Haunting - Romantic Friday Writers Challenge No. 25 - 28th of October 2011

Welcome to the Romantic Friday Writing Challenge, started and hosted by L'Aussie Denise and Francine Howarth, where participants share their own 300-400-word text on a given theme. This week's theme for Friday, 21st October, Challenge No. 25, is 'Haunting'. My text is written directly for this REW-challenge.

Here is my text :
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Haunting

It was a dark and stormy night and Drucilla thought she was alone in the farm-kitchen. Thunder and lightning made Drucilla nervous. With ears geared to hearing the soft heartbeat of tiny rodents, Drucilla didn't like loud noises. The two-leggeds had taken off for some unknown destination, to which Drucilla was not invited.

It started to rain heavily, as Drucilla was having her evening meal in the in a corner of the kitchen. It was dark, but she had good night vision. As she looked across the kitchen floor, she thought she spied a pair of eyes; shining, glowing cat's eyes suspended in the air. She looked away and slowly closed her eyes. If I ignore it, it might go away, she thought as she went to sit in her basket. She curled her tail around her body and only opened one eye, ever so slightly, as to not reveal her interest in the vapourous cat-eyes. In minutes the vision of the eyes had grown into a whole cat-face hovering some inches above the floor. It was a kind face; a happy face; it was the face of a cat who used to live there.

'Meow!' said the face, meaning: 'Hello my pretty! Who are you? Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Che-'

'"Cheshire"', Drucilla broke in knowingly. 'Am I right? I recognise you from when I was a kitten.'

Now the strange cat's entire figure came to light. A magnificent tom, she thought, whatever his name is.

'No, Chester, actually. My name is Chester, and yes, I used to live here.'

'I'm Drucilla,' said Drucilla washing a front paw and nervously wiping her face. The visiting cat's bodily form had now materialised completely and Chester was or had been a beautiful red tabby tom, with soft yellow eyes, the same colour as his coat. He smiled a sweet cat-smile.

'Chester', Drucilla inquired hestitantly' Are you normal?'

'Oh my dear Drucilla, no. Alas, not anymore. I've changed form.'

'Oh', said Drucilla puzzled and embarrassed. She liked him, but his entrance was odd. Most cats go through the cat-door or are let in by two-leggeds.

'Must we speak of it, my darling?'mewed Chester softly.

'No, my sweet, come sit with me instead.'

Chester and Drucilla curled up in each other's furry embrace, purring as they fell asleep.

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[Text copyright 2011 Christina Wigren]

Word count according to WordCalc: 399; FCA; Full Critique Acceptable. Write whatever you like. Constructive criticism is always welcome! Don't be shy. Say what's on your mind!

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Best wishes,
Anna

P.S.
Epilogue:
Later when the family came home and found Drucilla, the cat, alone and asleep with her paws up in the air in her basket, Lucinda, asked her older sister, 'Have you ever seen a ghost?'
'No, replied Jane, but I think Drucilla has.'

P.P.S.
This story is purely fictional. There are nods to Lewis Carroll's Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass as well as to Beatrix Potter's A Tale of Two Bad Mice. And here is where you can read about the opening phrase 'It was a dark and stormy night'.

First Commenter:
Denise
of
L'Aussie's Writing Blog

To read other texts for Romantic Friday Writers Challenge No. 25, with the theme 'Haunting', please visit this site or click on the image below: