I must have been miles away at this point — I snuck out in the middle of the night while “mom” and “dad” were sleeping. I knew because I heard dad snoring from his room.

I went outside and felt more free than I had ever felt in years. Although it was dark, the moonlight lit the path that I took for a few hours.

The grass was wet with dew and the air was cold and smelled earthy. I’d never been out much at night, I’d usually lay in my dirt-filled bed and beg for something to eat.

Ever since I was young, I was confined to one room. The door was always locked and sometimes I’d go days without food. The room was filthy, there was nowhere to go to the washroom and so I was often swimming in my own filth.

That night, though, that night was supposed to be different. It was going to be the night that everything changed. It was likely the only chance I’d get.

That was then I saw them. They had kind eyes and were sitting on their front porch. I walked up their front steps and they looked at me, confused.

I didn’t know how to tell them that I needed help, but before I could, they interjected.

“Check if he has a collar, maybe we could call his owners.”