Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
001. The Whole Wide World
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
THE MORNING DAWNED AN UGLY SHADE OF GRAY. Bolts of lightning flashed brightly overhead, followed by loud claps of thunder. Strong winds blew outside the small, second story home, rustling the leaves and knocking branches against the bedroom window. There was a storm blowing through the city, but Sophie Torres-Kepp always slept soundly during them. Ever since she was a kid, they would always calm her. She used to sit on a rocking chair beside her grandmother on the front porch, and they would watch it rain for hours it seemed. However, the woman wasn't sleeping so soundly right now.
In the depths of her mind, Sophie Torres-Kepp was falling. The wind blew rapidly through her hair, whipping the brunettr strands all over the place, and everything was completely dark. Literally. She couldn't see anything. All Sophie knew was that she was terrified. And then, suddenly, it was all over in an instant and she was waking up with a sharp intake of breath.
The woman sat up in bed, skin glistening with a thin layer of perspiration. She took a moment to collect herself, taking some deep breaths. In and out. In and out. She ran her fingers over her face and through her slightly damp hair, trying to calm herself. It was just a dream, Sophie. It was just a dream.
When her heart rate steadied, Sophie opened her eyes and was instantly met by the curious gaze of her feline friend, Patsy. The white ball of fluff was sitting at the end of the bed, staring at the human with dazzling blue eyes. Patsy's head was tilted slightly to the side, as though she was showing concern.
"What?" Sophie asked softly as she locked eyes with her feline companion. Patsy only blinked in response to the question. "You worried about me, girl?"
Of course, she was met with silence. But deep down, Sophie knew that Patsy was, in fact, worried about her. She was a loyal companion, her cat. Sophie had found her abandoned on the side of the road as a kitten and didn't hesitate to take her. That was almost three years ago. Ever since, Patsy hasn't left her side, becoming like a shadow to Sophie. And Patsy was always sitting at the end of the bed whenever she woke up from a terrifying night of sleep.
