It was supposed to be a normal coffee run. I was standing in line at the cafe, half-awake, scrolling through my phone, and my dog Nino was laying beside me like he always does—quiet, well-trained, never bothers anyone.
That’s when I noticed his ears perk up. He stood, tail stiff, and stared dead ahead at something. I followed his gaze and saw a man holding a little girl’s hand.
She looked about six. Tiny. Wearing this pink jacket with cartoon cats on it. Her hair was messy, like she’d just rolled out of bed. At first, nothing seemed off—until she turned her head slightly and looked right at me.
