Tame (Sample)

Tame

"Rooooo." Rolo yawned. He made that noise a lot. He generally did it when he knew he was being punished. It was so cute, and he knew we would soften. Clever mutt.

"Good boy. Now go back to the house and let Mom finish giving you a bath." I told him. Mom shook her head and smiled at how easily I let him off. She tugged at his collar until he retreated back to the front door. I straightened up from my crouched position, and set off to find pet number two. Mom was closing the front door, telling me not to chase her or she'll run away for good, and not to run across the roads to get her. Honestly, I wasn't five. 

I adjusted my feet in my red slip-ons before walking, because our street was filled with random holes in the ground, gum on the floor, shattered glass from where drunks had dropped them on the way home, and dog poo. When I had reassured myself my shoes could take it again, I re-traced my steps as to where Milly had first ran off. It wasn't long until I recognised the dull gray street ahead, that me and my Mom had chased Rolo down. I dodged mess and litter on the ground, probably looking like I was doing ballet. I noticed something on the corner of the street, sitting and watching me. This thing was small, black, skinny, with big green eyes, filled with amusement.

"You are the little troublemaker." I said loudly as my feet picked up the pace to get to her. My brain began singing 'Troublemaker' by Olly Murs to me, and I smiled at my thoughts. It wasn't until I got to the chorus I realised I had stopped moving, was swaying my hips and clicking my fingers in the street, and that Milly was gone. 

"Ugggggggh!" I exclaimed noisily. "Now where d'ya go?"

I turned the corner she had been sitting at, and saw my little cat venturing around the street, sniffing the floor every now and again, once peeing on some weeds poking out of a long, thin, brown fence. I sped up again to make sure I caught her, when she jumped up high, landing neatly and expertly on the fence. It looked painful, but Milly didn't seem to mind. I stopped underneath her, so she was looking down on me. I really hoped she wouldn't suddenly leap at me. Luck was on my side for once, and she didn't. Instead, she danced along the fence, then dived over the other side, probably ruining the grass. I face-palmed and realised I was stuck. I couldn't very well climb over the fence and get the damn cat- that would be breaking and entering someone's backyard, sorta. But on the other hand, I couldn't stand here calling her name, looking like a weirdo talking to a line of wood that hid the yard, and my cat, from public view. It was one or the other, and it looked as if to be the former.

"I hate you, cat." I grumbled under my breath and I hitched myself up, pulling my tiny person up so I could at least see over the fence. I was so short, and I hated it. I wasn't even as tall as the God damn wall hiding my cat from me. I probably scuffed up the outer side of the fence and I kicked at it to pull myself higher. When I finally did get high enough to see over, I was amazed. 

This backyard was perfectly mowed, and flower beds neatly lined up the sides. There were no weeds anywhere, no trees stumps or nettles or shrubs. Just a perfect green, healthy, backyard, with a miniature fountain in the middle. The fountain was stone, and a naked baby holding an arrow was carved on top of the running water. I found it a bit disturbing that the belly button of the baby was pouring water. That was a tad creepy- but it was beautiful other than that. Except my rude cat was delicately lapping water from the feet of the baby, which I assumed was Cupid. 

"Milly!" I hissed. "Milly! Come out! Milly, stop it! Stop drinking the water! Milly!" 

She ignored me and carried on, making me fume.