A Collection of Short Tales

Blackout Cat - Urban Prompt Friday

 Jack usually found blackouts quite peaceful. Sure, they were often inconvenient, coming when you least expected them to, but it was almost the only time you could see the stars in Jack's city, and as a 'budding astronomer' as his mother had affectionately put it, that was exactly how he liked it.

Usually, however, it was not a January blizzard. The negative 4 degree air hit him like a brick, sending his body into goosebumps almost immediately. Jack fumbled around in the dark for the coat closet, and was able to locate it, well, stumble into it. Grabbing the nearest coat, he pulled it over his shoulders, not knowing if it was even his or if it was his mother's. She wouldn't mind, being probably just as freezing as him.

Grabbing another coat as a makeshift blanket and lying on the floor, he began to warm up. Still cold, he briefly got up to fetch another coat from the closet as a pillow. It made lying on the ground slightly more bearable, at least.

His stomach growled, and he longed for the stove to be functioning again. The building was quiet. Wait, no. He heard a small pitter patter of feet. Maybe rats? It appeared to be getting louder, and he saw a slight movement in the darkness.

And then he saw glinting yellow eyes, and he knew exactly who it was.

"Cotton!" He laugh-yelled at the grey tabby. "I forgot about you."

Cotton strutted toward him, settling down on Jack's stomach. Letting out a small purr, he proceeded to knead Jack's stomach.

"All right, all right! You want cuddles, I get it." laughed Jack, scratching behind his cat's ears. "You're lucky, you know, you have a bunch of fur to keep you warm."

Cotton purred aggressively, as if to agree. Jack continued scratching behind his ears and Cotton headbutted his hand.

Jack didn't know much, but he knew this: Cats make everything better.

Written for #UrbanPromptFriday