Poor old man…

But he didn’t care. His heart pounded so hard it felt like it would burst from his chest. As his hand touched the lid, he heard a sound. Barely audible, almost imperceptible – like a faint moan, a whimper…

The crowd froze. Someone shouted:

– Don’t do it!

– Spare yourself, please!

But he was already tearing at the lid, breaking the locks, ripping off the latches – as if in a trance. Finally, the lid gave way. The grandfather looked inside – and nearly fainted from what he saw. Continued in the first comment 

Inside, next to his granddaughter’s body, lay her beloved cat – Lea – curled up.

Her fur was disheveled, her eyes closed. Dead.