I woke up in the morning to the sound of my dog scratching the wall of my room and barking in fear: I could never have imagined what was hiding behind that wall

I woke up in the morning to the sound of my dog scratching the wall of my room and barking in fear: I could never have imagined what was hiding behind that wall 

I’ve been living alone for several years. My husband passed away recently, and my children have moved away and don’t visit often. My only constant companion is my dog — a golden retriever named Bonya.

She’s smart, calm, and sensitive. She has never raised the alarm without a reason. We understood each other almost without speaking — and that’s exactly why her behavior concerned me.