courtesy:pinterest.com
STORYTIME BLOG HOPE - JULY 27TH, 2016
THE
DAY THE CAT GOT OUT
INTRO
*This
is part of my “Nebraska Creepers” serial novel I've been working
on. I want it to be able to work as a stand-alone, or be able to be
read in one sitting. This is just an amusing little incident that
occurred circa 2014 – 2016. People in later years, weren't rightly
sure, because some didn't want to admit what they had seen and others
claimed that they had not only been there, but had front-and-center
seats; so many in fact, that, like Bob Seeger, who grew up in Ann
Arbor, and shared his gym locker with 428,742 claimants, the number
of people approached nearly the sum total of half of New-New Tampa,
or roughly 578,943. It absolutely beggared belief.
I
Since his retirement, Paco had spent
the sunnier and cooler part of the spring and late fall playing
dominos in the old Brorein Park on the now-defunct part of Nebraska
Avenue. Since the last and final election and Presidency of the
United States, and ensuing Civil War, personal vehicles were banned,
and public transportation was limited, although Paco didn't have
anything to complain about. He enjoyed his time at the park, and
loved talking to the younger folks who came to watch the Domino games
and kibbitz. Public schooling was no longer a thing, but it really
didn't seem to affect the kids; most are by nature, curious and enjoy
learning. The time had come in which the social fabric had pretty
much broken down completely, and frankly, Paco and his contemporaries
felt the world was better off for it. Reliance on one another proved
not to be such a bad thing, so, when the kids were around and asking
questions about the math of Dominos, or begging for stories from the
“before the War” times, Paco and his pals were happy to engage
with them.
The
one story they seemed to want to always hear about that had reached
some legend or mythic status, was the one, everyone called “The Day
the Cat Got Out”, but no one who actually was there, was really
certain about what it was they had seen. Perhaps this was part of the
fun and mystery of it all. It always led to a certain amount of
speculation and stories that became whoppers. Such are all myths and
legends started; albeit with a trace of truth at the heart of it.
II
The
facts are these: one late night in October, not too long before
Halloween, a woman, who had been living quietly on her own, with her
aged cat, suddenly, burst out of her house, clad in black, like a
Ninja Warrior, with the exception of wearing a tail and something
that looked suspiciously like cat ears and whiskers, for a mask, and
ran up the middle of her street, at oh say, around 1 a.m. It was
surmised that she did so, because she didn't want to be observed.
However, dis was da 'hood, and 1 a.m. may as well have been noon. As
she ran down the street, her spine began to elongate, as did her
heels on the backs and the claws on the front of her feet. She then began to
run on all fours, and gained terrific speed. Startled neighbors and the local ne'er do wells, began to chase the creature, who didn't really seem
to be going anywhere in particular.
Shouts
of “It's a panther! A shape-shifter! I'ma shoot it!” were
heard. The first round of gunfire was heard and the big cat took a
quick veer to the right, a pack of people running right behind it.
The big cat took a huge leap to try and jump upon a roof to get away
from all of the activity and the gunfire, but missed by a foot and
slid all the way down the side of the house, and left gouges in the side of the house in its
wake.
Desperate,
the cat attempted another leap from a sitting position and it's
powerful leg muscles made the leap gracefully and nailed a solid landing on the
roof. It turned around and sat, facing her adversaries, glowering.
Said adversaries, now quiet, looked back. The cat lowered her head, looked at them
furiously, and with a surprisingly orotund growl said “You idiots, I am your Super Hero! Knock it off
with trying to kill me! This is my Trial Period on the Suit. If it
doesn't work, I need to get a new one made! If ya put a hole in it, it invalidates the warranty!”
The
cat then turned and ran gracefully off over the rooftops and
disappeared. She was never seen again that obviously, but there were
glimpses, and there was a noticeable drop in the high crime rate
around the area.
III
This
was the tale that Paco always tried to tell the kids, but over
the years, (nearly forty of them!) the tale had transmogrified and
become something epic, akin to something Thor-like coming down from
the Heavens and single-handedly cleaning up the 'hood.
Paco
would always shake his head and say, “No, it weren't like that,
guys. She was a real flesh-and-blood human being who found out a way
to use a bunch of techno Voo Doo to help her. She just a person, like
you and me.”
One
of the kids said, “I bet she was a alien! Or a ghost! Mebbe a
shape-shifter!” Paco just shook his head. “Naw, man, she was a
real person. I knew her. She bought her milk at my store. Did laundry
right next to me at the Laundromat.”
The
kids would look downcast and Paco would always relent; “well, maybe
she did have a way about her. Who knows? There are more things
unknown and unseen, here on heaven and earth. Sometimes, I still see
her, sittin' watch on the roof... You could be right, although that
would make her the most agile 110 year old I ever saw!”
This
always made the kids happy for some reason, and really, why bust a
kid's harmless dreams?
courtesy:pinterest.com
AUTHORS AND STORIES
Karen Lynn Dragon Smoke and Wind
Katharina Gerlach Lobster One S. R. Olson Malakai's Gift Wendy Smyer Yu Into The Light Emily Plesner Time Stops When I'm With You
Barbara Lund Separate Space Shana Blueming A Melting Heart Juneta Key Don't Drink The Water Angela Wooldridge Midwinter
Lee Lowery All Aboard Elizabeth McCleary OverWhelmed
