Around four in the morning, a dog began barking behind the houses. By five, the barking grew louder. People started waking up for work, annoyed by the noise. Half an hour later, residents were already leaving their homes to begin their day.
The first to step outside were a man and a woman, likely husband and wife. They decided to investigate the commotion. Walking toward the garages, they spotted the dog. It barked incessantly, its snout pointed toward the houses. Behind it, a man lay motionless on the ground. The couple hurried toward the animal, realising it was calling for help.
The closer they got, the more aggressive the barking became. It was a German Shepherda serious, wary breed. The woman suggested calling an ambulance.
Paramedics arrived swiftly. As they stepped out, the woman warned them about the dog. Yet when they approached the injured man, the barking stopped. The dog moved to its owners side and sat quietly.
The medics knelt carefully, keeping an eye on the animal. The man, youngaround 35had a severe abdominal wound and was bleeding heavily. They worked quickly to stabilise him while the dog watched.
A small crowd gathered at a safe distance. No one dared come closer.
One paramedic fetched a stretcher. They lifted the man gently but couldnt take the dog. It stared at them, but rules were rules. The ambulance drove off slowly, and the dog chased after it, sometimes falling behind, sometimes catching up.
At the hospital, the ambulance stopped at the gate. The guard raised the barrier, but the dog halted before him.
“Thats the injured mans dog,” the driver explained.
“And what am I supposed to do with it?” the guard grumbled before barking orders: “Stay! Quiet! Sit!”
The German Shepherd hesitated but obeyed. It sat by the gate, watching the ambulance disappear. After an hour, it lay down near the wall, careful not to block the path.
The guards kept an eye on it at first, but seeing it wouldnt cause trouble, they relaxed.
“What do we do with it?” one asked.
“Nothing. If it wants to stay, let it.”
“But what if the owner takes ages?”
“Its clever. Itll leave soon.”
“Poor thing. Should we feed it?”
“Feed it now, and youll never get rid of it.”
The dog watched them closely.
Forty minutes later, a guard returned with news.
“The mans out of surgery. Hes in ICU but stable. Brought some food for the dog.”
He set down a bowl of sausage and water near a tree. The dog stared but didnt move.
“Go on, eat. Have a drink.” The guard tried to remember commands.
The dog stood but hesitated, eyeing the man, the food, and the gate before sitting again.
“Suit yourself.”
Slowly, the dog approached the bowl and drank.
A week later, the owner was recovering in a ward. He missed his companion but had no way of knowing where it was.
Theyd been together since he left the army due to injury. Theyd served side by side and returned to civilian life together. He trusted the clever dog to manage on its own.
Meanwhile, the German Shepherd had settled under a tree, still watching the gate. A guard had started feeding it and had an idea.
After his shift, he visited the mans room.
“Good afternoon. Are you Mr. Wilson, James?”
“I am. Whats happened?”
“Im a hospital guard. Your dogs still outside, waiting. Weve been feeding her, but she wont leave.”
James smiled, closing his eyes.
“Yes, shes mine. Millie. We served together. Shes sharp as a tack.”
“We noticed,” the guard chuckled, relieved. “Want me to tell her anything?”
James rubbed a tissue over his hands and face, then handed it over.
“Take this to Millie. Shell understand.”
The guard gave the tissue to the dog. Millie sniffed it for a long moment before carrying it under the tree and lying on it.
In the days that followed, Millie waited. And when James finally walked out of the hospital, their joy was boundless. Theyd been through so much togetherand both knew some things were worth waiting for.
And she had waited.
True loyalty isnt measured in time but in unwavering faith.
