She pointed with a trembling hand towards the side of the animal. Among the tufts of reddish fur, dark drops were visible — blood.
The women looked at each other, initially in disbelief, then leaned in closer. Indeed, there were fresh bloodstains on the dog’s paws and on one side of its body.
— Oh my… is it hurt? — one of the friends asked, frightened.
But the dog didn’t seem injured — it wasn’t limping, it wasn’t whimpering, it didn’t appear to be suffering. Suddenly, it dashed towards the rocky promontory nearby.
The women looked at each other in confusion — and decided to follow it. They hurriedly got up from their blankets and, barely keeping pace with the dog’s quick jumps, started walking through the hot sand.
As they got closer, their hearts tightened. On the shore near the water, right on the wet sand, lay an unconscious man. A dark pool of blood spread beneath his head, and next to him shone a wet stone — he had likely slipped and hit himself.
The dog rushed towards him, sniffed him, and began barking again, as if asking for help. The women looked at each other in bewilderment, then one of them took out her phone and, with trembling fingers, called for an ambulance and described the situation.
— Is he still breathing? — one of them asked, kneeling down.
— Barely… — another whispered, placing her hand on the man’s chest.
The women tried to keep him conscious, supporting him as best they could, petting the dog, and waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
In each of their minds echoed the same thought: if it hadn’t been for this loyal dog, they would have never known that just a few steps away from their relaxation spot, a tragedy was unfolding.
After a few minutes, the ambulance siren broke through the warm summer air. The man was carefully lifted onto a stretcher. The women sighed deeply, watching as the medics provided first aid.
And the dog, finally, calmed down a bit — it approached one of the women and allowed itself to be petted, as if thanking her for the help.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or to actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher do not assume responsibility for the accuracy of the events or for how the characters are portrayed and are not liable for any misinterpretations. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed belong to the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
