Wednesday, April 20, 2005

Strays part 3 Lost The animal shelter called a few days later. They wanted me to come down so they could explain the details. I arrived not quite knowing what kind of news to expect. I walked up to the front desk. “Excuse me,” I said. “I’m here about the white cat that was turned in the other day.” The same doctor as before was behind the counter waiting for me with the cat in his arms. “Just as I thought, it was nothing serious. Just a piece of glass stuck in her paw.” The white beauty jumped from his arms, onto the counter, and started nuzzling my arm. The doctor continued. “Otherwise she’s perfectly fine. Uncommonly healthy for a stray.” I scratched the cat’s ears. “Well, maybe she belongs to somebody,” I said. “We thought of that,” the doctor replied. “We looked at all the missing pet reports made within the last six months. No-one’s reported the loss of a white cat.” “So, what happens now?” “Well, the next step would be to put her up for adoption. And since you were the one who brought her in....” “Hmm.” I drove home with the newest member of our family in my passenger seat. She sat up as she watched the scenery pass by. “Aisha’s gonna flip. And Kida’s gonna love you.” I thought. “What shall we call you?” I said. “Snowball? No, way too redundant. Queen? Princess? Artimus?” I laughed at the bad Sailor Moon reference I had just made. “Maybe Aisha has some good Ctarl names for you.” The cat seemed too pre-occupied with the outside to pay any attention to me this time. As I pulled into the driveway and got out, I was bubbling with excitement just thinking about Aisha and Kida’s reactions. I opened the passenger door to welcome our new resident. But the door wasn’t even six inches open before she jumped out and ran off into the woods! “Wha... HEY! Come back!” I yelled. But it was too late. With lightning speed, the feline rouge had made her escape. Suddenly I thought, “Did this cat just play me for a patsy? Was I being played this entire time?” No way. No cat could be that smart. “Maybe she does have a family. Yeah, the doctor said she was way too healthy for a stray. I’m sure she knows the way home.” Even though I thought this, it still wasn’t enough to soothe the wound of knowing that I wasted my money on the adoption papers. That night I went to bed still gravely disappointed about my day. I didn’t tell anybody about what happened. When Aisha asked about my visit, I told her that the cat already had a home. Which I was pretty sure was the truth. How else could a stray have a clean bill of health? This was the most convincing argument in my mind. But I still didn’t feel thoroughly convinced. I tried to get to sleep but these thoughts kept whirling in my head. I got up and decided to walk off the tension. Maybe the night air would clear my head. I put on some sweat pants and my cord jacket and stepped outside. I started walking down the sidewalk as I looked up at the sky. All I could hear was the clopping of my feet and all I could see were the stars. My mind wandered as I tried to take my mind off the... “Meow!” “Kitty?” I unconsciously uttered. I looked around for a small white figure but saw nothing but blacks and blues. The call persisted. “Meow! Meow!” It was coming from the woods; the same exact spot where the cat disappeared. I slowly walked towards the noises, almost as if it were luring me like a siren’s song. I brushed branches and snapped twigs as I followed the cry deeper into the forest. Soon I came to a small clearing. The meowing was loudest here. It had been continuous from the start. But as soon as I stepped into the clearing, it stopped. My eyes darted all over, seeking movement. “Kitty!” I called. Nothing but silence. I seemed all alone in the black. Suddenly, I heard a rustle in the trees above me. I looked up and saw a shadow descend upon me and engulf me. “Huh!? What the...!?” As I fought to escape the shroud, I felt hands from behind me push me to the ground. There was no room for me to get my arms up and brace myself, and I smacked my head something fierce as I crashed into the dirt. I don’t know how long I was out, but when I came to I could definitely tell that I was moving. I could feel something binding my legs and there was pressure against my abdomen. I could also feel that I was bobbing slightly. And though disoriented and blinded by burlap, from as best as I could figure, I was facing the ground. Somebody was carrying me, over their shoulder no less. And I’m a pretty heavy guy. “Who ever this guy is, he must be pretty strong. Er? This is hardly the time to be impressed, boy. You gotta get outta here.” I was about to start struggling, when I heard a small voice in front of me, behind my porter. It sounded like a little girl. “I really wish you hadn’t done this. We were only supposed to lead him.” My carrier responded, “I know. But it’s more fun this way.” Is that....? That sounds like a woman! A third voice piped up; again, female. “I actually prefer to see them this way.” She had an accent that I couldn’t place at the time. “Hey, that’s not very nice!” the smaller voice said. The third voice let out a groan. “Let’s just get this over with. What does she want with him anyway?” She? This is getting interesting. “She didn’t say. She only told us to come and get the man who lived there,” my little advocate replied. The one carrying me said, “Did she say anything about him being alive?” I’d like to see you try it, sister! The small one once again spoke on my behalf. “You wouldn’t dare!” I rocked up and down as my porter laughed. “Chill out. I’m only kidding. This is just way too much fun!” An all female and rather eccentric trio of assassins. How lucky was I? But the more important question was ‘why me?’ I wanted to stay awake longer and listen to their conversation, but all this pressure on my head was unbearable. My injury was throbbing from the crash and all the blood rushing to my head didn’t help it at all. I finally gave in to submission and blacked out again.

Comments (2)