The dog was a large mixed breed named Zeus. Nikolett took him to a nearby dog park twice a day. One morning Zeus got into a fight with a smaller but far more ferocious dog. The other dog was called Bandido. The cause of the clash between the animals was unclear. Maybe just as there are people who are meant for each other, there are dogs who are meant to be mortal enemies.

The park turned into a battlefield. Zeus aimed his teeth at his rival’s throat, while Bandido attacked Zeus’ cheek and nose. It was a chaos of bared teeth, of growling, of blood and violence. A bearded man shouted: ‘Bandido, spit it out! Spit it out, Bandido!’

Nikolett threw herself on her knees and, grabbing his collar, tried to drag Zeus away from the fight. She was unprepared for the animal’s strength. The dog swept Nikolett off her feet, dragging her along on the gravel. Hence the scratches.

Nikolett panicked, and since she had never had a dog, she didn’t know what to do in a situation like this. Bandido’s owner didn’t know either. ‘Spit it out, Bandido!’ he repeated over and over again, and the meaningless sentence became emptier with each repetition. He stood in a pose that made him look like he was about to jump into a pool, but he didn’t move.

Finally Nikolett launched herself at Zeus, although in hindsight it was a rather stupid and – considering Bandido’s uncontrolled fury – dangerous move. She acted on instinct.

She bit Zeus on the ear. Blood poured out.

The dog let out a surprised howl; Nikolett kept biting until Zeus let go of Bandido. Everyone at the dog park went silent. Even Bandido retreated, tucking back his ears and tail. Nikolett held Zeus and smiled at the other dog’s owner, trying to make a good impression before the inevitable argument over who was responsible. Bandido’s owner looked at Nikolett, then stepped away from her just like his dog had.

Only later did the girl notice that her teeth were bloody. She had a dog’s blood in her smile.

‘What did it feel like?’ Zoltán asked in bed. ‘What did it feel like biting Zeus?’

Nikolett took a deep breath, her mouth open, as if ready to formulate an answer right away. Her mouth hung open, then it closed. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t need to. She had goosebumps all over her body. They laughed at this, then fucked again, even more ferociously than before.