Short Story - Alley Kat

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My critique group leader gives us writing prompts to help keep us putting words on the page. This one was to write from the perspective of an object.  Here's what I wrote:


My eyes once black as lumps of coal are dappled and scratched. My coat no longer soft and the fur on my belly gray with age. My whiskers droop as I rest my weary head on my paws. How long has it been since she’s held me? How long since she’s even noticed me?
Each evening as the house becomes quiet and her breathing is deep, I turn to my companions. What honorable cat would live his life beside two silly rabbits? Sadly, she’s left me no choice as I cannot go beyond the boundaries of the guest bed.


I sigh. It’s been nearly thirty years since I bounded out of that Christmas box. My heart so hopeful to have a little girl to play with I could almost feel it beat. But there was no girl with pigtails and pink ribbons, instead I looked into the face of a grownup. I was certain I would be in the garbage with the empty boxes by the next morning. For only a moment we stared into each other’s eyes before her tears splashed my face and she held me tightly.

I’ll never know who Rascal was or how I mended the broken place in her heart but I’m sure it was the reason I was created. Truth be told, it hasn’t been that long since she gave me a squeeze and even with my bad vision I can still see the love in her eyes.

And here is the actual Alley Kat that inspired the story.


Happy Trails,
Leslie


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