A Halloween Prayer: A Short Story

"It was a dark and stormy night..."

Mews of excitement spread through the cat community room as Jinx started another of his scary ghost stories. It was the night before Halloween and ever since the animal shelter's doors had closed for the evening he'd had everyone's rapt attention with his spooky tales, each one more fur-chilling than the last.

"It was a dark and stormy night," he began again. "As the tiny black kitten crept through the graveyard there was dead silence except for the vicious growling sounds coming from behind the nearby bush..."

From the back of the room another tiny black kitten was curled up tightly in his bed, whimpering in fear. "Why don't we call it a night," beautiful tortoiseshell Fudge interrupted. "I think Pip has had enough."

"Cry baby," muttered one of the older cats. "Time to grow up," sputtered another, and a louder voice said, "Thanks for spoiling our evening, kid."

"Knock it off, guys," Fudge stepped up in defense of little Pip. "He's new here, and he's just a baby. Besides, tomorrow's the big Halloween party and adoption event here at the shelter. We all need to get some rest because lots of people are going to be coming through here to look at us. Not that any of you heathens deserve to be adopted with the way you're acting."

Properly chastised, all the cats shuffled off to their preferred sleeping spots in the various beds, cubbies and boxes spread throughout the room. Once everything was quiet except for the soft sounds of kitties snoring, Fudge trotted over to Pip and curled up around the tiny tot. "What's your story, kid?"

"My Mommy was hit by a car one afternoon when she went out to find some food for us. When she didn't come back I left my brothers and sisters to look for her and I found her broken body on the side of the road. I tried and tried to wake her up but it was no use. Finally a nice little girl saw us and brought me home, but her mom said I couldn't stay because the man in the house was allergic. That's how I ended up here."

A tear slipped from Fudge's eye. "That sure is a rough beginning for such a little guy. But you know what? Life is only going to get better from here on out. One day real soon a person is going to walk through those doors, take one look at you and know you're the kitty they've been searching for. You're going to make some lucky family so, so happy."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise," Fudge softly replied as she washed Pip's small head with her rough tongue.

"Miss Fudge? Can you stay here with me tonight? I'm chilly...and still kind of scared from Jinx's stories."

"Of course I will. Let's get some sleep. I have a feeling tomorrow's going to be a big day."

Fudge waited until Pip fell asleep before whispering a short prayer. Dear God, so many kitties around the world are waiting for their forever home tonight. Some are cold and hungry out on the streets, others of us are in shelters. We're all scared and alone, and for too many there might not be much time left. Please God, please help them all find a home, especially little Pip here. He's already been through so much and he needs someone to take care of him. Please watch over us all. Amen. 

And then she drifted off to sleep.

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Bright and early the next morning a shelter worker arrived to start feeding everyone their breakfast and cleaning out litter boxes before opening the doors for the big party. "Are we all ready to find some forever homes today?"

Fudge was the first to wake up and gave Pip a gentle nudge. "Morning, kiddo. Did you have a good sleep?"

"Mm-hmm", Pip said with a yawn.

"Are you excited?"

"Kind of...but sorta nervous too. What if no one likes me?"

"I wouldn't worry about that," Fudge said with a smile. "Stick with me and everything will be just fine."

Before long the room was filled with the excitement of Halloween: kids in costume, tables full of cookies and candies, strains of Monster Mash echoing in the background. Family after family came through the doors, some forming an instant bond with a particular cat, others requiring more time to make such an important decision. 

Pip set his sights on one little girl of about 7 or 8 dressed as a witch, accompanied by what appeared to be her grandmother. As the girl slowly made her rounds of the room Pip couldn't help but overhear as the older woman stood nearby, quietly talking with a shelter volunteer. "Michaela lost her parents over the summer in a car accident and completely shut down. Before the accident she'd been begging for a cat so I thought bringing her here today might help to begin her healing process."

"There's no therapy like purr therapy, I always say," the volunteer replied. "Take all the time you need."

As Michaela started to come closer to Fudge and Pip, the tenderhearted tortie gave her young charge a nudge. "Go to her," she whispered. Pip slowly approached the little girl and waited for her to reach out to him before turning his purr engine on high. Michaela scooped him up in her arms, inhaling his kittenish scent as Pip nuzzled his small face into her neck.

"Grandma, look! He likes me!" Michaela called over to her grandmother as she gently laid Pip down in the nearest cat bed. "Can we take this one home?"

Fudge crept over to Pip and with a lick to his cheek said, "You did good, kid." Michaela started whirling around a wand toy, giggling excitedly as Pip and Fudge swatted at it.

The older lady could barely contain her emotion as she watched her granddaughter happy about something for the first time in way too long. "Looks like he has a friend in that beautiful tortie. I think she's been taking care of the little guy for you until you got here. How do you feel about taking both of them home?"

"Can we???" Michaela screeched. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! I love them both already!!!"

Pip looked slyly over at Fudge, "Looks like you're stuck with me."

"I think I can live with that, kiddo." And as Pip continued to soak in the love and adoration of their new family Fudge looked up to the sky and purred a quiet thank you.

~ The End ~