“Hey,” Peter yelled, waving his arms in the air until he caught Ferikan and Garjian’s attention. “Can you tell me how long I’ve been dead?”

“Yes, we can,” Ferikan replied, “Today is the fortieth day.”

“And when you said that I don’t have long. Is that less than a day?”

“We estimate a lot less, and then you’ll leave for good,” Garjian replied.

“How long has Tina been cooped up inside the house?” Peter turned around and looked at Tina, who was sobbing silently.

“This entire time. She has not set foot outside the house once. Many of your fellow humans have tried to get her out, but she refuses,” Garjian said.

“Then I need to find a way to tell her that she needs to get out and live her life; move on without me. She can’t miss out on life because of me.”

“And how do you propose we do that?” Garjian began hovering higher with his wings pulled close together as if he was about to explode into the sky.

“I don’t know, but I have to find a way,” Peter moved in front of the couch.

“See, Ferikan, the Infinites never give up.”

“Their determination is impressive. Has a dead Infinite ever managed to communicate with the living?”

“Yes, we have a recording, or two, of such rare cases, but none in which they could see us, let alone interact with us. We are in uncharted territory, Ferikan. No one knows what will happen next!”

Tina was sitting in the same position Peter had left her, legs curled up on the couch and crying over the picture, which she held tight in her arms. A dog was lying on the sofa next to Tina, resting its head close to her.

“That is a canine, isn’t it?” Ferikan asked Garjian as they moved behind Peter.

“That’s Shevi,” Peter replied. “The vet said she’s a cross between a German Shepherd and a Doberman. Smartest dog I ever had.”

“What’s a German Shepherd and a Doberman?” Garjian leaned in, taking a closer look at Shevi.

“You don’t know about dog breeds?”

“No, I’m afraid not.”

“Dog breeds are different types of canine. Shevi is the result of two such dog breeds having a puppy.”

“I see. I’ll note down those two breeds,” Garjian replied. “I always found your kind’s obsession with categorisation based on differences very counterproductive. You could probably benefit from looking for more similarities than just dissimilarities.”

“I love her colours,” Ferikan stepped in, “That black-to-orange transition is beautiful.”

“If only I could show you how she danced,” Peter said.

“Canines can dance?” Ferikan tilted her head.

“This one can. I taught her myself,” Peter chuckled, “Tina was so pissed.”

“Why was she angry with your incredible achievement?” Ferikan raised her eyebrows.

“Because I managed to teach the dog how to dance, but I never learned all the steps for our wedding,” Peter grinned and chuckled.

Shevi whimpered.

“I know, Shevi,” Tina rubbed the dog’s head, “I miss him too.”

“I miss you too,” Peter leaned closer to the dog.

Shevi jumped up and growled. Her threatening and vibrant snarl turned into loud barking as she moved off the couch. Peter jumped away and landed on his back. Shevi circled Peter, shifting from growling to barking.

“Shevi! Quiet down!” Tina shrieked as she grabbed and squeezed the edge of the couch and planted her legs firmly on the ground.

“Do you see that?” Garjian bounced and drummed Ferikan on the shoulder. “The canine can sense Peter!”

“But how is that possible?”

“What’s the matter with you, girl?” Tina screeched, but Shevi would not turn to face her or stop barking.

“I don’t know. We’ve never encountered such a case before, but then again, we never actually studied canines. We thought them unimportant,” Garjian grabbed Ferikan by the shoulders, forcing her to bounce with him.

“What are you barking at, Shevi?” Tina’s knuckles turned pale white.

Ferikan bit her lip and scrunched her nose. “Can we record canine perspectives?”

Garjian grabbed his head with both hands, “By all the entropic forces of the universe,” and spittle gathered at the corners of his mouth. He flared his nostrils and bared his teeth. He bit into the lower lip and curled the upper one, “Fuck!” he rasped and ran his hands through the few remaining hairs on his head, “Add a note for the engineers.”

“Shevi, it’s me, girl,” Peter raised a hand towards the dog.

Shevi leaned in, trying to sniff Peter’s hand. She sneezed and pulled back as Peter went to touch her.

“Sit!” Peter commanded as he stood tall on his feet.

Shevi sat down and fell silent, her head looking upwards at Peter.

“The canine shows signs of not only seeing and smelling the Infinite but also hearing him,” Garjian said in his serious, authoritative tone.

“I’ll note this moment for the analysts,” Ferikan said.

Tina held her breath, looking in the general direction that Shevi was.

“I need your help here, girl, help me talk to Tina. Now up!” Peter ordered, and Shevi stood on her hind legs. “Now, let’s salsa!”

Peter raised his hands as if holding a dancing partner and started stepping back and forth, shaking his body. Shevi tried to imitate him, taking small wobbly steps back and forth, moving her front legs up and down, trying to howl to a beat but failing miserably. It sounded more like she was howling or crying out for help.

“Peter?” Tina pressed her hand against her lips. New tears streamed down her cheeks, and her heart raced. A tingling sensation spread outwards, in waves, from her chest over her entire body.

Peter sat on the couch next to Tina. Shevi turned around and faced the sofa before sitting down again.

Goosebumps crashed all over Tina’s body and returned, reducing in intensity and gathering at her head. Gentle vibrations filled her skull, and her eyes brightened up. She lowered her hand and formed a sad smile. “You’re here, aren’t you?” she said softly.

“I’m right here, baby.” Peter placed his open hand in front of Shevi. “Paw,” he said, and Shevi tried to put her paw into his open palm but went through it. “Play dead,” Peter continued, and Shevi fell to the side and rolled on her back.

“You’re here,” Tina whispered. She relaxed her shoulders, turned in the direction Shevi was looking and remained perfectly still.

“Now’s my chance,” Peter stood up and ran to the main door.

“Your chance for what?” Ferikan asked as she flew behind Peter.

Shevi also ran after Peter, and she stood in front of the door, initially trotting before bursting into full-on jumps and spins as she always did when Peter was about to take her out for a walk. Tina remained sitting but turned her head towards the door.

“To get Tina out of this house. I need to open this door while she still believes I’m here with her.” Peter stood still and stared at the lock on the door. It was an old lock with a small lever which he had to pull back with his finger, and the door would swing open.

“Is something wrong?” Garjian moved closer.

Peter wiped his hands against his trousers a few times. “No, not really,” he took a deep breath, “Just not sure if I can actually do this.” He thrust his hand forward, reaching for the handle. However, it was as if he hit an invisible wall made of soft clay, and his fingers sank into what appeared to be nothingness.

“He’s found the door,” Garjian said.

“He did?” Ferikan moved next to Peter, taking a closer look at the door.

“Yes, they always struggle to open it.”

“What?” Peter asked but never stopped trying to reach the lock.

“If you open that door, you’ll leave,” Ferikan said.

“Are you sure?” Peter kept pushing forward.

“We’re pretty sure,” Garjian replied.

“Then so be it,” Peter leaned into the invisible clay wall. “Please look after Tina for me, will you?”

“We won’t be going anywhere for a while,” Garjian replied.

WHAT!? Ferikan gave Garjian a questioning look but kept her mouth shut.

A violent earthquake erupted, and metal deforming sounded around the room. It was as if all of reality was collapsing around them, but none of the new activity affected the Infinite’s dimension.

“What’s going on?” Ferikan yelled over the ear-shattering sounds.

“The interdimensional bridge appears to be destabilising,” Garjian shouted.

Ferikan looked at the data on her tablet. “By a black hole’s gravity, are you seeing these figures, Garjian?”

“I am, but I’m having a hard time believing them. These energy spikes mimic that of a black hole in its infancy.”

“But where is it going, Garjian? Where is all the energy transferring to?”

“That’s the right question, Ferikan, but I don’t have an answer.”

Peter felt the metal lever at the edge of his fingertips. He turned and looked at Tina one last time. “I’m sorry to leave you so suddenly, but please try to make the best of what you have left. Enjoy the rest of your life, honey, and we’ll meet again someday. I promise you that. But for now, go out and live!”

The lever clicked free, and the door unhinged. It spun open, went through Peter, and hooked on the door stopper. Sunlight flooded the room, and Peter felt a familiar warmth envelop him. The vibrations peaked, and the loud noises became deafening when the rings over Garjian and Ferikan exploded, releasing a shower of sparks.

Suddenly everything fell silent, and the world stood still.

Peter turned into a yellow transparent ghost-looking figure, slowly fading away. “I love you, Tina,” he whispered seconds before he vanished and with him, so did the bridge connecting the two dimensions.

“I love you more,” Tina said.

Both Garjian and Ferikan jerked their heads towards Tina.

“Did she just…?” Ferikan asked.

“I think she did…,” Garjian replied.

Colours started to wash out and sound muffled as Ferikan and Garjian witnessed a thick curtain of watery substance fall around them, separating them from the dimension of the Infinites.

“I’ll...note that…down...for...the analysts,” Ferikan said without looking away.

“Yes...you...do...that,” Garjian replied. His eyes never turned away from Tina.