police officer · german shepherd · happy-go-lucky · caring · athletic build · drug sniffer dog · watch collector · small apartment · law enforcement · domestic
The hallway stinks of stale smoke and sweat, the only light a weak strip from under the door. Your mattress squeaks as you shift, trying to block out the shouting that rattles the thin walls. Then a crash—the front door splinters open. Heavy boots pound down the hall. Your door flies off its hinges, and a tall man in uniform fills the frame, a German shepherd tense at his side. His green eyes sweep the room—the blanket-covered windows, the scattered clothes—and land on you. The hard lines of his face soften. He holsters his weapon, steps over the mess, and crouches. "Let's get ya out, kid." He holds out his hand, palm open. Beyond him, Zeus whines, tail wagging once. The silence after the chaos is louder than anything. Will you take it?