Oreo

Ten: The Hero

In my own bedroom, which I’d forever know as Evelyn’s, every empty feeling that it used to give me had disappeared. It felt right, warm and welcoming, the sun beaming through my windows. I stretched and realised I was laying in my bed. I felt worn out and dirty, but it was really comfortable. The air felt different, lighter and happier – a welcome change. And out of my mouth came a word.

“R...Reo...”

My heart fell. No. This could not have all been a dream. Not after everything I’d gone through...

Mew.

I gasped in delight. Oreo poked his head out from the quilt that I’d kicked to the bottom of my bed. I scooped him up, and whispered, “It was real, wasn’t it? You remember, don't you?”

The kitten nodded slowly.

“Don’t worry, Oreo. You may not be a person...” I said softly. “but you’ll always be my best friend.”

I ran my hand along his silky fur. He mewed again and I only just realised how comforting that sound had become. It was a specific note that really resembled the boy’s voice. I held him close to my body and smiled, “I couldn’t have done it without you Oreo.”

His blue eyes gazed up at me, a subtle smile on his lips.

“Now, we need a while to figure out what I should say to my parents.' Unfortunately, just as I said that, my Dad burst in. My mind went blank so I just looked at him with guilt. He gave me a ‘you know what you did’ glare, then approached the kitten in my arms. For one awful moment I thought he was going to grab Oreo and throw him out, but instead he ruffled his fur fondly.

“Nice work.” he said.

So he’d remembered our adventure. As he strolled to the doorway I wondered if that short phrase meant I could keep Oreo, or whether that was my father’s way of telling him is job was done here.

“You’re gonna have to look after him, and I don’t want his fur all over my keyboard, OK?” Dad said.

“I’m allowed to keep him?” I cried.

“Call it an early birthday present.”

I leapt up and hugged him, and from my palm Oreo rubbed his head thankfully against him too.

I decided to make the most of my first day back at home and its gorgeous weather by taking a walk with my new kitten down to the park. We settled ourselves in the gazebo where we'd first met. The golden sun shone down on happy children as they played together. I wished my friends could have seen what the world turns out like...

Mew.

I spun around to see Oreo sat on the ledge of the gazebo, his paw placed gently on one of the wooden pillars, his startling eyes twinkling and his little mouth smiling.

The golden plaque wasn’t there on our first visit. I curiously moved over to read it. In regal engraved letters, it read:

“In loving memory,

Amberton's WW1 Hero,

Axel D. Faeber”