I turned my head, expecting maybe another driver needing help, but what I saw made me freeze. A small boy stood there, no older than ten, barefoot, clothes dirty and hanging loose like they didn’t belong to him anymore. In his arms, he held a tiny puppy—ribs showing, barely moving.
I rolled the window down slowly. “Hey, kid… what are you doing out here?”
He didn’t answer right away. He just lifted the puppy slightly, like that explained everything.
“Please,” he said finally, his voice dry and shaking. “Take him.”
I frowned, glancing around instinctively, like someone else had to be nearby. “Where are your parents?”
He shook his head quickly. “Just take him,” he repeated. “He hasn’t eaten in two days.”
I reached out without thinking, taking the puppy from his arms. It was lighter than it should have been, its body limp but still breathing. I could feel every bone through its fur.
