Couple Danny and Shannon embark on an ill-fated hike, getting lost in the woods. The two come upon a dog, who appears to be a stray at first. But, when they realize it’s someone’s beloved pet, and are desperate to find their way out, they decide to follow the pooch’s canine instinct (magnetoreception or compass run) for finding its way back home…
Three cans of soup. One half-dozen sticks of beef jerky. A few bags of trail mix, and a couple of small blocks of cheese. That’s all Danny and Shannon had between them. It would be just enough to last for two, perhaps three days. Beyond that time, the couple would need to be entirely out of their current predicament — an unfortunate set of circumstances befalling them only about twelve hours ago.
Now, it was imperative to take a complete inventory of all their supplies. Check their limited gear. Formulate a workable plan to walk out of the woods. And do so without miscalculation. The unfamiliar forest surrounded the couple and menacingly separated them from their hiking group the day before. The previous hours were an unthinkable, inescapable scenario. A foreboding environment with alarming sounds and no bearings to orientate them in the right direction.
It was just yesterday morning Danny and Shannon set off on a new adventure. A bright day with a slight orange tinge in the atmosphere, the excitement was palpable among the group. They shared stories about past excursions and looked forward to the days ahead. But, it turned into sheer terror a few hours later. The wind unexpectedly shifted, bringing a heavy thunderstorm right over their heads, causing the couple to lag behind and unintentionally walk far off the trail. A path only professional hike leaders could not only recognize but also follow.
Neither Danny nor Shannon had the necessary experience. Sure, both had been on plenty of weekend day hikes. But this was something totally different. It was their first multi-day excursion. One they waited many, many weeks to enjoy. Although it started off without a single problem, it quickly turned into a disaster.
Danny and Shannon had to rely on their wits because technology surely wasn’t going to help. Out here, under the dense canopy, there’s no signal. Anyway, their phones wouldn’t do the couple any good after the next sunrise, because the batteries were on an unstoppable pace to be totally drained.
Their cries for help went unheard through the day and night. Even though both were certain a search party would be looking at some point, they couldn’t just stay put, Danny argued. Further elaborating it was probably several hours before the party even realized they were two people short — too long a time and too great a distance to make up. Any rescue now would have to be large and well-organized. After all, the guides wouldn’t have a clear idea of when the couple unintentionally separated from the group.
Danny continued his assessment of the situation. Most people become tragic statistics because they don’t take action. Instead, they remain in place, mistakenly believing being stationary will inevitably lead to rescue. This causes food supply depletion and prolonged exposure to the outdoor elements. So, Danny and Shannon reasoned they’d have a much greater chance of surviving by doubling back.
Their decision meant walking out. A hike that would take at least a day and a half, perhaps two. And they had to do it before they exhausted their food supply — three cans of soup. One half-dozen sticks of beef jerky. A few bags of trail mix, and a couple of small blocks of cheese.
“Okay, we’re good on food for a couple of days, but what about water?” Danny asked Shannon, pouring most of his canteen’s contents over their campfire to extinguish it. “I only have a little bit left, so it’s going to need a refill. How about yours?”
“Mine’s almost full,” Shannon replied, after taking off the top and looking inside her canteen. “But, we’ll definitely need more. These won’t last two days, probably not even one. We can get by on very little to eat but not water. How are we going to stay hydrated Danny?”
He slowly turned full circle, looking over the immediate area, and assessing the surrounding terrain. Well, we did pass a stream before we were separated from the group. Plus, there’s another rainstorm brewing. Between them, we can refill our canteens,” Danny explained.
“Another? How’s there another rainstorm coming? We checked the forecast a bazillion times and it was supposed to be clear the entire week!” Shannon incredulously exclaimed. It wasn’t the inconvenience or the prospect of being soaked again. Instead, it was a feeling of having no control whatsoever that permeated her voice. A real dread manifested in near exasperation, like sinking into a pit of quicksand, desperately grasping for anything to stay afloat.
“I don’t know. But something definitely changed because there’s a red sky this morning.” Danny noted, pointing off into the horizon. “And it sure looks as though more rain is coming through. So, we might as well use the time we have to our advantage. We’ll walk for a while, at least until the weather starts to set in, and then, we’ll make the necessary preparations. If we keep a decent pace, we ought to be out in a day, day-and-a-half.”
Although he tried to instill confidence, Danny wasn’t really sure about their chances. Reality isn’t subject to attitude. It can’t be manipulated. There’s no avoiding it whatsoever. So, the gravity of the situation became all that more stark as dark clouds began to form in the red sky, just on the brink of the horizon.
For hours, the couple walked, trying to double back, going in the opposite direction from which they hiked into the woods. Danny took care to mark trees now and again, leaving visible signs, just in case. The terrain felt entirely different from the day before when they were bringing up the rear of the group. Now, every step was purposeful, laborious, and surreal.
It also took its toll on Shannon’s balance. She increasingly felt disoriented, dizzy, and nauseous. Lightheadedness became more and more acute, forcing her to stop frequently. Danny obliged, as best he could, comforting her when they paused. It could be some type of altitude sickness brought on by varying oxygen levels in the air. Or, an unbalanced inner ear, much like people experience on choppy waters while boating.
Even though Shannon took regular breaks to let the feelings subside, her gait continued to change. Eventually, she tripped, falling to the forest floor, despite leaning on a small tree.
“Shannon?!” Danny exclaimed with worry. “It’s going to be all right. Let’s stop here for a bit,” he said, helping her up and over to sit on a boulder, shaped almost like an old oversized bean bag.
“That’s better,” Shannon said with sincere gratitude. “I guess I’m not much of an authentic outdoor girl, huh?” She joked, cracking a slight smile, looking into Danny’s eyes. He grinned back, agreed with a silly nod, and leaned up against the rock. Danny opened her canteen and pressed it against her lips so she could sip some water. Shannon drank briefly, then signaled she had enough with a nod back.
Sounds came from every direction. Birds, insects, the rustling of branches and leaves. They would grow louder and louder, then die down, becoming almost silent before the whole natural chorus started over again. They listened together, not uttering a word or moving an inch.
During one particular lull, Danny perked up, his head turning to train his ears, his eyes focusing in one direction. A familiar, but faint noise grabbed his attention. It sounded like running water. “Do you hear that?” He asked Shannon. “I think; I think it might be water!” Danny quickly stood up, climbed on top of the boulder, standing right over Shannon’s shoulders resting against the rock. He cupped his hand around his ear, listening carefully, impatiently, as the forest noises grew louder and louder. “Damn it!” He whispered angrily. But the sounds soon started to subside again and Danny nearly slipped off the rock when he could more clearly hear running water. “The stream! It’s got to be the stream we passed yesterday!”
Shannon’s discomfort immediately disappeared. She stood up, walking a few steps toward where the sound emanated. Then, stopped suddenly to listen attentively as possible, cupping her hand around her ear, attempting to identify the sound. It was running water — Danny was right!
They looked at one another with joy and hurried their way through the woods, trying to hone in on the source. Then, through the underbrush, they could see a glimpse of clear, running water. Without hesitation, they dunked their canteens in the cool stream, filling them up partly, only to guzzle down the water inside a few times. “Let’s fill up and we’ll follow it right back the way we came in — that will put us just a short distance away from where the group started,” Danny explained.
“Are you sure?” Shannon asked, replying, “How long did we hike before we came across this stream? It could swear it was a pretty good distance, like at least an hour or more?” Her honest concern was apparent in her voice. She wasn’t trying to start an argument, she only wanted to be reassured they were close to being out of their harsh predicament.
“Yeah, I’m sure. When we first started our hike, remember the guide specifically told the group, ‘If anyone gets lost, just follow the stream back.’ He said that at least twice, once near the beginning, around ten to fifteen minutes after we all walked into the woods, then again about forty-five minutes later.”
Reinvigorated and excited about finding the stream, Danny and Shannon followed its every curve, staying close to the bank each step of the way. Confident in their good fortune, they snack on a couple of bags of trail mix, washing down mouthfuls with big gulps of water. When their canteens were near empty, they’d just refill the containers and continue to follow the stream.
But later in the day, the elevation between the shoreline and water began to change. Dense underbrush and then huge trees and rocks formed a barrier between where they could walk and the running water. Before they knew it, the stream was several yards away, then further still as they pressed on, trying to follow it, though it was now out of sight. Relying solely on sound, Danny and Shannon cautiously walked through the forest, making a great effort not to stray too far away from the water’s edge, but it was no use. They couldn’t see the stream any longer at all, and couldn’t hear the water running.
The couple stopped to take a break and reassess their situation. They agreed to continue along the same way but to try harder to get back to the edge of the stream. “Even if we have to cross it, swim it, that’s what we’ll need to do to walk out. Let’s not snack anymore, we should conserve our food,” Danny asserted, with Shannon nodding in agreement.
As they started back up again, a strange noise halted them in their tracks. It came from within the woods nearby, obscured by the underbrush. After a brief, uncomfortable pause, they simultaneously leaned in the direction of the sound, waiting to hear it repeat so they could identify it. Silence persisted for several seconds only to be broken by a low, menacing growl, causing the birds and insects to wrestle nervously about.
Could it be a wolf? A bear? Or perhaps a mountain lion? These questions ran through their minds as they glanced at one another momentarily, only to quickly turn their attention back to the underbrush. Surely, it was an angry wild animal in the midst of an ambush. Nothing else would elicit such a response from the forest’s anxious prey.
Silence fell again over the woods, giving Danny and Shannon the opportunity to carefully listen for another clue as their hearts raced, causing them to tremble with trepidation. But all they could hear was the sound of a slow, deliberate retreat, as the creature crept deeper into the woods.
The couple took a deep breath and turned their attention back to looking for a pathway to the stream but it continued to diverge away, putting greater distance between them and the faint sound of running water, which disappeared altogether eventually. They had lost their aquatic guide and a sense of dread overcame them as they tried in vain to search for the waterway. It was gone and they just couldn’t turn around to try and find it yet again. That meant, at the very least, walking further back into the woods, with no guarantee they would come across the stream once more.
So, Danny and Shannon tried to maintain their most earnest direction, hoping against all odds they were walking out of the forest. Not long after, Shannon began to experience nausea and disorientation again. This time, it did not come as a surprise, and they could recognize it as a common phenomenon that happens to some hikers as the oxygen thins in higher altitudes and the crowded landscape provides no sense of stability. The result is dizziness, anxiety, and queasiness. Such circumstances prevented them from walking too long. The couple did their best to maintain a moderate pace but Shannon’s condition worsened and they were forced to slow their walk.
Suddenly, Danny detected a very faint but promising odor. It smelled like the remnants of a campfire, one a group of people would gather around when staying overnight on a two- or three-day hike. “Can you smell that, Shannon? It smells like a fire that’s recently been put out!”
She sniffed the air, smelling the same odor. Yes, it was a fire. Now, they had to determine where. They decided to split up temporarily, staying within earshot of one another so they wouldn’t get completely separated. “Danny, Danny, over here!” Shannon shouted, as the smell grew stronger and the odor more distinct. He hurried over, passing by enthusiastically to see it for himself. But, the odor became less strong and Shannon started walking in a slightly different direction. She almost disappeared into the woods when she shouted, “I found it!”
Danny ran to Shannon, staring at the shallow, smoldering pit. A very uneasy feeling crept up his spine, sending a lump into his throat. He sighed with discouragement, shaking his head from side to side, placing his hand on his forehead. He stood straight up, stretching his back before slouching, bending over slightly, placing his hands on his knees.
“What’s the matter, Danny?” Shannon inquired, crouching in an attempt to look him in the eyes. She gently placed her hand on his back, rubbing it up and down. “Well, aren’t you going to tell me?”
Danny rubbed the top of his head, took a big breath, briefly putting his hands on his hips, before lifting an arm to point at a small clearing. “That’s where we slept last night. This is our fire. And those are our footprints in the mud we left behind when we packed up.”
Shannon stared at the scene in disbelief. Sure enough, there were only two sets of shoe prints, unmistakably matching the tread of their hiking boot soles. She was devastated and immediately began to cry uncontrollably. It all seemed so hopeless. The luckless couple had walked for hours only to discover they fell victim to a cruel, elaborate maze, culminating in a fruitless circle.
It brought them to the realization the forest is a prison without walls, without bars, without empathy — only endless, indistinguishable obstacles. It presents an endless sameness, almost totally devoid of any individual characteristics. One tree looked like the other. Underbrush contained no discernible features. Narrow pathways open and closed without any perceptible direction.
“I don’t understand,” Shannon said, her voice barely audible. “We found the stream and followed it as long as we could! Now, we are right back where we started. And, we don’t even know where we started, because we don’t know where we are! It’s like walking around unfamiliar territory with blindfolds on! What can we possibly do now?” She asked in desperation.
“First of all, we found a stream and not the stream. That means we’ve got to find the right one. There can’t be too many of them around here. It’s even possible we did find the right one and just followed it the wrong way. That would also partly explain why we ended up back here. Regardless, we have to try once more, we can’t just give up.” Danny said with resolve, but with an unmistakable hint of reservation. After all, it didn’t work out the last time. And they’d have fewer supplies, less food to eat on the same journey over roughly the same distance.
“Let’s try and be smart about this. We’ll rebuild the fire and camp here again tonight. Gather some wood, close to dry as possible, split it into two piles, one in the pit where we burned the last fire and the other, right over there, opposite of where we pitch our tent,” Danny instructed Shannon. “I’ll put the tent up in the meantime and cook dinner for us over the fire, then clean up, so you can just eat and rest.”
Shannon agreed and started picking up bits of kindling and firewood, separating them into two piles, one in the pit, and the other away from the tent site. Not having enough for the evening and through the night, she strolled around, looking for suitable bits and pieces when a subtle but audible growl came from the nearby underbrush, startling her and causing her to back away toward the campsite, accidentally bumping up against Danny, who was setting up the tent.
“There’s something over there,” Shannon said, staring at the spot where she heard the snarl just a moment before. Danny slowly picked up one of the tent poles, grasping it firmly in his hand. He carefully walked over to where Shannon was just standing peering into the underbrush, trying to pinpoint the source. Even though there was a fair amount of light left, he couldn’t make out what it was or detect any movement. He gently poked the tent pole into the brush, waving it from side to side. Nothing. Not even the sound of a single rustling branch or crunching fallen leaves being stepped on. Whatever it was wasn’t there anymore.
Satisfied the threat was gone, Danny returned to erecting the tent, while Shannon gathered the rest of the firewood. He arranged the wood in the shallow pit to make it suitable for cooking a meal, then opened a can of soup and warmed it up over the flames. They shared just one can, conserving their rations as planned — it was all they could afford to eat on such an uncertain schedule and probably have enough for their unenviable, precarious hike out of the woods. Besides, they would not be able to heat much else up given the rain began to fall. Even if they had more to cook, keeping the fire going would be extremely difficult as the steady rain grew stronger and stronger.
The next morning, just as dawn broke, they woke, already hungry, with decidedly less strength. But, the couple understood their perilous situation and packed up their tent and gear, only pausing to have a small bite to eat — a little beef jerky and cheese — most ideal for giving them a bit of energy. The couple ate their rations slowly, savoring each bite but stopped short of consuming what was in their hands. Again, an uncomfortable rustle came out of the woods, followed by a muffled growl.
Danny and Shannon froze, clutching their food and listening carefully. A moment later, the sound of crunching leaves became louder and louder. Whatever it was, it was coming closer and closer. The couple slowly drew together, as the underbrush started to part. Suddenly, they could see a nose, part of a snout — it looked like a wolf or maybe a coyote.
“Don’t move,” Danny warned Shannon, reaching out to clutch her free hand. Instantly, the animal burst out of the underbrush, leaping right in front of them, snarling at the couple. Shannon gasped as Danny tensed up, bewildered by what they saw — a dog — a disheveled, shivering, distressed dog. The poor creature appeared to be some kind of German Shepherd mix, with a grayish coat, making it look a lot like a wolf.
The canine stood its ground, standoffish but shaking. It was clearly wounded, with dried blood sticking to its fur. Shannon approached. She held her free hand out, attempting to put the animal at ease with her gentle gesture. She walked toward it, whispering, “Shhh…” and saying in a kind voice, “It’s okay, it’s okay.”
“Careful, it could be feral,” Danny warned Shannon, savvily positioning himself in a place where he could jump between them.
“I don’t think so; looks like it’s pretty well cared for. I mean, the coat is definitely dirty, and there’s some blood, but this dog definitely has a caring owner,” Shannon observed, inching closer to the animal in an unthreatening manner. She grew close enough to pet its head, but the dog pulled back, ducking her hand and focusing its attention on her other hand — one that still contained a very small portion of beef jerky. “Oh, so this is what you want, huh?” Shannon said to the dog, holding the food out for the pooch to take from her hand.
Danny walked over nonchalantly, offering the canine what he too had left in his hand. “Here ya go,” he said, crouching down to get a better look at its wounds. “Could be a fight with a wild animal,” he observed.
Shannon reached again to pet the dog, but it remained skittish, avoiding her touch. “Danny, let me have some cheese,” she requested, reaching back toward Danny with her palm open and face up. He complied, though not without shaking his head in disbelief. They barely had enough food for themselves, but he felt sincere pity, seeing its sad, hungry eyes.
The small amount of nourishment wasn’t much but had to be enough for the time being. The dog licked its lips and gaze-pointed at their hands, begging for more food. “Sorry, we don’t have a lot of food,” she said, now close enough to more thoroughly assess its condition. “Thorns. The wound is from thorns,” Shannon explained to Danny, dislodging one from its coat, softly petting its head. “That’s why he was growling — he’s been hurt!”
They break out the first aid kit and clean the wound as best they can. “Nice to know we’re not the only one who’s lost,” Danny said, stroking the dog’s back while giving it a drink of water.
“How long do you think this guy has been out here?” Shannon asked, playfully scratching its head, looking about as if she could somehow hone in on an unmistakable clue. “I mean, it couldn’t be that long, could it?”
“I don’t know, maybe a couple or a few days? Perhaps he came out with his family and got lost somehow…why else would someone’s pet be out in the woods? Unless he was purposely abandoned, I can’t think of a good reason,” Danny replied.
“What kind of jerk would drop a sweet dog off into the forest and just leave it there?” Shannon asked angrily. “If they really couldn’t take care of him, why not bring him to a shelter so they can adopt him out to a loving family?”
“Well, he’s out here, regardless. We’ve got to get moving. C’mon, boy, let’s go!” Danny said as he started to walk away from the camp.
Shannon turned to follow, but the dog looked off in the opposite direction. Shannon paused. “Yeah, come on, buddy!” She exclaimed, taking a couple of steps in Danny’s direction. “What’s the matter, guy?” She asked, looking past the dog, opposite Danny’s short stride. When she took another step toward Danny, the pooch whimpered, continuing to stare the opposite way. Shannon was puzzled by the dog’s behavior. Then, thought for a moment, realizing, “I believe he’s trying to tell us to go this way!”
Danny quickly dismissed the idea, “No, that’s the way we went the last time and it led us right back to the same place. So, obviously, we’ve got to go this way!” He said sternly, pointing in the direction in which he started walking moments before. But, when he took yet another step, the dog whimpered once more, stood up, and walked in the opposite direction.
“Let’s follow him,” Shannon said. “I know it sounds crazy, but I think he’s right somehow. Maybe his instinct is leading him this way.”
Danny rubbed his eyes, then the top of his head, as if to massage his brain. He paused and stroked his chin a few times. Suddenly, he remembered. “His instinct. You know, that just might be it! I read an article months ago about lost dogs making their way miles back to their home. It’s an innate trait, something to do with an internal compass and being in tune with the earth’s magnetic field. Lead the way, big boy!”
Amazingly, the dog seemed to understand his every word. Happily and confidently the pooch began guiding the couple along a fairly indiscernible path. At that moment, they both felt a strange mixture of skepticism and hope, putting their collective trust in their new furry friend. He sported a distinctive gait, not typical of his apparent breed. It was an endearing trait and helped to pass the time.
The trio walked for quite some time before Danny and Shannon began to hear a very welcome sound once again — rushing water. As they grew closer, the water calmed and they could start to make out the characteristics of the stream. Both felt elated, confident they were on the right path. But suddenly, the dog paused, putting its attention on something in the distance. Its fur began to rise as it murmured a low growl. The animal grew tense, moving in a stalking position as if it were hunting.
“What’s up boy?” Shannon asked, attempting to identify the source of the dog’s attention. Danny slowly approached Shannon, looking all around but seeing nothing. The dog continued to let out a steady growl, walking with an alert posture. The couple followed vigilantly, startled by an abrupt, unsettling sound — the growl of a mountain lion. Drinking only moments ago, it suddenly found itself between the trio and the stream. Startled by their approach, the creature felt trapped and threatened.
Danny and Shannon cautiously stepped back but their new guide dog stood its ground. The big cat growled once again, trying to frighten the trio away. Then, the puma leaped with a short, menacing lunge toward them. The dog reacted quickly, charging back at the wild animal, snarling and baring its teeth. Frightened, the mountain lion retreated, losing its footing and slipping into the water before leaping back onto the bank and running away.
The couple momentarily stood in awe, not believing what just happened. Looking at one another in amazement, Danny and Shannon laughed and congratulated their new four-legged companion, petting and praising the canine. “Wow! That’s a good boy!” Shannon exclaimed. “You sure are a brave pooch!”
The tree continued along their hike for a few hours before deciding to stop for a much-needed rest. The couple shared bits of beef jerky and cheese with their courageous guide, snacking quietly. “We’ve only got a little while until it starts getting dark,” Danny said, looking up at the sky. “Let’s walk some more and this should be our last night in the wild.”
Just like the evenings prior, the sky grew gray and then dark, foretelling another rainstorm. The trio hiked as far as the weather would allow, then set up camp. The fresh fire would cook their last can of soup, nearly the last meal in their rapidly dwindling supplies. Danny and Shannon both shared some with their travel buddy, keeping him fed as best they could manage. Now, they had just one can of soup left, a meager bit of trail mix, and a few small bites of beef jerky and cheese.
The rain poured heavily that night, putting out their campfire, producing a muddy mess that surrounded their tent. When morning came, the couple struggled to get their wet gear together, yet thankful the rain had stopped and a relatively short walk away from civilization. A dense, low fog would make the journey much more difficult, substantially reducing their visibility.
They hiked at a moderate pace, careful not to exert themselves unnecessarily. After all, they could still be lost come sundown and they’d have to spend another night in the woods, maybe more. The dog led every step of the way, Danny and Shannon following close behind, hoping to see the edge of the forest at any time. But, the ground cloud clung to the earth, obscuring the terrain — worse yet, their furry guide. Neither could see the pooch, cloaked in the thickness.
“Danny,” Shannon said, “If this doesn’t let up, I don’t know how we’ll get out of here today — or tomorrow. We could easily veer off course and not have any idea until it’s too late.” She explained, the panic in her voice unmistakable.
Danny turned to answer, but she wasn’t right behind him any longer. The fog was so opaque, the two had drifted apart and not even realized the growing gap between them. “Shannon?” He asked, attempting to pinpoint her position. As he looked around, all he could make out was a faint outline. She tried to peer through the gloom but just wasn’t able to see him. A hiss arose from the ground, sending an eerie chill down her spine. She looked down, seeing a snake curling up into a ball, with its head rising, cocking back in a striking position.
Danny heard the reptile’s terrifying warning. “Stay still. Stay right where you are.” He instructed, cautiously taking a step toward her. “Don’t make a move, Shannon. Just try to relax.” But her defensive posture and nervous energy sent the wrong signal and the serpent struck. At that very moment, the dog jumped in front of Shannon, taking a bite on its hind. The snake quickly slithered away.
Danny ran right over, throwing his arms around her, and kissing her on the cheeks and forehead. “Are you all right?” He asked, looking for any sign of injury.
“Yes, I am,” Shannon replied, immediately turning her attention to her rescuer. “He’s been bitten!” She exclaimed, rubbing his belly as the pooch laid down on its side. They rifled through their gear to retrieve the first aid kit. The couple cleaned the bite and dressed the wound.
“We’ve got to get him professional help as soon as possible,” Danny said, picking up the canine holding the front of its body higher than its hind.
“But, which way do we go?” Shannon asked, concerned they would walk in the wrong direction.
“That way!” Dann exclaimed, pointing with a head nod. The couple pushed through the fog, anxious and worried. In a matter of moments, they could once again hear running water. An instant later, they could see the bank of the stream. The couple followed it, and just minutes later, the edge of the woods was in sight. As they hastened out, an old man enthusiastically approached.
“There’s a search party out looking for you two!” The man said, pointing back to the forest. “They’ve been trying to find you for the last two-plus days.” He explained. “Thank God, you found your way back!”
“Actually, he did,” Shannon said, petting the dog. “We need to get him to a vet right away! He’s been bitten!” The man nodded, quickly ushering the trio into his vehicle, and sped down the road, into town.
Rushing through the office door, Danny shouts, “I’ve got a snake bite victim here! He needs help!” The veterinarian and staff take the dog back and immediately begin treating the injured canine. “It’s best if you just let us work,” the veterinarian said gesturing for the couple to go into the waiting room.
Danny and Shannon’s hearts race, pacing back and forth in the lobby, waiting anxiously for the veterinarian to emerge. Minutes slowly tick off the clock, the next passing more slowly than the last. Five minutes, ten, fifteen, twenty go by as the couple grows increasingly worried and nervous. Then, the doctor appears from the patient room.
“Would you like to see him?” The veterinarian asks, signaling them back to the room, and through the open door. “He’s going to be all right. Though, probably a bit off for a day or two. We weren’t sure he’d pull through, the big guy barely responded when we started treatment. But, he lived up to his name, I’d say!”
“What do you mean?” Shannon asked, puzzled by the doctor’s comment. “We found him…I mean, he found us, lost in the woods. He led us out, even fought off an angry mountain lion!”
“That’s certainly quite a story!” The vet replied in surprise. “His name is Lucky. We were able to find and read the chip in his shoulder,” the doctor continued, holding out a clipboard, “So, I guess this isn’t actually your home address?”
Danny and Shannon look at the information, “No, no; it isn’t.” Danny said.
“Well, at least we know where he really belongs,” Shannon said, as tears welled in her eyes. “Do you mind if we take him back to his owner?” She asked, wiping the tears streaming down her face with her bare hands.
The veterinarian gave the couple specific instructions and they agreed to show Lucky’s owner how to care for him in the days ahead. Danny carried Lucky out to the car, asking the old man to drive them back to their vehicle. He obliged, taking them back to where they first set out on the hike.
The couple retrieved their gear and reluctantly laid Lucky on the back seat of their SUV. Danny punched in the address to the navigation system, bittersweet it was only about 20 minutes away.
“I guess he really was headed home,” he said with a lump in his throat. “Don’t worry big boy, we’ll take you the rest of the way,” Danny said softly, being overcome with emotion.
“Yeah, we’ll make sure you get back where you belong. Your family will be so happy to see you!” Shannon said, trying to fight back more tears, pulling tissues out of the glove compartment and clutching them tightly in her hand.
The drive went by fast, with the couple finding his address in less than 20 minutes. “Well, this is it,” Danny said, peering through the windshield and staring at the house number on the mailbox. “You’re home now boy.” Danny exited the vehicle and carefully picked Lucky up off the back seat. Shannon joined him, walking up to the door. She rang the doorbell and the couple waited for a couple of moments for an answer, but nobody came to the door. She knocked, thinking it was possible no one heard the chime. Still, only silence came from within. So, she rang the doorbell again and not a second time.
“Are you the fosters?” A woman asked, leaning out from the porch next door. Danny and Shannon stood silently confused. “Sorry to startle you, I was just asking if you are the fosters?”
“The fosters?” Shannon replied not understanding what the neighbor meant. “No, we are returning Lucky to his home. This is his house, isn’t it? The vet’s office told us it is.”
“Well, it used to be, until about a week ago. His owner just died the other day. Poor old man couldn’t take care of him anymore and set him up with a foster home. I take it you’re not the fosters after all?”
“No, we found him… That is, he found us in the woods the other day. We were on a group hike and got separated and couldn’t find our way back until this guy came along. He led us out of the forest, chased off a cougar, and even took a snake bite for me,” Shannon explained. “That’s why we just came from the vet’s office, to get him treated.”
“Sure is a wonderful story, but I’m afraid his owner is gone,” the neighbor said, turning around and going back into her house.
“Well, what do you say Lucky? How would you like to come home with us?” Danny asked, petting his head gently. “I guess it’s up to us to take care of him now, Shannon.”
“Yes, yes, I suppose so!” She said enthusiastically, walking back to the car, opening the door so Danny could lay Lucky on the back seat. “Welcome to our family,” she said, kissing the pooch’s snout, caressing its fuzzy head, while looking into his joyful, sleepy eyes.
