck in me, so there's that," I said.

The pain of the day was ebbed only by the constant adrenaline that coursed through my veins.

"Oh man, that looks bad. Here, take off your coat" he said.

Before I could protest, he had ripped off a section of his shirt. I did as he said, and he tied the cloth around my wound. Green palm trees on a yellow backdrop now striped my upper arm. I pulled my coat back on and dusted off the remaining debris. The gesture of kindness affected me, and I suddenly felt that I needed to be honest with the man.

"This is all my fault," I said.

He scratched the back of his head in the cracked mirror.

"What?" he said.

"My lab partner and I, we are the ones who are responsible for all of this chaos. If you couldn't tell from the lab coat, I'm a scientist. We were conducting an experiment this morning with the gene in chihuahuas that make them small, so that we could transfer that gene to larger animals," I said.

He peered at me. I expected him to scream at me, to maybe even want to kill me. I wouldn't blame him. No, I realized that aside from the adrenaline, my own cowardice was the primary thing that kept me alive in that moment. However, the man just seemed confused.

"But, why though?" he asked.

This prompted me, and I attempted to come up with a concise explanation.

"We thought that by taking, say a tiger, and making them small and cute, we could market them as high-priced pets," I said.

"Oh, because they wouldn't be able to hurt people anymore," he said.

"Right, since they would be small. Their bites would hurt, but not as much," I said.

"That's brilliant. It's too bad it ended up like this," he said.

He stared at the door. He didn't even appear to be angry in the slightest toward me.

"I heard that if your cat were big it would try to eat you."

"That's true," I said.

We stood in silence for a long moment.

"Listen, there's a bunker that my partner and I had prepared, but she didn't make it. If you want to share," I offered.

"Do you have food there?" he asked.

I considered him for a moment. What if he tried to hog it all? I'm a terrible person, I do admit to that. Stingy, filled with greed of the prospect of profits that I could make from animals mutated against their will, had my plan gone accordingly. However, I still didn't want to die alone.

"Not much, some dog biscuits," I said.

He gave a shrug.

"Sounds like food to me," he said.

There was the slightest knock at the door. If we were to die here, I would at least die an honest person, accountable for my actions. However, I would not let the same fate befall him. I was determined to get him out of this, along with myself. No man deserved to die inside the bathroom of a Taco Bell. I looked above. The dusty air vent was within reach of the toilet from the squat ceiling. I put the seat down so that I could climb up and crack off the seal. I pulled myself up, which still took quite a lot of effort. My body began to weaken. My arm burned and throbbed, but I made it into a crouching position inside the vent.

I reached out for him with my hand, as he positioned himself on the toilet, right when the door busted open and teeth sliced the air. The man let out a scream, so close to the pointed edges of the razor-sharp mandible. The pup managed to get half of its face through the door, but not quite far enough, not yet. I pulled at his hand, slick with sweat, gripped him with all of my might. He collapsed into the vent just as the pup inserted its whole head and got it stuck inside the entrance to the bathroom. It writhed desperately, as it knocked its snout against the toilet. Water sprayed upward as we crawled away as quickly as the space would allow.

Suddenly, the ceiling dropped out from under us. We crashed into the kitchen of the restaurant, our fall mitigated only by chips and tomato sauce. We stumbled and ran outside the front entrance, the herd mercifully had cleared, though there were a few that remained. They bound forward in a directionless frenzy, as they chased after drones in the air. One caught in a dog's mouth as it shook its head and spat it back out. Its lips curled upward into a smile as it panted and shook its tail wildly. The stars disappeared in the sky as it began to approach dawn. The scene was almost peaceful, pleasant.

Then, I turned, and before I knew it a soldier with a green helmet and a rocket launcher approached.

"Get down!" he yelled.

We barely had time to react, but we managed to get behind a car before the blast hit. Chunks of meat and bone erupted across the street as the chihuahua exploded. Blood rained from above. The man next to me let out a horrified gasp.

"I guess that's one way to shrink them," I said morbidly.

The soldier let out a scream as another dog had him pinned by his uniform to the back end of his tank. The man took out a gun out of desperation and killed himself. We ran to the end of the street then passed the corner. The bunker was finally just up ahead.

"It's over here!"

I turned, and then my blood ran cold. My friend was backed into a crumbling pizzeria, another chihuahua drawn to blood. No, I thought. Not here, when we were so close to the end. I looked around and saw that a fire hydrant had been opened, still perfectly intact, of course. A snapped electrical line ran down, a subtle electric energy thrummed in the water's surface as it continued to spray. I opened my lungs and called.

"Hey, Fido!"

It turned its massive head, piercing blue eyes locked onto mine. Its long, brindle fur bristled on its back, as it bared its teeth and growled. I was the one who made it what it now was. The chihuahua lumbered toward me, then chomped down. I just barely dodged the impact, as a seismic shock wave of electricity crackled in the air. The dog reeled in shock before it reared upward. Silhouetted against the rising sun, it erupted into flames. I ran toward the man, who now trembled from head to toe.

"Are you okay?"

"Dude," he said slowly.

He shook his head as he took in the scene.

"That's fuckin' insane, man."

"We have to get out of here! Come on," I said.

I took his arm and he budged. We finally made it to the bunker, where we settled down, and that's how we ended up here now. Hopefully, this will all blow over soon. I can only share so many of my rations. My new friend ran out of biscuits to eat.