Four Years after My Husband Went Missing, a Dog Brought Me the Jacket He Was Wearing on the Day He Disappeared

Four years after Maggie’s husband vanished during a solo hike, she had come to terms with his loss. But when their old family dog reappeared, carrying her husband’s jacket in its mouth, Maggie followed it into the forest, uncovering a truth she never could have imagined.

I still remember the day Jason left four years ago. He had been depressed for a couple of months then, and it was the first time in a long while I’d seen him so excited, restless.

A man packing for a hike | Source: Freepik

A man packing for a hike | Source: Freepik

He said he needed some time in nature, alone. “Just me and Scout,” he said, scratching the dog’s ears as our kids laughed.

“Are you sure you don’t want company?” I asked, holding our then-toddler son, Benny, while my four-year-old, Emily, clung to my leg.

Jason just smiled and shook his head. “Nah, I’ll be back before you know it. Promise.”

A man talking to his wife | Source: Pexels

A man talking to his wife | Source: Pexels

But he never came back.

At first, I thought he’d gotten lost. Maybe hurt. The search teams kept trying to find him. Our friends, our neighbors, all showed up to help, calling his name, searching the mountains. It felt surreal, like a bad dream I couldn’t wake up from.

But days turned to weeks, and the search teams started looking at me with pity, as if they’d already made up their minds.

A search party | Source: Pexels

A search party | Source: Pexels

Eventually, they said, “We’ve done all we can.”

People started saying things like, “You’re strong, Maggie,” and “You’ll be okay.” But every word felt hollow. Jason wasn’t just missing; he was gone. After months, they declared him legally dead. I hated those words, but what could I do? Life had to go on.

A sad woman in her bedroom | Source: Midjourney

A sad woman in her bedroom | Source: Midjourney

Over the years, little things kept Jason alive in our home: his old hiking boots by the door, his coffee mug with a chip on the rim, the wool scarf he loved. The kids sometimes asked about him, and I would tell them stories, trying to keep his memory alive.

Sometimes, late at night, when the house was silent, I let myself remember. I wondered if I could’ve done something different that day, maybe convinced him to stay.

A sleepless woman in her bedroom | Source: Midjourney

A sleepless woman in her bedroom | Source: Midjourney

Then, one afternoon, everything changed.

It was a quiet Saturday, sunny with a light breeze. I was lying on a blanket in the backyard, watching the kids play, feeling a rare sense of peace.

Out of nowhere, something rustled near the bushes. I squinted, thinking it was a squirrel or maybe one of the neighbors’ cats. But then I saw a dog, thin and scruffy, walking slowly toward me.

A dog in the bushes | Source: Pexels

A dog in the bushes | Source: Pexels

At first, I didn’t recognize him. But when I looked closer, my heart skipped. “Scout?” I whispered, hardly believing it. He was older, thinner, his coat dirty and matted, but it was him.

“Scout!” I called louder, sitting up, barely breathing. The dog stopped, looking at me with tired eyes. In his mouth, he held a green jacket, frayed and faded.

A black dog in the bushes | Source: Midjourney

A black dog in the bushes | Source: Midjourney

I knew it instantly. I’d washed it a hundred times, seen him wear it on so many hikes. I couldn’t believe it. I felt my whole body tense, frozen between shock and hope.

“Scout, where did you come from?” I whispered, inching toward him. But as soon as I reached out, Scout turned and started trotting away, disappearing into the trees.

“No—Scout, wait!” I called, but he didn’t stop. Something inside me said to follow, even if I didn’t know where he was leading me.

A woman chasing after the dog | Source: Midjourney

A woman chasing after the dog | Source: Midjourney

“Kids, stay here! Don’t move!” I grabbed my phone and car keys, my hands shaking. “Mommy’ll be back soon, I promise.”

Emily looked up, concerned. “Where are you going, Mom?”

“I… I just have to check something, honey,” I managed to say, my voice barely steady. She nodded, her wide eyes watching me as I took off after the dog.

A shocked girl | Source: Midjourney

A shocked girl | Source: Midjourney

Scout kept a steady pace, leading me through the edge of our neighborhood and into the forest. I struggled to keep up, ducking under branches, slipping on damp leaves. My heart pounded as I ran, a mix of hope, fear, and disbelief fueling me.

“Scout, slow down!” I called, but he stayed just ahead, leading me deeper and deeper into the forest.

Scout paused briefly, looking back to make sure I was still there. His eyes seemed to say, Keep going.

A black dog | Source: Midjourney

A black dog | Source: Midjourney

I couldn’t tell you how long I’d been walking. My legs ached, every step heavier than the last, and the forest seemed endless, twisting around me as if it wanted me lost. Scout kept looking back, urging me on, like he was as desperate as I was.

And then, just as the light started to fade, I saw it.

A shocked woman in the woods | Source: Midjourney

A shocked woman in the woods | Source: Midjourney

The cabin sat low and quiet, blending right into the thick of the woods. It was so tucked away you’d miss it if you didn’t know where to look. Smoke drifted faintly from an outdoor fire pit, and a makeshift clothesline was strung between two trees. There were footprints in the mud outside. There was someone here.

“Jason?” I whispered, my voice almost too small to carry. My heart was pounding, my mouth dry. This couldn’t be real.

A small shack in the woods | Source: Freepik

A small shack in the woods | Source: Freepik

With my breath catching, I walked up to the window. And there, inside, moving around like he’d never left, was Jason.

He looked… different. His hair was long and messy, a rough beard covering half his face. He looked wild, like he’d lived outside for months. And he wasn’t alone.

A man by a fire pit | Source: Midjourney

A man by a fire pit | Source: Midjourney

A woman was there with him, standing close, her hand brushing against his arm. Her hair was tangled, and her clothes looked patched and worn. She stood like she belonged there, like this was her home. Like he was her home.

My hand flew to my mouth as I stifled a gasp. My mind raced, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. No. No, this isn’t real. But every second I stood there, staring into that dirty window, the truth sank deeper.

A woman in front of a shack in the woods | Source: Midjourney

A woman in front of a shack in the woods | Source: Midjourney

I pushed the door open, feeling a strength I didn’t know I had. It creaked loudly, and they both turned toward me, their eyes widening in surprise. Jason’s mouth fell open, his eyes darting over me like I was a ghost.

“Maggie…” he breathed, his voice calm, too calm, like he’d been expecting me.

“Jason.” My voice wavered, but I held his gaze. I glanced at the woman, then back at him. “What is this?” My heart felt like it was breaking all over again. “Where have you been?”

A shocked man in the woods | Source: Midjourney

A shocked man in the woods | Source: Midjourney

He glanced at the woman beside him, who just stood there, looking at me like I was the one out of place. “I was…trapped, Maggie. That life wasn’t me. Out here, I’m free. I can breathe. I’ve found something real, something I couldn’t have…back there.” He gestured vaguely to the woods, as if that was his new life.

I stared at him, barely able to comprehend it. “You left us,” I said, feeling my voice crack. “You left your kids, Jason. They think you’re dead. I thought you were dead.”

An angry woman | Source: Freepik

An angry woman | Source: Freepik

He looked down, rubbing the back of his neck. “I…I know it’s hard to hear. But I’ve become one with nature now. Sarah and I…we’ve built a life. A simple, meaningful life.” His words sounded empty, robotic, like he’d convinced himself of this story so many times he believed it.

I took a step back, feeling the anger boil over. “So that’s it? You just walk away from everything? From your family? You didn’t even try to let us know you were okay?”

A man arguing with his wife | Source: Midjourney

A man arguing with his wife | Source: Midjourney

He closed his eyes, sighing deeply, like I was the one causing him pain. “Maggie, you wouldn’t understand. That life felt like a prison. Now, I’m living it to the fullest.”

“A prison?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. “Is that what we were to you?”

“Maybe if you weren’t so obsessed with your cursed technology, you could come worship nature like we did,” Sarah hissed, looking at me like I was a lunatic.

A woman with a blank face | Source: Pexels

A woman with a blank face | Source: Pexels

The Volume Buttons On Your Iphone Has Many Hidden Functions

Any device’s full potential may often be unlocked by having a keen eye for the hidden gems beneath the surface; the iPhone’s hidden functions are no different.

Your iPhone has many hidden treasures that are just waiting to be discovered, from iMessage features to brighten every conversation to generation-specific features that maximize the technology in any particular iPhone.

A set of volume buttons is a characteristic that is common to all iPhone models. Unlike many Android phones, which only have one volume button, the iPhone has featured two different volume buttons since its original release.

The two buttons on the left side of the iPhone are used for functions other than volume control.

Like so many other locations, the phone’s buttons can be utilized for non-volume operations in addition to a few useful chores that can be accessed with their assistance.

Whether you’re a photography enthusiast seeking tactile finesse, a safety-conscious person needing quick access to emergency services, or someone who longs to have a physical snooze button again, the iPhone’s volume buttons offer a range of interactions that go far beyond their seemingly straightforward purpose.

When seconds count, the SOS feature on the iPhone helps users to rapidly summon help in an emergency.

By just holding down the side button and either volume button, the device can check the owner of the phone’s Medical ID or start an SOS emergency call.

Help is always available with this modest but impactful gesture, especially in difficult situations.

The SOS feature can also be triggered by quickly pressing the side button five times in a succession, however this needs the feature to be enabled in the settings.

The iPhone 14 Pro line enhances the iPhone’s powerful SOS features with satellite capabilities for scenarios when cellular connection is spotty.

When you make an SOS call, your phone notifies your approved emergency contacts of your location and the circumstances using the information you provide in the Medical ID section of the Health app.

With regard to Medical ID, users can store their emergency contacts, allergies, critical medical information, and other details in this function.

In an emergency, anyone can access this information. Even if your phone is locked, the Medical ID is still accessible for first responders’ use.

Switching off the power and more

Beyond emergency services, another important feature of the iPhone could be accessed by briefly depressing the side and volume down keys.

The menu that offers access to Medical ID and the emergency call slider is where you’ll find the power-off slider. Turning off the iPhone is done by using the designated slider.

Users may also use this screen to disable the Find My function on their phone when it is in sleep mode. Just below the power-off slider, there’s a popup to turn off Find My.

Find My Device will no longer work if the device’s setting is disabled through the power off menu; you will need to restart it and enter the passcode again to locate it.

This control layer significantly improves device security by granting users control over their location data even when their phone is off.

However, this feature is more intricate than it seems. Using the volume buttons to access the power-off menu has a security risk. The power off slider displays, briefly deactivating the Face ID and Touch ID functions.

This ensures the gadget can’t be turned off and prevents someone else from being able to forcibly access it when locked.

controls for the camera

Contemporary smartphones are renowned for their capacity to swiftly and effortlessly capture moments, with the iPhone outperforming rival flagship devices in terms of camera capability.

One of the more widely known features of smartphone camera apps is the ability to use volume controls.

While some Android devices allow users to zoom in, the primary purpose of the volume keys on the iPhone is to capture images.

Instead of fumbling with the on-screen shutter button, users may snap instant images by simply pushing the volume up or down button.

This small function mimics the feel of a traditional camera, offering a cozy, tactile experience that some users might find more acceptable.

Moreover, this feature is not limited to shooting photos. To start recording a video, you can also utilize the camera app’s volume buttons.

Because it provides users with control and stability during the process, allowing them to grasp onto the device steadily and capture dynamic footage, this function is very handy for recording video material.

A video recorder’s volume buttons are helpful for purposes other than merely starting a recording. If the iPhone’s camera app is still set up to capture images, you can use either volume button to begin a quick shot movie.

Users merely need to release the button to stop recording. You may also press and hold the volume up button to switch it to “Photo Burst” in the Settings app.

The Notes app’s document scanning feature and the Camera app both utilize the volume buttons for taking photos.

When scanning a document into the iPhone, users do not have to wait for the device to properly frame the document. As an alternative, you can snap a picture of anything that’s visible in the scanner’s viewfinder by pressing either volume button.

With enough time and work, such scans can be edited to appear as precise as what the iPhone can accomplish automatically.

Alarm mechanisms

It can be a surprising habit to turn off the alarm in the morning. Apple has given its users the chance to go back in time to a simpler time when they are trying to snooze their alarm in the morning.

You can immediately stop the alarm when it goes off by using the volume up or down button. This will spare you the trouble of looking for the on-screen button and give you some alone time while you get ready for the day. This method of using the volume controls also applies to vibrating, quiet alarms.

Using the volume buttons to snooze occasionally proves to be more convenient than reaching for the snooze or smaller dismiss button first thing in the morning.

Similar to the snooze button, the volume buttons are likewise simpler to reach in the early morning mist.

Slapping the enormous snooze button on an equally gigantic alarm clock radio combo doesn’t exactly feel the same.

Remember that you must first ensure that snoozing is enabled before using the volume buttons to snooze an alarm.

If the snooze setting is not enabled for an alarm, the volume buttons will simply refuse it. The alarm is programmed to sound again at the next specified time.

Turning off phone calls and locating my

Picture this: a quiet moment or a crucial meeting cut short by a ringing phone. It doesn’t happen very infrequently. It’s simple to periodically forget to switch off your phone or even to switch it back on by accident.

The volume buttons on your iPhone soon create a barrier between you and anyone close and the ringtone you’ve selected when you receive one of these unpleasant robocalls. In far harsher situations, you can use the power button to reject or end a call.

The ringing phone can be muffled with a single press of either volume button. Using the volume button to end an unwanted call makes sense.

Controlling Find My notifications on the iPhone also heavily relies on the volume buttons.

The iPhone uses new buttons to secure your relationships and belongings in a world where those things are vital.

The position of your second Apple device can be found by pressing either volume button quickly to quickly muffle the otherwise loud warning when something close sends out a Find My notification.

As a result, receiving notifications is more manageable.

App features

Despite Apple’s best efforts to stop it, iPhone volume buttons can be utilized as tools for other app interactions.

the inventive usage of volume buttons in non-Apple apps—a feature that is usually free from Apple’s stringent constraints despite its usability.

By using this repurposing, a number of software developers have provided users with instantaneous shortcuts or actions, providing a haptic and seamless alternative to traditional on-screen taps.

One particularly straightforward approach is to utilize a counter app that allows users to tick up or down dependent on whether they use the volume up or down button.

However, employing volume buttons in non-Apple apps is a technique that should be utilized cautiously due to Apple’s app development constraints.

Maintaining a consistent user interface and preventing hardware control abuse—which can possibly mislead users or obstruct normal interactions—are given top attention in these standards.

Apple usually forbids developers from altering the functionality of hardware buttons in their apps as a result.

While some programs are able to effectively integrate volume button functionality while adhering to Apple’s standards, these instances are still quite uncommon due to the challenges these constraints pose.

Not only can developers not modify the behavior of the volume buttons, but users are also not allowed to use the volume buttons to run commands that were developed within the Shortcuts app.

But not everyone has been deterred by that. The volume buttons on your phone can theoretically be used to create shortcuts, but doing so involves using a complicated workaround function that connects an action to the volume.

Restart with force

At some time, everyone has either attempted or heard the sage advise to simply turn their device on and off again. Using the volume buttons to force an iPhone reset is a quick and simple solution in many cases.

When the device becomes unresponsive, sluggish, or has software problems, this can function as a reset to help restore it to a better state.

Users can force a restart by simultaneously pushing and holding the side button, the volume up and down buttons, and the volume down button.

The volume buttons here can be used to reach the shut-down menu, but the iPhone can also be turned off without the need for a slider by holding down the side button.

After turning off their phone, users still need to push and hold the side button down until they see the Apple logo on the screen.

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