“Mmmm, that feels good.” Misty opened an eye to see who was there. “Stormy! You’re up early, what’s happening?”
“I feel funny. Kind of tingly. Like I ought to be knowing something.”
“Ah. Familiar thing. Boy, you’re going to get a crash course in all this stuff! Andre....”
“Hi sweetheart, you called?”
“Dang it, Andrew, give a girl a break! I didn’t even finish calling your name and you’re here.” Misty flounced herself down, trying not to be peeved at him.
Storm looked from Misty, to the Angel, and back to Misty. “I don’t understand one bit what’s happening.”
Andrew scoped him up and settled on “council rock” as the kitties had named it some time ago. “I know what you are experiencing, and it was inevitable that you would, just hoped we’d have a little longer to bring you up to speed on how things work!”
Soothed by the angel’s touch, he said “I was all tingly. And my nose whiskers twitched. But I didn’t twitch them. They just TWITCHED.”
Andrew chuckled. Not at him, but at his description.
“Another comes, from where you were. Perhaps we should greet him! Would you like to do that?”
“But how will I know where he is? Or who it is? Or when he’s coming?”
“Look over by the creek! I think you might find who you’re looking for.”
Sure enough, there sat a grey and white tabby, doing the familiar kitty stretch. He had been in a wire box, and then he went to a place where people touched him, and then he got sleepy, and then he woke up here, wherever “here” is. But as with all cats, the first lessen they learn as little kittens is “when in doubt, wash”. SO, he did just that. First one paw, then the other, and scrubbed behind his ears as well. Hearing the creek’s noises, it occurred to him he was thirsty, so he padded to the edge, and lapped the cool water. “MY is that good!” He thought. Much better than the water in puddles!
He turned around to take stock of the situation he found himself in, and saw a familiar kitty trotting toward him.
“Storm! You’re here too! But where’s HERE?” He asked.
“I don’t understand it all myself yet, but come with me, there’s someone I want you to meet.”
The two trotted toward Andrew and Misty. “This is Andrew, he’s an angel. And this is Misty. I’m not exactly sure if she’s an angel too but here they are, and they’ll explain, because I’m still confused.”
Andrew picked up the tabby and settled him on his lap. “Tig, is it? I think that’s what Storm called you.”
“Yessir, I’m Tig. Short for Tiger. There was a nice lady taking care of us, and then I went somewhere, and fell asleep, and woke up over there. And here’s Stormy, but he died a few days ago ....”
As the pieces fell into place, Tig grew silent. If Stormy is here, yet Stormy died days ago, then am I dead too?
Andrew comforted the confused kitty. He could hear Tig’s thoughts, but gave him time to sort them out a little himself.
Misty broke the silence, “Storm came to us a few days ago, and now you’re here, and now we go to the Bridge, and then we jump off, and we wait for our families to come and then we go through the Gate!”
Andrew couldn’t stifle the laughter. Tig looked from Misty to Storm, and then to Andrew, totally confused.
”She’s right, I guess that’s the Readers’ Digest version.” As the puzzled cats looked at him, he continued. “You see, when first the Creator made the earth, and all the plants and animals that live upon the earth, everything was beautiful. Then Man started doing things that made the Creator mad, and in that anger, He washed everything off the earth, He saved two of everything however, and when He got over being angry, he made a promise that he would never do that again. He created a beautiful rainbow, a token of his promise, that He would provide a place for all of us for when our number of days upon earth had been done.
“This rainbow is a beautiful bridge. All the living creatures who have died have had to cross that bridge, thereby accepting the Promise made to them. Critters who had been pets will wait for their families to come and be reunited, and then go through the Great Gate into Heaven.”
Tig thought about that for a minute. “But what if you didn’t have a family? What if you were a bunny or a fox? What if you were a homeless kitty?”
“He knows when even a sparrow falls,” replied the angel. “Come. the others are waiting for us.” With that Andrew picked up Storm, and with a cat under each arm, and Misty close against his gown, they vanished ....
.... only to appear again on a beautiful bridge, made of every color of the rainbow. Misty hopped down to join her friends. Andrew set Storm and Tig down upon the Bridge.”
“I already jumped off when I got here, but I’ll jump with you if you’re scared,” offered Storm. Tig looked in utter amazement at the gathering of animals below him. Cats, dogs, birds, wild life, as far as he could see.
“You’re sure about this?” He asked. “But who will WE meet?”
“Why, Kerry, of course! She took care of us and saw to it we were fed, and warm. She knows about this place.”
Tig thought about that for a moment. They hadn’t been “pets”, living in the house, sleeping on the beds, but there was that person who seemed to love them, who took care of them. “If you’re sure, then I’m ready.”
With that, Tig and Storm jumped off the bridge and were met with nosie rubs and purrs from the waiting cats, and all the others.
As Andrew faded from sight he thought again about the bonds these creatures had with man. Some lived the life of luxury in man’s homes, others were cared for but allowed to run free. Once again he marveled at the animals’ ability to grasp all that the Creator wanted them to understand. It was as it should be. As he looked back, he saw Misty move away from the crowd to the edge of the meadow.
“Mama? Tell Kerry Tig and Storm are here with us, and they’re okay. They have much to learn but we will teach them. Tell her not to worry ....”
... and as the clock struck 3, the woman typed ....
©Rose Scott
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