"Go, save yourself, let me be your hero."

by Eduardo Flores
(Chatsworth, Georgia, USA)

In August 14, 2013, my dog, Arthur, and I were peacefully walking at a park at around 8:00 p.m, when it was night.

I let my dog loose, when I suddenly hear his bark. He quickly comes to me, limping, and stands straight, gaurding me. "What's wrong Arthur?" I asked him. Of course, he didn't answer, but his look on his face, so loveable, so kind. I knew he was trying to gaurd me from some type of criminal with weapons. I suddenly hear footsteps from behind, when Arthur runs behind me, and once I look, I see him. I see Arthur attacking the criminal, and Arthur, telling me in his language, to run, to go save myself, that he wants me to be safe from every bad person to yet be encountered. I run, obeying his look at me, when at that point, I heard a shot, from a gun. I knew he had said "Go, save yourself, let me be your hero."

Every day after that, I barely slept, ate, or even communicated with relatives or close friends. When they asked me what had happened to Arthur, I cry, telling them that he is my hero, he saved my life. His body, behind my house, in my yard, I see him peacefully gone.
Arthur is my hero.

Thank you, Arthur.