He thought the dog had just gotten scared of something and didn’t even notice the glimmer of scales between the wooden planks next to his chair.

Only that evening, while reviewing footage from the security cameras, did he realize what had really happened. When the frames showed the snake crawling over his body and then the dog attacking it, his heart tightened.

That night, he sat for a long time beside his dog, gently stroking his head and whispering:

— Thank you, my friend… you saved my life.