Leakycat aka Symie a Certified Seizure Service Cat. Cat video

The Wall continued

The Wall continued

6.

  If you stared at it, you'd miss it. In fact, the boot had landed so close to its rounded hollow entrance hidden in the trash and dried weeds that if the man would have peered closer or bothered to pick up his boot, he would have noticed that the dirty tip had vanished.
  Addie knelt down and tried to catch the angle where she had seen a flash of green and was surprised when cool air and the furry brush of the black cat's fur met her fingers as she reached out into what seemed like nothingness. She felt odd,crouched, the sun pouring onto her back, sweat appearing in trickles. Yet, there was definitely something there. She pushed aside the manky boot and crawling on her hands and knees peered inside.

7.

   A child had come near the entrance, her odd silver eyes flickering a little as she watched the hand creep and feel inside. The black cat had let out a rumbling purr and rubbed against the exploring fingers.  She ran her fingers against the invisible wall and watched as it lit up under her fingers iridescent colors flashing colors and harmonizing music that seemed to speak to her in a comforting way as she leaned over and picked the purring cat. Rubbing her hand between its ears, she watched as a tow headed looking girl slowly crawled inside. The pool in the center didn't distract her as it gurgled louder, dispelling jets of cool air into the room.

8.

  

  Addie didn't know what to expect as she stuck her head in. For a moment, images of a past late night horror film flew through her head. Man eating lizards, rabid dogs. But, the prospect of getting out of the heat and sense of adventure over threw that tiny prick of fear. She was surprised at the rush of cool air that engulfed her body, as she crawled inside. 

Her heart thudded suddenly as her eyes wandered upwards and saw a the little girl holding and petting a familiar black cat.

She stood slowly up, "Um, hi what is this place." her voice curious.

    The little girl studied Addie and set the cat down, who immediately started entwining itself around her legs and then sniffing Addie's rose on its hind legs and nuzzled her outstretched fingers. "We are not sure, we call it the Wall." she motioned "Even though funny enough its actually like a box." 

Addie, could only stare dumbfounded for a moment. There were groves of trees and a pool like pond in the middle. She glanced back, but to her surprise the entrance had vanished. 

"But, but, I was just standing outside in the hot sun and now I'm here." She sputtered still not sure what to do. The ground underneath was like a lush cushion, springy underneath her feet. "Are you, an alien?" her voice quavered a little.

"Of course not, silly." the word alien had caused the little girl to break out into a pearl of giggles, She was wearing a simple pink and white taffeta dress, but her feet were bare, hopping up and down excitedly. "We just find ourselves here. The voice takes care of us." she said brightly still staring.

To her, new girl looked startled and she stood out with dirty legs and matted hair; her dingy tank top had begun to dry in the cool air, but was giving off that light acrid scent of fear and of having been in a hostile environment. 

9.

"What do you mean, we? There are others?" Addie asked, watching the girl study her intently, but the little girl was just as fascinating, with her bright silver eyes that flashed in the overhead glow, she seemed friendly enough nodding and reaching out for Addie's slightly sweaty hand, pulling her along for a tour. Sure, enough a short walk towards the grove of trees and other kids began to appear into view. Most were sitting working on small projects, like whittling or sewing. Some were balanced on branches reading books. They all looked out of place, yet strangely bound together. She couldn't help but laugh a little. It reminded her of being like Peter Pan and meeting a world of lost boys. "What do you do here?" she asked pulling her hand out of the little girls cool palm. 

 "Whatever we want, really. The voice sometimes asks us to do simple chores, but really we do what we please. And the fountain in the middle counts time, so we know when to sleep or eat." She spun a little, giggling again.

 "Do you ever get to go out?" Addie asked, though she was not as anxious to leave quite yet, it was good to know these things.

"Why would you want to do that?" had come a curiously disdainful reply, "Being here is never like being out there. Here you can do whatever you want."

  "But, you can right?" Addie had begun walking back towards the direction they'd come from.

 "I suppose.. you could ask the voice." the little girl looked at her round eyed as if the thought was slightly rebellious. 

  They had come close to the pool, that once again shot a stream of cool air into the room. The cat was rubbing against the wall and Addie watched as it opened, revealing a bright stream of light through the small hollow entrance.

The Wall

The Wall

  1.

  A dusty road runs up to the side of a group of trailers that lay baking under the morning sun. 87 degrees it reads on a swelling plastic thermometer that hangs haphazardly on the peeling sheet metal. There seemed nothing that could save these sweltering boxes except that off to the side; Past the heap of rotting tires and forgotten faded lawn ornaments is a wall that shimmers, an oasis of trees behind it. 
   A lone black cat, meows plaintively in the hot sun, its short fur glistening having soaked up the morning rays. It pants and looks around, trotting towards the wall leaving tiny paw imprints in the ground. It approaches the wall, and seems to be gazing through it, before with a slight swish of its tail walks straight at it and vanishes. 

2.

 

  A man, wearing a soiled wife beater and carrying a bag of dripping trash, doesn't notice the cat or the fact that it has vanished. His shoulders are slick with sweat and dark sunburn. A fly hovers nearby, buzzing as if seeking refuge in his shadow and the man swears swatting at it, as the bottom of the bag rips out, spilling the contents close to the wall. But, as he stands there swearing, his eyes see no wall, only dirt and miles of empty lots filled with scattered trailers like the one standing across from him, filled with dead weeds, beer cans and garbage remains, that he is kicking and spreading around in his worn, unlaced construction boots, hoping that the neighborhood strays will just eat it up. His boot flies off to the side, from the effort and he stumbles slightly; his bare foot stepping into a melange of coffee grounds and congealed garbage juice gravies. Standing there, cursing aloud, he debates and flings the hot stinking bag aside so that a micro breeze picks it up and drags it down the dirt path; tangling itself along dead stalks of weeds. He smacks a hand over the back of his sweaty neck at the pestering fly, wiping his foot in the dust as the sun beats mercilessly on him; he turns not bothering to retrieve his boot which blends in with the the rest of the monochromatic debris, thinking only of his ice chest and the tall cans of beer that await inside.

3.
 

   Addie awoke panting slightly, even in her tight tank top and thread bare pajama pants, her room was already sweltering. She sat up, throwing the thin blanket off the dingy mattress which lay scrunched as if the previous owner had jumped the life out of it, against the wall. She groaned for a moment, hoping it was a dream. 

  Always the same one; her father sneaking into the dusky darkness and whispering in her ear "Addie, dalrin. I hab ta go. Jaseus is'a calling. bat I'll leave ya'll a check. An Sandra'll be ere." And she would reach up, feeling that 5 o'clock shadow on her father's bristly cheeks and reply sleepily "No daddy, please, take me to see Jesus too. Not here with Sandra." 

  He would sit a moment, thinking, voice sorrowful "No, dalrin, a trip to see Jaseus is no place for a chaild. Stay'll here fa'r me,wi'ch Sandra." and he would run a hand tenderly through her tangled brown strands of hair, his thick rough fingers would work on a few of the matted ones and she would prop her head on his thigh. But, it was like a dream, as he would stand, kissing her cheek; Leaving behind traces of his aftershave and the sandy scent of hand rolled cigarettes on her face.

   She silently got up, her bare feet making no noise on the worn linoleum floor. Sticking her head out, she could hear the blare of the tv soaps coming towards her. Good, maybe Sandra had already passed out with her usual bottle of vodka or tequila. She could see the top of her dirty blond head sticking out above the lime green couch, but not moving. 

   She walked to the kitchen table and notices that her father had indeed left a check. "Great" she thinks to herself, reaching up to grab a box of Cornflakes and the can of sugar.

  "You forgot to take out the trash last night." comes the scratchy voice from the couch. A trail of smoke drifting lazily upwards.

   Addie face palmed herself. She had fallen asleep reading her favorite book, her only book really. "Sorry I forgot. I'll do it after breakfast."

  "You'll do it now, you sorry piece of shit. Don't tell me you just, forgot. Goddamn place is bad enough with you stinking it up. And now your daddy has gone up again and left me with you." the drunk voice faltered only a little. "Don't make me get up. I will rip your god damn hide off."

   Addie reluctantly set the box down, she knew that Sandy would; come after her with the nearest object, usually one of her father's belt. She grabbed a large black trash bag and started sweeping the mummified remains of banana peels, harden bits of eggs and toast. Cans and empty bottles litter the counter and she flicks a roach of off one. She manages to fill the bag, avoiding coming near Sandra and her bottles "K, I'm taking it out now. No need to get up." she says carefully, hauling and tying it shut as she slipped on her old faded flip flops and balancing the heavy bag carefully walked out the torn screen door and into the blistering heat.

4.

  The inside of the wall, was actually not a wall at all. It was a boxlike and contained an oasis of trees, their greenness would have been seen for miles contrasting against the dusty landscape. But, it was all hidden, as the cat shook the dust from its fur and trotted towards a tow headed child that sat up against one side mumbling to himself trying to repair an old well loved bear, who's worn fur had started to show the stuffing. Another child, leaned against a tree trunk flicking stones lazily into a pond that gurgled refreshingly in the middle. There were other's, but none seemed to notice the sweltering heat that surrounded them, only the cool breeze that seemed to circulate in that room alone. 

5.

  Addy trudged down the same dirt pathway, except that her eyes swept the ground and across, always searching for something exciting. But, it always seemed like the same dreary landscape. She was looking across, when she saw the cat, who seemed to be only half there. Its back half vanishing into nothing. She stood there gawking, and watched as the cat vanished once again. The garbage forgotten, she hurried across and studied the area in front of her. At first, she saw nothing and then out of the corner of her eye she saw a hint of green. 

........To be continued....