Changed

Chapter (2)

Chapter Two

“Striker! Here boy!” I yell for about the fifth time. I get onto all fours, not caring that there’s snow and look under a bench that is littered with the same snow that covers the ground; though the bench’s snow is white and clean and sigh as I have no luck. Where is he?

      Again, I call for him but a part of me is thinking about how stupid this is. He’s a cat; he’s not going to come when his name is called! And how do I even know if he’s still here? Or if someone took him home? Or even worse, if he got hit by a car.

      I shake my head sharply. No, don’t think like that, he probably climbed up a tree to get out of the snow and got stuck. As soon as I think that I stand up and look at the trees but a bad feeling forms in the pit of my stomach. He’s a small black kitten in a darkened tree and though there are lamp posts most of them are burnt out which leads me to another feeling. Fear.

      It’s not smart to be outside at night in this neighbourhood, it’s dangerous. Anyone can be out here, anyone but I don’t care. I need to find my cat. Shadows are covering almost the whole road and some places there are shadows within shadows and its deceiving.

      I jump when something hits the side of a building, and pause, though most of me wants to bolt forwards and get into light. It was probably just a sign hitting a store, it is pretty windy but it was too quiet to be a sign. Curiosity getting the best of me I take hesitant steps towards where I heard the sound but whip around backwards when I get the feeling someone is walking behind me. I squint into the darkness and swear I see the outline of a man but when I continue to look I convince myself nothing is there.

      Turning back around, I continue my walk towards the sound, hoping that it’s my cat but the large darkened shadow says otherwise. As I get closer the shadow starts to move and I hear a small meow.         

      “Striker!” I screech while rushing forwards but instead of grabbing a cat someone grabs me and holds my cat in front of my face. I scream and kick my feet out but he’s too strong; he puts his arm around my neck and my nails claw at him, trying to break free.

      “Stop it!” He whispers in my ear, “If you want your kitten to live, stop it.”

      I freeze. I can’t let my kitten die; he means the world to me. My breathing becomes fast and forced as panic sets in. “W-what do you want?”

      He starts to walk forwards, my kitten still in his hand and I want to cry. He’s meowing so loud and it sounds like he’s in pain; I think he’s hurt. “Shut up and don’t resist.”

      I feel a tear slide down my cheek. Will anyone even notice i’m gone? Will they even care? It’s not like mom will notice, she doesn’t even notice if she’s dressed or not, and my brothers...well, Matthew and Tom won’t care; just one less mouth to feed but Sam might care but by the time he gets home I’ll be long gone and there will be nothing he could do about it. Do I really want my life to end like this?