The Smile Dog

https://spinpasta.fandom.com/wiki/The_Smile_Dog
You've all heard of Smile Dog right? That terrifying picture of a husky smiling in a demonic way?
Yeah. That one. Well, I was looking at internet memes and scary stories a few months ago. I stumbled upon an Urban Legends video which I found intriguing.
I watched the video and it told us a few basic facts about Spontaneous Human Combustion and Sleep Paralysis. The video also contained a couple of screamers to kill the mood a little.
The end story was of Smile Dog. It simply presented the picture and told the viewer the legend. I researched it a bit more and found it to be terrifying but quite cool. I began talking about it to my friends in school the next day. It turned into something of a common interest.
People would often use it jokingly, like in a history lesson our teacher told us that he collapsed on the floor, and my friend leaned towards me and said, "I guess he saw Smile Dog...", and it would often make us laugh.
We then found other stories such as Red Mist or Squidward's Suicide and Candle Cove. We dropped the subject of Smile Dog for a while after that.
In our school we often talked to this boy. His name was Michael and he was a strange child. He never spoke to us and he would often keep to himself. We had no idea where he would be at lunchtimes. He wouldn't be hanging out with us, but we found it not to be of our concern. He would often leave lessons early to visit a hospital as he was a rather sickly child. He told me of only a few of his afflictions, the most noticeable being epilepsy and schizophrenia.
He would never show signs of these though, if we mentioned them he would often laugh them off and dismiss them.
He approached me one day and inquired about Smile Dog.
I replied, "Oh that thing? Yeah, that's obviously fake."
"Can I see it?"
"I didn't save it or anything..."
"But..."
"Just look it up okay!?"
I was busy with homework at the time and when people try to talk to me I am rather irritable. He walked off without looking back.
I didn't see Michael the next day, he was supposed to be in a few of our lessons but he wasn't there. Nobody, not even the teachers knew where he was.
It was after our first lesson I was called into the headmaster's office. The headmaster sat me down in front of this desk and told me: 'Your friend Michael has been instated to a psychiatric hospital. Apparently he saw something scary and he keeps having visions of it. Have you any idea what that might be?'
I immediately remembered Smile Dog.
"Yes sir..."
The headmaster immediately brought up his computer and I was faced with the 'Google' search engine. I changed the search to Images and typed in Smile dog.
I showed the Headmaster the full, unedited image of the Smile Dog.
He said "Oh my", and informed me that Michael wanted to see me.
He immediately arranged transport for me to the psychiatric hospital. I entered the colossal building with the headmaster where he was stopped by a doctor and said "Michael only wants his friend, I'm afraid". The headmaster gave me a bewildered look and I said, "That's fine, see you in a few minutes".
I strolled down the large, intimidating corridor and reached Room 204.
The room had a padded floor and wall and a light. No windows except a minuscule viewing slot through the door.
I walked in and almost vomited.
Michael was lying face-down in the middle of the room with his hands still gripped tight on his neck. He was dead.
There was a hastily scrawled note left next to him, it was for me.
Josh,
I saw that smile dog you showed me. It's everywhere. No matter what we do it cannot be stopped. It appears even in the brightest moments of your life, it will always be watching. Never moving. It will not go away.
Why did they put me in this room? WHY?
I had no escape, no matter how much I kicked off, the doctors would not believe me.
This was the only way out.
What if the dog is still there during death? When you are weak, incapacitated, he will drag you down to hell from where he once came.
This is the reality Josh.
Do not, ever, mention Smile dog again.
I pocketed the note and alerted the doctors.
Upon further inspection of his body, his hand was blocking a horrifying vicious bite into his neck.
The teeth marks matched that of a dog.
A Siberian Husky.
== The Aftermath ==
I keep going over and over that note in my head. I can't believe it. He was such a nice boy. I regret every bad thing I ever said to him... Why did it have to end this way for him?
There is a small part in my head that I am responsible, and another portion of my head believes that this all fake, and I should have been more aware of Michael's afflictions. The only trouble is, I'm running out of options to believe here.
I didn't know schizophrenia was contagious. I keep seeing that damnable dog in the corner of my eye everywhere I go. It's starting to get on my nerves.
Wait a minute...
Is that?
No...
I'm hearing panting and scratching on my door...
Let me investigate, I'll be back in a second.