Have you ever been devastated to learn of the death of a loved one only to have them reappear later? Even if these meetings seem happy on the surface, there may be unexpected truths.
These three stories of families whose “dead” loved ones are alive – but not in the way you might expect – share similar experiences. When the people in these stories learned the truth about the death of their relatives, it was a huge shock. 1. My dog kept barking at my dad’s coffin; when I opened it I found it empty
I got out of the car and stood in front of the church. The realization that I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to my dad hit me hard. “We couldn’t even give him a proper funeral,” I mused. I was suddenly snapped out of my reverie by Bella’s shrill bark.
I looked at my car and Bella was acting angrier than normal. “Bella!” She complied with my hand motion to lie down. I stroked her head through the half-open window. “Now stay, girl.
I pushed her complaint aside and headed to the church. Dad died of an infectious disease, so the funeral director carefully cordoned off the immediate area and left his casket in place and locked.
I sat down next to my mom. Under these conditions, Dad would rather be cremated than buried.
Bella’s bark echoed throughout the cathedral as the liturgy ended and mourners rose to sing the final hymn. She started barking loudly, jumped on the coffin, and knocked the flower arrangement to the ground.
A chill ran down my spine as Bella sat on the floor, awake, staring at me. I felt that something was not quite right.
“Open the coffin!” I insisted.
As I said that, the group gasped. However, I couldn’t. When I opened the casket after approaching it, I saw that it was empty.
“W-where is my brother?” My uncle stared at the funeral director.
Mom found the situation unbearable. Her knees buckled and her eyes rolled back in her brain. She was about to hit her head on the marble floor when I caught her. All I could think about was getting her to the hospital.
I called the police at my mom’s house.
“All we know at this time is that the coroner has confirmed the cause of death and released the remains to the funeral home,” Detective Bradshaw informed me.
“Was your dad involved in any activity I should know about?”
I didn’t know much about my dad’s business because I hadn’t been active in it since I started my kennel center. But I knew that Dad would never do anything inappropriate that would damage the company or his reputation. Exactly what I told Detective Bradshaw.
As there were no leads at this point, Detective Bradshaw left saying he would inform me. Waiting wasn’t my thing though. The mother spent the night in the hospital. I left Bella at home and went to the morgue to get information.
“The coroner resigned? The new coroner—what about him? When the nurse at the front desk told me the new coroner wasn’t there yet, I was confused. She said it was against policy to want to see my dad’s file.”
I was proficient in the game. She narrowed her eyes when I snuck into the coroner’s office, even though I left $1,000 on the counter. I started searching the shelves trying to find my dad’s file but to no avail.
His file was missing.
A sharp frustration hit me. My phone suddenly buzzed. It was Mr. Stevens, Dad’s lawyer. He told me I was Dad’s new CEO and that he needed to see me.
When I entered my father’s Gmail on his computer, when I got to his office, I saw that his inbox was empty. Someone deleted the messages.
“Hello, Ryan! Nice to see you,” Mr. Stevens said as he walked into the chamber and closed the door.
“Who used this computer?” I asked him.
“No one,” replied Mr. Stevens.
“Wait, where are the dancers?” I noticed that two figurines were missing from Dad’s office.
I understand. He brought them home. Unfortunately, Arnold was never able to get the third figure in the set. Is it true that the owner will only take home a half-million dollar payment? Mr. Stevens stated.
I knew Dad had left them behind.
When I arrived at the funeral, I completely trashed my parents’ house and didn’t see the dancers.
“But anyway, we have more pressing matters to discuss…” We were deeply in debt, Mr. Stevens told me, and some investors were threatening to pull out because Dad had been absent from meetings for months before he died.
“…and it all started when this place hired his new secretary.” I think he was seeing her romantically, with all due respect to Arnold and his family,” Mr Stevens revealed.
I thought of my mother’s dejected expression and nearly collapsed.
If Mr. Stevens hadn’t intervened, I would have gone straight to Dad’s secretary because it would have just ruined Dad’s reputation.
I sent gift baskets to the most important investors and worked feverishly during the day to resolve the debt issue. I followed my dad’s secretary, Miss Pearson, after work and watched her pull into the garage of a typical suburban house.
I parked in front of her house and waited because she was the only lead I had so far.
I didn’t even notice that I fell asleep.
I was later awakened by the creaking of the garage door. I was about to follow her when I saw her head from the car. But then I had a clearer idea. Just before the garage door closed, I managed to sneak into her house after jumping out of the car. There I discovered a door leading to the house.
I started by looking in the kitchen, pulling out drawers until I discovered a flashlight. I was reluctant to turn on any lights in case Miss Pearson came home without warning. When I walked into her bedroom and saw a framed picture of her kissing her father on the nightstand, my heart sank.
I kept my composure and told myself I was looking for a clue—anything that would lead me to the truth about what happened to Dad. I looked around Miss Pearson’s house but found nothing. I was ready to leave, dejected when I noticed that the coffee table drawer was slightly open.
I noticed a Manila envelope there. Enclosed was Dad’s huge $7 million life insurance policy, with Miss Pearson as the sole beneficiary! I took the paper and headed to the police station.
Examining the document, Detective Bradshaw remarked, “That’s pretty convincing.” “Show me what else I can dig up on that Pearson woman.
As I waited at the front desk, she and her squad of officers approached me. It turns out that Miss Pearson has a ticket to Morocco, leaving in thirty minutes.
“Since the US has no extradition treaty with the Moroccan government, it is critical that we bring her in for questioning before she gets on the plane.”
Detective Bradshaw refused my application to join the police force because I was a civilian. I ignored her and continued to chase them.
“POLICE!” She screamed as Detective Bradshaw and her team approached the boarding gate. “Let us through!”
Blending into the crowd, I managed to get past the airport security agents and we made our way to the boarding area. The police quickly dispersed and began questioning the passengers.
“There you are! A woman with dark hair in a white top! Detective Bradshaw yelled, ‘Get off the line and put your hands in the air.’
I felt a wave of relief when Miss Pearson was arrested, but my smile disappeared as soon as she turned around.
Miss Pearson was not the one. Police searched for hours but Miss Pearson was nowhere to be seen.
I was where I started. But in my heart, I felt that my father was still alive.
The figures were not at home as far as I knew.
Dad had to take them with him wherever he went. I found a collector online who owned a third one and went straight to him.
“So… how much?” I pointed to the figurine and asked.
“$750,000,” replied the collector, Mr. Frederick.
“Sir, that’s absurd. That’s way beyond market value,” I remarked.
“Then don’t buy it.” “Young man, the price is non-negotiable!” he shouted.
I begged for more time to raise the funds because I had to have them. I got back in the car and called Mr. Stevens. I had to sell my company stock for $750,000.
“But then you won’t have a controlling interest in the company, Ryan!” Mr. Stevens stated.
“Mr. Stevens, I know, but you must act quickly.
I need money. However, I should be able to buy back the shares in a week.”
“Ryan,” Mr. Stevens said at last, “as a major stakeholder and the company’s legal counsel, I believe it would be unwise to investigate why you need such a large amount in such a short period.”
“However,” he continued, “as a longtime family friend, I need to know if this is related to the suspicions I shared about Miss Pearson.
“In a way, yes,” I replied.
Mr. Stevens sighed. You know, she disappeared too. She called in sick today and didn’t come to work. I’ll get you the money as soon as possible, but it’s best to keep the details secret.”
I immediately went back to meet Mr. Frederick after the money appeared in my account. I interrupted the older man as he mumbled something about the figure being more valuable because it completes the set.
“You are receiving $750,000, sir, as you requested, effective immediately. Mr. Frederick, do you keep your word?”
He finally agreed to sell me the figure.
I stopped briefly and made a couple of phone calls from the car before heading back to my mom.
“Where have you been Ryan?” Mom asked. “When I come home from the hospital, Bella is bored and the house is empty.
Do you know your dog misses you? I haven’t seen you since the funeral and I can hardly entertain her.”
“I’m sorry Mom,” I told her. “Please trust me – it’s essential. It will all be over soon.”
I had a strategy.
Two days later I saw the gathering from behind a pillar in the auction house.
After that, it was my figure. It was brought forward and I was watching.
As the price increased, the bids were reduced to two. Dad wasn’t either.
I insisted on anonymity and even bought ads to let Dad know the figure was up for auction today, wherever it was. I knew he would come for it, he would if he was still alive.
“$600,000 only goes once,” the auctioneer said.
My heart sank. In addition to losing the bait, I could lose a lot of money on the figure.
“…I’m going twice…”
“$1 million!”
My body tingled when I heard my father’s voice. Dad got up from the seat in the back and took off his hat and I just stared in disbelief.
“$1 million will go once…go twice…sold to the man in the beige coat!” The salesman hammered.
Putting his hat back on, Dad walked to the door. I rushed to block his passage and ran around the perimeter of the room. Then Detective Bradshaw stepped forward to handcuff Dad.
“Ryan?” Dad gasped. “I was tricked by you!
It was a trap, this!”
“Dad, stop being a victim! You ran off with your lover after having an affair and pretending to be dead! How could you?”
He hung his head and said he wanted a fresh start with Miss Pearson because he was sick of his old life.
“You stole a substantial life insurance policy, bought a coroner, and made us all mourn a lifeless coffin? One should act morally, not just in self-interest.” Dad, you taught me that.” excuse me if you weren’t able to keep your morals.”
Detective Bradshaw promised that Miss Pearson would also be caught soon.
Then they removed the dad.
2. I contacted my late wife’s number and got her reply
I was sitting in “Paprika”, a small cafe in the city center, on a typical Sunday. Even though it was a lively place, I still felt alone.
Kate and I felt a connection to this cafe.
We spent seven years here every weekend. I saw her everywhere. Her birthday, our first date, and her favorite cinnamon roll.
Kate was missing. I called her phone again hoping to get her voicemail because I missed her laugh, her touch, and her smile. “Hi, you’ve reached out to Kate…”
I have called her many times since her passing. That was my memory of her. I thought back to our wedding day, the day I proposed, and all the times she helped me.
Kate’s funeral was a few days ago. It was challenging. The day was cold and cloudy. emptiness. The ceremony went by quickly and the comforting notes from everyone seemed distant. My wife was the love of my life and I couldn’t believe she was gone.
Her departure was also unexpected. Her car crashed into a canyon and she died without medical intervention. “He’s gone,” they declared. Those notes stayed with me. Still, some people adored me.
My only family when Kate died was her twin sister Amanda and her husband Kyle. Amanda was in a wheelchair and was sick. Her remaining years were limited. Still, she assured me that “we’ll make it together, Petra.”
Kyle also offered to help.
I was so deep in thought in that cafe that I didn’t even notice someone’s approach until I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder.
It was Carmen, Kate’s relative. We met briefly at our wedding, that’s all.
“What happened? Why do you look so down?” I reported the accident when Carmen asked. She was taken aback.
“Oh, Peter, I didn’t know that. That explains why she didn’t answer me.”
She went on to explain that, not knowing Kate’s new phone number, she was trying to contact her, so she resorted to contacting the old number at their country house. “But I guess no one has lived there for a long time, only Kate’s answering machine was there,” she said.
“Kate’s voice on the answering machine?” he asked.
After giving me the number, Carmen nodded.
I dialed the phone after I was alone, curious to hear her message again. I called again because I heard Kate smile on the answering machine. However, on the third call, something changed. When someone answered, it was the voice I knew best.
“What are you doing? “NO!”
Kate said in a small voice. When I called again I only got a machine. Was I deceived by my grief?
These accounts of loved ones thought dead but later found alive delve into the depths of human emotion and highlight the profound impact of loss and the complexities of grief. In the first story, the protagonist’s world is rocked when he discovers his father’s empty coffin, setting off a chain of events that reveal shocking truths about his father’s presumed death. The journey to unraveling the mystery of his father’s disappearance is full of deceit, betrayal, and ultimately a painful confrontation with the reality of his father’s actions.
Similarly, the second story explores the aftermath of his wife’s tragic death and the protagonist’s desperate attempt to contact her through her old phone number. His encounter with a familiar voice on the other end of the line ignites hope and confusion, leading to a confrontation with the unexpected truth behind his wife’s death. On his journey of grief and longing, he is confronted with the harsh reality of loss and the need to come to terms with the irreparable void left by his wife’s absence.
These stories serve as poignant reminders of the fragility of life and the profound impact of loss on those left behind. They illustrate the complexity of grief and the human capacity to deal with unimaginable pain and grief. While the encounters with their loved ones may appear on the surface as moments of joy and relief, they are accompanied by the weight of unresolved questions and painful truths that challenge the protagonists’ understanding of their relationships and identities.
In conclusion, these stories offer deep insight into the human experience of loss, grief, and the search for closure in the face of unimaginable tragedy. They remind us of the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of confronting the truths that lie beneath the surface of our deepest pains.