A Little Helping Paw

The world can be an amazing and wondrous place or it can be a dark and depressing one. It all comes down to the cards you were dealt. Whoever dealt my hand was a prick. My journey to adulthood was a thunderous explosion of heated emotions and years of unresolved resentment.

A massive argument landed me where I am now. Roaming the concrete jungles, feeling the graininess of cold bitumen under my soles with every step. The yellowish glow of the street lamps, the only thing keeping the darkness at bay. I feel like a lone wanderer traveling in search of a new world.

Something catches my eye, a green glisten in the shadows. I should keep walking but curiosity has always gotten the best of me in the past, why would that change now. A try to summon my inner Ezio Auditore, and sneak up on the disturbance. A minute of stalking leads me to a mountain of stacked cardboard. A small meow occurs as I start to rummage through the boxes.

Inside the very bottom box is a small ball of black fluff with huge emerald eyes. The poor little thing is skin and bone, and very weak. He probably hasn’t eaten in days. He emits a small mew as I carefully lift him out and cradle him. “It’s ok little one I won’t hurt you.”

“Meow” he perks his head up and nuzzles my hand.

“Yeah see, I’m friendly,” I scratch him under his chin and he starts to purr. “You need a name, little one, how about Fluffy?” he just keeps purring. “Yeah you’re right, too basic. Umm what about Simba?.” He just looks at me as if I insulted his whole species. “Ok ok, i’ll try harder. What about Asmodeus, the demon prince of hell. Is a name like that worthy of you?”

“Mew” his little head perks up and looks at me with those giant emeralds of his.

“I’m gonna take that as a yes,” he then buries himself into my hoodie’s pouch and nestles himself to sleep. “Ok let’s go get you something to eat, I’m sure I can buy you some food for,” I dig into my back pocket and pull out three gold coins, “five dollars.”

There is a shopping center a couple of streets away. A short walk but its nothing me and the little demon can’t handle. Even if the wondrous painkiller of adrenaline has worn off. Every step brings back a flash. A memory of the fight. I’m snapped back to reality by vibrations in my hoodie’s pouch. Asmodeus. Thanks little buddy.

I’ve never been thankful over the mandates before but I’m really glad no one can see the state of my face tonight. I don’t need questions. I just need to get Asmodeus some food. Turns out 5 dollars can get you a fair way. A few slices of ham and a bottle of water should be enough to get some nourishment into my little demon.

I found a small green oasis of life, within the tall concrete mountains. The grass is like a soft blanket under me. Asmodeus seems to agree as he’s rolling around in it and attacking leaves like a little panther. He’s doing much better since I got some food into him.

After about an hour. I feel a small weight plop into my lap and start to vibrate. “Tired there little one? At least your still around.” Asmodeus and I just lay in the greenery and watched the stars for what felt like a lifetime.

However the pleasant peacefulness was quickly undone by Tempestas handiwork. The howling of the trees, water falling from the sky, and electricity jumping between the heavens and Earth.

“Meow!” a small complaint. Most likely from the roughness of my frantic rush for shelter. There’s a small footy club nearby that should work for now.

“Meow” the little prince scowled at me with disappointment, The same look my parents used to give me.

“Don’t look at me like that, I know I’m a disappointing failure. You probably expected a nice warm house, with food and a bed when I picked you up. Well guess what, I’m just as much of a stray as you are! At least you have someone who tried to help you. I have no one!”

Backed ears and a tucked tail are the consequence for my outburst but he doesn’t run. I scoop him up and hold him close to my chest patting down the tensed fur with each stroke.

“I’m sorry, little buddy. I just don’t know what to do. My life just kinda fell apart and I have nowhere to go. No one to turn to and I don’t know what to do. I get mad at people and I push them away.”

’Meow” he rubs his little head up against my hand and purrs as if I never had my outburst. Maybe not everyone leaves. Maybe I don’t give them the chance to stay.

“Actually my little friend, would you like to meet someone new?”

“Meow”

I’ve never been so anxious waiting for a doorbell to ring, then again I’ve never explained my home life to someone external from my family. Time seems to slow as each ring goes by till I’m snapped back to reality by the snap of the lock.

The door opens and I’m met with a pair of kind eyes “Are you ok?