This one is for all my fellow dog lovers out there. I'm shooting for the subtle unsettling/disturbing thing, so let me know if I'm too blatant or too soft.
A Dog's Life
Have you ever seen a dog grunting in its sleep, shaking its paws as if
it's running for its life?
Don't worry, it's perfectly normal.
Every dog does this at least once in while. But why do they do it?
What are they running from?
You see, quite like people, dogs have little control over their
dreams. But quite unlike us, dogs have the same recurring dream night
after night.
Whenever a dog closes its eyes, it sees the one thing is loves most:
its master. If only the dreams ended there, with a dog and its master
living happily ever after...
Many believe dogs to have some sort of sixth sense, especially with
regards to death. They somehow seem to know when their time has come;
many dog owners will attest to that. This ability is amplified when
they drift into sleep and let their subconscious take over.
This is where the dream becomes a nightmare. The dog sees something
that no one in this world wants to see, something arguably worth than
one's own death: the death of the one it loves.
The dog has no choice but to watch helplessly as its master dies right
before its eyes, whether it be by disease, age, or an act of violence.
Somehow they know what will happen, but they are powerless to prevent
it.
Sometimes they try to run and run, with all of their strength. They
grunt and they whimper, but they never arrive any closer to their
beloved master.
Sometimes, they just give up and lie listlessly in despair.
That is when the dog wakes up, relieved to be safe at home with its
loved ones.
Dogs bear a terrible burden.
Every night they unwillingly watch the death of their masters. Maybe
that is why they show them such unconditional love, such never-ending
affection.
They are simply glad that they are alive, and they want to make the
most of their time with them before their prophetic visions become a
reality.
There is only one time in a dog's life when the dream is different.
This time, the master is the one that says goodbye.