The dog fell into the storm drain, his leash caught in the branches of a tree overhanging the edge. He thrashed desperately, his paws slipping again and again on the wet cement as he tried to crawl up. Each failed attempt sapped him of even more strength, as the icy water pounded him mercilessly.
His breathing became labored, his eyes reflecting the deepest fear, as if he knew time was running out. The storm raged furiously above him, and each drop of rain weighed heavily on his exhausted little body. No one seemed to hear his faint moans, which mingled with the roar of the water running through the gutter.
In a last attempt, he tried to climb to the surface, his nails desperately scratching the damp wall. But exhaustion overcame him, and he remained trembling, head down, hoping for a miracle.
And then… footsteps approached. A lantern illuminated the place, and a human voice called softly to him. The dog raised his dull eyes, and for the first time in a long time, a glimmer of hope shone in them. Perhaps that stormy night wouldn’t be the end, but the beginning of a new life.