Intrigued and feeling a strange connection with the dog, the woman decided to follow it. The German Shepherd trotted ahead, occasionally glancing back to ensure she was still there. They traveled down the road, past fields that glowed under the early morning sun, until they reached a small farmhouse nestled at the edge of the woods.

The dog led her to the front porch, where an elderly man sat in a rocking chair, sipping his morning coffee. He nodded at the woman as if expecting her. “Ah, good morning. I see Max found you,” the old man greeted her with a knowing smile.

“Is this your dog?” the woman asked, still trying to make sense of everything.

“Yes, that’s Max, my loyal companion,” the man replied. “Quite the helper, isn’t he?”

The woman nodded, hesitating before asking, “I saw someone take a bag from him. What’s going on?”