by Sheila McHenry
"Where do you think he went?" I kept asking my mother that chilly october night, cuddled in my cozy covers, with no furry creature at the end of my feet. My mother just shrugged, no fear of showing her sadness as well. Thw wind whipped through the trees creating a howling foghorn noise. It was spinning in my head, along with lonesome worries. "I don't know Sheila, he probably--he probably is off on an adventure" my mother said softly. "Mom" I said sharply "Please, we know....we know that the worst has probably taken action...Cosmo is dead!" I sobbed through closed eyes.
The day my family brought home our second flufball since our family first died a couple monthes back. My other tourt was off staring about the house as usual, while my two sisters and I ripped open a cardboard box with the Butte Human Society logo printed on the side. My smile widened when a large fluffy maincoon cat came into site when the carboard flaps were pulled back. "Get back!" my mother called from across the livingroom with my dad "Give the cat some room!" she said with a hint of laughter in her voice for we were only young, curiouse children. The copper cats head suddenly appeared from the box. My family all watched in wonder as the cat slipped out of his home for the car-ride from his prison, and into his new residents. I smiled when the young boy sniffed my leg. I scooped him up in my arms, and knew he was a great cat.
It all happened that few weeks before, my mother had gone to the Chico mall to pick up an item when she spotted a Butte Humane Society setup. She scanned over cats with my eldest sister, Madaleine. The cats were all so soft, with a gleam in their eyes seeming to say "Take me home please!". My mother knew that our family had recently boughten a cat, Dolores, and that we didn't need another but her heart crumbled when she spotted a young maincoon cat reach his paw ur as if to greet the mother and daughter.
That night, my mom told us about her experience, and the next week we were flying down highway 99 to the Humane center to pick up our newest memeber of the McHenry family. Us children were laughing in the backseat as my parents talked in low voices about the payment of our new friend. We soon pulled up into the Humane Society enterance and parked our old honda in the gravel parkinglot. Dogs barked in outside kennels, watching families eagerly pick out the perfect pet. When we entered I had to plug my nose from a terible stench of lost, found, and abandond animals. A lady led our small five people family to a small room in the back of the hallway, and through a polished door which contained hundreds of cat. I quickly spotted the cagw which my other kitty had been placed, then turned my attention to my parents which searched cages for the mall kitty. "Here!" my mother said lifting a scratchy kitty up for us to see. I had let go of my nose and smiled up at the cat. "Hi kitty!" I said in ahigh pitched voice as we carried our new family member to the front room.
Inside our honda, back to our home, we tried to make up names for the meowing cat in a box beside th kids. Soon after the highway, we decided on 'Cosmo' which I disliked on account of I had seen a movie called that very name, but it belonged to an ugly ape.
Those next years were magical with Cosmo. He saw birthday parties, celebrations, holidays, and more. A couple years later my family went through an easy devorise, and Cosmo stayed with my mother, my sisters, and I. We moved from Cosmos first home, and into a little place on Jonell Rd. It was just as easy there like at howard, because my babies were their with me. The, after the summer, my mother married my now stepdad, and we moved into his house with our flufballs. The house was grand, a two story with a swimming pool (now). Then, after about two monthes of moving in, the terror began.
"Have you seen Cosmo?" my mother asked wonderingly as my cousin, Tommy, little sister, Grace, and I bounced out of the house in early October, bundled in coats. "No" I said happily, kicking a dead leaf which would soon resemble my beloved cat. "Oh" she returned "He might be on the golf course" she pointed to the golf club across the way. "Yeah" I said, unworried. That night my feelings changed to a concern when Cosmo didn't come in. I hoped for the best. The next day, like the first, then the next days, like the following. Cosmo was pronounced 'missing'. Every day and night I spent waking minutes calling my cats name. I freat when nobody answered our missing flyers, then almost died when our newspaper add didn't go great. "Nothing we can do but hope" I said sadley to my sisters. The following month was the same, no Cosmo.
I buried my 12 year old cheeks into Dolores fur, praying loudly. It had been four monthes since the diaperal of our loving family friend. I cried softyly, my tears welling in my eyes, creating a frosted over world. That night my mother and I talked about a new cat. I quickly refused, I still had hope. My feet felt cold, my heart swirled around my chest whenever I heard a bell, but it was always Dolores. Cosmos new collar tag arrived in the mail after another month, I through it and cursed it late disaprovaling arrival. I knew my baby was gone. I smiled through wet tears as I looked at pictures of him. His high geen eyes placed on his fluffy face, a kind glint in them. The once bony, skinny cat had a real family I keep remembering. Before my cat ranaway, he had a serious kiddny problome. He was an old babe, and probably ran from his family to die, so his goodbye wasn't a teriffying one. I have his tag, and hold on to it, and talk with him. Our talks are long, and hopeful ones. I remember the seven year old waddling up to the maincoon, and petting her best friend for the first time. His soft touch never left my hand, his gentel meow never left my ears, and he shall never leave my heatt. I Love you Cosmo and I shall see you on the Rainbow bridge when it is my time.
-In loving memory of Cosmo McHenry
Soon after the disaperance of Cosmo, my other beauty Dolores
was also declared missing I love you both and will see you
when my time comes! Losts of kisses,
Your mama

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