**13th April, 2024**
*”…And I crowned you… And gave you to no one… And loved you as best I could… And kissed you… Kissed you… Kissed you…”*
I was flying home on the wings of love, driving my trusty old Rover back to my darling Emily after three months away on contract. The weight of my pay packetthick with poundswarmed the inside pocket of my jacket. My heart sang, racing ahead to meet her. Spring hung in the air, the breeze soft against my face. *”And I crowned you…”*
Passing over a narrow bridge, I caught movement from the corner of my eyea dog, trapped under thin ice, struggling weakly. It had been there a while, its strength nearly gone. *”And kissed you… Kissed you…”*my favourite song played, pulling me toward home. *”Poor little thing,”* I thought, and drove on.
Emilys smile, the promise of spring, love waiting for meand that wretched dog, drowning in the frozen river. Damn it. I swore under my breath and turned the car around.
Pulling up by the bridge, I stripped off and waded in, breaking the ice with my bare hands, the cuts stinging. I reached the poor creature, half-swimming, half-pushing him toward the bank. He was a big lad, and the ice was too thinhe never stood a chance.
Blood dripped from my hands and legs, the cold biting deep. I dressed quickly, finally taking in the dog Id saveda massive, fawn-coloured mastiff, skin and bones. He stared at me, trembling, making no move to leave.
“Hey, mate! Youre no straywhats a pedigree like you doing out here? Wheres your owner?” He just shivered, watching me.
I opened the car door. “Get in, then. Youre coming home.” He leapt onto the back seat and settled in*homebound.*
Dusk had fallen by the time we neared town. Traffic snarled aheada lorry and two cars tangled in a wreck, police lights flashing, ambulances waiting. A chill ran through me. I glanced back. The dog snored softly on the seat, warm and nearly dry. *”If not for him…”* The thought slithered into my mind.
“Emily, love!” I swept her off her feet at the doorstep, kissing her silly. The dog sat quietly, grinning. A house, a new homea new life. He already adored this delicate woman in her flowery dressing gown, the scent of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding hanging in the air. As for me? Hed claimed me the moment I pulled him from the ice.
“Oh, whos this?” Emily finally noticed our guest, eyeing me.
“This is our angel. Archie. Family now.” She crouched, offering her hand.
*”So Im Archie now?!”* He sniffed her fingers, licked them, thenovercomeslobbered all over her face.
And just like that, we had a new family member. Archie. Also known as The Beast when he chewed my slippers. The Menace when he drooled on the cat. And our treasure, our love, our guardian.
We lived in a sturdy brick house in Bristol, left to us by Emilys parents. We built Archie a kennel in the gardencosy, with a heated floor. Winters, he slept inside on his own mattress by the door.
Life rolled on. I took contracts farther outwork was scarce here, and what little there was paid pennies. Emily stayed home, never alone now. Not with Archie. And soon, not just himher rounded belly hinted at news she hadnt yet shared.
One stifling summer evening, Emily took Archie for a walk through the woods near our house. The air was thick, sluggish. Somewhere nearby, rowdy lads shouted over loud music, putting Archie on edge.
Two drunk blokes staggered into view. “Well, look at this!” one leered. “Fancy a bit of company, love?”
Emily froze. Archie strained against his lead*useless* with the muzzle shed put on him. *Why?* Hed never bitten a soul.
Then one grabbed her wrist.
She dropped the lead.
The boys had a knife. Archie lungedthey stabbed him. Again. Again. Blood soaked the grass. Emily screamed, begged. They only stopped when he collapsed.
I was nearly home when she called, voice breaking. *”Vets. Now. Hes dying.”*
I burst into the clinic. Archie looked so small on the table, tubes snaking from him. The vet murmured, shaking his head.
I bent over him. “Dont you dare leave us.” A kiss to his hot noseand his eyes flickered open. A sign.
He fought. Came home. Lived five more yearslong enough to nuzzle our newborn, little Henry, and love us fiercely to the end.
We buried him under the old oak. Henry, barely four, wiped his tears and declared, *”We need a new Archie. I dont wanna live without one.”*
Love works miracles. Its true. And kindnesseven to a half-drowned strangermight save you when you least expect it. After all, whos to say what waits in the next life? Maybe youll be the one shivering under the ice. Maybe the creature you save will be the angel sent to guard you.
Either waybe the one who stops.
