As I was leaving home for school, I witnessed the most unbelievable sight which I will never forget for the rest of my life.

I noticed that the streets outside were quieter than usual. Suddenly, I noticed a shimmering light ahead. A chill ran down my spine. My heart raced in my chest, a frantic drumbeat of panic.

At first, I thought it was some light reflecting from an object — maybe the sun’s light? The light got brighter and slowly came down until it stopped a few feet above the ground.

To my surprise, it wasn’t the sun’s light. Instead, it was coming from a golden retriever standing in the middle of the road, doing nothing. The dog wasn’t ordinary — its fur was as golden as the morning sun, as though it had come out of a dream.

Standing there, worried and puzzled, I was unsure whether to approach it or to turn back. The dog looked me in the eyes with great attention. It started barking softly and began walking away. It felt like the dog wanted me to follow it. Against my better judgment, I followed it.

As I followed it, beads of cold sweat were dripping down my face. The glowing retriever led me down a narrow alley I had never seen before. The alley had an eerie atmosphere — tangled wires overhead, broken crates, faded signs, and basically lots of rubbish and trash dumped there.

It sat down idly like a boss, wagging its tail and looking at me expectantly. I wanted to step closer, but just then, the dog let out one final bark. In a flash of golden light, it disappeared into thin air, leaving me alone with all the rubbish and trash.

I could feel my breath quickening; each inhale a desperate gasp. A ghastly silence fell over the alley, broken only by the sound of my heartbeat. I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand on end — a primal warning. Every instinct screamed at me to run, but I couldn’t.

Before I could gather the courage to run, I heard a faint cry from behind the dumpster, I walked slowly towards it… and as I stepped closer to the discarded piles, I saw something hidden in the mess: a young woman, collapsed and hurt, her arm twisted awkwardly beneath her.

The glowing retriever hadn’t been leading me into some abandoned place for no reason. It had guided me to someone who needed help. If it hadn’t been for the dog, I might have walked right past her.

I immediately rushed to her side, checking for any signs of serious injury. My heart pounded in my chest, but the dog’s soft bark echoed in my mind, urging me to stay calm. I took out my cellphone called for help, and within minutes, an ambulance arrived.

As they took her away, I stood there, still in shock. The retriever was gone, but I knew one thing for sure: it wasn’t just an animal I’d followed that morning. It had been a guide, leading me to something more important than I could have ever imagined.

Published in Dawn, Young World, April 12th, 2025