In the weeks that followed, Derrick watched his savings dwindle. He gave up his modest studio for a cheaper sublet in a run-down part of town. Nights felt colder and longer, with the flickering lamp his only companion. Each day, he mailed out résumés, scoured classifieds, and anxiously awaited callbacks that rarely came.
One afternoon, a storm battered the sidewalks with relentless rain, leaving few people out. On his way home, Derrick spotted a trembling brown-haired mutt cowering behind an overturned trash bin. Soaked and shivering, the dog’s eyes locked onto him, silently pleading for rescue.