Hey, a girl named Nathalie wrote this great cat story and submitted it...it's realy good...I hope you enjoy it, I did.
I never really had the best life; what with two corrupt parents and a drug dealing teenage brother as your family, kids that would as soon punch you as they'd swat a fly as some of your only friends, and a school that was so poor, it couldn't afford to put doors on the bathroom stalls as your "safe" spot. Being just eight years old, that was a lot for me. So when I found out we were moving to Wyoming, I was dumbfounded-not exactly furious or upset- just plain dumbfounded. I didn't mind leaving this city that everyone to as the "Junkie Yard", but I hated the fact that I would have to start over right after I got into the group.
Before I knew it, I found myself perched on the rotting steps of the front porch-- head between hands, elbows leaning on my legs, a sleepy expression on my face, waiting for my parents yo come home from the bar. When they didn't return by 7:45 I started to worry. Even though they were horrible, they still knew to come home by dark. Then the sun spat out a last flicker of light before disappearing below the horizon and people started to wander the road. I decided to finally go inside, but when I tugged on the steel handle, I found that the door was locked. That's when I realized,"Oh my god, I've been abandoned." I could have filled up hundreds of books with all the thoughts that ran through my mind at that instant.
I spent a week sleeping in peoples' barns and under city doorsteps before I arrived at my used-to-be house again. My life was about to change all over again. She came to me when I had lost everything. Heidi. I saw the bushes shudder and shake. Then a distinct growl was heard above the wind. A dog, with his face in a snarl, popped his head out and then made a horrible and ferocious sounding bark that I practically jumped out of my skin. He dove back into the bushes, but when he came out the second time, there was a kitten in his mouth. He flung the kitten ten feet across the grass and burst off heading out to go scare someone else. The kitten made the most pitiful sound, I couldn't help but rush over to it and then start cradling the poor creature in my arms. I wrapped her (something I later found out) in my jacket and made a beeline across town to the vet's office
She dug her head into my arm and purred so loudly she seemed to vibrate the whole way there. I loved it.When I finally got to the small vet building, The nurse immediately took my new friend away to examine her. I was told that the kitten, Heidi I decided to call her, would have to stay there due to internal bleeding. Every single day for two months I visited Heidi and watched grow. Every single night for one month I slept outside of the building until the head veterinarian, Dr. Finegan, discovered me sleeping on the steps and decided to start asking questions about my life. I told him about what happened to me and why I slept where I did, everything. From that point, he began to act more like a father to me. Then finally, Heidi was out.
We did everything together. If I ran, she pounced alongside. If I sang, she meowed loudly too. If I lay down, she would roll over and show her belly. Heidi was my first true friend. One day, me and my fluffy striped cat were passing the vet's office, when Dr. Finegan clattered through the door and asked if I would like to be his daughter. It was so sudden, but I said yes right away; I was going to have a family. For once, I was having good luck.
That night as I settled down to sleep in a warm bed, Heidi crawled onto the pillow, stretched for forever and then plopped right over my eyes. when I shooed her off, she burst under the covers and decided to go up my shirt. Boy! Was that a funny sight to see! Then after she ran out through my neck hole, she started kneading on top of my stomach. It was painful! Finally she lay down on my chest and watched me as I dozed. That was actually one of the best nights of my life.
Years passed and the man I had once called Doctor was then the man I called Daddy. As I got older, my bond with Heidi got stronger. She still followed me everywhere, she still purred as loudly as she did a kitten, and she still played the little game of "Where Is Sleeping Place?" with me every night. But now, she did more. If I called someone, my striped fluff ball would stick her paw into the baby phone dial and start turning it too. If I wanted to go out with my friends, she would shove her way between us, making sure no one touched the other. She was also a strange cat. If I ever went swimming, guess what she would do, jump into the water and start gracefully swimming around me. Cats are supposed to hate water! I think what she did was hilarious. On day, I came home from school, when I went inside the house, no one was there. That was apparently the day my "father" was shot and killed at a gas station.
Heidi and I were sent to an orphanage that week. I wouldn't talk, eat, or smile for the months that followed. The only thing that kept me going was her. She gave me a purpose; I knew Heidi depended on me, if I stopped trying, she would quit being the fun, adventurous, wonderful cat she was, and seemingly die too. You could say I was truly in a bout of depression that was hard to snap out from. He was the only person that had ever cared for me, and then, poof, he's gone. I was angry at him for leaving me, sad that I no longer had a home, mournful of my loss, and furious that almost every kid had the things I treasured. there was nothing to be cheerful about, other than I received food, shelter, and had a cat. then a grungy old bum-like man walked into St. Maria's Orphanage. I was honestly afraid of the guy and I desperately hoped that he wasn't there for a child. But then, he started to survey every one of the children. When he got to me and Heidi, the man stopped. He made a disgusting attempt at a smile and almost sneered, "This one". I was terrified. Harry, I later found out his name was, filled out the papers and packed Heidi and me into the back of his smelly car.
He lived on a farm, and put me to work every day from dusk to dawn hoeing the way they did 100 years ago. Heidi was used as a mouse finder and a garden plow. The crazy old coot attached a miniature plow to Heidi and forced her to run around in the penned off garden. I slept in a cot and ate porridge for every meal. I remember thinking," God, this guy's gotta get out more!" Heidi and I both hated living with him. She began looking malnourished and was nowhere near as active as she had once been. Harry wrote in a notebook every day and when I asked him about it, all the guy would say is, "Plans! Now leave!". He didn't have a phone, so I couldn't call for someone to help me. I strongly believe that Harry hated me.
Then, during the night I could smell smoke and saw shadows dancing on my wall. I ran to my window trying to catch a glimpse at was causing it. Heidi was already on my windowsill. That's when I saw it, the man was dousing the fields and buildings with gasoline and setting them aflame. Fear surged through me. I did something idiotic... jumped out the window with Heidi in my arms. He saw us and began insanely running toward me. When he caught up, Harry snatched Heidi from my arms. He was mumbling stuff to her, only loudly enough for Heidi to hear. Then he turned to me and said," You've enjoyed too much. You have had friends, a home, and a father. None of which I ever had. When I took you into my own caring arms, you resented me and my house. now you must pay."
I remember watching him squirt gasoline all over Heidi. I was shrieking and crying, " Oh my God, no! No! Stop it! Please stop! What are you going to do to her? No!" I remember her cry as he threw her into the flames. I collapsed. Now I knew that I had no reason to live and so I jumped into the flames myself. I remember watching the fire climb up my leg like a vine. It seemed painless. I saw one last bit of orange light before everything went black. When I awoke, I was inside an ambulance.
I hope you liked it...if you want to leave any comments for Nathalie, I will pass them on to her...:-)
No comments:
Post a Comment