A Cat Called Caroline

A Cat Called Caroline

My name is Caroline, I was born in an air force hospital in Dublin Ireland with my parents. Despite being born in Ireland, I am almost fully English, with hints of Scottish in me. I remember being bullied when I was younger, I was born blind and could not hear very well the first 2 or 3 years of my life, I also had difficulty breathing sometimes and found it hard to control my feeling sometimes. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and asthma, and the reason for my blindness was natural causes. My life was fine for a few years, I enjoyed my family’s company and we sold baking goods, along with jams and creams. I was happy with my family for about 11 years, before I lost control of my emotions and ran far away from my home, and went into the forest. When I calmed down, I was so far away into the forest that I didn’t know the way back.

I never saw them again.

THIS IS MY STORY.

chapter 1

Tears were splattered across my fur, I felt the wind blow in my face, my chest was rapidly moving, every muscle ached. I didn’t know where I was going, but I was going far away from home. I kept on bounding forward, my lungs felt like they

Were being stabbed with every sharp breath I took. I flicked my ears, the sound of wind came pouring in once again, loud squawking could be heard in every direction. I slowed down, and came out in a bout of coughing, my throat felt weak, and I felt if though I was being strangled. My legs shook and wobbled and tears streamed down my muzzle, I was gasping for air, each breath seemed to hurt more. I stopped at a crowd of what seemed to be large trees, my tail drooped, my feet ached, and my insides felt dead. I threw my head down and threw up, I felt like I was being choked, each breath was a miracle. I stopped and threw my head back, and attempted to walk. Every step I took I felt weaker. I lay down, my legs felt soothed at the rest. I lay my head down and soon shut my eyes.

I awoke to the sound of thumping, I shot my eyes open despite the fact I couldn’t see and flicked my ears at the noise.

“Is... Anyone there..?” I asked, although my throat still killed me.

The following few seconds was sounds of the undergrowth. someone, or something, obviously ran away when they heard my voice. I stood up, and a smell shot me in the nose. The best way I could describe it was... chemicals, medicines and other dangerous and serious objects. I turned my head to the smell and slowly walked towards it, being cautious as I had zero ideas what could be lurking further. I felt a hard, cold surface on my paws, it seemed to freeze my body, I was unsure what my body was trying to tell me, but I still ventured forward. Despite the smell, once I had come out of a smaller and tighter space, the air smelt cleaner and fresh, almost something similar to a summer breeze. I let out a shaky breath, although I was smelling fresh air, the damage from the night before still seemed to lurk deep inside me.

a rustle could be heard, it sounded like a bird of some sorts, with feathers or something with wings at least. it landed in front of me and I ran backwards. the steel that pressed against my paws was almost impossible to run on, but I managed to make it back into the forest, but I still heard the winged beast coming towards me.

The air that flew from the wings with every flap could blow me off my feet. A sudden burst of dust in front of me made me skid to a sudden halt. I could no longer hear or sense any form of life behind me anymore, and I came to the conclusion that the sharp breaths that I was taking, wasn’t the only breath that was being taken in the area. I gently sniffed, and I smelt an unfamiliar smell. I took a small gasp before falling backwards, my fur was now matted in more than one area, but I didn’t care. I never cared much for looks, as I obviously couldn’t see, I wasn’t strict on the way people saw me.

The raspy breath continued, as I got up and staggered back, I realised that the thing in front of me was hurt, I could tell by the pool of blood that I only just realised. I touched it, it was bone - chilling warm, I shivered, I was used to blood, but not a kind so thick or so warm.

“Are you... OK?” I asked, still being cautious. Most of my fur was on end, but I chose to ignore it.

All I got back was a rusty laugh, I froze, why was he happy? And.. Who is he exactly? I got lost in my thoughts for a second, before getting clicked out of them by a cold claw around my throat. There it was again, the feeling, a desperate urge to breath but all you can do is gurgle like a kitten. I lashed out my claws, but to no avail, It swung right into the air. Being blind in a fight can be a big disadvantage, and since you have zero ideas what they look like, you can also be a little less capable. I heaved, my fur was on end, I shook myself and began to step away. it was now quiet... too quiet, I thought. I padded on further, fur bristling. suddenly, a sharp pain shot in my back. I hissed and flung my body onto my side, the thing squawked with How and anger. I grabbed a spot on its neck and managed to fling myself onto their back, still keeping a strong grip on their flesh. they gripped the ground with their front feet and flung their body over, therefore crushing my body and making me bite down harder. he then pulled up, making me rip his fur and feathers in the process I attempted to leap away, but when I tried to, I was automatically stabbed in the back and pulled upwards. I flailed my legs around, searching for some sort of ground or surface. Seconds later I was surrounded by a feathery shield of wings, and then I started plummeting towards the ground. still being encased by the wings, I was turned upside down right at the moment of impact. the wings were then quickly opened, and in a state of shock, I shot up and ran. I slammed my head into a wall of some sorts, and shortly fell into darkness, although I always saw darkness always, I could feel myself slipping slowly away.

Cold, tired, hurt - did I have to feel this so often? I felt myself slipping, slipping back into reality, back to pain. I could not smell anything, had it been a dream? Or was I dreaming of something better, a freedom from it all? I sighed, yet continued to lay. The beauty of the silence, the breeze. I gently put a paw side; blood dripped down my ribs. I couldn’t feel pain, so I could not care to say the least. I just lay, enjoying the warmth, I knew that I would snap to reality again, to the world that is begging, full of pain and disgusting people. I lay furthermore, with peace in my soul. I lay still, but I knew, the darkness was returning, the coldness is coming back. I took the last breath of that escape, before accepting my fate...

sharp, cold breaths. I was awake, it was beginning again. pain. blood. the prison around me. surrounded once again. everything hurt and I knew why. I heard footsteps, my head shot up, resulting in pain. I shrieked and slammed my head down again, resulting in me gripping my claw into the cold tiles.

“Calm down,” a woman said I flicked my ears over to the general direction and she whispered

" you’re going to be here for a while, I would calm down if I were you. TJ will get you, he’s been on my case for multiple years. I’m his newest subject, well, I guess you are now. be careful, stranger, he’s not light on his punishments. you could most likely tell, you seem in pain. was it him who made you spill blood? or were you attacked? do you know who TJ is? he’s the bird, from the califraw community, the camaliesit, as people would call him. gone insane the man, he experiments on people like us...” I heard a scrape of metal “as you can see, he took away foot”

“Hello, I have no vision. I am blind. I assume you have a metal foot? I have spent many years recording and tracking each sound, each smell, every difference of the thinness in the air when someone is in my presence, and not to mention, I can sense temperature and weather. although I’m blind, I got abilities due to a gene infection and mutation. yes, I was attacked by some bird, I suspect it was this ‘tj’ you are talking about. I am intrigued and would appreciate if you would so happen to tell me more about this foul creature.”

" I will tell you more, but if I may ask your age? you are well spoken for a young age”

“Age is a number, maturity is a real figure to a personality. anyway, I am 11 if you must ask”

“I see” she replied faintly, she seemed disinterested in the discussion, and I wished not to drag anything on.

*click* *clack*

I heard something, and shuffling of cages behind me started, I was overwhelmed, stressed even. This sound means trouble, I could feel it, the air was thick and foggy, a clear sign for stressed breathing.

*click* *clack*

It stopped. You

The clutter of the cages continued on

“SILENCE!”

the clatters of cages rang behind me. I could feel a drop of blood fall down my shoulder. the frozen feeling again, it overcame me. it continued, tense with every drop.

“kid”

he spoke again, frozen from fear, all I could reply with was a small ‘yeah’. he gripped onto the side of the cage, it scraped with the most ear-piercing sound.

the cage door dropped and she grabbed me out. I was now aware of the thing around my neck, he attached a rope to it as he pulled me out. the next few seconds could be described as cloudy. all I was doing was walking. he started to speak, his voice was raspy, I hated it.

“you disrespected me, kid.” he choked

“what are you gonna do?” I hissed back

“I’m going to make you pay for it”

“how?”

“you will find out, now shut up before I rip your tail off!” he now turned around and faced me, he breathed on my face. I shivered. he grabbed me by the throat and slammed me against the table that was now in front of me. something covered my muzzle, and I fell into a daze.

the sound. my heartbeat. my body lay. frozen. I was awake. awake and ready. I couldn’t move. cold breath. I could feel. I felt pain. I couldn’t speak. I felt things. everything. a needle. into my back. it hurt. I felt something. being attached. they were on me. I felt them. I hated whatever they were. stuck on. forever. the pain. I wanted to cry. I couldn’t. it was him. HIM . he made me this way.

awaken, at last, it was lovely I shouted and screamed, I flipped over and started to attack biting, scratching. I realised something. I could see, it was colourless, but I saw everything, his face, his features, everything was in slow motion, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing, I felt numb, and fell to the ground. I saw him, stare. his eyes, and the feathers that erected from his body. I couldn’t focus, everything was happening so quickly, I shook my head at leapt at him. I was too late, he pushed me into a tube, as I slammed my head into the back I realised I would not wake up for a long time. pulling forward with all my might, something inside told me to run, kill him, and escape. leaping forward I bolted out, grabbed his neck and spilt blood.the things behind me, on my back, pulled me backwards. with one push by him, he pushed me right into the hell. the frozen prison that would trap me for god knows how long. he slammed the door shut and trapped me. closing my eyes. I stayed. encased. alone.

goodbye forever, going alone. goodbye home...