[Story Prompt 3 (Door)] Horror

The door finally gives. Was it stuck? Anyway it bangs open to reveal--

Ugh, what is that smell?

The scene that meets the caretaker's eyes is a bit too realistic.

Really, can't they tone it down a bit?

Lightning flashes outside, and more detail is revealed.

Uhh. That's. Actually pretty well done.

The caretaker is frozen, staring at the figure standing in front of her. Holding a knife. Actually looks real, too. That's… intense all right. But it's just standing there. Did she surprise it? Or are they going for the creepy silent monster type?

Wait.

That's a JellHead.

They can be people too?

---

The caretaker is still frozen, her own JellHead who-knows-where. It wouldn't have been surprising if it took off. She had forced it to come, acting all blase about what is now clearly a dangerous situation. The poor thing really had been so scared.

The figure shudders for a moment just like Molly and lurches forward. The caretaker flinches, and the figure stops, cocks it's… Jell...head...for a moment. Wiggles a bit. If it had a head, would it be making a rattling gasping sound? Is it dead? The caretaker vaguely remembers being told how JellHeads naturally form, but she doesn't have time to think she just needs to keep it distracted so Molly can get ou-

What is she doing? She's gonna get KILLED!

The JellDog, despite being wobblier than ever, has somehow manifested in front of its caretaker and appears to be attempting to growl at the figure. At least, that's what one would expect if it were a regular dog. But she's a JellHead. Surely she wouldn't have the protective instinct a real dog would have. But hasn't she shown tendencies of a real dog? Consuming the slippers, wobbling after squirrels and that cat, and now guarding the one who took her in?

Whatever the case, the… other JellHead, the one who looks too human, too human with meat for a head, seems to have taken offense. It raises its knife and appears to be about to charge toward the JellDog and her caretaker.

In that moment, the caretaker loses all sense of self preservation. Her dog is staring down a creature who can do who-knows-what, is apparently the sources of those butchering (oh god) rumors (should have listened shouldn't have gone) and it seems ready to slice her up, Jell or no. Grabbing the JellDog around the waist, careful so the dog doesn't wiggle right out of her grip like usual, the caretaker backs away rapidly and turns and runs, aiming a kick at the door that had been so stubborn (why did she open it oh god no), hoping it provides an obstacle to that looming thing. She has to get Molly out of there or the stupid dog will hurt herself trying to fight it. Clearly worse than a squirrel or that cat, but Molly can chase all the squirrels she can find if they get out of this. She has to get out of this. It was the caretaker's stupid idea to enter a place she had been warned about, what a joke, thinking it was a prank. If they get out of this-

She only notices she's left the building when she nearly stumbles into the front gate. Looking back only once- she left all her supplies in the building, but she doesn't care as long as Molly's okay- she shoves the dog into the passenger seat of the car, revs the engine, and they're out of there.

---

Coming back to a neighborhood full of trick-or-treaters (how late is it? it's only 7:30 wow-) means driving slow. It takes an effort. The caretaker had left the old camera behind, but it's a small thing compared to being alive and well-- with Molly. That silly dog had distracted the monster enough that they could get away. The caretaker had no illusions of what would have happened to them had Molly not been there, scared as she was. "Bring a JellHead" indeed. Who knew Molly would be good security? Even so…

Molly may be a JellHead but she is also a dog. Of that they are certain. But why is she so dog-like when all they have heard is that JellHeads are pure instinct? Dying instinct, if the literature is to be believed- at least for naturals. Is it true that there was a murderer in that house and they died? Is the JellHead what's left of a grisly scheme, one that left behind a JellHead with an instinct that is altogether deadly?

And what of Molly? She was analyzed to be an Artificial JellHead, with a proper core, and it was assumed she escaped from a JellLab or previous owner. Does this mean that Artificials have more to them than it is thought? Or is Dogness, the Being of a Good Dog, something that is present in all dogs, even Jell ones?

Food for thought.