Carter's Kitten
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Carter hadn't been around the others all day. In fact he'd been hanging around outside the Kammandant's office.
"What do you think he's up to?" Newkirk asked the Colonel who had been the one to discover him.
"I don't know. It looks like he's looking at something under there."
"What do you think it is?"
Hogan shrugged. "I'll go find out." Hogan walked over to where Carter was sitting on the steps looking into the darkness. His coat was missing.
"Carter, what are you doing? And where is your coat?"
Carter jumped and whirled around. "Nothing, Sir. Uhm its in the wash." He seemed nervous. His eyes strayed from the colonel's to under the steps.
"What's under there?" Hogan approached the steps
Carter jumped to his feet. "Nothing! I was just curious about what it looked like under there." It was a terrible lie he knew but the others would just make fun of him if they knew what was under there. They always had some snide comment to make about his interests.
Hogan looked at him they both knew it was a terrible lie and they both knew that the other thought so. Hogan sighed. "Andrew what are you hiding?" He tried to be soft and sound patient and caring by using the younger man's first name.
Carter eased a little then looked back to the steps. He sat down on them and Hogan joined him. They both looked under and there on the ground was a pair of kittens on Carter's coat. One calico the other yellow. "I named them Abbey and Angelo."
"They're cute, but you know what I'm going to say, right?" Hogan looked at Carter.
Carter nodded. "I don't plan on keeping them, just keeping an eye on them you know, in case their mother disappears or a tom cat comes after them or something." Carter reached under and patted each one on the head. Soft purring poured out of them. They kneaded the coat beneath them walked in a circle then lied them selves down for a nap.
"Come on, we should let them sleep." Hogan and Carter stood.
A car pulled in through the front gate. The two men looked from where they stood to see Hochstetter get out of the car. Klink ran out of his office with a look of annoyance on his face. He did not like this particular Gestapo man.
When Hochstetter saw the two prisoners he immediately asked. "What are these men doing here!"
Klink looked at Hogan who responded that they were looking for their pet mouse, Felix.
Klink rolled his eyes and with a fake happiness welcomed Hochstetter to his camp. The two went into the Kammandant's office to talk.
Hogan turned to head back to barracks then turned back. "Are you coming, Andrew?" He knew the answer would be 'no'.
Carter looked to the steps then back at the colonel and shook his head.
Hogan nodded then went back to the barracks. Kinch already had the tea pot out.
The voices came in clear across the tea pot.
"Klink you allow your prisoners to have pets?"
"Major Hochstetter, I do not. It's probably just a mouse they found and decided to name."
"And probably just an excuse for being out there! There's something under the steps they were looking under them when I got here."
"Well maybe that's where they were looking for their mouse."
"you expect me to believe that?"
"Well what else would be under there?"
"A bomb perhaps?"
Klink flinched. "A bomb? But where would they get it?
"That's what I would like to find out."
"But we don't know that it's a bomb."
"Then lets find out."
Hogan rushed out of his quarters and the barracks just in time to see Hochstetter yank Carter to his feet from where he was sitting on the steps.
"Hey what's the big idea?" Carter yelled as some guards restrained him.
"We're going to find out what's under there!"
From what Hogan could see Carter paled. "What?"
"You look nervous!"
Carter saw Hogan coming Hogan could fix things.
"Kammandant what's going on? Let my man go."
"We have reason to believe that he is planting a bomb under there!"
"What? A bomb?" Hogan laughed. "Kammandant are you feeling okay?"
"I am feeling fine Hogan!"
"Colonel!" Carter plead as one of the guards put a gun to the man's back.
"Kammandant let him go, he's done nothing wrong."
"Oh yah?" Hochstetter got on the steps and peered into the darkness.
Carter tried to get free to stop him but was restrained by the guard.
"What have we here?" Hochstetter pulled out the calico kitten, Abbey.
Carter gasped. He broke free and lunged for the kitten. Hochstetter pulled away the next thing that could be heard was the screaming of the poor defenseless kitten.
Carter screamed with it. Hogan went forth grabbed the kitten from the Major and handed it to Carter who turned grabbed the other kitten and retreated to the barracks where the men and emerge to see the commotion.
Klink looked at Hochstetter with a look of disgust. "You made a fuss over a kitten?" He turned and returned to his office.
Hochstetter did not take kindly to the tone the Kammandant had and followed.
The kitten had continued screaming all the way to the barracks and when Carter went inside Hogan didn't hear it any more. Shultz came forward. "Colonel Hogan, I'm sorry about that. If there is anything I can do to help let me know."
Hogan was glad that Shultz had the heart he did. "Thanks Shultz." He placed a hand on the other man's shoulder. "I'll go check on Carter."
When Hogan entered the barracks all the men were gathered around Carter and it was very quiet save for some soft sobs from the young man. He held the kittens in his arms rocking them. Newkirk and Lebeau were trying to soothe him. The yellow kitten was struggling slightly.
The men made room for the colonel and he sat down across from where Carter sat on his bunk. "Carter?" He saw the calico kitten was very limp.
"Newkirk get your stethoscope."
Newkirk ran and got it from his belongings.
Hogan gently took the kitten from Carter, who resisted at first until he was assured no harm would come to it. Hogan placed the kitten in the crook of his arm and placed the stethoscope on the kittens chest. He listened for a few moments then passed the stethoscope to Newkirk who listened for a few moments as well. He looked at Hogan and shook his head then the two looked at Carter. "Carter I'm sorry. She's…" Colonel paused to try and fins a softer word for it but couldn't. "She's dead."
Carter didn't say anything. He looked at the small body in the colonel's arms and gently stroked the soft fur. "'kay." He whispered softly.
Hogan knew what he could do. "Tell you what. We could give her a nice funeral. In the garden next to Klink's office where she lived."
Carter nodded. "Okay, thanks Colonel.
Hogan took a cloth from Newkirk and placed the kitten inside it. Hw wrapped it gently and gave it to Carter. "Here hold her. I'll be right back. Newkirk, Lebeau come here a second."
The men followed the order. Hogan told them what he wanted done and the men got busy doing it.
Hogan ran out to get Shultz. "Hey Shultz."
"Yah? Oh Colonel Hogan. How is the kitten and Carter?"
"The kitten died I'm afraid and we're going to have a funeral for it. I was wondering if you would help."
"Oh of course Colonel Hogan!" Shultz was happy that he could help. After getting his orders from Hogan Shultz went off to do his part.
Hogan saw Hochstetter drive away in a fit of rage and Klink came out of his office. Once Hochstetter was gone Klink came up to Hogan.
Hogan got mad all of a sudden. Was it because Klink didn't do anything to help the kitten? Because Carter's upset? Because the kitten is dead? Or all of it? But either way he was mad and Klink was his target.
"Kammandant I want to speak to you." Hogan said to the German officer.
"I know, I'm sorry. Is the kitten alright?"
Hogan was surprised to find guilt in the man's voice. His anger melted away. "No the kitten died. Carter's taking it pretty hard. We told him we'd give it a funeral we thought it might help.
"If you'd like I could give the eulogy. I'd like to pay some part."
"Thanks Colonel, I'd appreciate it we all would." Hogan was satisfied with that and that sunset the funeral took place.
Carter stood holding the other kitten Angelo in front of the grave where Abbey would be buried. Carter was surprised to see that so many people showed up to the funeral. All the prisoners, and guards were there. Hilda brought in the flowers, Newkirk had made a small tombstone for the kitten with her name carved in the wood. Lebeau put together the small little wood coffin. Shultz had arranged for all the men to be there and the prisoners as well. Not that they argued. The prisoners were willing to help a fellow prisoner. And the guards had heard about the kitten and felt bad about it. The guard that always stood on the porch of the office had also fallen in love with the kitten. After all he worked right above her.
Carter felt some how better; relieved in a way that so many people cared. Even Klink who gave a beautiful eulogy. Carter was surprised but happy that the men had gone to so much trouble for his kitten.
When the kitten was in the hole and she was buried the scene looked not lie ka grave at all, but like a sweet garden. There among the flowers was a wooden sign that read Abbey, and wasn't an Abbey like a court yard? The sign and the kitten herself seemed to bring more beauty to the area.
Carter smiled lightly. He felt someone place their arm around his shoulder. Newkirk smiled at him and squeezed his shoulder as an assurance that things would be alright.
And Carter knew that. As long as he had his friends things would be alright.
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[Seems kinda sappy… I know… But it was still bittersweet. Sad. This is actually a true story. I had a kitten named Abbey who after receiving a bath began to scream then she just went limp and shortly after died. I suppose this is my way to bring my experiences into my writing. Plus I just thought I might fit Carter's character. Hope you like. R&R please!