The Camden Tales

51 - Cats and Dogs

-=₪ August 1904 ₪=-

The Meet / St Pancras / 13.34pm

Every available opportunity they could, Alf and Malka spent time together at the clearing in the woods.

Malka taught Alf how to make a daisy chain, and he showed her which berries and mushrooms were safe to eat, and which to never touch. They fed the ducks most days and found the collection of birds gathering in the area was increasing what with such regular feedings.

Alf liked that Malka asked all kinds of questions about him. She appeared to be deeply interested in him despite, he was sure, not being a very interesting person at all, but she certainly made him feel like he was. Malka, on the other hand, was very cagey. Rarely had he been able to discover much about her, or her family, she didn't even discuss her thoughts or feelings that often either. She much preferred talking about him, and she seemed to be an expert at changing the subject.

Alf had never spoken out loud so much in his entire life than he did these past few weeks. She was easy to talk with, the words came easily and flowed naturally, and the more she smiled, and the more he made her laugh, the more alive he felt.

Thanks to Malka, who often brought food with her, he had also never eaten so well, or at least so often. The most common food she would bring was hard boiled eggs, buttered bread, apples, and peaches. He looked forward to seeing her always, but he couldn't deny that he looked forward to the food as well.

As he chewed on an egg, he looked to Malka beside him as she bit into a peach. He sighed happily as juice lingered on her lips. Then, he froze and quickly swallowed his mouthful.

"Don't move." he said calmly and quietly to her, keen not to alarm Malka more than was necessary.

She obeyed so strictly that even the chewing of her peach stopped. He watched a small black beetle crawl along her shoulder and getting caught in the wool of her cardigan. He could hear his heart drumming louder and louder in his ears as he slowly raised a hand knowing he was about to touch her.

He had been looking for an excuse to touch Malka for the third time and decided not to brush the beetle off but instead catch him. Alf carefully moved her shiny black hair further away from her shoulder. She turned her head towards Alf slightly as she felt his fingertips lightly grace her back.

"What is it?" she whispered.

He shuffled closer and laid his hand gently on her shoulder, the yellow wool was soft and warm. The beetle crawled onto his hand, which Alf then presented to her.

"A beetle." she said with a sweet smile.

Alf stared at her profile as she looked at the little beetle in his palm. He could smell the half-eaten peach in her hand, he enjoyed the summer aroma. Still sitting close, he stole a moment to breath in deeply, smelling the fresh scent of her hair, he closed his eyes in pleasure.

"He's tiny." she cooed.

"Yeah." he replied dreamily.

His eyes shot open in panic as he felt her hand touch his. Paralysed he watched the beetle slowly stroll from his palm to hers. He envied that she could touch him with much greater ease than he could her. Malka then rose and left his side, leaving Alf sinking as the fresh summer scent went away.

"There, all safe." she said, placing the beetle onto the leaf of a nearby shrub.

"Alf?" she asked somewhat nervously, while still watching the beetle.