The Dog Who Never Stopped Waiting

At first, there were sounds—phone calls, visitors, murmured conversations that ended quickly when the children entered the room.

Then came silence.

Not sudden.

Not dramatic.

Just gradual.

Like the house itself was learning how to breathe differently.

But Corporal didn’t adjust.

He never revised his understanding of the world.

At 5:45, the gate mattered.

At 7:00, it didn’t.