INTRODUCTION BEFORE THE MAIN STORY
The Smiling Dog legend is most remembered with the infamous image known as "Smile.jpg."
It is a disturbing tale that originated from the dark corners of internet folklore, particularly around the early 2000s on online forums like Creepypasta.
Although it lacks a specific geographic origin, it is deeply rooted in the growing culture of digital horror stories in the United States.
The legend revolves around a cursed image file called Smile.jpg, which is an image of a nightmarish dog-like creature with a human-like grin filled with sharp teeth.
Its eyes are said to be glowing with an unknown light even though the background is said to be in a dull lighted room, or sometimes, a dark basement.
Those who view the image allegedly suffer from severe psychological torment—nightmares, anxiety, hallucinations, and an overwhelming sense of dread.
Victims claim the dog appears in their dreams, whispering the phrase, "Spread the word."
Those who refuse to share the image are said to have been driven to madness or even suicide.
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Deep in the woods of Oregon, six of us----- me, my boyfriend Mason, my best friend Talia and her boyfriend Cody, plus our friends Jake and Lila----- rented a rustic cabin for the weekend.
It had no phone service in the area, but that was okay; at least there was Wi-Fi and lots of booze.
I marvelled at how peaceful it looked when we arrived yesterday; I mean with the forest so golden with autumn leaves, crisp air, and the cabin creaking gently in the wind.
It was wonderful, but tonight------
"Are you serious right now, Mason?" I screamed, slamming the bedroom door open.
Seeing me, he scrambled to cover up himself with the bed spreads in shame, and I scoffed, second slight disbelief washing over my face.
He was naked, in bed, with Talia.
Of all people he had to cheat on me with her!
At that point my heart literally fell into my stomach.
"Harper-----" he stammered, blinking rapidly.
"It's not what it looks like," Talia blurted out, clutching the bedsheet to her chest.
"Oh, save it!" I shouted, my hands shaking so hard as I clenched them into tight fists at my sides.
I wanted to hit something------ or someone.
"Talia you're my best friend!"
Mason tried to approach me then, reaching his hand out to me, "It was a mistake. We were drunk------"
Drunk my ass;
I shoved him hard. "Don't touch me!"
Hearing the commotion, Jake and Lila rushed in after and Cody followed behind them.
Soon everyone was yelling; Lila blamed Mason for being "a lying jerk."
"How could you do this to me?" Cody cursed at Talia.
He couldn't believe she was cheating on him but the evidence was right there in front of our eyes.
I'd caught them fucking in action, so right now, the air in the room smelled like sex.
Cody cursed again, "Fuck this."
He dipped his hands into the pocket of his shorts and brought out a black box.
Raising the small lid, he brought out a oval cut emerald ring and Talia gasped.
"Cody I----- " she started to say, but he didn't even look at her and just walked straight to the open window and tossed the ring out.
Now I, Jake and Lila screamed.
That ring had cost Cody two months of his working job and some extra night shifts------ he'd wanted to give Talia her dream engagement ring.
Yeah, this cabin retreat had been to help Cody prepare a surprise proposal for her.
Of course we left her out of the information----- it was a surprise after all-----, but I'd forgotten to mention it to Mason.
Life hasn't been that easy since entering adulthood, and I've been stressed; so it just happened to slip my mind to tell him.
Yes I admit it was my fault for not telling Mason about this, but still------
Would that have stopped him from fucking her tonight?
I don't think so, 'cos from how they'd been fucking when I came in, they'd clearly had weeks to explore their bodies and know exactly what each other liked.
Now I was angry.
"Cody... Cody------" Talia called as she climbed off the bed and ran towards him, reaching for his shoulders.
"Baby-----"
"Don't you fucking dare touch me!" He cursed and turned to look at her finally, his eyes heavy with the look of betrayal on his face and his jaw clenched hard.
Then he shook his head in disappointment.
"You smell like him."
"Look man-----" Mason started, and somehow that made Cody realise that he existed.
And he snapped, and lunged on him throwing blows on him while Mason tried to cover his lower half with the bedspread and still defend himself.
Now Jake was trying desperately to pull them apart while Lila watched with her mouth open in stunned silence.
"Stop it, stop it you two!" Talia cried, her loud voice screeching against my ears.
Now I was angry.
The slut had to scream like this wasn't her fault.
I turned and slapped her.
"Shut up you bitch!"
Her head snapped to the side, her hair falling all over her face, and for a second she was silent.
Then she slapped me back.
... And I pounced on her.
I was going to teach the backstabbing bitch a lesson or two.
"Stop, stop, stop it! Harper let go of her!" Lila screamed as I pulled viciously at Talia's hair.
We spun in a circle with Lila trying to get in the middle and separate us... in vain.
Somehow we fell on the bed, right beside my ex boyfriend who was being beaten up by Cody who sat on top of him with Jake holding him by the waist and trying desperately to pull him away.
Mason was no match for Cody at all, Cody was beating the living shit out of him on our bed.
Our bed.
Our bed??
On our bed!!!!!.
"You cheating bastard!" I yelled, getting up from Talia throwing a blow at him.
"You cheated on our bed!!!!"
Talia tried to grab me then, but I shoved my left leg right in her face, sending her flying back and hitting her head on the wall.
"Talia!"
"Guys!"
"Cody stop you'll kill him!"
"Harper it's okay!!! Let go!"
Jake, and Lila shouted and yelled as they both tried to separate us and stop us from beating Mason.
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By the time midnight rolled around, we were all in separate corners of the cabin, sulking and seething in anger.
Jake sighed loudly a thousand and one times, and said he just wanted to leave, and honestly I did too.
All of us did actually; after all, the whole point of being here had been defeated.
However the storm that had suddenly started raging outside only made things worse for us as it meant we couldn't leave just yet and were stuck with each other.
That's just how bad the storm was, the wind howled through the pines, and thunder shook the windows with its loud rumble and lightning flashed several times.
I sighed.
First thing in the morning once it was 7 AM, I'm leaving this place.
I'll have to book an Uber now.
Thinking this, I pulled out my phone and connected to the WiFi.
Clicking on the BookMyUber app, I began waiting for it to load but it was taking so much time.
I sighed.
What time was it anyway.
Glancing on the top right corner of my screen I saw that it was 1:12 a.m.
My brows furrowed; there should be enough network now.
So why was the app taking so much time to load?
Sighing at the top part of my screen again to check the signal bar, and as I did I saw a WhatsApp notification that I had 30 new messages.
I chewed on the inside of my cheeks;
I wasn't really in the right mood to chat with anyone now, but then again I needed something to get my mind off what had just happened.
Thinking this, I directly opened my Whatsapp app.
One at a time I began going through the messages until I reached the last one.
Then I paused; I didn't recognize the unsaved number but without opening the message I could see it was a photo.
Thinking it was another one of those ad runner that always slide into people's DM to drop flyers, I long pressed the message, moving my fingers to click the delete button.
However I paused again; what harm could looking at a flyer do?
So I clicked the message open, only to furrow my brows when I saw what the image file was like.
Smile.jpg
I scoffed.
Looks like this wasn't a flyer after all; I mean, who sends pictures in this format?
Grimacing, I clicked on it and began waiting for it to download.
This had better not be a dick pic from an old man.
Once it was done downloading, I clicked on the image only to see that it was------
... A dog?
There was no written message in the image and the background pic was pitch black, except for a faint red glow coming from the dog's eyes.
Its fur was matted and dirty and its eyes bulged unnaturally, and its mouth----- Christ----- it was stretched into a wide grin with lots of teeth.
... Too much teeth in fact.
I couldn't tell what breed it was though, Because I couldn't see its full body.
Still, it was creepy.
Instantly I knew that someone was trying to prank me, but then-----
... One by one, everyone else's phones pinged.
Jake frowned. "Did you guys just get a picture too?"
Talia looked up from her corner, looking pale with an ugly purple bruise on the side of her face where I'd kicked her.
"Of a dog… smiling?"
Lila chuckled. "Okay, who's the genius behind this? Trying to scare us because we're fighting? Stop that."
"It's not me," I said quietly. I didn't really have to get strength to interact now.
"Not me either," Mason muttered.
Cody didn't say anything, he just kept his face averted from us------ I couldn't really blame him for not answering; none of us could.
... Especially guilty Talia that kept looking at him every now and then.
I hope he never forgives her; I never will.
Just as my thoughts were going on in its own matters, Jake sighed loudly, partially gaining our attention as he ran his thumb over his phone's screen.
"It's probably one of you idiots. I'm blocking the number."
...
"What the hell?!!"
"What?" Lila asked.
"My phone just shut down!"
"Relax, you probably didn't charge it."
"It was at 98% Who did this now? Did you send a virus?!"
"No one sent-----" Talia started to say, but Jake cut her off.
"Just shut up there! Look," he said pointing at everyone with his left index finger.
"If my phone dies and it turns out to be one of you, I'm never forgiving you. Don't direct your anger at me, I'm not Talia or Mason!"
With that, he stormed off, and Mason muttered behind him, "Bastard."
"Shut up!!" Lila and I threw back at him.
And so he did, and I sighed blissfully.
That felt good.
Leaning back against the wall, I placed my phone on my lap and closed my eyes.
I'm not sure when I slept off, but suddenly I'm jolted awake with a start.
There's scratching at the cabin door, so I turn to look at it, my lips parting in surprise when I see the rays of light flood in from outside.
I look around me but no one is around, there's just the cabin door which is slightly open.
Where is everyone?
Confused, I run a hand over my forehead, brushing my hair back with my fingers as I sit up, a groan escaping my lips.
"Jake?" I heard Lila's voice call from the porch and her voice was shaking.
"Guys… there's blood."