Seizing Freedom

Mike

After school on Wednesday I stop at the gas station on the corner to get fuel and grab some milk. If Ty plans on having cereal tonight were going to need some.

When I get home and walk up to the steps while trying to separate my house key something darts across the sidewalk in front of me almost making me trip over my own feet.

"Jesus!" I mutter trying to regain my balance.

I look over to the side of our front steps and see two yellow eyes peering out at me from the small shrub.

"Where the hell did you come from?" I ask the little furball in the bush kneeling down to get a better look.

It was cautious but poked its head out enough that I could make out the small shape of a little grey striped cat.

"Your pretty tiny, do you live around here?" I ask as if the thing could answer me holding my hand out to it.

It took a step forward and looked at my hand then back up at me. It had tiny little ears that seemed too small for its head which it held at a tilt like it had a kinked neck.

I didn't see a collar on it but figured that didn't mean anything.

After scooping up the small cat I went into the house and put the milk away before going to a couple of the houses on the street to see if anyone knew who's cat it was.

Surprisingly the little thing never tried to jump out of my arms or get away, just say there and purred while I carried it around trying to find its home. When I got back to the house still unsure what to do with this thing our next door neighbor was just getting home from work.

"Hey, is this your cat?" I asked the man as he stepped out of his car.

"Nope, it's been hanging around for a while though." he says looking at the tiny thing in my arms.

"Do you know if it lives around here?"

"I'm sure it lives somewhere around here but I doubt it belongs to anyone. There's a lot of strays running around. It used to be really bad a couple years ago, they've gotten most of them under control now but there's still the odd one here and there." he shrugs and walks towards his house.

"Well shit." I mutter and turn back to the house. I don't really want to leave it outside, its so small and could get hit by a car running around.

Tyler's going to kill me.

Sighing I take the little cat into the house and put it down.

"Guess your staying here till I can figure out what to do with you." I say scratching my head and grabbing my keys again.

I'm going to need a few things if its going to be here for the night. I can take it to the SPCA on my way to school in the morning, its just down the street.