A Soviet's Struggle

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The time was currently 12:26 A.M. Xiao's mother opened her door, "Xiao-ling! Get up! Your flight leaves in 45 minutes."

The Cat moaned with the light that blasted in her face. Her eyes slowly opened up, her pupils, an Emerald-green, looked at the dark figure in the hallway.

"Now!" Her mother said.

Xiao buried her face into her pillow, "I'm up. I'm up." She muttered into the pillow, closing her eyes again. "If I come back in here and you're asleep, we are going to have issues. Up!" The door closed with a thud.

Xiao used her arms to push herself up out of bed, she looked down at the pillow, then rolled over so she sat on her butt. She sniffled, looking around the dark room. Turning her attention to her lamp, she turned it on - illuminating the small room. She rolled out of bed, her feet touching the fine carpet below.

She stood up and stretched.

Itching her side, she waddled her way to the door that was slammed shut, and slid it open. In front of her lay the moderate-sized living room, with her mother sitting in a rocking chair, eating some of the leftovers from last night. Her mother, a black cougar in her 50's, looked up at the half-awake Tabby cat. "You're up. Wonderful." Xiao responded with a nod and walked into the kitchen - about 25 feet away from her. Most of the house was dark, and Xiao figured that her father was still asleep in her parent's room. Deciding to have some of the leftover Youtiao from the previous night, Xiao grabbed the fried sticks, and placed them on a separate plate. She then grabbed the Soy Milk from her fridge and poured some in a small bowl.

She sat at her table, a round and fat table with chairs surrounding it, and ate her breakfast. Soaking the sticks in the Milk, she nibbled on them, taking sweet pleasure with how tasty the fried sticks were. Xiao's mother walked into the kitchen and placed the food she was eating back in the fridge for later. She turned and looked at her daughter, eating the meal, and rolled her eyes slightly: "Will you eat something healthy? I don't want you ending up like those Americans."

Xiao looked up and chuckled. "The Soy Milk is healthy though."

Her mother just grunted slightly. Xiao went back to eating, watching the time on the clock that hung from one of the walls in the kitchen.

30 minutes.

She already had her bag prepared, going to the airport would be easy. She was rather close-by, and with the help of her father's car, she didn't need to worry about running late. She drank the remaining Soy Milk out of the bowl and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. She got up from the chair and put the bowl into the sink. The Tabby Cat yawned as she retreated back into her room to go change her clothes.

26 minutes.

Xiao grasped onto her luggage handle, looking at her parents. Her father, who had just woken up, drowsily yawned, and her mother stepped forward. "Don't forget your particle mask, pollution is bad out there." She handed Xiao the little mask, and Xiao pressed it against her mouth, tying the ends to the back of her head. She looked up at her parents, and hugged her mother: "I'm going to miss you, mā." Xiao muttered behind her mask, burying her face into her mother's shoulder. Her mother chuckled, "It won't be for long Xiao, only 6 years. Not that long. I promise you will see us again. We aren't leaving you." Xiao began to cry softly, her father looked over at her and placed his hand onto her shoulder. "Xiao, we must go. Your flight is in 20 minutes."

Xiao looked up at him and nodded, letting go of her mother. Xiao and her father walked to the door, Xiao turning around one last time to look at her mother.

"Zàihuì." Xiao muttered softly, heading for the car.

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