A Poor Delivery Boy Fed His Last Meal to a Stray Dog—Then Karma Rewarded Him Most Unexpectedly…

Ryan sighed, rolled his eyes at his conscience, and stood up, tucking the paper bag under his hoodie to protect it from the rain. The alley was dark, thick with the smell of damp concrete and waste. Then he saw it—a German Shepherd, thin and shivering, its fur matted and wet. But it was its eyes that caught Ryan’s attention.

Curiosity—or something more—pulled him forward. Crouching down, the dog tensed but was too weak to move. Ryan glanced at the bag in his hands. He hadn’t eaten all day, but seeing the dog’s hunger made him tear the burger in half, placing a piece on the ground.

The dog hesitated before devouring it. Ryan smiled softly, murmuring, “I know the feeling.” The dog’s tail twitched as it finished, eyes a bit brighter now. “Guess I’m not the only stray around here,” Ryan whispered with a small smile.

Later that night, lying in bed at the orphanage, Ryan couldn’t stop thinking about the dog—its hunger, its eyes, as if it was trying to say something. He knew he shouldn’t care, but he did.

The next evening, after his delivery, Ryan returned to the alley, his stomach rumbling. But the spot where the dog had been was empty. No sign of it. Heart sinking, he turned to leave when movement caught his eye—a shadow down the street. It was the dog.

Smiling, Ryan rode closer, but the dog didn’t run. Instead, it followed him silently. “You following me, buddy?” Ryan murmured. The dog kept pace, watching him intently. “Guess I’ll call you Shadow,” Ryan said, amused.

Shadow followed him all the way to the fast-food joint, where Ryan parked his bike and glanced down at him. “Stay here, okay?” Shadow sat, tilting his head. Ryan walked inside, feeling something shift between them.