Firstly, thanks for reading so far! I hope your enjoying the story. The last chapter was a little bit longer, but I'm sorry if it dragged out slightly. I promise to try make them more detailed and interesting! Feel free to review with constructive criticism. I aim to please you, the reader, as well as enjoying the story myself. Also a big thankyou to those who have reviewed, I appreciate your contributes! I now present the third chapter, please R&R and I hope you like! Thanks - TCW.
TWO DAYS SINCE THE ACCIDENT...
My stomach begged to be fed. I had fallen asleep, with difficulty, twice now in a side street not far away from a local park I used to hang around in. A soggy piece of cardboard was hardly my memory foam mattress, and I couldn't find a comfortable position to lay in. Twice I had awoken to the sounds of humans walking down the street, the sun beaming in the sky and cars rolling past. Twice I had awoken in the alley, as a cat, not leaving my dream. And I was starting having trouble believing that I was ever going to wake up.
I was hungry to say the least, and it probably wasn't helping with my confusion. If I had actually died in the accident, then why wasn't I in heaven? I mean, I don't know if it exists, but even if it doesn't, why was I a cat? Why did I witness my parents being told what had happened? And why did I remember everything?
We learned a little about reincarnation in Religious Studies in school. It seemed like a pretty cool concept at the time, but could it have actually happened to me? Was I really reborn as a cat? And if so, why a cat?
My head throbbed. I had far too many questions, and too few answers. I exhaled loudly. I was going to have to find some food soon, the pain was becoming unbearable. Hunger had claws, sharp and pointed talons, and was tearing my insides apart. Shredding my intestines, slicing my stomach. A gnawing, inescapable pain that was occurring more and more frequently as the hours passed by.
With the little energy I had left, I rolled to my paws. Over the past two days, I had taken the time to examine what may be my new image. It was much different from my pale skin, splattered with countless brown and green bruises from training, and I kind of missed my hair which had just started to grow a little longer. Instead, my body was covered in brown fur and black tabby stripes. Kind of plain, slightly boring. My back left paw was off-white, slightly browner now due to the muddy puddles that surrounded my new home, a sodden box. My underbelly was the same colour too. My coat reminded me of my neighbours cat, Noodles, once a cute kitten who became rather lethargic and spent most of it's days lounging in the Petunia's at the bottom of the garden. The most exercise it ever did was walking back across the garden, through the glass doors of the small porch to be greeted by food.
I painfully walked down the dank alley, heading towards the promising daylight of the streets. I hadn't ventured out since the day of the accident. Every part of me ached, and I wasn't really sure what to be doing with myself. Cats are quite secretive, mysterious animals. My nan had one, and it barely ever spent time in the house - but nobody knew what it got up to in it's spare time..
Dodging the legs of the occasional human, I made my way down the familiar street. I followed my new nose, quite exceptionally talented if I do say so myself, as a variety of scents welcomed me. I could smell the scent of pine, carried by a chilly breeze. Also meat, maybe beef; sizzling on a barbeque. Over all of these, a new scent - something I couldn't recognise, but it sent my fur standing on edge and I wasn't quite sure why. My tail quivered. I tried to pick it up again, still unable to put my finger on what it was...
A gruff bark sounded from behind me. I spun around, ears pinned against my head - I wasn't quite sure where this reaction came from, but everything felt so planned. Instinctive. A hiss escaped my jaws, as the dog barked again, lips drawing back over it's yellowing teeth to reveal a menacing grin.
The next thing I knew, I was sprinting across the hot tarmac of the road and diving under the green fence of the park. I hoped the dog wouldn't follow, but the hot breath on the backs of my legs told me otherwise. It was now a sprint, as I streaked through the long grass like a dart, heart pumping like a drum in my chest. I've always loved dogs. But that was human me, and now, I was a cat.
After several minutes of sprinting and heavy breathing, I came to a large wall. About six foot of solid red brick stood before me, and behind me a lanky brown dog with it's pink tongue lolling to one side that wanted to rip me to shreds. I don't know whether it was the thought of becoming dinner or the heavy exercise I had just endured that made my heart pound and mouth dry. I guess I didn't have a choice.
I bunched up my hind legs and gazed up at the menacing wall which stood in my way of freedom. The dog neared closer. I pushed as hard as I could off the ground and exploded skyward. Reaching out with my tabby paws, I hoped desperately to reach the wall. Even my claws were outstretched, curved and pointy, a little extra length to increase the likelihood of my success. heard the dog skid to a halt behind me, and my heart skipped a beat as my speed started to decline. I wasn't going to make it!
Clinging on for dear life, my paws hooked around the top of the wall. I had barely made it. The dog barked behind me and it's teeth scraped the white tip of my tabby tail. I mustered all of my strength to pull my body up onto the wall, an awkward squirming session of attempting to swing my legs up the wall. My motivation was firstly the hot, sweaty breath on my backside and secondly the desire not to fail. This was my first true adventure I had embarked on as a cat, and plus, all cats can climb. What sort of failure to the species would I be if I fell into the awaiting jaws of an excited puppy?
Adrenaline coursed through my body and urged me over the wall. Finally I could scoop my body on to the top and to safety. The platform was slightly thinner than I expected, reminding my of my gymnastic days. I gazed back down the very long drop to the dog, who whimpered in disappointment. It was like being on the beam in gym, with the younger gymnasts watching me dance and flip eagerly from below. I wondered how they were all doing. I wondered if they all missed me, like I had missed them.
I took a few moments for my fur to lie flat and my breathing to return to normal. In this time, I let my eyes scan my surroundings; the wall was like a maze. A series of paths to follow through this estate. It was like a whole new version of the world I had known for so long. Except the difference was that nowm I was a cat.
