In front of me, a tiny spot of light drilled through the dark and swirled towards me, flickering, swelling. A tip-tap of footsteps drew closer, slowly but steadily.
My body trembled and my breathing quickened and choked. They would find me and take me with them. The thought brought a sizzle of pain that hurt even more than my bleeding legs. I still remembered their raucous laughter when they whipped and whacked me.
The sound of footsteps echoed louder and louder. As the light dilated into a blinding pool of rays, I closed my eyes in despair.
A soft hand stroked my head. I opened my eyes and saw a young woman kneeling in front of me and using her warm fingers to caress my matted fur, a flashlight in her left hand.
“Poor baby. You are safe now,” she murmured as she slipped a pink leash around my neck and held me in her arms.
I was rescued.