The rumble of engines rose again as the station master waved his signal flag. The metallic hiss of air brakes echoed across the valley, a sound that should have brought relief. But just as the first wheel began to roll, a sharp, strangled sound ripped through the air. It came from the crate.
The puppy’s cry was raw. Long, rising, and unnatural, like an alarm that came from deep within its chest. Everyone turned. The little dog pressed itself against the cage bars, eyes wide, body trembling so violently that the metal rattled.