Collection of Random Literature

Sergeant Cat (Short Story)

9/22/17

Myth Linked Learning Project

Sergeant Cat (Short Story)
by K. Jhae

There was a time when Estri, a pet kitten, ran away from home. She wanted a new life because she was bored out of her dull life that consist of eating, sleeping, playing with her ball of yarn, and watching the boring news. She did not get to play with her owner because her owner always work. She is thankful and grateful to her owner for raising her, but that is all to it. Estri walked down the house hall and was about to leave when she remembered that she was just a tiny kitten and cannot reach the doorknob, but it seems as if luck is by her side since the doorknob rattled as she heard the jingling of the keys. The door opened, revealing her lovely owner of 6 months. Her owner smiled and knelt down, opening her arms as she waits for Estri to cuddle her. Estri hesitated as she looked at her owner that shouted 'home!', and to the door that shouted 'a fresh start'. Without a second to waste, Estri decided to follow her heart's desire. She ran. Estri's owner looked so happy and excited when Estri was running straight towards her but suddenly frowned when Estri jumped right above her. Estri had softly hit her owner's head in the process but still didn't look back.

She breathes in her first air of freedom outside her owner's apartment. She stretches her feet in every step she takes and purrs in delight. She was walking happily when she passed by a smelly sewer that is leading towards a dark alley. She halted abruptly and wagged her tail, "That is disgusting. Why will anyone go through that just to go there? I promise that I will never and I mean ever, go there." She shivered in an unpleasing manner when the thought of actually facing her fears -which is the disgusting pool of poop and the darkness. She continued walking and stopped again when she saw something shiny that is shimmering across the street. Without a second thought, she decided to run across the street without doing the three infamous rules -stop, look and listen. She heard a car's honk and stopped. She stared at her left side and saw a magical carriage coming straight towards her -fast. She closed her eyes and accepted her fate when she suddenly wasn't standing anymore. Her feet were off the ground and she felt a hard impact hitting her right side. Her eyes flew open and gasped when she saw an older handicapped cat, who only has three legs and is wearing a green beret with "CAT" written inside a patch, landing right next to her. "You saved me!" Estri gasped, "Thank you!" Estri was about to bow to show her gratitude when the cat chuckled and stopped her. "No need to do that, little one." The cat stood up with her three legs and smiled at her, "I am just doing myself a favor." With that, Estri silently watch as the cat walked towards the street, did the three rules, and crossed the street. Still in awe, Estri watches as her savior's back is faded by the distance. At that moment, the tiny kitten decided that she wants to become like the cat who saved her, to become a cat who protects and saves; to become a CAT.

After a time, Estri did her best to train herself to become just like the handicapped cat who saved her. She enrolled herself to C-A-T or Cats' Advancement Training; a military academy for aspiring cats just like her. She was drinking milk in the cafeteria when her CAT officer called her in his office. Estri licked the milk off her mouth and immediately stood up while going towards her officer's room. Closing the door behind her with her paws, she faced her officer and reported her name with rank.

"Carry on." Her officer told her, "Take a sit."

"Sir, thank you, sir!" Estri followed his order and took a sit.

"So, Sergeant Estri..." Her officer trailed off, " Do you have any idea who Cat S is?"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"Expound."

"Sir..." Estri stuttered before clearing her throat, "Sir, Cat S is a cruel, vicious, heartless villain, sir!" She expected her officer to look astonished; impressed. However, her officer frowned and looked sad. "Sergeant, that cruel, vicious, and heartless villain you just called was also the former Lieutenant Colonel." Estri gasped in shock as her officer continued. "Former Lt. Col. S was a great officer of mine before... before she had a mental break down and changed her view in life when she failed her last mission." The cat stayed silent for a second then asked, "Sir, permission to speak, sir!" Her officer nodded and said, "Speak." "Sir, if you don't mind me asking... What is her final mission?" Her officer stayed silent for a moment, which made Estri anxious since she's worried that her officer did mind the question.

"The same mission you will have, Sergeant."

The next day, Estri had already packed her bags and was ready to go. Her mission was something really difficult, no wonder former Lt. Col. S couldn't do it; The mission was to bring the most luxurious thing she can ever own back to the academy before the sun sets. Estri is a runaway cat with no money and friends outside the academy. Suddenly, she remembered the shiny thing she saw across the street when her hero saved her from before. Licking her whiskers, she began her journey.

Hours later, she stopped running and purred when she finally arrived at her destination. From where she is at, the shiny and shimmery object was right across the street. She was about to do the three rules to cross the street when she heard some yelping noise. Turning around, she gasped when she saw her hero dragging a poor puppy towards the sidewalk. That very second, Estri run to where they were at and shouted. "HEY!" Her hero stopped and asked Estri, "What are you still doing here? Go on! Go get the most luxurious thing you ever know!" "What...?" Estri sounded shocked, "How did you know that?" Her hero chuckled in a sinister manner and took off her beret, which revealed her in being Cat S. "You are Cat S!" "Yes, yes I am." Cat S immediately threw the puppy in a great distance; it was so far, that the puppy flew right across the street, passing through the sewer and landed straight in the dark alley.

"THE PUPPY!" Estri gushed out for a moment then started cracking her fists with a clenched jaw. "How dare you do that?!" Cat S smirked and was ready for a battle; she was expecting Estri to scratch her in the face with her sharp claws, however, Estri just passed by beside her, crossed the street and looked at the sewer. Her pledge of never going through that sewer rang in her mind, but then, she whispered, "Promises are meant to be broken for duties and responsibilities." Having said that, she jumped in the sewer and swam towards the dark alley. Her adrenaline made her forget the fact that she is technically swimming in a pool of garbage, something she always hates. Instead of feeling disgusted, she felt determined to help the little puppy. Climbing up the sewer, she ran straight in the alley. She thanked her ancestors since she is a cat which means that she has a night vision and extreme hearing senses, she started following the sounds of plea and yelps from the puppy. The noises started getting louder and louder, finally, she saw the puppy with a broken leg. After doing a quick first aid, she carried the puppy right above her as left the alley and swam through the sewer. Putting the puppy down, she called 911 and left the puppy outside a commercial store to be found easily.

She watched silently as the sun sets after a few minutes. "You..." She heard Cat S whispered from behind her, which made her face the villain. "You idiot!" "Excuse me?" Estri asked, her ear flinched in the process. "You wasted time! You chose a whiny pup over the most luxurious thing you've ever seen! How will you ever get the promotion now?!" In shock, Estri asked her, "How did you know that?" Cat S growled like a dog and showed Estri a silver nameplate with "Lt. Col. Estri" written on it. "Because I am you!" Realization hit Estri like a bus; the reason why Cat S saved her before was not because of the thought of saving somebody, but the thought of saving herself. Estri felt disgusted and scared with the thought of Cat S as her future self; suddenly, she calmed herself. Cat S looked confused on why Estri is still not on the floor, crying. "Didn't you hear me? I said I'm you! I said you're me-!" Estri cut her off with a snarl, "Correction, you are me but I am not you. I will never do what you've done, I will never hurt anyone or anything, I am going to be more selfless than being selfish, and I'm confident with that." Estri stood up and strutted near Cat S. "I have no idea why you're in this timeline, but let me tell you this. I will never be you." With that, Estri watch as a shocked and speechless Cat S walked out of their conversation. In the end, Estri went back to the academy with a smelly body after dawn. Her officer saw her, asked what happened, got his answer and said, "Congratulations for bringing the most luxurious thing you will ever own, Sergeant Major Estri."

From that point on, it seems as if Cat S has disappeared from the face of the universe since there was no more news about her, Estri had visited her former owner from time to time, and the puppy is now healthy. Estri had realized that being a CAT member had changed her for the better; that she can now face and conquer her fears, that she had now seen the importance of being a servant of service, and that the most luxurious thing you can ever own... is truly knowing yourself.