24/04/2026
At her father’s wake, eight-year-old Sophie wouldn’t leave the coffin.
She just sat silently, watching him for hours. Everyone thought she was in shock—until that night, when she climbed inside to lie with him...
It had been a long day. The living room of Sophie’s grandmother’s house was filled with people—neighbors, relatives, coworkers of her late father, Daniel Miller. The air smelled faintly of lilies and coffee. Murmurs of conversation mixed with the low sound of a crying baby somewhere in the corner.
But Sophie noticed none of it. She had been sitting on a small wooden chair beside her father’s coffin since morning. Her little hands rested on the polished surface, her legs dangling just above the floor.
“Sweetheart, come eat something,” her mother, Laura, said softly, kneeling beside her. “You need to eat, okay?”
Sophie didn’t answer. She didn’t even look at her. Her gaze stayed fixed on her father’s still face—the same face that used to light up with laughter when he tucked her in at night.
Laura sighed, exhausted. “Maybe she needs time,” murmured Sophie’s grandmother. “Let her grieve her way.”
As hours passed, Sophie didn’t move. Guests came and went, whispering that perhaps the little girl didn’t understand death. But Sophie understood more than they thought. She had been there the night her father’s heart stopped in the hospital—she had seen the doctors try and fail.
Now, she just wanted to be close to him one last time.
By late evening, most people had gone home. Only a few relatives remained, cleaning up plates and empty cups. Laura dozed off in a corner, her face pale from crying.
That was when Sophie quietly stood up. Her small feet made almost no sound on the tiled floor. She climbed onto the chair, leaned over the coffin, and hesitated.
Then, slowly, she lifted her leg and climbed inside.
The room was dim, lit only by a single lamp. Her movement went unnoticed at first—until her aunt turned around and screamed.
“Sophie!”...To be continued in C0mments 👇