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Elliot kicked a pebble down the cracked sidewalk as he ambled home from school. The late autumn wind tugged at his hoodie, and the faint smell of rain clung to the air. He didn’t mind the walk—anything was better than another hour at home with his mom asking why his grades weren’t better.

He wasn’t paying attention until a bright yellow piece of paper tacked to a telephone pole caught his eye. The paper, half-curled and flapping in the wind, was impossible to miss.

“Missing Puppy!” it read in thick black letters, accompanied by a grainy photo of a small dog with scruffy brown fur and big, soulful eyes. Underneath the photo, the text continued:

Name: Lucky / Breed: Terrier mix / Last Seen: Maple and Third Street / Reward: $500