08/26/2025
I went to my dad’s funeral with Luna, our dog she’s usually totally fine waiting in the car. But… not this time. We were in the middle of saying our goodbyes in the church when, out of nowhere, Luna came bursting through the doors, barking like mad. She charged straight down the aisle, headed for the casket, and wouldn’t stop howling. That’s when I knew something was seriously wrong. I rushed forward, heart pounding, and opened the lid of the casket. What I saw made my stomach turn. My mom took one look… and fainted on the spot. Inside was..."....They say dogs can sense things we can’t. Ghosts, bad vibes, earthquakes—whatever it is, animals always know first. But nothing could’ve prepared me for what Luna did at my dad’s funeral. And what we found when she barked open the truth. Dad passed away on a cold Tuesday morning, the kind of day that hangs low with gray skies and rain that drizzles just enough to make everything feel heavy. It wasn’t sudden. We had been expecting it for months—cancer, slow and cruel. But even when death takes its time, it still feels like a thief in the night. It still guts you. I didn’t want to bring Luna with me. The church service would be long, and I figured she’d be fine staying in the car like she always was. Luna, my four-year-old golden retriever, was the kind of dog that didn’t bark without reason. She was gentle, a little too obsessed with tennis balls, and usually slept the whole time I went into stores or appointments. But that morning, as I parked outside St. Mary’s Church, she looked… tense. Her eyes wouldn’t meet mine. She whined softly when I opened the car door, and then again when I shut it. “You’ll be okay, girl,” I told her, giving her a pat on the head and tossing a chew toy in the backseat. Inside the church, things were somber. The pews were filled with family, friends, and the usual mix of people who show up to funerals out of obligation. My mom sat front row, veiled in black, hands trembling in her lap. The casket was closed. Dad had looked too bad at the end. Too
