Small Packages

Published in My Legacy, Issue #23, April 1998



"But mommy, I don't wanna go home. I wanna play." Tracy whined.

Her mommy started packing the food away into the basket. "Tracy, it's getting late. We need to get home before dark."

Tracy stomped her foot. "But I don't wanna go."

"Tracy, don't yell at your mother. It is time to leave and that's that." Daddy came over to help Mommy pack up. Tracy plopped down, pulling grass out by the handfuls. She didn't want to go. She was having too much fun.

Behind the slide, an orange tabby watched them. The smell of food wafted in the wind. Hunger gnawed at him, intensifying with every whiff. Maybe he could sneak something away when they weren't looking.

Tracy's mom walked over and sat next to her on the grass. "Honey, I know you want to stay, but it's getting dark. Besides, we'll come back again."

Tracy's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Her father came over and crouched down next to her. "Yes, really."

The cat saw his chance. Food lay on the ground with no one around. The cat ran towards it and before anyone could stop him, grabbed a sandwich in his mouth and ran off into the bushes.

"What the...." Her father caught himself before finishing.

"Carl, what was that?" Her mother glanced around. She sounded frightened.

"It was a cat, Helen. Just a cat." Carl tried to played it down. Helen's fear of cats overwhelmed her. "It must have been really hungry to come this close to us."

Helen stood up and started packing. She threw the food in the basket. Carl watched her, knowing he wouldn't be able to calm her down.

Helen's hands shook. It got so close to her little girl. She needed to get going, away from this one.

Carl helped Tracy to her feet. "Let's help mommy finish packing up."

"Okay, Daddy." Tracy followed him to the blanket and helped him fold it. Or at least tried to. All the while she kept looking for the cat. She had wanted one for so long. Maybe she could have this one.

With the basket packed and everything gathered, they started towards the car. Tracy saw the cat behind her and slowed down so it could keep up. She kept an eye on the cat as it hid in the bushes, using them as shields.

The cat followed the little girl across the school grounds. To him, she was a warm house, good food and love.

"Tracy, hurry up." Helen turned towards her daughter. Tracy lagged behind, slowing with every step. "If you're not careful, you'll get lost."

Carl leaned closer to his wife. "You know you shouldn't tell her things like that," he whispered.

"Well it's true, isn't it?"

"No, it isn't Helen. We're right here. She's in plain sight. She isn't going to get 'lost' as you put it. Besides, where would she go?" He stood there with a smug grin on his face.

"You think you're so smart, don't you Carl?" Helen tried to slap him.

He dodged her hand and patted her on the backside. "I don't think, hon, I know." Helen dissolved into laughter, sticking her tongue out.

Tracy giggled. The cat rubbed his face against her bare legs, his whiskers tickling more with every pass. Tracy reached down, pushing the cat back a little. "Stop that, it tickles." The cat stepped back and sat down, his eyes wide. That made Tracy laugh harder.

Behind the building, a man watched the events unfold. A perfect child. Blond hair, fair skin, just the way he liked them. Now to get her away from her parents.

The cat saw the man watching the little girl. He smelled wrong, like danger. A smell the cat knew very well. The cat needed to get the little girl moving towards her parents, away from the bad smelling man. He started to push and rub the back of her legs with his body, trying to get her to move forward. This only made her laugh harder.

Tracy's laughter stopped her parents. Helen spotted the cat first. Her heart leap into her throat. The filthy creature rubbed its body against her little girl. Any moment it would attack, clawing and biting her precious baby. It's ragged coat, tangled and matted with clumps of dirt, hung on it's thin frame. God only knew what horrible diseases it had. "Carl, get that nasty looking thing away from Tracy." Her voice quivered with fear.

Carl started to tell Helen not to worry, till he took a good look at the cat. "Shoo cat, shoo." He waved his hands at the cat. "Scat." At first it didn't move. Then it bolted, running back towards the building.

Huge tears welled up in Tracy's eyes. "No, Daddy! Don't make the kitty leave." The cat ran behind the building. "No, don't go kitty." Tracy started running after it, going behind the building.

"Tracy, come back here right now. Do you hear me?" Helen screamed after her. Tracy ran around the corner of the buildings and vanished from their sight. Helen and Carl took off after her.

The man saw the little girl run off. What a stroke of luck. He walked quickly to the other end of the building. The cat ran past first, then the little girl. When she passed the corner he grabbed her, covering her mouth with his hand. Picking her up, he stepped back into a doorway. She started to struggle, trying to get away. He held her tight against him, getting as far into the doorway as possible. Just in time. Her parents ran right past them, calling her name. The man waited. Their voices grew faint and he glanced around the corner. All clear. This worked better than he hoped.

The little girl struggled more and the man had to tighten his grip or lose her. As quickly as he dared he started towards his car. He could hear her parents voices getting closer. They started backtracking, trying to find her. He needed to hurry, couldn't get caught now. At the opening to the parking lot, the cat blocked his path. Its ears folded against its head as it hissed at him.

The man stopped just short of the opening. "Get out of my way." Anger mixed with fear. Any moment all could be lost. The cat continued to stand in front of him. The cat's defiance angered the man and he took a step forward, kicking at it. The cat jumped agilely to one side. The man turned to kick the cat again, then stopped. This is my chance, he thought. He moved past the cat.

Suddenly the cat leapt up, latching itself firmly on the back of the man's neck. Hissing echoed through the hallway. He took his hand off the girl's mouth, trying to get the cat off his back. She wailed. He needed to get moving before they found him. He twisted his shoulders back and forth trying to dislodge the cat, almost dropped the girl in the process. The cat dug its claws deeper into his neck, an unearthly howl pounding in his ear.

From behind he heard a voice, low and threatening. "Put my daughter down." Turning around the man saw her father halfway down the corridor.

Carl ran towards the man. The man dropped Tracy, trying to run. Carl lunged, knocking the man to the ground. Helen caught up, called to Tracy, who ran to her mothers open arms. As Carl struggled with the man, other people came running. Several men helped Carl hold the man down. All the while, the cat stayed firmly attached to the man's back.

"Get it off of me." He screamed and squirmed. The cat seemed to have no intentions of letting go. Carl tried to pull it off, but this only made the man yell louder. Tracy walked over. She reached down and touched the cat. It released its claws, purring loudly. Tracy picked it up, cradling it gently in her arms and walked back to her mother. They waited together until the police arrived.

After the police left, Carl walked over to his wife and daughter. Tracy hugged and kissed the cat. "You're such a brave kitty, yes you are." The cat purred its response. When Carl reached down to pet the cat, it looked up at Carl and meowed as if to say, 'See I'm not as bad as you thought.'

"Can I keep him daddy? He's such a brave kitty. Pease?" Tracy looked up at her father, her eyes wide and hopeful. Carl glanced at Helen. She nodded her approval, petting the cat at the same time. She still looked apprehensive, but not scared. That was a start.

Carl smiled. "Yes, Tracy. You can keep him. First, he's going to need a bath."

Tracy hugged the cat, smiling. "You're coming home with me." The cat meowed, rubbing his head against her chin.

Later that night, after Tracy went to bed, her parents checked in on her. Tracy was asleep, her hand resting gently on the cat's head. Its purr drifted throughout the room.

Carl turned to Helen, smiling. "Well I guess the old saying is true."

"Which one is that?" Helen gazed at her daughter. The cat looked up at them, its eyes dancing with happiness.

"Good things come in small packages."