A Sudden Leap on the Sidewalk
The beagle launched off the concrete pavement, snapping its jaws directly onto the black smartphone held loosely in the woman’s right hand.
Her fingers flew open as the device slipped from her grip. Her mouth dropped open in shock as she watched the small hound land firmly on all four paws.
The dog clamped down securely along the edges of the phone case, turned its body toward the open street, and immediately broke into a trot down the sidewalk.
She lifted the hem of her black dress and took off after the animal. Her heels clicked sharply against the grey stone as she quickly picked up speed.
The Chase Down the Block
The dog darted forward, its floppy ears bouncing in rhythm with its rapid strides. Every few paces, it glanced back over its shoulder to monitor the distance between them.
She extended her left arm forward, fingers splayed as if she could grab the device through sheer reach. Her stride widened across the concrete, her focus locked on the fleeing pup.
Passersby turned to look as the pair rushed past the glass storefronts. The hound kept its pace steady, staying just a few feet ahead of her outstretched fingertips.
Then, after traveling twenty yards away from the shelter, the beagle abruptly skidded to a halt. It lowered its head and let the smartphone drop flat onto the pavement.
The woman slowed her sprint, bending at the waist with one hand on her knee to catch her breath. She bent down low, extending her hand toward the dropped screen.
A Crash in the Distance
Before her fingertips could touch the glass, a massive blast of crunching metal and shattering panels tore through the street behind them.
A large white commercial box truck had plowed directly into the glass enclosure of the bus stop shelter where she had stood moments earlier.
Panels of reinforced glass exploded outward in a thick cloud of dust. The metal frame crumpled into sharp angles under the truck’s heavy front bumper.
The woman whipped around, her dark hair flying across her shoulders. Her hands rose to cover her mouth as smoke and grey dust billowed into the air.
Her eyes fixed on the pile of twisted metal, shattered glass, and pulverized benches sitting in the exact footprint where she had been waiting.
Embracing on the Pavement
Her chest heaved with rapid breaths as moisture welled in her eyes. Her shoulders shook as she dropped her hands slowly to her sides.
The beagle stepped in close beside her leg, its tail giving a slow, steady wag. It looked up at her face, its head tilted slightly upward.
She sank down onto the pavement, dropping to one knee without minding the rough concrete beneath her dress. She reached both arms out and gathered the dog close.
She buried her face into the brown and white fur of the dog’s neck, holding the pup tightly against her chest while yellow caution tape stretched across the street behind them.
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