The Brief Thief

            by Amber Hogue

 

Amanda Morning Glory moved to the small town of Willits, which was positioned between the great city of San Francisco and isolated town of Eureka. All of the neighbors in Willits were very skeptical of this Amanda Morning Glory, who brought two large cages with her into the small cottage. They never saw the contents of the cages but just assumed they were some kind of animal, hopefully cats.

 Amanda seemed friendly enough and word spread quickly of her stunning beauty. Her deep brown hair matched her eyes that twinkled every time she looked at you. She wore long silk saris and almost always had a little red bindi between her flickering eyes. She moved into the quirky little cottage behind the Humphreys grand Victorian home on Main Street.

The Humphreys had lived in Willits longer than any other residents there. They owned the biggest house, had the most pets, and the most lavish vegetation that anyone had ever seen; especially during the spring. Tulips of all colors sprang from the ground, roses encircled their home, and jasmine crept up to their second story windows. The Humphrey’s home could be seen from each edge of town. Passerby would pause in front of the majestic sight and give praise to Mrs. Humphrey for gardening talent.

            All the residents of Willits shared a love for feline animals. Each family cared for at least a dozen cats at a time. No one knew where they came from, but every year their number almost doubled. Cats were so abundant in this desolate town that they meandered through every street and around each corner disregarding any person, creature, or machine that stepped into their path.

            Ms. Morning Glory was rarely seen throughout the town. The need for food and supplies were the only incentive for her to leave her eccentric cottage. Each wall of the house was a different color, hammocks surrounded the front yard, and the porch was made into a mosaic. As she walked down Main Street, Ms. Morning Glory didn’t seem to like the great quantity of slinky felines roaming the streets. When the cats slithered between her legs and purred at the touch of her warm skin a disgusted expression spread straight across Amanda’s face.

            “Get away from me, you filthy creature,” she would scream as she kicked the advancing cats out of her path.

Adults stared in disbelief, children cried, and the cats hissed. A little girl with curly maple colored hair approached Ms. Morning Glory. Her name was Dora Newly and she must have been about six-years-old.

She tugged on Amanda’s sari and spittled out, “Why are you so mean to the little kitties?”

Amanda looked at Dora with a sneer and said, “Don’t you know these sly creatures are swarming the streets and spreading disease?”

She then turned away from the young girl and walked into the market with the cloth of her sari billowing out behind her. Dora’s large brown eyes filled to the brim with tears and her mother’s cousin, Andy Newly offered her his red and white handkerchief. Dora blew her nose loudly, folded the greenish fluid into the cloth and handed it back to Andy. He had bright red hair, a stringy body, and freckles that could be seen from across the room. A look of disgust appeared across his speckled face, but he willingly placed the handkerchief into his shirt pocket. Dora slid her arms around his lanky waist and burrowed her head into his clothing.

            “Why is that lady so mean?” she asked.

            Andy held her small face in his ruff hands and replied, “I don’t know Dora, maybe she’s allergic to cats.”

“Can we go home now?” she asked.

Andy nodded his head in agreement and Dora grabbed hold of his hand. Together they walked through the crowd toward their home just across the street from the Humphreys.

 

            Over the next few weeks something had changed in this little town. Dora glanced out her burgundy drapes to see a hot, blazing sun. She saw The Humphrey’s beautiful garden, cars bustling forward, and children playing. Something was missing from this magnificent picture. The cats. There were few catlike creatures casting shadows upon the sultry sidewalk or sashaying through the streets.

Dora dashed from the window yelling, “Andy! Andy! Andy!”

She found Andy curled up like one of the pristine kittens that lounge on their deck. She grabbed hold of his tattered shirt and tugged; he swatted at her with his skinny arms.

She cried, “Andy, something is wrong. The streets aren’t crowded with cats anymore!”

His eyes shot open and he franticly put his shoes on, tucked in his shirt, and self-consciously put on a cap to cover his tangled hair. He ran to the burgundy shades where Dora had stood. She was right! The streets were almost barren. He saw a few calicos strutting around the corner, one Siamese in the Humphrey’s garden, and several fleabags toying with a fish skeleton by the dumpster.

“Dora, come here!” Andy yelled running out the front door.

“Why? Where are we going?” she asked.

“Just come with me Dora,” he replied.

She followed Andy down to the sidewalk and across the street to the Humphreys. They stood side by side taking in the beautiful flowers before tiptoeing to the back cottage. Andy and Dora clung to the sides of the grand Victorian house as they crept closer to the windows of Ms. Morning Glory’s home, hoping no one would see them. Dora’s bristly fingers grasped the window ledge as Andy held her effortlessly on his shoulders from below.

“Can you see anything?” he asked.

“No, can you lift me up higher?” she whispered.

            As Andy pushed his flimsy arms into the air Dora saw the unimaginable. In the kitchen Dora saw two large pots releasing steam set on the rickety stove. Next to the stove were the two large cages and in the cages were dozens of cats. Among the cluster she saw her own pets scruffy, Giselle, and Stella. Her hands collided with her mouth and tears splashed down her round cheeks.

            “Dora, what is it? What’d you see?” Andy asked earnestly.

            “Just put me down!” she answered as she squirmed away.

            Once placed firmly on the warm sidewalk, Dora dashed home to collect the rest of feline friends. Andy followed close behind her, staying in sync with every step she made. He knew she needed space to think, but he couldn’t wait to hear about the scene.

            Andy sat down opposite Dora whose chest was heaving from all the pain Amanda had caused. She was trying to nuzzle all 15 of her precious pets at the same; whispering promises into their ears, and stroking their backs.

            “Bobby, Bonnie, Clyde, Rosie, BooBoo, Bootsie, Peanut…” resonated from her mouth as she counted to make sure the mean Morning Glory had not stolen another one of babies.

            “Can you tell me what happened now?”, Andy asked.

            Dora shook her head in dismay, then slowly parted her lips and whispered, “I think Ms. Morning Glory is making kitten stew!”

            Andy gasped. “No!”  he yelped.

            Dora nodded disappointedly and grabbed Andy’s hand for comfort.

            “You just wait until Sheriff Humphrey finds out about this!”, Andy stated.

            The two of them played with their 15 remaining stealthy animals for the remainder of the evening. First thing in the morning Andy would notify the Sheriff of Amanda’s behavior. He awoke in the morning with every intention of busting Ms. Morning Glory. He got dressed, brushed his teeth, and made breakfast for Dora and himself, then walked out the door to be welcomed by the blazing sun. Andy marched down Main Street towards the police station, but as he passed the Humphrey’s home, he once again wandered to the eerie little cottage. Andy lifted his slim body up onto the windowsill. Inside the cottage Andy only saw bright colors, lots of candles, and the fervent smell of incense. There were no cages or pots, or a Morning Glory in sight.

            The police station was out of the question now. Had Dora lied?  Andy was utterly puzzled. Why would Dora make that up? He marched home to Dora. Once he reached the door, he pushed it open forcefully and immediately went to Dora’s room.

            “Why would you lie about Ms. Morning Glory, Dora?” he accused.

            “I didn’t lie! I swear! I saw the cages and the cats!”

Dora was so upset that Andy didn’t believe her that she decided to ignore him for the rest of the day. She sat on the deck and tossed cotton mice around for her spoiled kittens all day and most of the evening, Dora came up with a plan to alert Sheriff Humphrey about the cat stew.

During the middle of the night, after Andy was asleep Dora tiptoes through her house and out into the starry night. She took a moment to admire the beautiful nights sky before creeping catlike towards the Humphreys home. The stairs were so large and magnificent that Dora almost had to crawl up to the front door. She stretched her arm as far as she could just to reach the big brass knocker placed in the center of the bright blue door.

“Rap! Rap! Rap!”

Dora could hear Sheriff Humphrey grab his rifle and fly down the spiral staircase behind the door. Goosebumps ran down her back. Guns frightened little Dora. The noise was so loud. The door swung open and a rifle was pointed directly at Dora. Behind the rifle was Sheriff Humphrey in his cotton nightgown and his hair shot out in a million different directions.

Dora could hear Mrs. Humphrey say, “Honey, put that gun down. Its only little Dora Newly from across the street.”

The rifle was lowered and placed out of sight. The Humphrey’s knelt down and Sheriff Humphrey asked, “Oh Dora, I’m so sorry. What are you doing here at such a late hour?”

            Dora dug her toes into the welcome mat and rubbed her hands together before blurting out, “Ms. Morning Glory made stew out of the cats!”

            They both tried to hide their laughter. What a preposterous suggestion.

            “No, really! I saw them locked in cages next to a boiling pot of water!”

            The Humphreys looked at each other and seemed to come to an agreement with just a nod and wink. Sheriff Humphrey brought his rifle back out, grabbed hold of Dora’s hand, and asked her to lead him to the caged felines. Hand in hand they walked towards the back cottage. Just as their knuckles made contact with the small wooden door a faint light appeared behind them. As the light increased Dora and Sheriff Humphrey saw a little white car maneuvering towards the cottage. They both recognized it as Ms. Morning Glory’s car and waited patiently for her to park. They then walked towards the gleaming woman who looked quite puzzled.

            “I’m sorry,” she said. “Did I do something wrong?”

            “You ate the cats!,” Dora yelled.

            “ I did no such thing. That’s awful.”

            Sheriff Humphrey interrupted, “Can we have a look inside your car and house please Ms. Morning Glory?”

            She nodded and popped the trunk to her vehicle. Indeed there were two large cages. The exact cages Dora had seen through the window, but they were now empty.

She then unlocked the door to home and turned on the lights. Beside the stove were two large pots and scattered around the living room was clumps of cat hair. Everyone in the town knew Amanda hated cats and would never allow them into home. There was only one answer and Dora knew what it was. Sheriff Humphrey was in complete shock and arrested Amanda on the spot. There was no need for an explanation, even though Amanda tried relentlessly to give her side of the story.

He hauled her to the single cell jail for the night. This jail cell was special though; it was outside, on the very edge of town so all the neighbors could view the culprit. She was given no food, blankets, or water. The sheriff thanked Dora for believing in her instincts, took her home to Andy, and told them he would express his gratitude to the entire town in the morning.  Andy apologized to Dora a million times and she quickly forgave him. They had a very peaceful slumber than night.

Upon sunrise the next day word had spread quickly of Dora’s victory.  The townspeople made a unanimous decision to ignore Ms. Morning Glory in her jail cell. They would not give her food, drink, or shelter. She was to be left completely alone.

 

Within a week Ms. Morning Glory died from thirst and starvation.  Her body dumped into the nearby river for the fish to feed off of and bottom feeders to suck on her deteriorating bones. The people of Willits had no remorse for her death and pretended she had never existed.

Mrs. Humphrey was set to the task of clearing out the cottage. As she scrubbed the floor and bagged up Amanda’s belongings she stumbled across an answering machine. The red light flashed 36 over and over. Mrs. Humphrey pressed play and a nasally voice echo through the room.

“ Amanda Morning Glory this is Sally Anne from the Eureka Animal Shelter. I’m calling to notify you your cats have been given all their shots. They are ready for pick up. Thank you.”

Click.