Take Me Home

It was cold outside. It has been cold for quite some time. The box in which she sat was wet and flimsy and cold. Cold. COLD. So very cold.

It was dark outside. The day had passed quite some time ago. The alley in which she sat was bleak and small and dark. Dark. DARK. So very dark.

She was scared. Scared and alone and cold, sitting in a wet box in the dark. Her fur was wet and sticky, and she wanted so much to leave the box and the alley, to run from the cold and dark, but she knew that she was supposed to stay here and wait. Waiting to be picked up, until her mother came back and told her she was okay, that she was home. She wanted a home.

Still, she couldn’t help but to meow, make noise, be noticed.

See me, choose me, take me home.

“Hello?”

A voice sounded through the cold, dark, alley. Her head perked up, looking over the wet box, sticky fur catching on the sides. She meowed again.

See me, choose me, take me home.

Steps came closer, a light coming from the phone in their hand. As they bent down, dark hair spilled over their shoulders. Cold blue eyes stared at her and yet she felt comforted.

See me, choose me, take me home.

“Hi there.”

The voice sounded breathless, choked, and so very warm. She liked this voice, she liked the way their breath puffed through the air. The human in front of her was wrapped in a big coat, one that looked so very warm, so different from the wet, cold box she was in.

See me, choose me, take me home.

“Who would leave such a sweetheart all alone?”

She meowed in response, reaching small paws to the edge of the box, wanting to get closer to them. She wanted to bury her nose in their neck, she wanted to be held and warm, know what this human was like. This nice, warm, soft-looking human.

See me, choose me, take me home.

“We can’t let this stand,” they muttered, lowering the phone in their hand. “Would you like to come with me?”

The speed at which the noises came out of her mouth was unnatural, she knew, but she wanted nothing more than to come with this human. They laughed, warm and bright and cheery. Their cold blue eyes shone like a clear sky, no rain clouds to be seen. They moved their dark hair behind their ears, the abandoned phone shining a bright halo around their head.

So close, please, pick me, please.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” they chuckled, moving their hands down into the wet box. Sticky fur came into contact with smooth palms as she was raised up to their face. “There we go, no more wet box.”

Cradled to their chest, she couldn’t help but purr. Laughs sounded from above her as she placed her paws against their chest. Rubbing her cheek against their shoulder, she watched as they left the cold, dark, wet alley. Her box looked so much smaller from this height, more lonely than scary. She was lonely, she realized, but as she looked up at her human, she didn’t feel lonely anymore.

You picked me, thank you, mine, yours, take me home.

“You’re a small little thing,” they said, looking at her. She liked their smile, the small gap between their front teeth and the crooked way it peaked up on the right side. She noted that their nose was small, smaller than would be expected given how big humans were. It was weird, but she knew humans were weird. “I guess we need to find a name for you, don’t we little missy?”

The noise she made was loud and sudden as she shifted to put her paws to rest against their cheeks. She liked that word, Missy, she liked it a lot.

Mine, good word, my name, yours, take me home.

“Missy?”

She yowled again, her paws moving to their mouth. She wanted to communicate that she liked it, she wanted it.

“Missy it is. It is very nice to meet you, Missy. I’m Cameron.”

Missy, Cameron, yours, mine, take me home.

Though it was still cold and dark outside, she felt warm as Cameron walked them home. The street was quiet, not many people out at this time. They arrived in front of a set of glass doors. The building was large and tall, much bigger than her box was. Clutched to Cameron’s chest, they walked in the doors, heading towards the stairs.

“Now, I figured I would warn you,” Cameron said as she was carried up the steps. One floor, two floors, three floors. “We aren’t going to be the only ones in this apartment. I have three roommates.”

Mine, home, pick me? Stay?

“Good news, we’ve been looking to get a pet,” Cameron sounded excited, elated almost, and Missy couldn’t help but emulate that happiness as she let out a small meow. “Exactly, you get it.”

She was bopped on nose, then scratched under the chin as Cameron continued to talk.

“We agreed a cat would be best, so you should fit in just fine.”

Mine, home, pick me. Stay.

Missy was relieved. She liked Cameron, Cameron liked her. They called her cute and sweetheart and Missy. She didn’t want another human, Cameron was hers. She was Cameron's.

They arrived at a door, 314, it said. She was shifted into Cameron's right arm as they rummaged through their coat pocket. They let out a small aha as they pulled out a key, fitting it into the lock and opening the door.

“We’re home.”

Home, us, mine, home.

“We?”

A voiced screeched from down the hall. Missy couldn’t see them, but they sounded fun and bright. Footsteps sounded as Cameron closed the door behind them. They began to take off their warm coat, juggling Missy all the while. Their key was hung beside the door on a little green hook.

Another human appeared around the corner, short, choppy red hair bouncing as they bounded toward Missy and Cameron.

New, mine, red, home.

“Well, hello, little one,” the bright voice exclaimed. Red filled Missy’s vision as her ears were pet, long fingers scratching at just the right spot. “Where did Camie find such a cutie?”

Cameron laughed as Missy purred. She pawed at Red, moving from Cameron’s arms to theirs. She was bundled against their soft sweater, enjoying the repetitive motions.

“I found her in the alley beside the book store,” Cameron said, peering down at Missy who was looking right back. “Don’t smother her Tessa.”

Missy, Cameron, Tessa, home.

“What a poor dear,” Tessa chittered. As she was carried further into the apartment, she surveyed the room she was brought to. Cream walls surrounded them, one hall to the left and a kitchen visible behind the counter that separated it from the living room. It was cozy, with a small sofa, enough for three people to sit, and a green arm chair to the right of it. A table sat between the two pieces of furniture, a green lamp sitting a top it.

“Well, you’re home now, and what perfect timing!”

Perfect, yours, home.

“Vi and Liv just got home! We can introduce you!”

Tessa was loud and energetic. Their voice startled the two humans sitting side by side on the couch. They were leaning into each other, looking at the phone held in one of their hands.

“Why so loud Tess?” Green eyes didn’t even look up from the phone, blonde hair tied up in a ponytail. Missy wanted to hit it. The human beside them just hummed, not acknowledging them as they scrolled.

Two, new, mine, home.

“Look at what Camie brought home!” Tessa was still petting her, even as they walked quickly over to the couch, crouching down in front of them.

A tan hand lowered the phone as brown eyes looked at Missy. Already, Blonde was raising a hand to her face, allowing Missy to examine it before bumping her head against it.

“I thought we were going out this weekend to look at cats.”

Scared, accept me, home. Stay?

“Come on, Violet.” Cameron came up behind Tessa, slowly taking Missy into her arms once more. “She was all alone. You can’t tell me she’s not the cutest.”

A slow smile spread across Violet’s face as they looked at Missy. She did her best to look as cute as possible. She wanted to stay.

“Yeah, she is pretty cute.” Violet said as they stood up, pecking a quick kiss on Cameron’s cheek. They looked at Missy. Missy stared back. “Very cute indeed.”

Missy, Vi, Liv, Tess, Camie, stay, mine. Home.