**Mums Heart**
“Mum, whos Miss Ethel? Is she our owner? Why doesnt she feed us properly?” Little curious eyes blinked up at Maisie, waiting for an answer. “No, love, she isnt our owner. Just an old, sick woman. Doesnt know what shes doing…” “Mum, will the big cats eat me too, like they did with Sissy?” Whiskers whispered, trembling. Maisie sighed heavily. “No, my darling, they wont! I promise!” She began licking her beloved, now only child, and slowly, Whiskers calmed and drifted into a soft sleep.
Maisie was born in the basement of a tower block. There had been four kittens. Her own mother was youngit was her first litter. The moment a new tomcat appeared, she forgot her kittens entirely and vanished. Still, Maisie remembered her with gratitude. Despite her flightiness, her mother had shown them tendernessfed them, taught them to eat on their own. After she disappeared, the kittens crept out onto the streets. At first, they huddled together in the courtyard, where kind souls sometimes left scraps. But time passed Grey Brother was hit by a lorry, Tabby torn apart by dogs. Maisie wept over their still little bodies until the caretaker shooed her away, scooping them onto his shovel and tossing them into the bin. Her sisters fate remained a mystery.
Growing up, Maisie learned the rules of the streetsilent, unseen. Then came hell Miss Ethel. Shed found her by the bins, rummaging, stuffing things into her tattered bag. “Puss-puss, come here!” Miss Ethel crooned. No one had taught Maisie to fear toothless old women, so she stepped closer, hoping for food. A bony hand snatched her up, and suddenly, she was inside a flat.
“Your names Maisie now,” Miss Ethel muttered, then forgot her entirely. Dozens of hungry eyes turned toward her. “Puss-puss!” came the call from the kitchen, and the cats scattered, leaving Maisie to take in the horrorpiles of filth, mountains of unwashed dishes, the stench of urine, swarms of flies. And catsso many. Some frail, sickly; others, thick-furred and viciousMiss Ethels favourites. Why she kept the rest, no one knew.
Life became a nightmarestarving, always afraid, watching as the strong devoured the weak. Then Maisie realised she was expecting. A tom from the streets had courted her briefly, and now her kittens would be born into this hell.
She birthed them quietlya sleek black girl like her father, and a ginger boy just like her. Sooty and Whiskers. She guarded them fiercely, but hunger drove the other cats closer. Then came the awful dayshe dozed for just a moment, only to wake to Sootys tiny squeal, then the crunch of bones. Whiskers terrified whisper: “Mum did they eat Sooty?” Maisie froze, her fur on end, ready to fightuntil she saw his wide, frightened eyes. If she died now, what would become of him? Choking back grief, she whispered, “Well escape. Ill save you.”
“Open up! Police!” A sharp knock at the door sent Miss Ethel scrambling. Maisie seized her chancedarting between legs, Whiskers clutched in her teeth, she bolted down the stairs.
PC James stared into her pain-clouded eyes, tears on his cheeks. He understood. “Dont worry Ill look after him.” Beside her, Whiskers purred softly, licking her face. Maisie was fading. Her heart, shattered by loss, gave out.
Rain fell the day she died. James buried her in a birch grove, then stood with Whiskers a long while. He remembered finding themthe stench of that flat, the desperate ginger cat at the door, silently pleading. “Runaway, eh?” hed murmured. “Come home with me.”
He called her “my beauty.” Whiskers stayed Whiskers. James spoiled themcat trees, gourmet food, his wounded heart healing as he healed theirs. When Maisie fell ill, he begged her to stay. But her eyes begged back*Let me go.*
Now, Maisie ran across the rainbow, Sooty at her side. “Mum, what about Whiskers?” Sooty fretted. Maisie smiled. “Hes not alone. Look”
The rain cleared. A rainbow arched over the trees. James sighed, lifting Whiskers, kissing his damp nose. “Well be alright, mate.” And they walked to the cartwo wounded hearts, no longer alone. A tall, strong man and a little ginger kitten. Whiskers.
