Puppy Starts Barking in the Middle of the Night, and the Barking Grows Louder by Morning

Around four in the morning, a dog began barking behind the rows of houses. By five, the barks grew louder. People stirred awake, grumbling as they prepared for work. Half past five, and the neighbourhood was alive with the shuffle of coats and clicking of heels.

The first to step out were a man and a womanlikely husband and wife. They decided to see what all the fuss was about. Moving toward the garages, they spotted the animal, barking relentlessly, muzzle fixed on the houses. Behind it, a man lay motionless on the ground. The couple hurried forward, realising the dog was calling for help.

The closer they got, the fiercer the barks became. A German Shepherdserious, guarded, not one to trust strangers. The woman suggested ringing for an ambulance.

Paramedics arrived swiftly. As they stepped out, the woman warned them about the dog. Yet, when they neared the injured man, the barking stopped. The dog padded to its owner and sat quietly beside him.

Kneeling cautiously, the medics kept one eye on the dog. The man, youngmaybe thirty-fivewas bleeding heavily from a wound in his abdomen. They worked quickly, stabilising him. The dog only watched.

A small crowd had gathered at a safe distance. No one dared step closer.

One paramedic fetched a stretcher. They lifted the man carefully, but the dog couldnt come. It stared as they loaded him in, but rules were rules. The ambulance rolled away slowly, and the dog gave chase, weaving between parked cars, sometimes falling behind, sometimes keeping pace.

At the hospital gates, the ambulance stopped. The guard raised the barrier, but the dog halted in front of him.

“Its the injured mans dog,” the driver explained.

“What am I supposed to do with it?” the guard muttered before barking: “Stay! Sit!”

The German Shepherd hesitated but obeyed. It sat by the gate, watching the ambulance vanish inside. After an hour of waiting, it curled up near the wall, out of the way.

At first, the guards kept watch, but seeing it wouldnt cause trouble, they only glanced occasionally.

“What do we do with it?” one asked.

“Nothing. If it wants to stay, let it.”

“But what if the owners in there for ages?”

“Its clever. Itll leave.”

“Poor thing. Should we feed it?”

“Give it food, and youll never get rid of it.”

The dog just watched, ears pricked.

Forty minutes later, a guard returned with news.

“The blokes out of surgery. In ICU, but stable. Brought some food.”

He set down a dish of sausage and water near a tree. The dog stared but didnt move.

“Go on, eat. Have a drink.” The guard fumbled for commands.

The dog stood but hesitated, eyeing the man, the food, the gate. Then it sat again.

“Suit yourself.”

Slowly, the dog crept to the dish and drank.

A week later, the owner was in a recovery room. He missed his companion but had no way of knowing where she was.

Theyd been together since he left the army after an injury. Served together, returned to civilian life together. He trusted her to manage.

Meanwhile, the German Shepherd had shifted to the shade of a tree, still watching the gate. One guard had started feeding herthen had an idea.

After his shift, he went to the mans room.

“Afternoon. Youre Mr. Thompson, Oliver?”

“I am. Whats happened?”

“Im a hospital guard. Your dogs still out there waiting. Weve been feeding her, but she wont leave.”

Oliver smiled, eyes closing.

“Shes mine. Millie. We served together. Shes clever.”

“We noticed,” the guard chuckled, relieved. “Want me to tell her anything?”

Oliver grabbed a tissue, rubbing it over his hands and face.

“Take this bag to Millie. Shell understand.”

The guard handed it over. Millie sniffed the tissue for a long time before carrying it under the tree, lying atop it.

In the days that followed, Millie waited. And when Oliver finally walked out, their joy was boundless. Theyd been through too much to give up now.

And she had waited.