Memories of the Suburb’s Alleyway
I’m soaking.
I’m soaking wet.
My white coat is not even white anymore. It’s mostly gray as I tumbled upon in the road.
The road of smoking, busy streets full of vehicles.
The road that most could be a threat. The road that would make you want to stay home and not to go elsewhere especially in this peak of an hour.
And yet here I am, in a rainy night, exploring through its wonders.
What else I can do? I’m homeless from now on.
I mean, I started as a homeless cat before.
But…
But this is not what I am expected to be near my end days. I already forgot how to live this way.
Yet, I have no choice. I guess I need to teach myself how again.
However, I would still not stop finding a temporary shelter.
Even only for this night somehow.
But everywhere I look, I can only see mud puddles that for every car wheels rolling in there, it splats out all in me.
Everywhere is wet. And even the rain is now getting light, it is not a thing to be relaxed, especially for me that is still looking for a shelter.
As I look into the other side of the highway, I saw a building with a very bright sign that really attracts me.
It says it’s a motel.
Well, I guess I could take a look for this.
As I ran across through the motel, I saw a waiting shed with long benches for its visitors.
I quietly sneak to one of its spot, then jumped on it.
Ahhhh…
Finally a comfortable place to stay for a cold, rainy night. Not as comfortable when I have a home but this could do.
As I fell into a deep sleep, I was awaken by a bang.
“Shoo! Get away here you dirty creature! Shoo!”
A middle-aged woman, I guess the owner of this motel, is chasing me with her big plank of wood.
“You’re making my benches dirty! That’s for my customers! Shoo! Get away!”
I ran as fast as I can. I don’t want to endure another pain from her aggressive actions towards me.
I need to find another shelter I guess.
I then found an alleyway.
An alleyway.
This is exactly the spot where she found and rescued me.
“Don’t worry Shabina. I got you now little one. Please don’t be afraid anymore.”
“I won’t leave you Shabina, you would live with me from now on.”
That day, she gave me assurance.
An assurance that she will always take care of me.
She’s the one that made me well-groom, healthy, comfortable.
She gave me the assurance that she will be my forever home.
But going back into my former “house”, it shows that I only had a false hope within me all along.
And I hate myself for believing it that way, at the same time not giving my best to keep that true.
Somehow.
I don’t want to go back in here once again. I remembered those times of being a stray, a scavenger.
It was literally a survival of the fittest, chasing with other cats, or much worse, big pack of dogs.
Gladly, I can’t see any threat.
For now.
I guess this could do in my situation. It would only be for this night.
I hope.
Perhaps, I missed sleeping with trash cans and boxes.
Ahhh… my old life.
Far away from the suburbs. Far away from my soft bed, toys, and foods.
Just here in a little corner, with boxes as my pillow, cans as my toy, and random rubbish in the trash can as my food.
The rain stopped, and this could be the sign that my adventure for today stops here for a while. A good night for now.
I woke up suddenly in the middle of the night with a loud growl.
I look up for any source but I can’t find any.
Except… at my back.
I see 2 big dogs. They are as dirty as me.
But what scares me most are their red eyes, saliva flowing into their mouth.
And here is what I fear…
I am ready to run, to ditch them out.
As I launch myself to jump, one caught me at my feet.
While the other one bit me at my neck.
I screech in pain.
They continue biting me in other parts. I’m bleeding. Blood runs everywhere out on me.
But I keep fighting.
Finally, I escaped from their very sharp fangs.
Now I’m free, I would run as fast as I ca-
As I attempt to cross the streets, a very bright light shocked me.
Then, a big wheel crushed onto me.
As I breath heavily, everything came back at me.
That I’m just an old cat, pests with many diseases.
What could people expect from a dying cat?
I am not enough anymore for Dorothy to be happy. I could only put her life into risk.
I know she got a pet now. A kitten just like me before, but cleaner and more beautiful. A heathy and cute companion they could get along.
And I hope wherever they are, I hope the new pal will not lack on to them. Will not lack for the moment that they will dump them out.
But I’ll always be happy Dorothy, forever be thankful for everything.
I do love you until my last breath.
And it was all black.
Note from Heathcliff Phoenix:
Please, whatever happens, do not abandon your pet animals outside, especially during harsh weather. If you have space, please let them in even temporarily while the rain pours heavily. Just like us, they could also have anxiety and diseases resulting from its trauma.
