During recess, while the other kids laughed and ran around, Lukas slipped through the broken fence. The woods were silent, except for the crunch of leaves beneath his feet and the occasional rustle of wind through the branches. It was a peace he had come to cherish, a rare moment when he could truly be himself.
Today, though, something caught his eye. As he walked toward his usual spot, he noticed movement at the edge of the forest. A group of dogs—no, a pack of them—was moving in a line, heading deeper into the trees. Lukas froze, unsure whether he was seeing things. But there they were—twelve, maybe fourteen dogs of all shapes and sizes, walking with purpose.