Blessings of the Season
I hope you and all those you love are safe and warm this festive season, and I wish you joy and contentedness throughout the year.
This one has no title. It simply is. Happy Merry Jolly to you!
She opened the door and picked up the shivering kitten. “It's okay, honey. It'll be fine. Come on in.” Carefully she navigated her way through the sleeping and drowsy animals in the room, pausing to touch a head here, a paw there.
Making sure she had food and water at hand, she sat in her rocking chair, drying and comforting the little orange kitten, who was perking up and beginning to look around.
“What's her name?” The scarred dog's voice was quiet so as not to disturb.
“She doesn't have one yet, Henry, bless her,” the woman gave the kitten a sip of water then feeding her small, soft morsels, softly rubbing her back. “She was too young to be named, but that's okay.”
“Another throw-away?” Anger laced the growl.
“Yes, but remember, that it will be fine for her. I'm kind of surprised that she's here, actually, being so young, but you never know. Generally, they just go Home.”
The kitten had eaten enough to make her belly swell comfortably, and she was settling down, idly batting at the woman's fingers.
“How long will she be here?” From behind the woman, a pig emerged, poking her snout into the woman's lap.
She laughed softly, and freed up one hand to scratch behind the pig's ears. “I have no idea, you know that. For as long as it takes. You know that as well as anyone, Mildred. How long have you been here?”
The pig snorted, then limped over to the kitchen, nosing around. “I know, I know, but we rarely get one so young here, so I was curious.”
“You're always curious,” Manny, the scarred bay horse, snorted. “It's who you are.”
“That's true, Manny,” the woman said, “but we all have our quirks. It's what makes us special. Acknowledging and accepting are all part of the plan.”
“There's a plan?” The raven flapped his one wing, glaring at the woman. “Since when?”
“Of course there's a plan, Sami,” the woman smiled at the angry bird. “You know that. You're just not ready to accept it, and that's fine.”
“What's to accept?” The raven jumped down onto the old dog's head, then hopped onto the arm of the rocking chair, peering at the drowsy orange face. “People are evil, vicious, cruel, and as far as I'm concerned, they all should be killed off.”
“Oh Sami, I'm so sorry you're so badly injured,” the woman placed the now sleeping kitten in a basket by the fire, then headed back toward the door. “You were mistreated, we all agree, but you've been here long enough to talk with other creatures who have been equally damaged, and you've seen them heal and move on.” She turned back to give the bitter raven a tender look. “Your time will come too, but for now, why don't you keep an eye on our new resident.” She turned and looked at the door. “There's another one on the way.”
Sami grumped but awkwardly hauled herself to the shelf where the kitten slept, and settled down, head on the side of the basket, watching the baby breathe. She didn't look up when the door opened, blowing in snow and ice, and an old dog.
“Where am I?” The lab shook his body, reflexively removing the snow. “The last thing I remember is lying in my bed with my humans holding onto me.”
The woman brushed him off, pausing to scratch right above his tail. “What's your name?”
“Oliver. That's what my people called me,” the dog looked around, puzzled. “Where are they? I need to be with them.”
The woman sank to the floor so that she was able to look him in the eyes. “You've left them behind, Oliver, and you've come to the place where creatures who are still attached to the human world come after they've died. Here, you'll rest, remember who you truly are, and when you're ready, you'll go to the Summer Garden, where you'll have fun and play and you won't even remember having a body that hurts.”
“Until you leave again,” a small green parrot murmured from a tree growing out of the side of the house.
The woman nodded. “Yes. If you choose, you can go back to the human world as whatever you want.”
Oliver lifted his head hopefully. “Back to my human family? They were the best!”
The woman shrugged. “Not as Oliver, but perhaps.”
He wiggled. “I went to them as a gift, and it was the best time!”
The woman nodded. “You were blessed. Not all gift pets are so lucky, sadly, and this is the time of year when I welcome many who were given but unwanted and are then discarded.”
“That's me,” the orange kitten lisped. “I's given to a li'l girl, but her daddy din't like me.” She curled up in a ball, eyes wide. “I 'member him shaking her 'n me, an' nothin' after that.”
“You'll be fine here now,” the woman handed the kitten a treat. “I hope the little girl is okay.”
The orange kitten just held onto her goodie. “I don' think so.” She shuddered. “He was mean.”
“Oh dear. Then I hope she's okay now too.”
“So people come here too?” Mildred looked at the door suspiciously. “I haven't seen one.”
“No, dear. This is just for non-human creatures, and just from the realm known as Earth.” The woman stood, bringing Oliver into the room and leading him to the kitchen where he could choose what he wanted to eat.
“So I could choose to become human if I go back, and kill those jerks who took my wing?” Sami's eyes gleamed.
“No, Sami.” The woman smiled. “You've already moved past being human, which is why you have reached the creature plane.” The woman looked at Sami with a critical eye, “However, I suspect this is your first round of being non-human.” She reached out and stroked Sami's head. “But you'll get the hang of it, you'll heal, and you'll go on to the Summer Garden too, one of these days.”
“Do I have to?” Sami sounded nervous.
“Not at all. You can stay here forever. All are welcome.” The woman resumed her place in her rocking chair. “But you will. It can take a very long time, but eventually you'll remember who you really are, and then you'll leave.” The woman settled in, gazing lovingly around the crowded room. “You all will. It's the way things work. Be patient, and know that you are loved just as you are.”