In Disguise

cats have nine lives right? what about humans?

""Hahaha" She laughs.

 Running through the wild grass that just nearly reaches her neck. So beautiful she is with her blue eyes, free like the wind and young like the last 16 years have hardly affected her. The sun , so bright yet the cool breeze keeps us pleasant as her summer dress flows amidst the withered flowers. I see her smiling. So content. 

Heaven...maybe I'm in heaven.

I look down at the luscious green grass when suddenly the grass starts turning grey. No, everything is turning to ash, burning without flames. Wait...I look up. 

"NO! Julie NO!"

she's turning away, her smile replaced with fear. Warmth replaced with Death.

No, I run towards her. I need to save her but why is she running away?. Everything around me is slowly deteriorating to grey waste, that's still acceptable but why is she escaping me. Me?

I slow down. No, I love her I can't do that to her. I need to save her.

"Julie STOP!!"

I can't see her suddenly. I lost her. she's gone. Why? Why? Why?   "

 

*Bam*

Suddenly I wake up. I think I hit my head really hard on my desk today...mmmm...must've been the overtime I did yesterday.

 

"Luke! Why the hell haven't you gone inside for the meeting? Look man, I know this ain't cool but we gotta lay off people dude. We don't have no money to continue this business no more otherwise, yeah?"

 

I glance upwards to find Mike seeming really upset.

 

"Oh S**t yeah!" I reply.

 

Waiving off the papers that had magically appeared on my hand. I dive towards the huge meeting room to find Mr. Davis with a bunch of former executives.

 

"Yes, sorry for being late." 

I tidy my shirt and look out the front window right opposite the smart board.

I start.

 "I understand that everybody in this room has worked their asses off for a lot of projects in our beloved company FOR pvt.limited but I'm really upset to say that..."

Suddenly I see this beautiful ginger coloured cat outside the window, with brilliant blue eyes. I think I've seen it somewhere. Wow.

 

..."Luke always do what you feel is right. Listen to your heart"....

Echoed through to me. As if I were in a trance.

 

Suddenly Mike nudges me.

I come back. I look straight ahead. The cat's gone.

Oh my god... I have to sack these people.

I start speaking "Yes, like I was saying the economy has come down terribly and we all have gone into recession"

as the words come off the tip of my tongue, those words that I heard haunt me. I see the executives faces. Half prepared for what's to come and half already in shock.  I can't do this. This isn't right.

"as a result we are planning to downsize our company, but.."

I can't say this. We can't afford it.

" I don't believe in that. We will work harder, earn better and live off of lesser salaries. But at least we'll still get bread at our tables at night. So executives, let's do this s**t and prove recession wrong!!!"

 

The executives , some gasp with shock, some laugh with tears of joy. It is rare to see such a display of emotions in my company but I feel it's a good rare.

 

suddenly Mike pulls me towards him with an extremely tight grip on my shoulder.

 

oh, I almost forgot. The consequences.

 "Luke, what the hell was that? You know we can't and what about Mr.Davis ? He ain't going nowhere without his new employees, man"

 

 "Ya, dude I know. But these people have brought us where we are today. we'd be nowhere without them and it's not like we can't handle our extremely lush lives with a lower salary for a few months."

I reply, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

 

"  okay Luke" Mike said, getting a rather sly smile on his face.

"  But what about that Davis fellow?..I'm just gonna go tell him to find some emps down some other hole, yeah?"

 

"Absolutely" I say, smiling from cheek to cheek.

 

I run to my office, grab my bag and run out. 

What was that cat today? and that strange voice? It sounded like Julie. That cat had her gorgeous blue eyes.

maybe I'm going insane. I walk towards my small apartment. Passing by roadside shops, I stop at a red light, waiting for the cars to pass.  

When suddenly I see that cat again near the side pork shop. It looks straight at me. The same blue eyes. The same ginger, and then in the blink of an eye starts off to I have no Idea where. I have to.

I go after it.

It goes through little crevices and I crawl undeterred. So beautiful it is.

It jumps over a small kennel and hides into a small blanket kept behind the dog's house.

I reach for the gingered coloured creature. It doesn't say anything so I pick it up. It's a girl. And she's rather tiny now that I've held her up close. I view and stare at her vast gorgeous as she licks my hand, purring slowly.

I gently put her between both my arms as I further enter the house that I had without much notice climbed my way into. The house is empty, huge and hardly furnished.      

 It seems like nobody lives here anymore, So I turn around and head for the neighbour's.

I ring the bell of the house next door and a lady dressed in a deep red parka, rather unappealing to the eyes, steps forward and asks me who I am.

 

"Lucas Jordan, I found this cat next door crying. Does she belong to you Miss?"

 

" Not really, actually I think her owners have abandoned her. I wonder why , She's most prettiest between her and that stinking labradoodle they had"

 

I smile looking at ginger coloured kitty in my arms. She really reminds me of Julie. I see a bruise ...

 

Julie . Her eyes reflecting light more splendidly now with the amount of tears in them. She was beaten by her parents. Abusive. And I never knew , even though all the signs I needed were infront of me. The makeup by her ribs and the bruise that was nearly as huge as my fist on her left thigh. I remember holding her to hear her cry of pain. I never once suspected it. Julie knew she wouldn't make it as she lay on the hospital bed.

 

  I snap out of my flashback as I look at the woman, seeming rather confused looking at me.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Umm..Can I take her home then?"

I ask not expecting a no.

 

And I don't receive one. As I see the lady walk away.

 I gaze into the cat's blue eyes and speak

"I'm going to call you Julie"

Author's Note

just a little something . I absolutely adore cats. Proud and loving servant to the two most beautiful Persians :') :D

Reviews

[Ashira Macy]

This was really sweet. It had its sad moments for sure, but I think the overall message was that you could still heal and move on, while remember those you have lost fondly. Really wonderfully written. =)

[TerumiF]

Thank you so much :))
yeah, I guess "lost fondly" describes it really well :')