A Sudden Crash On A Mountain Road
A chocolate Labrador scrambled backward across the gray asphalt just as a thick tree trunk splintered and slammed onto the pavement. Crisp orange maple leaves erupted into the air, fluttering across the centerline.
A few yards back, a maroon SUV came to a halt. The driver’s door swung wide, and a woman in a blue denim jacket stepped onto the gravel shoulder.
She clutched a turquoise leather handbag in her left hand, squinting ahead at the barrier of bark and broken limbs. The fallen tree blocked both lanes entirely, pinning down yellow leaves beneath its rough girth.
The brown dog shook the loose dust from his ears and turned his head toward the car. He wore a simple turquoise collar that matched the leather purse at the driver’s side.
The woman stopped a few feet from the trunk, her leather boots crunching over dried foliage. She lowered her shoulders, staring at the impassable wood ahead.
An Unexpected Thief
The Labrador padded forward, keeping his chin low and his tail level. He did not growl or bare his teeth as he approached the woman’s side.
Instead, he lifted his snout directly toward her hip. His jaws clamped down cleanly around the double handles of her turquoise bag.
With a swift jerk of his neck, he pulled the strap free from her fingers. The woman’s palms flew open in shock, her fingers curling at empty air.
She let out a sharp cry as the dog wheeled around on his hind legs. He clamped down firmly on the leather and broke into a steady gallop down the center line of the roadway.
The woman sprang into motion, her heavy boots thudding against the yellow paint. She swung her arms, leaning forward as she sprinted after the brown shape retreating down the asphalt.
The dog did not dash into the brush or leap over the metal guardrail. He stayed squarely on the road, glancing over his shoulder every few strides to ensure she was still behind him.
The Edge Of The Roadway
The woman pushed through her sprint, her yellow knit sweater shifting under her open denim jacket. She reached out one hand, trying to close the gap between her fingertips and the swinging purse.
Up ahead, the dog abruptly slowed his pace, dropping his paws to a walk before coming to a standstill in the middle of the roadway. He let go of the handles, allowing the purse to drop softly among the scattered brown leaves.
The woman skidded to a stop right behind him, drawing in heavy breaths. She opened her mouth to scold him, but her words vanished as her eyes dropped to the ground.
Less than two steps ahead of where the dog stood, the road simply ended. A giant section of the highway had cleaved off, dropping several feet down into an unstable trench of cracked asphalt and exposed dirt.
The collapse spanned the full width of both lanes, forming a sheer vertical drop that had been hidden by the gentle crest of the curve. Any car or runner moving at full speed would have tumbled straight into the cavernous rupture.
A Gentle Embrace
The woman’s knees folded beneath her. She sank down until both boots rested flat on the pavement beside the dog’s sturdy front paws.
She reached both hands out, sliding her fingers gently beneath the dog’s floppy brown ears. Her thumbs traced along his jawline, feeling the steady rhythm of his breathing.
The Labrador leaned his broad head directly into her palm. He blinked up at her, his dark eyes calm and attentive.
Her chin quivered, and a wet line traced down her cheek as she pulled his neck close. She wrapped both arms around his thick shoulders, pressing her face deep into his warm chocolate coat while he rested his chin over her knee.
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