The street never slept where I waited.
Cold air pressed into my bones every night.
Lights buzzed above me like angry insects.
I learned to stay very still.
Still meant safe sometimes.
My paws ached from walking too much.
Hunger lived inside me like a shadow.
Some days it whispered softly.
Other days it screamed so loud I shook.
I was a sweet soul trapped in a hard place.
People passed by without slowing.
Their shoes moved fast and loud.
I watched feet instead of faces.
Faces could lie.
Feet told the truth.
Fast feet meant danger.
Slow feet meant maybe hope.
I stayed small on purpose.
Being small felt safer.
Every sound made my heart jump.
Every voice felt sharp.
I curled my tail tight around myself.
Night after night I waited.
I waited for morning.
Rain came without warning.
It soaked my fur until it felt heavy.
Cold water ran down my legs.
My body turned stiff and tired.
The street smelled sad and old.
I remembered warmth from somewhere far away.
That memory hurt more than hunger.
It made my chest feel tight.
I did not understand why I was alone.
I tried to be good.
I tried to be quiet.
Quiet dogs do not get hurt as much.
Cars rushed past too close.
Their wind pushed against me.
My ears flattened low.
I pressed my body against the wall.
Walls do not move.
Walls do not leave.
I trusted walls more than people.
Sometimes food appeared on the ground.
I ate fast.
I looked around even faster.
Nothing kind ever stayed long.
Hands reached out sometimes.
I flinched before they touched me.
Touch used to mean pain.
Pain taught me to freeze.
I froze often.
My heart felt shattered but still beating.
Days blurred together.
Morning came and went.
Night returned like a heavy blanket.
My legs felt weak some days.
Standing took effort.
Lying down felt dangerous.
Lying down meant giving up.
I stayed awake even when tired.
Sleep did not feel safe.
I dreamed with my eyes open.
I dreamed of soft floors.
I dreamed of bowls that stayed full.
I dreamed of voices that said my name.
I did not know my name anymore.
The street did not care about names.
A deep cough lived in my chest.
It shook my whole body.
Each breath felt like work.
I wondered if this was how it ended.
No one would know.
No one would miss me.
I was just another dog.
A tired dog.
A forgotten dog.
Still, my heart held on.
Hope hurt but I kept it.
I hid it deep inside.
Hope was painful but alive.
Then one day felt different.
The air changed somehow.
The sounds slowed down.
I heard softer steps.
These steps did not rush.
They paused near me.
My body stiffened.
My ears pulled back.
I waited for fear.
It did not come right away.
A voice spoke low and gentle.
It did not yell.
It did not demand.
It sounded warm.
I lifted my eyes just a little.
I saw knees bend down.
I saw hands stop far away.
The hands did not grab.
They waited.
Waiting felt strange.
Waiting felt kind.
Food appeared slowly.
It was placed, not thrown.
The smell made my stomach twist.
I wanted it badly.
I did not move.
Trust takes time.
The person stayed.
They did not rush me.
Minutes passed.
Then more.
My body moved before my mind.
I stepped forward.
I ate.
Nothing bad happened.
My chest loosened.
My tail twitched once.
I felt safe for one moment.
The hands came closer later.
Very slow.
I watched them closely.
They stopped when I froze.
They waited again.
No one ever waited for me before.
A soft touch brushed my fur.
I jumped but did not run.
The touch was warm.
It did not hurt.
My body shook anyway.
Years of fear do that.
The person whispered kind sounds.
I did not know the words.
I knew the feeling.
It felt like care.
I leaned just a little.
The touch stayed gentle.
I let out a breath I did not know I held.
Then arms wrapped around me.
Not tight.
Not trapping.
Just holding.
I felt something break open inside.
Tears fell from eyes that had forgotten how.
I pressed my face into their chest.
Their shirt smelled clean and warm.
I was in safe arms at last.
The ride was strange.
The world moved fast outside the window.
I lay on a soft blanket.
My body trembled the whole time.
The person kept a hand on me.
That hand stayed steady.
We went somewhere quiet.
Bright lights came later.
People spoke softly again.
They touched me with care.
They checked my body.
They said words I did not understand.
I felt tired.
So tired.
Sleep pulled at me hard.
I slept anyway.
I dreamed of warmth.
I woke up still warm.
That surprised me.
Days passed differently after that.
Food came every time.
Water stayed close.
No one yelled.
No one rushed.
I learned the sound of my name.
It felt strange at first.
Then it felt right.
My tail wagged without fear.
I followed footsteps gladly.
I slept deeply.
I slept without listening.
My heart was healing slowly.
I learned what comfort meant.
Soft beds.
Quiet rooms.
Gentle mornings.
Hands that brushed my fur daily.
Voices that said I was good.
I was good.
I always had been.
The street just never noticed.
Sometimes I remembered the cold.
Sometimes I woke afraid.
The person stayed close.
They whispered my name again.
Fear loosened its grip.
I learned to trust the dark.
I learned to trust sleep.
I learned that love stays.
I watched sunlight move across the floor.
I followed it with my nose.
I felt safe enough to play.
I felt brave enough to hope.
My body grew stronger.
My eyes grew brighter.
I looked at people now.
Not just their shoes.
Faces smiled back.
I understood that smile.
I belonged.
I was home.
I was no longer lost.
I was finally chosen.
I still carry my past quietly.
It lives in my bones.
But it no longer controls me.
Now I wake up warm.
Now I eat slowly.
Now I sleep without fear.
I press close when I need comfort.
I give kisses freely.
I trust hands.
I trust voices.
I trust love.
The street is behind me now.
But I remember it.
I remember so others will know.
Dogs like me exist everywhere.
Waiting quietly.
Hoping softly.
We are sweet souls.
We are worth stopping for.
All it takes is one moment.
One gentle choice.
One set of safe arms.
And everything changes.