Fiction

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THE INTRUDER!

He leaps and scrambles agilely up and onto the top of the wall, where he crouches, still and silent. His skinny body like an elongated shadow in the darkness. A half moon sneaks out from behind a dark blue velvet cloud and spotlights him, glinting in his startled eyes, before sliding out of sight again behind another cloud. He slithers halfway down the wall before jumping to the ground and scrambling into the shrubbery, emerging stealthily when he thinks it’s safe.

He slinks across the lawn, his nose taking in the scent of freshly mown grass. He hesitates for a moment, looks around to get his bearings, feeling the familiarity of the garden, before stepping onto the gravel driveway. His feet make a slight scuffling sound and he stops, making sure he’s unseen, before creeping forward again towards the target.

The darkness engulfs him in folds of damp autumn air. He shivers slightly and picks up his pace, certain now of his direction. A light splutters on and he involuntarily freezes as a circle of subdued light picks out a spot just in front of him. It unnerves him slightly and he hesitates, but he has a need and the adrenaline is running high now. The light is extinguished and the semi darkness creeps into the garden again.

He quickens his pace, moving forward noiselessly, the motion of his well tuned muscles evident through his sparse coat, until he reaches the back of the house. His target now in sight he relaxes, remains motionless for a moment to check his bearings before breaking into a half run. The back door in sight he hesitates, before making a quick silent scramble across the patio towards the familiar door.

The door is not locked. He turns his head, looking around one final time, before pushing gently against the smooth shiny wood. His long sensitive whiskers trail the sides of the cat flap like an artist’s brush on canvas as it closes behind him with a subdued thud. There is still a little pile of food in the bowl by the wall and he takes it hungrily, before arching his sleek skinny body back out into the damp night air once more.

Pauline Carruthers

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