The night was quiet except for the steady hum of my motorcycle as I stopped near an old bridge around 3 a.m. to check a loose chain. The road was empty, the air cool, until a soft whimper broke the silence. Following the sound, I found a Golden Retriever chained to the railing. She was thin, worn down, with a swollen belly and shallow breaths. Beside her sat a bowl of water and a faded stuffed duck. When she saw me, her tail tapped the ground weakly.
A folded note hung from her collar. It read, “I can’t afford to put her down. Please don’t let her suffer.” My chest tightened, but a second note behind it stopped me cold. Written in crayon, it said, “Please save Daisy. She’s all I have left. Daddy says she has to die, but I know angels ride motorcycles. I prayed you’d find her. There’s $7.43 in her collar. It’s my tooth fairy money. Please don’t let her die alone. Love, Madison, age 7.”
