*At the memorial service, a dog leaped onto the veteran’s body — what followed brought everyone to tears…

Orion finally shifted, but it was not an act of obedience. It was reluctance. Slowly, painstakingly, he lifted his head, his ears flicking back as if listening for something no one else could hear.

Then after one last nuzzle against the casket, he rose to his feet. A sigh of relief rippled through the chapel. But then, Orion did something that made Margaret’s heart stop.

He turned away from Elijah’s casket, took three slow steps forward, then suddenly turned back. His ears perked, his tail wagged just once, as if he had seen something, as if someone had called his name. Margaret’s breath hitched, Carter’s brow furrowed.

The chaplain whispered a quiet prayer under his breath. Orion lingered for a second longer. His deep brown eyes locked on something unseen.

Then, just as quickly as the moment arrived, it passed. He lowered his head, his body finally accepting the weight of farewell, and walked toward the chapel doors. Margaret felt a cold shiver run down her spine, because for a split second, she could have sworn Orion had been looking at Elijah.

The chapel doors groaned as they swung open, letting in a gust of cold air. Orion stepped forward slowly, his paws making no sound against the polished floor. The moment he crossed the threshold, a shiver ran down Margaret’s spine.

The weight of the ceremony, the loss, the finality of it all pressed down on her. But something else lingered in the something she couldn’t explain. She clutched the folded flag tighter against her chest, watching as Orion hesitated just outside the chapel.

He turned his head slightly, glancing over his shoulder. Not at the people, not at the casket, but at the empty space near the altar. His ears twitched, his posture stiffened.

It was brief, barely noticeable, but Margaret saw it, and she knew. Sergeant Carter noticed it too. He inhaled sharply, glancing between Orion and the silent space he was staring at.

You saw that, right? He muttered under his breath. Margaret just nodded, unable to speak. The chaplain, who had remained quiet since taps, finally broke the silence.

Sometimes, he murmured, his voice solemn, Love doesn’t leave so easily. His words sent a chill through Margaret’s bones. She had never been one to believe in spirits, in things beyond this world.

But the way Orion had looked back, the way his tail had flicked just slightly, as if recognizing someone it unsettled her. Outside, the funeral procession was waiting. Soldiers stood in perfect formation, their faces stoic, their hands clasped behind their backs.

The hearse gleamed under the afternoon sun, ready to carry Elijah to his final resting place. It was time. The world was moving forward.

But Orion? He stayed frozen at the doorway. His deep brown eyes remained fixed on the empty space inside the chapel, and Margaret swore she saw something flicker in them. Recognition, longing, or maybe even peace…