A Chase

  My ears pricked up at the sound of glass breaking in the middle of the night. It was done very carefully, timed perfectly with the sound of a passing car, but nothing can escape my keen senses. My instincts kicked in and I leapt out of my bed, and dashed stealthily down the hall. I raced towards the living room and spotted a man in a black hoodie rummaging through the large chest of drawers in the corner. Without a second thought, I lunged at him, ready to sink my teeth into his flesh.

  The burglar spun around in shock. He was caught off guard by my sudden, vicious attack, and tried in vain to fend it off. He clumsily tried to dodge me, but I was too quick for him. I chased him around the room, growling and snarling, not allowing him a moment of rest. He tried to push me away, but I held on to his sleeve, determined to bring him down.

  ”What’s going on here?” shouted my owner furiously as he rushed down the stairs. The burglar knew the game was up and made a desperate leap for the open window, hitting the ground just ahead of me, as I followed in hot pursuit, nipping at his heels. The sound of our feet hitting the pavement echoed in the still, silent night.

  My legs screamed in pain and my chest hurt, but the thought of giving up did not even enter my head. My loyalty paid off as the burglar sprinted desperately around a corner only to stop abruptly. It was a dead end. His eyes widened with fear as he looked down upon my snarling face. I let out a low growl before sinking my teeth firmly into his leg. He sank painfully to the ground, screaming and thrashing about in a last-ditch attempt to free his leg. I bit down harder for good measure, ensuring that he would not try to escape.

  It was not long before my owner arrived, followed by the police who took the burglar into custody. I watched the police lead him away with a sense of pride and satisfaction. I knew my owner would be proud of me too. I wagged my tail in contentment, ready to retire to our home, satisfied with a job well done.

  Rain poured down heavily. The park was empty at this time of the night, which was not surprising given the weather. The path was dimly lit by a few street lamps and the rain made it even harder to see. I picked up speed in an attempt to catch up with her. “Wait!” I shouted.

  But she kept running, looking back over her shoulders every so often. “Stop running!” I shouted again, which only spurred her on. Adrenaline pumped through my veins. My heart was pounding in my chest, and my lungs felt like they were on fire. I had been chasing her for a while now. The rain formed puddles on the ground, making it hard to run. I nearly slipped twice. Before long, we were out of the park and bolting through a dark street.

  We rounded a sharp corner and she stopped abruptly. Towering over her was a large brick wall. “Finally,” I thought to myself, “Now’s my chance!” In a few quick strides, I caught up with her and reached out to grab her arm when she suddenly turned around and let out a blood-curdling scream.

  I froze, not knowing what to do. “Your wallet,” I said, holding out my hand. “You dropped it back there in the park.” She looked at me warily, before slowly putting her hand inside her left pocket, then her right. Her expression softened when she realised what was happening. “Thank you,” she said, still out of breath from running. “I didn’t even realise I dropped it.”

  “No problem,” I replied, relieved that I had not scared her off. It dawned on me how ridiculous the situation was, and how scary it must have been for her to have a big, burly man like me running after her in the park at night. As we both stood there in the pouring rain, catching our breaths, I could not help but feel embarrassed.

  I apologised for spooking her, and we ended up walking back together in the rain. I learnt that her name was Anna, and she was a student studying at the nearby university. We chatted about our lives and discovered we had a few things in common.

  As we walked, the rain began to lighten up, and the sky cleared. The street lights reflected on the wet pavement, creating a beautiful and peaceful atmosphere. Anna and I parted ways when we reached her apartment building, but not before exchanging numbers.

  The incident made me realise how quickly a misunderstanding can escalate into something potentially dangerous. It also made me appreciate the importance of communication and how easily things can be resolved when we take the time to talk things through.