October Blog Chain: Ends and Beginnings

Well I’m up, #10 on this month AW Blogchain. The theme is Fall, the challenge write anything related to the season. Freshhell wrote about the transition from Summer to Fall. I decided to write a short story set in the Fall. I hope that you like it and after you’re done please cruise by aimelane’s place for more Autumn goodies.

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He sat by the window watching the last of the leaves fall to the ground. A smile came to his lips as Millie’s growls reached his ears.

“Give that silly cow a good thrashing Millie!”

The dog looked up at him with large dark eyes that peaked from a face full of golden fur. She barked once, which startled Milo, his tux tom, from the top perch of the scratching post. Lilly, the second cat of the house and its undisputed master, gave Milo a contemptuous glance and curled back to sleep.

Happiness for a dog means nothing to a cat, except annoyance.

He went back to the sight beyond the window pane. He was not a fan of Fall, because it meant Winter was soon to follow. At least it was Fall in the Midlands and not in London. The last series was over which meant he had time to escape the City. As luck would have it he found the perfect place. A modest, two floor home isolated from any neighbors. His only company were his pets, his music and the occasional deer that wondered over from the National Forest.

However, the isolation reinforced the sense of…deadness. For someone like him, who grew up surrounded by tropical evergreen and the sound of tree frogs at night the silence, while welcomed, could at times be maddening.

Well, at least I bought those plane tickets early. I would hate to get stranded in Heathrow at the last moment.

“MEOOOWWW!”

Lilly and Milo started at each other and then back at him. Millie spat out her toy and ran for the kitchen.

“MEOOOWWW!”

A pair of bright blue eyes greeted him when he opened the door. The cat skewed its head to one side and walked in. He grabbed Millie by the collar just in time, but the spaniel showed more curiosity than excitement. The other cats hanged back peeking from the kitchen door. The newcomer walked to the middle of the kitchen floor and laid down. Cautiously he approached the cat, but it responded with soft mewing and purring to his touch. Then he ran his hand across the extended belly.

Well, what do you know, it is a she!  And she is pregnant.

He looked at the clock on the stove. Too late to take her to the local vet or the shelter.

“You came in looking for someplace to give birth?”

“Meow!”

He knew cats were smart but never heard about a case like this. Despite the thick coat of fur she felt lean underneath.

“No collar or tags either.”

She didn’t budge from her resting place while he got some old blankets and food. Millie stayed close to him while the others kept their distance. Instinct told them not to mess with a mama cat. She hardly ate. An hour later the contractions began. After many hours five kittens shared the pile of rags that made up their makeshift bed. She clean them with her tongue as they nursed. Then she looked at him with those piercing pale blue eyes.

“Meeeooow!”

The kittens finally went to sleep. He stroked her head. Her breathing slowed down until it stopped. He checked for signs of life in her eyes, but she had given her last breath. Salty tears ran down his cheeks.

“You came here to die.”

At that moment Lily and Millie came over and started licking the kittens. Milo sat on his lap.  The next morning he called the vet and got the supplies he needed to take care of the newborns. His final act of the day after feeding them was to bury their mother. He stood over the mound.

You knew your time was near. You came to me so I could take care of them.

Tiny cries drifted in the wind. They were his responsibility now. The holidays would have to wait.

——

Well there you have it. Kind of sad, like Fall, but with a hint of hope.

Check out the rest of the October Blogchain below:

PARTICIPANTS
1. Lost Wanderer – http://www.lostwanderer5.blogspot.com
2. Claire Crossdale – http://theromanticqueryletter.blogspot.com/
3. Angela 785 – http://thebookshelfmuse.blogspot.com/
4. Ravencorinncarluk – http://ravencorinncarluk.blogspot.com
5. Angyl78 – http://jelyzabeth.wordpress.com/
6. shethinkstoomuch – http://shethinkstoomuch.wordpress.com
7. trulyana – http://expressiveworld.com
8. Bsolah – http://benjaminsolah.com/blog
9. freshhell – http://freshhell.wordpress.com
10. Ralph Pines – https://ralfast.wordpress.com/
11. aimeelaine – http://www.aimeelaine.com/
12. HigherEdUnderground – http://higheredunderground.com/
13. Cath – http://blog.cathsmith.net
14. DavidZahir – http://zahirblue.blogspot.com/