My dog was staring at something beneath the bedI froze when I realized what had caught his attention.
Lately, Id spent too many nights buried in books, leaving me utterly exhausted. Some evenings, Id collapse onto the mattress without even changing, asleep in seconds. I hadnt been giving my dog, Winston, the time he deserved.
Yesterday, I was especially drained and decided to rest for a few hours. A sharp bark jolted me awake. A shiver of fear ran down my spinehe was barking right in front of me, deafeningly loud.
At first, I thought he just needed to go outside, so I reached for his collar. But he didnt move. He stayed low on the floor, eyes locked onto something under the bed, unwavering, as if fixated on something invisible.
Maybe one of his toys had rolled underneath, and he couldnt reach it. I crouched down to help.
And thenwhen I peered under the bedmy breath caught. I couldnt believe what I was seeing
I inched closer, straining to see in the dim light.
A quick, skittering movement.
A tiny creature trembled beneath the bed, wide-eyed with terror.
A squirrelsmall, frantic, utterly petrified.
Perhaps it had scurried inside, seeking shelter, only to find itself trapped by Winstons looming presence. It looked exhausted, its little paws quivering with fear.
I spoke softly, not wanting to startle it further, racking my brain for a solution.
How had it even gotten in? The whole scene felt surreal.
Then, in a sudden burst of panic, the squirrel darted out from under the bed, bolting straight for the open window.
I exhaled, embarrassed by the absurdity of it allbut I couldnt help smiling, relieved the poor thing had found its way out.
