Chapter 5 The Cat's Tail

I stood there in front of the mirror staring at my reflection. I remember the hours before I left, the yelling, and my mother's cries of anger. Not a single noise of truth. I lifted my left leg and put it through. The mirror held a gray milky color mixing with green as I stepped through. I lifted my right leg and tripped on the frame as I fell through. "Ugh.." I groaned as I sat up on my knees. It was a beautiful place. It had blooming purple flowers with perfectly trimmed hedges through unkempt vines and thorns. I wiped off my knees, looking around. It looked as if I was in some maze…"Mama" I pointed to the goats. It was a somewhat warm October and we went to the pumpkin patch. My mother was dressed nicely, matching my father. "Yeah, it's a petting zoo," My mom told me as I slipped from her hand. I pressed them up against the fence. The goat inside smelled my hand and soon walked away from me to another child, holding their hand out. "Mina!" My mother called to me, "Coming". I ran over to her, still wanting to feel how soft its fur was. My mom stood in front of a corn maze. "Go in, dad, and I will be at the end waiting for you" Her smile was loving. It fooled me. I stood next to her, looking down the long hall of hay walls before running…Something shiny pulled me out of my memory. A cat's collar, purple and pink gem with a small bell. "Hello" My eyes meet with blue ones. A cat with purplish fur stood at the end of the path, a thin red string tied into a pretty bow around its neck and a rose where its left eye would be. Meow the cat called to me as it took a right down the path. "Ah, wait" I picked up the collar, hurrying down the path. "Did I go the wrong way?" The opening I have come through is gone, the flowers have died and the hedges have grayed. The whole place looked dull. I turned in circles looking for something familiar, anything please…" Mama!" I yelled, my breathing heavy. The whole world is spinning, and the corn looks as if the leaves have tied together and formed huge walls. My stomach hurt unbelievably, the pain was too much. "Mama please!" I begged and pleaded but no one heard my calls. I stared at the dirt path. I felt so lightheaded and that's when I noticed how hot it was today and how sweat dripped down my face. Drip "...ah…" my hands shook…"Hello," The sunlight was bright as I opened my eyes, "What are you doing on the ground?" I started at my hands, there was no blood. "Wh-what?" I looked up at a woman with cat ears and a rose for her left eye. Her mouth was swollen shut with red string and it tied nicely around her neck. Her hair was purple and her eyes, her ears, and tail matched nicely. "How can you talk?" I stared at her mouth. "It loosens up, Now" She stretched "Where are you heading little one?"

"I'm going to the queen's party"

"Ah…our queen" she spoke softly, not looking at me. "Do you know why I look like this?" I watched her mouth come to a stop, watching the string tighten back up. "No…" I didn't move from the floor.

"She did it"

"The queen?"

"We aren't her color. I bet you could guess her favorite color?"

"..." It felt as if her eyes were daggers.

"You don't match" She held a small smile. "It'll be off with your head," She said in a mocking tone. "I'm sorry" The girl looked puzzled by my words. "That she did this to you".

"You didn't do anything wrong, did you?" My voice was soft.

"All I wanted was…" she went quiet. "It was me or him" I could see the tears form in the corners of her eyes. "You and who?"

"My brother. She was gonna kill him. I couldn't let that happen" She started to cry, "And now he's all alone" She hugged herself. "He just wanted to see people. He meant no harm." I patted her head. "It's okay," I told her "You…are a good sister, you did what you needed to" I listened to her soft sobs. I wish my mom did this, comfort me but no she yelled and raised hell. I wish I was told I was a good child but no she told me, I should be more like Sara or whatever her name was. Why did she hit me? Just because she was angry? I was soaking wet and she wants me to be like the girl who hurt me. I don't care if I pushed her away first. Why was that her next question? Why didn't she just hug me? "Did my words move you to tears?" The girl's voice took over my thoughts and she wiped away the tears that I didn't know were there. "I'm sorry" She had a small smile on her face. "Why do you apologize?" She chuckled, "Crying is okay" She leaned into my hand that had fallen to her cheek. "It's okay to cry" Her eyes didn't hold that sad anger but more of a warm sorrow, one you get when you start to heal. "How long did you keep that in?" I wondered, "A long, long time" her hand slipped from my face, "Your good listener, I bet your mother loves that" she was right. I watched her open the path. Bright colors hit me first, the blues, purples, pinks, and yellows with the green hedges looked so lovely. "You'll be late if you keep standing there"

"Ah, you're right" I started walking but stopped.

"What about you?"

"I can't leave this dead place"

"Oh.." I stood there, staring at her. "If you see my brother, tell him Mel sent you" I nodded as the path closed. " Mel" the name slipped my mouth as my eyes wanted to water but I wouldn't allow it. I knew a girl named Mel, she was sweet and Kind, she had a brother too…she…she died…Her brother became a shell of himself as he didn't have his other half, that's what he said to me when I would come over. We would sit in her room. She died keeping him safe…their father wasn't the kindest.