Writing for Fun
September 2015
Cali - Jan Osborne
Week 1
I awoke sightless into my world of silence. Instinctively I wriggled and squirmed my way, using touch and smell to the life giving mound of smooth, soft flesh within the long, silky fur. Sucking greedily I gulped down the warm liquid, until exhausted and full to repletion, I drifted down into the sweet oblivion of dreamless sleep.
Week 2
Newly opened eyes struggled to follow fuzzy images of my furry litter-mates who were competing with me for the essentials of life: mother's milk, her love and her attention.
Week 3
My ears gradually began to pick up sounds and I heard myself purr for the very first time.
Week 4
Wobbly walks around the soft cocoon of our bed. Learning to climb the mother mountain and tumble with my siblings.
Week 5
Now one of five energetic balls of fur I delighted in tumbling, fighting and exploring this wonderful world. As we clawed and scrambled our way up and over the sheer sides of our bed our ever vigilant mother would catch us by the scruff of the neck and haul us back to safety.
Then the smooth pink giants played with us, which was exciting and I yearned to explore the wider world that I had glimpsed when with them. I also learned to recognise the name given to me: Cali, the only calico kitten. All my siblings were black and white.
Week 6
It was a particularly hot summer's day and my litter-mates and mother were fast asleep. The door to the big outside had been left open for air and the irrepressible urge to find out what lay beyond spurred me into action.
Looking around I delicately sniffed the air. Good, no pink beings around; the coast was clear. My sharp claws found purchase on the sides of our bed and I clawed my way over the rim and sprang to the ground. I was across the floor in a trice and soon on the threshold to an alien world.
Strange smells, sights and sounds assailed my senses and I crouched down ready to spring into the unknown but a sudden wave of fear made me hesitate. Then my swivelling ears caught the soft shirring sounds of the breeze dancing through the tall grasses and flowers beyond. My eyes grew huge with wonder at this sea of brightly coloured jewels dancing before me and, throwing caution to the wind, I jumped down the step and, misjudging the distance, landed awkwardly causing me to roll into the green forest of stems. Sneezing violently I stood up and, shaking the offending earth from my patchwork fur, pushed my way forward through the leaves.
My whiskers worked overtime and I trembled with the effort to assimilate all the new sensations and experiences threatening to overpower my senses.
Something brushed my ear and I mewled in terror as I leapt sideways in a desperate attempt to avoid this new disaster. Dangling inches from my nose was a huge black ball like creature with long thin legs suspended from a thread from a leaf. What in creation was this?
Its delicate limbs vibrated the thread with tiny agitations and multiple eyes locked onto mine. Horrified I feverishly backed away only to step onto something soft and squidgy. Now really freaked out I twisted sideways and ran for my life. Suddenly I burst into a sunny clearing and the ground beneath my feet changed to hard and crunchy.
Mewing disconsolately and wishing I was back with my mum I hesitantly peered around to see what fresh horrors lay in wait for me. Seeing nothing I cautiously I took two steps forward when it happened.
A huge shadow loomed over me. The silent stalker had come from behind. In abject terror I dropped to the ground, an indistinctive reaction to make myself smaller and show subservience. I squeezed my eyes shut and my heart nearly stopped as warm breath fanned my neck.
A soft growl made me go limp with relief. Mum . . . it was mum! Gently her jaws clamped onto the scruff of my neck and I felt myself airborne. Safe at last. The purrs I made for her were the loudest yet.
