By: Terra
It was a crisp fall night and Terra was once again out of the junkyard, sitting in the moist grass just outside of it. Her yellow eyes shone from the moonlight, and the blanket of darkness that surrounded her hid her blue-black-sliver Chartreux coat. She raised her head to the starts, and deeply inhaled. A wind, as if from the Heavyside Layer above, tickled her whiskers and made her smile. A shout was heard from within the junkyard. "Terra! Where are you?" she let out a soft groan. "Caught again…" She sat up, stretched, and climbed back into the junkyard. Her mother, Iris, also a Chartreux, was sitting there, waiting for her. "Terra, how many times have I told you to stay in the junkyard? You know its dangerous out there!" Terra hung her head. "I know…" "Now, I want you to stay in the junkyard from now on. Understood?" "But mom! You are always telling me what to do! I'm a cat mom, I can take care of myself!" her rising tone surprised her. "No Buts!!! Your father already agreed. Now got to your oven!" That's when her father appeared. He looked a bit like her. He was a Russian Blue, with the extra silver coat over his fur, which she didn't have that. He had a stern look on his face. She knew she wouldn't win the argue. She hissed at them for the first time. She slowly slunk to the oven. Just as she got there, a small drizzle began to fall. She sighed deeply. Through a hole in the oven she could see the bright stars, now mostly covered by the gray-white clouds. She knew she was a dreamer. She couldn't help it. After a long time of gazing into the icy blackness of the Heavyside Layer, she drifted asleep. ********* Terra awoke that morning to a loud commotion from the center of the Junkyard. She drowsily woke up. Still half-asleep, he slowly crawled out of the oven. There was a circle of cats, some crying, some maddened, and some looking with a blank expression. When she spoke up, asking what had happened, the crowd grew silent. They parted, and the site that laid before her eyes made her heart drop into her feet and her blood ran cold. There lay a sight se never in her wildest dreams could imagine seeing. There lay her mother and father, with a dried pool of blood around them. She drew in a sharp breath and immediately felt tears swell up in her eyes. A knot grew hard n her throat and her nose tingled. She ran to their side, tears now streaming down her face. A shout was heard from the crowd. "MURDER!" it rang out. She turned her head, only to see all the cats with looks of astonishment on their faces. They were looking at her, and the trail of blood leading to her oven. Then, and only then, did she realize what they meant. The thought ran a shiver down her spine and sent her blood boiling. They thought she had killed them. "No, I didn't! I would never!" said Terra. She was shaking her head slowly still struck with the death of her parents. Her check was now damp from the tears. But the cat held their ground. "You will stand trail tomorrow." The accuser said. "Meanwhile, throw her in the cage." Terra was still so shocked that she was staring mindlessly at her parents. They took her by the arms, and slowly dragged her off, sand mixing with the tears on hr fur. She gave one last look at her parents, and whispered a faint "goodbye." The tears came again.********* It was cold and wet in the cage. A dark stench filled it with no mercy. She was still in deep misery about the deaths. There was one good ting about her prison. The stars were in view on the bright clear night it was. She looked at them longingly. After a deep sigh, she tried to piece together what had happened. The fight…then, she went to bed. She remembered nothing about killing her parents. But yet, there was blood on her paws and a trail of red leading to her oven. There was no denying it-she had killed them. Or had she? Someone could have placed the blood on her paws. Macavity, maybe? Nope…she kept on thinking. She searched and researched through he brain, trying to find any explanation to the horrible crimes. She could find none. In the middle of a thought, a big cat opened the door. "Its time." He said. "Did you do it?" said Munku, looking at her with a glare in his eyes. Terra had seen that glare many times. All of them were times when he was talking about Macavity. She hoped Munku did not see her that way. "No. I did not." Came the firm voice of Terra. "Do you really think we will believe you? There was blood on your paws, and blood in your oven. You had a reason to kill them. And, the apple NEVER falls far from the trees." Munku was referring to the time when her father had worked for Macavity. She hissed slightly at this remark. She would have attacked, but the stake she was tied to prohibited her. Munku jumped back. He was angered. "I believe we have enough evidence. All for innocent, say nay." Not a single sound was uttered. Terra knew that moment she would not ever see this place again. Her heart sank, slowly, to her feet. "All for guilty, say aye." A deafening burst of Aye was heard from every corner of the junkyard. Terra's ears sank low, and she felt a tear grace her check. "Terra you have been found GUILTY with the murder of your father and mother. You sentence-" Terra held her breath. She knew she was going to be killed. There was no escaping that now. It was her fate. She sighed to herself, and waited the final word. "Your sentence-BANISHMENT!" Just then, cries oh "huzzah!" and "alright!' rang from Scotland Yard to the vicarage wall. Terra drew in a sharp breath as a shiver ran up and down her body. Her head shot up faster then a bullet. Banishment?!? That was worse then death! Being kicked out to the street, with no home, no food, and no love. She was about to protest but the circle of cats grew around her. She was cut loose and was forced to the front of the junkyard. There was only one way out--the front. She looked behind her. There was the world. Cold, heartless and empty. The world. Then, she looked ahead. There was the tribe, shouting at her to leave. Their eyes were red with fury. She knew that she had to leave. But, she didn't want to. She was being backed out of the junkyard slowly, and when she reached the gate, felt a tear run down he check. Without looking back, she ran off. She could hear the volume increase as she did. She ran off for miles, her heart throbbing, and her beautiful blue-grey coat now torn and splattered with mud. When it began to rain, she found an old cardboard box and collapsed into it, crying, wet, broken, and tired. She gasped for air and began to cry. After a few minutes of sorrow, she looked up. The rain had stopped. The grey clouds were moving away, slowly. The bright stars could now be seen, sparkling with a magical shine that they claimed all their own. She smiled weakly, remembering her carefree nights outside of the junkyard. Her bottom lip trembled as she let out a soft whimper. She had lost it all now.
Continue to next page
