BELLE

My name is Belle; I am white with black spots, I guess I am what most consider a stray cat. It wasn't always like that. I once had a nice home, cozy bed and food to eat. My human thought she wanted me and when I was a kitten, we had lots of good times together. As I grew, she became less interested in me. I guess she thought I could take care of myself now that I was grown. She always kept me in the house when I was small and now, I spend all day and night outdoors, In the rain or snow, winter, summer, spring or fall it doesn't matter. I never get to sleep on my cozy bed or enjoy the taste of my favorite food anymore. I often wonder what I did to deserve this because all I ever did was give her love and companionship. Now here I am outside and having no way back in I decided it was time to move on from this place I once called home. Maybe somewhere I could find a place where I could be long and learn to love someone again.

I wander the street and back alley looking for and hoping I will find a home somewhere. A cozy bed and plenty of food to eat and someone I can love and be loved back. It has been several months now and thank goodness I survived the cold winter hidden in a small shed that had a hole big enough for me to crawl through. It was cold inside the shed but, I found an old blanket that kept me warm enough. The daytime found me hunting for food of any kind. I raided trash cans and now and then a mouse or two. I soon found that birds were too fast for me, so I left them alone. My winter in the shed was not to bad and now it is summer. I am still using the shed as my shelter until I am caught by the owner and run off.

Each day I walk the neighborhood looking for my forever home but, I have become weary of people. When someone holds out their hand, I tend to run the other way. I really don't know if I will ever let myself be loved again. My heart has been broken and just because I am a cat doesn't mean I can't be hurt. So, I will roam my domain and sleep where I may until it is time to go to a better place where I will never want for anything again. Maybe tomorrow will be the day or maybe just maybe today. For now, I will try to survive and hope that next winter my shed will just be a memory I recall as I lay on my cozy bed by a warm fire and taste my favorite food once more. I just know someone out there needs my love and companionship and is looking out their window at the same time I am looking in.





This story is based on a stray cat that walks by my house every day and every day I try my best to befriend her. The shed is my shed and I leave her food by the hole she crawls in. Someday I hope I am the one she picks to love her.