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"Please don't leave me!">>

It is said in the most plaintive voice I can muster.
I pace back and forth across the steps, my tail twitching nervously. >>

"Don't go! Please!">>

I even meander through and around their legs,
brushing up against them with my soft, golden fur. Maybe that will stop them. I
hear Elizabeth from far above me.>>

"Oh, Pep, you're being ridiculous. We're only going
to be gone for three days! We've left you plenty of food and water and even
managed to get the neighbors to check on you. It'll be alright, I promise.">>

She strokes my head and rubs my ears. I didn't
expect it to work on her anyway, she's not my favorite, nor am I hers. Her back
turned, she walks to put more square items in the car.>>

"Why are you leaving me?! What did I ever do?">>

She ignores me and keeps walking, but not Allan. He
doesn't. Instead, he bends down and scratches the base of my tail. >>

"Pep, it's okay, nothing's going to happen to you.
I'll miss you, buddy, but we won't be gone long. We'll be back before you know
it.">>

He says this in his calm and quiet voice. I thought
it may work on him, but I guess he's just as excited as his mate about leaving
me. I hear Sam running towards me and quickly get out of the way. We do not get
along. >>

"Check ya, Corny!">>

I hate that nickname. I don't mind Pep or Pepper,
but Corny draws the line. It's not my full name anyway. Laila named me, and
only she has the right to call me whatever she wants. But it's usually
Peppercorn. That's what she calls me, and that's what I prefer. I allow my
thoughts to wander to her, my human. Her bed is the only one I will sleep on; I
will not allow myself to rest in the crook of anyone else's leg. Only she can
rub my belly and make me eat from her hand.
I know that she loves me as much as I love her, so I know that she'll
stay and take care of me. >>

I hear her coming towards me and my thoughts snap
back to the present. As her foot touches the first step, I immediately greet
her with a purr. She looks at me, smiles, and sits down. I rub my head against
her hand, my eyes closed in utter bliss. She picks me up and sets me in her
lap, softly rubbing my underbelly fur. >>

"Oh, Peppercorn…">>

She kisses my head, right above my eyes, between my
ears. Her short brown hair tickles my nose, and I am bathed in her comforting
scent. Something wet splashes into my ear. Annoyed, I give it a few good
twitches. I open my eyes and see that she's crying. Why? Shouldn't she be happy
that she gets to spend three whole days with just me?>>

"Peppercorn… I can't leave you! I never have before,
and I never ever wanted to. But it's only going to be for three days; you'll
sleep most of that time anyway, right? I begged mom and dad to let you come
with me in the cat carrier, but they said it would be too much of a hassle… Oh,
Pepper, there's nothing I can do. And I would if I could, believe me. I'd take
you with me in a hummingbird's heartbeat. The underlying fact is that, no
matter what I try, there's nothing I can do. They wouldn't let me weasel my way
out of this stupid trip, but I'll be back to you as quickly as I possibly can.">>

In my heart, I know that she's being genuine and
really can't do anything, but I'm hurt nonetheless. She's my protector, and if
she's gone then I am unprotected. I rise from her lap, stalk to a corner, and
sit down, not looking back once.>>

"Laila! Get in the car!">>

She looks nervously towards the family. >>

"I'm coming," she yells back. She redirects her
voice towards me.>>

"Peppercorn, please don't be like this! You know
there's nothing I can do! Please just let go of your pride; make the best of
this time before I have to go. Pep, I love you. Don't do this.">>

I consider this and ponder it for a little bit. Do I
let her pet me and tell me goodbye, or do I victoriously hold on to my pride?>>

The hurt takes over.>>

I glance at her quickly and run down the steps and
around a corner. She can't protect me. She doesn't love me. I repeat these over
and over again, echoing back and forth across my mind.>>

"Pep, no! Please!" An edge of desperation and pain
finds its way through her choked-up, cracking voice. "You know I love you! I
need to tell you goodbye! I won't see you again for three days, Pep! Don't do
this; don't be like this!">>

"LAILA! GET IN THIS CAR! NOW!">>

"Mom, hold on!" she screams back. The direction of
her voice is to me now.>>

"Peppercorn, if you really loved me, you'd let me
tell you goodbye. I guess not. I'll be going now.">>

Her voice gets quieter and trails off towards the
end of her sentence. I look around the corner just in time to see her turn,
wipe her tears away, and run to the car. She gets in, slams the door, and
buries her face in her hands.>>

I only realize now what I've done. How could I be so
awful? There really was nothing she could do. The shame quickly chases my
cowardly pride away. I sprint towards the car which is already making its way
out of the driveway. I reach it just as it's passing the tree line. I can't see
whether Laila saw me or not because of the reflection on the glass, but I hope
with all of my heart that she did. I hope she can maybe tell, if she even did
see me, that I regret my foolish actions and really do care for her. But
there's nothing I can do now except wait for her to come back so I can prove to
her that I do love her.>>

Three uneventful mornings later, I hear a door slam
in the driveway. It's them! They're finally back! I spring from my patch of sun
on the porch and run to greet them. Once the driveway is in view, however, I
realize quickly that it is indeed not my family. Their car has bright, flashing
lights on the top of it that hurt my eyes. The steps are too heavy, the voices
I hear too deep. I skirt around behind the bushes just in time to see a strange
man round the corner. He is dressed in all black and carries some weird thing.
He ascends the porch steps and pulls a key out of a bag. He lets himself into
our house and lets the door shut behind him. Another stranger follows him up
the steps and into the house. I don't understand what's going on. Where's my
family? Did something happen? Are they staying longer than they expected? I try
to think about the possible ways they could be held up when the men reappear at
the door. They let themselves out and lock our door. In one's hands are some
papers, in the other's a folder with more papers in it.>>

"What a shame… nice house, nice family," says one to
the other.>>

"Yeah," the other replies.>>

They get back into their car and drive away. I have
no idea what's going on; what did they mean by all of that? What were those
papers they had? When will my family be home?>>

> >

Two days of worry later, another vehicle pulls into
our driveway. And again, it's not my family. Instead, it's some big truck with
"Auction and Sales" printed in bold letters on the sides. What's an auction?
What is it doing at my house? These people unlock the front door as well, and
what they do shocks and infuriates me. >>

They take all of our furniture, every single bit of
it. There's the couch I clawed when I was a kitten. There's the rug I peed on
when I couldn't find the litter box. And there's Laila's bed, my throne and
place of comfort. All of it is loaded into the big truck, and then it's gone.>>

Surely they would be back by now. What could be
keeping them? Did they get lost? No… all the furniture is gone. Are they coming
back, or did they move away and abandon me here?>>

No. They would never do that. Laila wouldn't let
them.>>

***************************************>>

It's been a week. A "For Sale" sign sits in the
front yard. At this point I know deep down that my family is not coming back
for reasons I don't yet know and probably never will. I've sat here in my
sunning spot. I've seen people come and tour my own house.>>

Yet I lay here, waiting… waiting for them to come
home.>>

> >

The next day, the neighbor lady appears on my porch,
crying. She tells me where my family is.>>

Gone.>>

***************************************>>

I am perched in the highest branches of the tree
above our river. The dark, deep, and foreboding water beckons me into its rocky
and shadowy depths. The wind rushes past my fur as I fall through the air. Many
thoughts cross my mind as I'm succumbing to my inevitable fate, the most
pressing being whether or not Laila saw me as they left. I want to tell her I
love her. I want to tell her I'm sorry. And maybe I can, somewhere beyond this
world. >>

A loud crash, surrounding blackness, and I am gone.>>

:p (Lick) — Description

href="short%20story%201_files/colorschememapping.xml">

"Please don't leave me!">>

It is said in the most plaintive voice I can muster.
I pace back and forth across the steps, my tail twitching nervously. >>

"Don't go! Please!">>

I even meander through and around their legs,
brushing up against them with my soft, golden fur. Maybe that will stop them. I
hear Elizabeth from far above me.>>

"Oh, Pep, you're being ridiculous. We're only going
to be gone for three days! We've left you plenty of food and water and even
managed to get the neighbors to check on you. It'll be alright, I promise.">>

She strokes my head and rubs my ears. I didn't
expect it to work on her anyway, she's not my favorite, nor am I hers. Her back
turned, she walks to put more square items in the car.>>

"Why are you leaving me?! What did I ever do?">>

She ignores me and keeps walking, but not Allan. He
doesn't. Instead, he bends down and scratches the base of my tail. >>

"Pep, it's okay, nothing's going to happen to you.
I'll miss you, buddy, but we won't be gone long. We'll be back before you know
it.">>

He says this in his calm and quiet voice. I thought
it may work on him, but I guess he's just as excited as his mate about leaving
me. I hear Sam running towards me and quickly get out of the way. We do not get
along. >>

"Check ya, Corny!">>

I hate that nickname. I don't mind Pep or Pepper,
but Corny draws the line. It's not my full name anyway. Laila named me, and
only she has the right to call me whatever she wants. But it's usually
Peppercorn. That's what she calls me, and that's what I prefer. I allow my
thoughts to wander to her, my human. Her bed is the only one I will sleep on; I
will not allow myself to rest in the crook of anyone else's leg. Only she can
rub my belly and make me eat from her hand.
I know that she loves me as much as I love her, so I know that she'll
stay and take care of me. >>

I hear her coming towards me and my thoughts snap
back to the present. As her foot touches the first step, I immediately greet
her with a purr. She looks at me, smiles, and sits down. I rub my head against
her hand, my eyes closed in utter bliss. She picks me up and sets me in her
lap, softly rubbing my underbelly fur. >>

"Oh, Peppercorn…">>

She kisses my head, right above my eyes, between my
ears. Her short brown hair tickles my nose, and I am bathed in her comforting
scent. Something wet splashes into my ear. Annoyed, I give it a few good
twitches. I open my eyes and see that she's crying. Why? Shouldn't she be happy
that she gets to spend three whole days with just me?>>

"Peppercorn… I can't leave you! I never have before,
and I never ever wanted to. But it's only going to be for three days; you'll
sleep most of that time anyway, right? I begged mom and dad to let you come
with me in the cat carrier, but they said it would be too much of a hassle… Oh,
Pepper, there's nothing I can do. And I would if I could, believe me. I'd take
you with me in a hummingbird's heartbeat. The underlying fact is that, no
matter what I try, there's nothing I can do. They wouldn't let me weasel my way
out of this stupid trip, but I'll be back to you as quickly as I possibly can.">>

In my heart, I know that she's being genuine and
really can't do anything, but I'm hurt nonetheless. She's my protector, and if
she's gone then I am unprotected. I rise from her lap, stalk to a corner, and
sit down, not looking back once.>>

"Laila! Get in the car!">>

She looks nervously towards the family. >>

"I'm coming," she yells back. She redirects her
voice towards me.>>

"Peppercorn, please don't be like this! You know
there's nothing I can do! Please just let go of your pride; make the best of
this time before I have to go. Pep, I love you. Don't do this.">>

I consider this and ponder it for a little bit. Do I
let her pet me and tell me goodbye, or do I victoriously hold on to my pride?>>

The hurt takes over.>>

I glance at her quickly and run down the steps and
around a corner. She can't protect me. She doesn't love me. I repeat these over
and over again, echoing back and forth across my mind.>>

"Pep, no! Please!" An edge of desperation and pain
finds its way through her choked-up, cracking voice. "You know I love you! I
need to tell you goodbye! I won't see you again for three days, Pep! Don't do
this; don't be like this!">>

"LAILA! GET IN THIS CAR! NOW!">>

"Mom, hold on!" she screams back. The direction of
her voice is to me now.>>

"Peppercorn, if you really loved me, you'd let me
tell you goodbye. I guess not. I'll be going now.">>

Her voice gets quieter and trails off towards the
end of her sentence. I look around the corner just in time to see her turn,
wipe her tears away, and run to the car. She gets in, slams the door, and
buries her face in her hands.>>

I only realize now what I've done. How could I be so
awful? There really was nothing she could do. The shame quickly chases my
cowardly pride away. I sprint towards the car which is already making its way
out of the driveway. I reach it just as it's passing the tree line. I can't see
whether Laila saw me or not because of the reflection on the glass, but I hope
with all of my heart that she did. I hope she can maybe tell, if she even did
see me, that I regret my foolish actions and really do care for her. But
there's nothing I can do now except wait for her to come back so I can prove to
her that I do love her.>>

Three uneventful mornings later, I hear a door slam
in the driveway. It's them! They're finally back! I spring from my patch of sun
on the porch and run to greet them. Once the driveway is in view, however, I
realize quickly that it is indeed not my family. Their car has bright, flashing
lights on the top of it that hurt my eyes. The steps are too heavy, the voices
I hear too deep. I skirt around behind the bushes just in time to see a strange
man round the corner. He is dressed in all black and carries some weird thing.
He ascends the porch steps and pulls a key out of a bag. He lets himself into
our house and lets the door shut behind him. Another stranger follows him up
the steps and into the house. I don't understand what's going on. Where's my
family? Did something happen? Are they staying longer than they expected? I try
to think about the possible ways they could be held up when the men reappear at
the door. They let themselves out and lock our door. In one's hands are some
papers, in the other's a folder with more papers in it.>>

"What a shame… nice house, nice family," says one to
the other.>>

"Yeah," the other replies.>>

They get back into their car and drive away. I have
no idea what's going on; what did they mean by all of that? What were those
papers they had? When will my family be home?>>

> >

Two days of worry later, another vehicle pulls into
our driveway. And again, it's not my family. Instead, it's some big truck with
"Auction and Sales" printed in bold letters on the sides. What's an auction?
What is it doing at my house? These people unlock the front door as well, and
what they do shocks and infuriates me. >>

They take all of our furniture, every single bit of
it. There's the couch I clawed when I was a kitten. There's the rug I peed on
when I couldn't find the litter box. And there's Laila's bed, my throne and
place of comfort. All of it is loaded into the big truck, and then it's gone.>>

Surely they would be back by now. What could be
keeping them? Did they get lost? No… all the furniture is gone. Are they coming
back, or did they move away and abandon me here?>>

No. They would never do that. Laila wouldn't let
them.>>

***************************************>>

It's been a week. A "For Sale" sign sits in the
front yard. At this point I know deep down that my family is not coming back
for reasons I don't yet know and probably never will. I've sat here in my
sunning spot. I've seen people come and tour my own house.>>

Yet I lay here, waiting… waiting for them to come
home.>>

> >

The next day, the neighbor lady appears on my porch,
crying. She tells me where my family is.>>

Gone.>>

***************************************>>

I am perched in the highest branches of the tree
above our river. The dark, deep, and foreboding water beckons me into its rocky
and shadowy depths. The wind rushes past my fur as I fall through the air. Many
thoughts cross my mind as I'm succumbing to my inevitable fate, the most
pressing being whether or not Laila saw me as they left. I want to tell her I
love her. I want to tell her I'm sorry. And maybe I can, somewhere beyond this
world. >>

A loud crash, surrounding blackness, and I am gone.>>