Karite kita neko

It was an alley, any alley that lay somewhere between school and home. It wasn't one that I normally took and I really don't remember why I was there. I was twelve years old and in my head I was lost in thought. Suddenly over by the bins and rubbish to the side of the road that were awaiting collection, something had moved and the corner of my eye had perceived it. I turned and looked and stared and all was still. Had the wind caught something?
A small bag on top of a box moved ever so slightly.
My first thought was of a rat and I felt a little scared.
But then I heard it, 'nyaa nyaa', I rushed over to look and I opened the bag.
Inside were three kittens and two of them were dead. The remaining one, weak from neglect, looked up at me with imploring eyes.
Oh how cruel! How can someone be so inhumane?
What monsters are we beneath our kind smiles?


Anna Ternheim - Lover's Dream


I took her home at once and gave her some milk. My father saw it and ordered me to take it out of his home. I begged him to let me keep her and he refused me. I accused him too of inhumanity. I said "If the kitten goes out then so will I!" He sent me out with a great anger on his face for my disrespect.
I sat outside in the side alley by home with my Kitten. I sat for a long, long time and the afternoon became the evening and in turn, it became the night. I put my kitten inside my shirt to keep her warm. Mother came out to us and I was so pleased to see her but she did not smile or have news from my Father would allow us both inside. She gave me some food and a glass of water. In silence I shared it with my kitten and then Mother took away my empty bowl and glass.

It was very dark and people were leaving bars and walking home past me. I was very cold and Father finally came out and stood looking down at me. I couldn't face him and my eyes were on the floor. He scolded me for being a difficult child and offered me one last chance to come inside alone. With tears I could not speak and I slowly shook my head. He turned his back on me and went inside. A little while later Mother came out with a bowl of warm water and some soap and an old towel. "Your Father says you must wash your kitten before you bring it in, make sure there are no fleas!" she said and left us. I was very grateful for leniency and I quickly washed and dried her and took her inside. I made a small bed for her from a cardboard box and an old soft woollen sweater of mine. I then thanked my Father for kindly allowing me my kitten. He simply nodded his head once. I knew that was enough.
Father wasn't cruel to me, I know that now and I guess I knew it then. He was just testing how much something meant to me. Anything that I would give up easily meant I would not value.

Yesterday she would not eat or drink no matter how much I tried and coaxed her. She lay on the floor below her favorite spot on the wide window ledge. I lifted her on it so she could watch outside as she always loved to do. I brought my chair next to her and sat with her for the day, talking to her and stroking her. By the early evening her breathing became labored and finally she closed her eyes for the last time and she let go of her tired body.
If for some strange reason fate had taken me anywhere but that alley or if I had weakened before my father, Kushisa's life would have been as short as her brothers or sisters. She was almost seventeen and she had a long and happy life and I loved her very much.