A Crash
Maddy was sitting on her couch, wondering what she was going to do with her Saturday free time. She considered walking her dog and then watching her favorite series. But that's when she heard a crash.
The girl jumped up and turned around. But she saw something that no one living alone ever wanted to see. There were two men in her house, and their intentions were less than kind.
Running To The Door
Maddy rushed to her bedroom door and slammed it shut. The girl was terrified and looked for any way to escape the situation she was in. She knew the wooden door wouldn't last for long.
Just as she contemplated her next move, she heard something that made dread creep up her spine. Something was bashing the door from the other side. Was this really the end?
Didn't Want To Hurt Anyone
The terrified girl never wanted to hurt anyone, but she was being put in a difficult situation. She felt sorry for the criminals desperate enough to break into her house. They didn't know about the ace up her sleeve.
She really didn't want to have to do it, but what other choice did they give her? At the end of the day, it was them or her.
Pursing Her Lips
The door started cracking under the force behind it. If she didn't do something in the next few seconds, who knew what would happen to her? She decided to do the only thing she could.
She pursed her lips together and whistled. The slumbering animal in her backyard was in a deep sleep until Maddy' signal woke him up. The crooks were in trouble now.
Coming For Them
The dog sprinted out of his kennel and made his way to his owner's bedroom window. As soon as he saw the petrified girl through the window, he knew what to do. Meanwhile, Maddy was wondering what was going to happen next.
That's when she heard a loud crash. She closed her eyes but then realized it wasn't the door. Her dog had jumped straight through the window and was now by her side.
One Word
Just having him there made her feel powerful. She now had the upper hand on the villains that wanted to cause her harm. The door was about to give up, and she knew exactly what to do.
She turned to her dog and said one fateful word. It was the command her father told her to say in case of an emergency. But she was warned that she couldn't take it back once she'd set him loose.
Frenzy
She watched in horror as her dog changed into something out of a horror movie. He started snarling, but not at her. The door had just swung open, and the crooks were coming in.
But then they locked eyes with the frenzied beast that Maddy had awakened. The dog went straight for the kill, and the men who just a moment ago wanted to harm a vulnerable girl would regret ever coming to the house.
Maddy Morgan
Maddy Morgan was like most young women. She hated the Chicago heat but otherwise loved her city. She grew up in Michigan City her whole life and never thought about moving away.
Her whole life was in Michigan City, and she would never give that up. There was one big reason why she was tied to the city. It all had to do with her father.
Only Child
Maddy was an only child, which meant all of her father's attention went to her. He loved her to bits and always protected her. But he had other obligations, too. He had to protect the entire city.
Gary, Maddy' dad, was a police officer who worked long and hard hours to make sure that the city his family lived in was a safe place. But even though he could always take out the bad guys, there was one thing he couldn't beat - illness.
Illness
One day, Gary passed out for seemingly no reason. He was rushed to the hospital and examined. But unfortunately, it was the worst-case scenario. His results came back, and there was nothing that could be done.
Gary had been diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer. He only had a few months left to live, but he wouldn't be leaving Maddy completely alone.
Some Phone Calls
Gary wasn't afraid of dying, but he hated the thought of leaving his daughter in the world all alone. He made some phone calls and organized something that caught her by complete surprise.
Maddy was still devastated by the news and tried her best to comfort her father in his last few months on earth.
Laid To Rest
A few months later, Gary passed away. He was at peace knowing that he had set something special up for his daughter. Maddy was none the wiser and, after laying him to rest, headed home.
She inherited his house, but it felt empty without him. Then she heard a knock on the front door. Who could it have been?
His Partner
Maddy opened the door and breathed a sigh of relief. It was her father's old partner. She had just seen him at the funeral, but what did he want now? Then she noticed something behind the cop.
She saw gray fur and a large grin with a tongue hanging out. She bent down on one knee and petted the animal, "Who is this cutie?" She asked the cop, but she wasn't ready for the answer.
Another Partner
"He's your dad's other partner." The cop said with a smile. "But he's gonna be retired now. Your dad called in a few favors back at the station and wanted someone close to him keeping an eye on you."
Maddy' eyes went wild. "What do you mean?" She asked. The cop replied, "I mean that he's gonna stay with you from now on. I even have a note from your dad."
Jax
Maddy thanked the cop as he walked back to his cruiser. He couldn't stay long, and Maddy needed time to be alone anyway. She called the dog in and looked at his tag. His name was Jax.
She felt comforted to have someone who worked with her dad every day. But it was time to open the letter.
A Tear Stained Letter
Maddy opened up the letter and started reading through it. But it wasn't long before the tears started dropping on the paper. It was one last heartfelt note from her dad.
He told her that he was proud of her and that she would be okay without him. He then explained that Jax would keep her safe and, if she was ever in trouble, to say one word. But she had to be very careful. Once she said it, there was no taking it back.
Moving On
Maddy clutched the note to her chest and wept. She felt like she finally had closure and would be able to move on. She'd never forget her dad or all the things he taught her.
Over the next few months, she got used to living with an animal. She'd never had a pet before but loved animals to bits. She took good care of Jax, and he always protected her in return.
Protection
Maddy would walk him to the store to buy groceries once a week, and he made the perfect escort. Everyone could tell that he was her protection and would stop anyone from hurting her.
She felt safe with Jax by her side, but she had no idea what was going to happen just a few months later. Someone would see her father's house and think they could take advantage.
A Normal Day
After a few months, Maddy finally started feeling okay again. It was the first time that she could go out again with her friends. Even though she was doing better, she'd still visit her mother and father at the cemetery.
She was paying her respects to them with Jax right by her side. Afterward, she went home and got ready for the next day.
The Weekend
It was going to be the first weekend in weeks that she didn't have to work. She looked forward to being able to recharge and find fun things to do. But she had no idea what was coming.
While Maddy was looking forward to the weekend, someone else was watching from the shadows. They had seen her on the beautiful property all on her own, and they saw an opportunity.
Wondering What To Do
Maddy was sitting on her couch, wondering what she was going to do with her Saturday free time. She considered walking her dog and then watching her favorite series. But that's when she heard a crash.
The girl jumped up and turned around. But she saw something that no one living alone ever wanted to see. There were two men in her house, and their intentions were less than kind.
Slamming The Door
Maddy rushed to her bedroom door and slammed it shut. The girl was terrified and looked for any way to escape the situation she was in. She knew the wooden door wouldn't last for long.
Just as she contemplated her next move, she heard something that made dread creep up her spine. Something was bashing the door from the other side. Was this really the end?
Terrified
The terrified girl never wanted to hurt anyone, but she was being put in a difficult situation. She felt sorry for the criminals desperate enough to break into her house. They didn't know about the ace up her sleeve.
She really didn't want to have to do it, but what other choice did they give her? At the end of the day, it was them or her.
Slumbering Animal
The door started cracking under the force behind it. If she didn't do something in the next few seconds, who knew what would happen to her? She decided to do the only thing she could.
She pursed her lips together and whistled. The slumbering animal in her backyard was in a deep sleep until Maddy' signal woke him up. The crooks were in trouble now.
By Her Side
The dog sprinted out of his kennel and made his way to his owner's bedroom window. As soon as he saw the petrified girl through the window, he knew what to do. Meanwhile, Maddy was wondering what was going to happen next.
That's when she heard a loud crash. She closed her eyes but then realized it wasn't the door. Her dog had jumped straight through the window and was now by her side.
Feeling Powerful
Just having him there made her feel powerful. She now had the upper hand on the villains that wanted to cause her harm. The door was about to give up, and she knew exactly what to do.
She turned to her dog and said one fateful word. It was the command her father told her to say in case of an emergency. But she was warned that she couldn't take it back once she'd set him loose.
Regretting Everything
She watched in horror as her dog changed into something out of a horror movie. He started snarling, but not at her. The door had just swung open, and the crooks were coming in.
But then they locked eyes with the frenzied beast that Maddy had awakened. The dog went straight for the kill, and the men who just a moment ago wanted to harm a vulnerable girl would regret ever coming to the house.
Charging Forward
The once gentle Jax charged forward towards Maddy' attackers. The men's eyes went wide as they realized their mistake. The gray pitbull made noises that Maddy had never heard about before.
Even though she was scared of him, his fury wasn't directed at her. It was directed at her attackers.
Running For It
The two men, who just a moment ago were planning on doing something terrible. But now they found out what happened when they tried to mess with the wrong girl.
They didn't get far. With Maddy' alarm system going off, Gary's old partner was waiting outside with his gun drawn. The men surrendered, and he took them away.
The Word
Later, the cop came back to check on Maddy. He had never seen men so terrified before. He asked her what she had to do to make them run like that.
Then she explained the note from her dad. The kill command that he had told her in secret. The cop laughed and told her that "kämpfen" meant "fight" in German. He had been trained by Gary to protect anyone when the word was said. She made sure to never use it again unless she would have to.