STORIES

"stay here, kitty"
the young girl gently told the small tabby cat
Jodie's father had told her that a storm was coming
"the worst of the season"
he had said
she was worried that her cat would get lost or hurt
if it went outside
and she hoped to protect it
Jodie was called by her mother to eat dinner
so she tucked the cat in at its window-seat
with a small doll quilt
and blew it a kiss as she rushed out of the room
the tabby cat purred in satisfaction for a moment
then leapt out of the window
without any hesitation
the tabby cat didn't believe the little girl
because of the rays of sunlight peeking
through the dark clouds
the cat walked its usual route
through the courtyard garden
and jumped up on the wooden fence
then into the woods bordering the house
the cat raced through the woods towards
the pond on the other side of the hill
anxious to chase the butterflies
and tease the frogs in the marshy field near the water
it was darker beneath the trees
and a wind was beginning to howl
nearly causing the fur on the cat's back to spike
chills ran through its small body
and it started to long for the warmth of home
and the soft touch of Jodie's hugs
it started to think of warm milk
and blankets fresh from the dryer
and relaxing nights by the old stone fireplace in the parlor
it was night now
in the woods at least
so it would be no fun at the pond
especially since a cold rain
was starting to drip through the tree boughs high above
the cat decided to turn around
and start home
knowing it wasn't too far
and longing for the cozy safety it promised
but . . .
which way was home?
the cat turned
and turned
and sniffed
and sniffed
but all it could smell
was "storm"
and all that could be seen
was darkness
and leafy branch shadows upon the ground
at its paws
thunder rumbled
and lightning struck
dividing the sky in two
the tabby cat was drenched down to the skin now
shivering from the cold and terrible fear
its heart beat wildly
as a branch broke off and fell with a crash
but a few feet away
from where the cat stood
stuck in place
by fright
where was home?
where was Jodie?
would Jodie or her father come looking for her cat?
why was it so dark now?
everything was black
and thick with rain
broken only by the
loud
piercing
wind
the tabby looked for shelter
but found none
how the little cat longed to see light
and feel the warmth
of the daytime sun!
it remembered the porch in the summertime
and the sweet, sleepy smell of jasmine flowers
it remembered how Jodie used to read
with her mother at night
and the softness of the chenille bedspread
where it napped until bedtime
it tried to remember the scents of fall
and the changing colors of the Autumn leaves . . .
but the memories were all growing faint and fading away
and it was starting to feel as if this night
was all that there had ever been
and the cat began to wearily wonder
if it would somehow
last
forever
and never end
would help come?


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