ADVERTISEMENT
My initial amusement quickly curdled into frustration. “What on earth has gotten into you?” I muttered, gently but firmly trying to disentangle Max from my leg. His grip, however, was like iron, his refusal absolute. This wasn’t typical Max. Was it the brewing storm making him anxious, or was he just starved for attention? Whatever it was, I couldn’t risk him interfering with a ladder and sharp tools. With a sigh of exasperation, I climbed back down, unhooked him from my trousers, and led him towards his kennel. Perhaps a short time-out would calm his nerves. As I secured the latch, patting his head in an attempt to soothe him, he let out a low, mournful whine – a sound not of protest, but of raw, unadulterated fear. “I’ll be right back,” I promised, my words echoing hollowly in the suddenly tense quiet of the yard. I walked away, dismissing his distress, completely unaware that I was about to walk directly into the path of an unimaginable force, having just ignored the most critical warning of my life.
Continue reading…
