My Perfect Holiday The sky hung low and heavy, a gray background to the strings of blinking lights on every house. I crouched under a bush, watching the door and waiting. I could hear the sounds of traffic beyond the wooden fence. I knew she would come soon. I watched her every evening. I had first hidden here months ago when I was running from Gorg and his gang. They had caught me once and I still had scars. They had taken half of one ear as a trophy then left me to lick my wounds and learn my lesson. I stayed in the shadows most of the time but this night they had cornered me in an alley and I knew they were determined to do more than leave me with a few scars. I was weak from hunger and didn’t want to fight. I backed away, keeping my eyes on them, hoping they wouldn’t follow. They snarled and moved forward, yellow eyes narrowed, tails swishing. The only option I had was to turn and run. There was enough distance between us that if I could keep it I could escape them. But they were fast, strong and angry. They were gaining on me, the small margin of safety being swallowed up by the second. I saw a gate slightly ajar, the area beyond shadowy. I darted through the opening, brushing past something warm as I darted into the bushes. The gate closed and a voice called out, “Bad kitties! Go home!†There were only two things Gorg was afraid of, dogs and this. I heard him growl as he and the others scampered away. I huddled beneath the prickly branches of an evergreen bush, feeling a rush of renewed fear. The gate was closed. The only escape was over the fence or climbing the tree that grew in the corner on the other side of the small fenced area. I took in my surroundings as I planned my escape. The woman turned and peered into the darkness. “Are you OK?†She asked. I scooted further back in the shadows, certain I had traded one danger for another. “Lily, bring me something for our new friend.†She called. The sound of the door opening caused me to hunker down. A girl stepped out with a dish in her hands and set it on the stone floor a few feet from where I hid. I could smell the food. My stomach knotted with hunger. They quietly went back into the house and closed the glass door. I stayed where I was, the scent of the food torturing me. Nothing stirred so I crept toward the dish. It was filled with crunchy bits and shreds of chicken. I wanted to gobble, but I ate slowly, keeping a close watch on every thing around me. They stood behind the glass door watching me. A sleek red tom sat near their legs, his eyes alert but his stance relaxed. He stood, stretched and meowed, then walked away. They stayed at the door, keeping an eye on me. “That is the ugliest cat I have ever seen,†The girl said. “The poor thing is just starved.†“He looks like a gargoyle.†I crept back to my hiding place and felt sleep tug at my eyelids. It had been days since I had slept. I curled into a ball but only rested, waiting for the door to open or Gorg to jump over the fence. When neither happened, I sighed and slipped into a sound sleep. After that day I made my way to the yard when ever I could. There were many times that Gorg was waiting and chased me away, but when I did make it into the yard she seemed to be waiting for me. It didn’t matter if it was early morning or barely night, the red tom meowed at the door and she came out with a dish of food. Lately she had taken to leaving the glass door open, the warmth beckoning to me. Sometimes she would sit just inside the door, her voice soft as she spoke to me. She told me of her cat friends, the red tom, a gray tabby, a black and white kitten and a sassy black tail-less teen that was driving her crazy. She talked about the soft beds and abundance of food and if I wanted, pets and laps. It all sounded so nice, like a fairy tale that I had once heard other cats tell. Without really meaning to I kept sneaking closer and closer to that door, just to hear her voice and smell the fragrance of safety. Tonight the back yard was lit up with multi colored lights stretched all along the top of the fence and an angel with glittery wings blew a golden horn from the window. She sat on the floor just inside the door. I could hear Gorg nearby, stealthily checking out the fence. She had chased him away several times and now he was angry and determined. I knew eventually I would have to dart out that fence and face him, but for the moment I could feel the net of safety that she cast as she began to hum, very softly. The sound was sweet and soothing. I moved closer, hearing both her song and Gorg’s threats. Longing, like I had never known, filled me like a hunger. On the tail of it came hope, just a spark, but that tiny little flicker gave me the courage to creep past the door, dart past her legs and look frantically around. I saw one familiar thing and ran toward it; a fir tree, standing in the corner, dressed in lights and shimmering balls, a soft blanket surrounding its base. I hid behind a box and peered out at my new world. The woman stood and smiled. “Look at our Christmas gift,†she told the girl. Then she quietly closed the door. word count 997