This entry to the Writers of the Future contest did not not make the grade, but I suspect the reason was that it is not "sci-fi" enough. It was inspired when I wondered what our house pets think of us, and if they communicate with one another, what they tell each other about their masters.

The short story explores the idea of an alien invasion in which the earth is conquered and some humans become the pets of the victors. It's also about the nature of human beings to be autonomous entities, free to choose their own path and govern their own lives.