This has been rewritten. This for the memory of my dog who died in August 2009. RIP.
It was a cold crisp December afternoon, the haze of the sun peaked low below the dark clouds. Mist formed around the grey stones of death as a family of four stood round a familiar one.
It shouldn't be so familiar, Kiri thought, looking towards the name.
RIP Shampoo
Died 2009
Her birth date was unsure, so they left it out. The man beside Kiri shook softly as tears slowly fell from his brown eyes. She placed a gentle hand on her husband's arm as he looked up to her sorrowed face.
"That cat... meant so much to our family," Narumi whispered, his head dropping as he cradled their young son in his arms. Kiri let out a soft sob as she clutched the hand of the tiny girl beside her.
"Mama, will Shampoo ever come back?" The girl asked, looking up innocently. Her big eyes were shining, her nose running and her cheeks were red from crying.
Kiri bit her lip, unsure of what to say. She had encountered an animal returning to her after death, but that was so long ago. It was a possibility, but how would she explain it her daughter? "Maybe, sweetheart, maybe."
The girl nodded understandingly and moved forward to place a small red rose on the tiny piece of earth that signalled Shampoo.
Kiri felt cold air rush past her legs and looked behind her in shock, hoping, seeking, finding... nothing. Just as she had expected.
"Let's go kids," Narumi said as he placed his own hand on Kiri's arm in return. Kiri nodded, not saying a word and picked her gentle daughter up, holding the girl by her hip. They walked away from the grave, not looking back.
Except for the girl who looked back for a brief moment, she saw a flash of white and waved goodbye before snuggling down to sleep in her mother's arms.
The white flash returned as the ghostly image of a cat sat on the grave, pawing the tiny rose with a translucent paw.
The cat gave a soft meow as the family disappeared from the grave.
Goodbye.
Thank you for reading.