Serendipity

◈ One night ◈

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A mournful whimpering woke me up from the sleep. I was not a light sleeper but the whimpering made my heart lurch in my chest. It sounded pitiful. My cellphone clock read 3:05 am and a groan escaped my mouth at the ungodly hour. Removing the comforter I got out of the bed. A chill rose in my bone as I realized that the new house didn't have the heating working properly. 

I walked out carefully, my warmers soft on the floor and not making any noise. Crossing the large still empty kitchen I reached the door to our backyard which was the source of the noise. A large white dog was lying on the ground bleeding out from a wound. Startled at the scene in front of me I staggered back. It was a big dog, closer to an Alaskan Malamute and yet it looked so hurt and helpless.

I rushed inside to ask for my mother's help because I had no idea how to help it in a new place.

"Mom, there is an injured dog outside," I said tapping her shoulder trying to wake her up carefully.

She mumbled in her sleep but didn't wake up immediately.

"Mom."I raised my voice getting worried about the dog on this cold winter night.

"What?" She asked in a sleepy tone.

"Injured dog in our back yard." Her eyes shot open at my words and she got up.

"I will get the car, you look up any vet's number." She was even more panicked than me and that was good.

I looked up the nearest vet's details and called it up.

On the fifth ring, thankfully someone picked up the call even though it was late at night.

"Yes." The person on the other end didn't sound like he was asleep.

"There was an injured dog in my backyard," I said realizing there was a certain tremble in my voice.

"Ok, where are you calling from?" He asked, his voice very calm.

"The White Oak area, house no. 4." 

"That's just five-minute drive away from my clinic, can you make it that far?" He asked.

"Yes, my mom and I are coming," I answered.

"Ok, don't worry, everything will be fine." He was trying to calm me down.

"I hope so." 

As I rushed to pick up the heavy dog I realized finally all the self-defense training that dad gave me was coming to us now because otherwise I would have been buried under its weight.

Why was my first night in a new place this unlucky?

◈◈◈

Doctor Samuel Warren was a man in this mid-thirties with tired-looking eyes and a calming smile. His hair was disheveled and there were bags under his eyes. He took the dog from me as soon as I entered wincing on seeing the injury. My mom looked pale and at loss for words even though she managed to tie my old scarf on the bleeding injury.

"Will he be fine?" I asked.

But Doctor Warren looked a little wary as he placed the dog on the table.

"Doctor," I asked again but he was startled by something.

"Where did you find...it?" For some reason, he whispered the question.

"In my backyard," I answered him slowly because this was something I already told him.

He was losing all the calm he had earlier as he rushed to get first aid kit. Subconsciously I kept stroking the fur on the injured dog.