My long nails wrapped around the old wooden boards of the train tracks buried amongst layers of grey gravel. The steel beams running either side were boiled under the sun slowly cooking them and my own body. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHJgZ7NuDb
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShwxRmOpCd
The sky was clear, as it had been for a week now, with not a grey cloud in the sky. It was the perfect temperature too. The air was cool but not cold enough to freeze me or hot enough to choke me. It was pleasant to idle in on my wander to the house in the distance. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiDLKQFmrwk
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLYZTO38nc
I kept my eyes locked on the tracks running as far as the eye could see through overgrown fields of grass that rippled like water in the breeze. My pace turned to excited running and my heart gripped at my chest when I saw a flash of orange and blue emerge from the house in the distance. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1kqLwuD9D
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡci7uztP4Pf
I bounded over the river and paused on the other side where people were moving across the empty road to the shops lined either side. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZToI4R30w
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGv1yAJPZX3
I was in clear sight of them now. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeCr1WEkAtL
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbkcXSQdgxp
"Soup!" the tiny voice blew on the breeze to catch my attention again. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtZKSeYx1KM
It was so faint, but it was the sound I was waiting for. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqsFcG1l2M
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoOiNoYG6Zf
A portly man approached the tracks as quick as his waddling body allowed, placing distance between us so he could squint in the direction of the house. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHdNZvkRscX
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnwiFCmhwrB
He was the news agency owner here. His balding head with a halo of grey hair and leathery skin once roughed by laborious work in his youth was easily distinguishable. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHIGz1y5ls
His corner-shop was only a few meters from the tracks so he could have the time to waddle out each afternoon I made my appearance to make himself known. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDRNOZ768L
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZYXk0paus
I used to call him Bartleby. He preferred Bartie.426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGvaARtN7F
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1LT6gVuiZ
"MISSY!" Bartie cupped his hands around his mouth before pointing them to me "you've got to stop feeding the beast!" 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcUqNb1QyV0
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCA8AM3Lzeg
I snickered at his concern and walked past Bartie before he cleared his throat to halt me. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGhmFZhXWw
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5DkaO7MBVD
"You be good to her, Soup, you hear?" he scowled and waved a finger to me "I'll know if you do anything to her!" 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzSmV4viL5x
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIA46gWMbeM
He had no reason to worry so much. It was the same empty threat he had been giving me for three months straight now. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDENDKLOzO
I just shook off Bartie's concern and raced for the woman waving for me to come. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBeUKxK5aAP
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrJBO6sAv9M
I was smitten with her. She was so kind and had this wonderful light voice that was rougher around the edges. She had the most adorable freckles painted on her face and a lovely round body that she liked to swamp in knitted jumpers or flowing dresses she made. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT1DrCVkes9
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7aOGk08xDM
When her features began to form on the figure bobbing closer into focus, I grinned wildly and pushed myself to sprint for her laughing face bent down to search for me through the sea of grass. I swam through it to break through to her open gate held back for me. Her scooter was heaved back into its stand here too. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDy8YbE8g4p
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3ny0LQEPF
Missy stood on the wooden stairs to her porch hugging the front half of her little wooden home. It was a very cost place made entirely of old wood painted in a muted green. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKRF1JTlwdW
It had herbs growing in the windows glimpsing into her sewing room in the left where she had spools of fabric hung on the wall next to her machine and dotted cloth mannequins. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRduaEBbODu
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8CDn86ScP
Her right window had parts of her kitchen on show. I had peered into it a few times when I had been too eager to wait, watching her cook on her gas oven nestled within stone countertops while she shooed me away with a smile. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdS8fvdMP3l
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqewLpSdr3k
Missy had the window wide open to waft out the smell of the food she had been cooking. The rich beef spiralled around the earthy tones of stock and tangy herbs freshly plucked from her windows. I could smell the carrots and buttery pumpkin I knew were harvested from her garden nestled out the back. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡug489GGE72
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgnUlbZQPk
That's how we had met. I had been raiding her gardens at night before she caught me and chased me off. After a few nights of futile attempts to stop me, and several vegetables left discarded in my escape, she started offering me her leftovers before it became proper meals. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvDrZSfLrO3
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQmSJLdhhI4
She didn't know what to call me, so she called me Soup. It was her favourite thing to feed me, and the easiest on her budget made selling homemade dresses. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq0WButkwo7
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN8Wl9koQ8Y
"Soup!" Missy cooed down to me waiting at the bottom of her stairs "I missed you! I'll grab your food. I think you'll like it today." 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ78RikHHzOd
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBPAkllAw6r
I liked how her voice rose excitedly when she saw me. It sounded like she was greeting a lifelong pet dear to her heart. I didn’t mind that; I was just glad she loved me so dearly to put this much effort into caring for me. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVn2mKXahLT
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFnk30BwYK
"Beef soup with my own vegetables and the local meat. I cooked it with teriyaki before putting it in" Missy exclaimed as she returned carrying two stone bowls and carefully placing one down on the grass for me. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9ggIgxqQx
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5fo8LiheT
My mouth was watering when I saw the mixture of colours beside me. Steam spiralled from the fresh meal Missy set down so she could fan out her checkered blue and white dress to sit on the stairs. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8eShokvR8
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIsEXvrui2I
She cradled her soup in her lap while I blew onto mine to try and cool it enough to scoff it down. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnnYZqsE26x
My stomach was begging for the hot meal that little birds and discarded rubbish along the roads could never satisfy. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AwrFA2gKM
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3aEAgNaER
"Thank you" I grinned to her and wrapped my hands around the hot bowl so I could lift myself onto my legs and drink it down. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9pTOsH1E9
Soup spilled down my chest to burn trails down my skin before I could swipe then up. The chunks of beef were chewy and wedged between my teeth. The bitter teriyaki coated all its layers to bring out the meaty flavour. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFkaxy7SBO
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK7HViKhNlB
It was the cheap meat again. I don't think Missy could afford anything like the ones that fell from the bone or had soft marbles of fat throughout rather than thick coats. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFDQGtxdM0
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3HDX3Pk9S
She grinned and watched me try to keep my balance as I felt the meal burn a new hole in my stomach that growled for more. My legs trembled, not used to being so relied upon when I had all four of my limbs to power me effortlessly now. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshWKEbtHfn
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwvNDN2gMoA
I placed the bowl beside her and lowered myself back down. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1sdWFfhoq
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvDNJ24CNv
"More please" I pointed.426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl0MkNKgM5O
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSD1XxlnHBe
She couldn't understand me but smiled like she had. All she heard were the same noises I did whenever I spoke in this form. It was just a mixture of growls and low snaps that I preferred to keep quiet, so I didn't scare her. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡifYNruXlL7
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCFdyAx8cNR
Missy liked it when I talked to her, and I liked it when I made Missy happy. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOp4xXeBhA3
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGCvps6pwry
"You're hungry today" she mused "did I not feed you enough yesterday?" 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKJt93hkgns
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RIftxhBVb
I just smiled and watched her retreat back inside, leaving her bowl on the stairs. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ605QZ4jloj
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk6s8Ar7sTH
Missy was the type of person I would grow old with as a human. I often let my mind wander to what we could be if I hid behind my skin again as a human and tried to form a relationship with her in this home built for two. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9EsZCzNQrM
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHVvoeKhS7k
Despite having a sunny personality and being loved in town, Missy liked her quiet life. She didn't want her heart to be broken or taken advantage of. She was worried she was too poor to ever please a man or mother children. She hated that she was too scared to reach out and form those connections. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjdj0jLJra
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN11069yiBF
She liked me because I was an animal to her. I had no commitments other than one hot meal a day. I wasn't going to make her sad or upset her simple lifestyle with big ambitions. I didn't drain her trickling budget or offer anything outside the trinkets of lost belongings or junk I presented her with. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡORcHA6EghK
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvqcXi62xjf
I didn't want to ruin that. I kept in this form and didn't dare to try and act on my daydreams of being accepted into her life as her partner with open arms. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡteyO4G9KCh
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbq0ydO51x7
I ate my soup and accepted her new name for me that spread through the town. It was simple and the way things were. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpyhJVlrOq
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaov1MuD8m5
"Here we go!" Missy returned from the house along with two slices of crusty sourdough she had pushed into the bowl "buttered it for you too, you greedy guts. I'm surprised you didn't eat mine." 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡriU49bfTDg
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdpzkrZ1PS9
I was lucky to have her. She was too kind to be so afraid of life itself. Missy deserved more than it was handing her.426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzpGZWqX2fB
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgLRqssLeTu
I took the filled bowl to drop one of the slices of bread into her own before shovelling this one down greedily. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx88vsWjvzE
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjKhSYavRZ
I could feel the warmth of it leaking down my front from the inside and bubble in my gut gurgling from so much liquid drowning it at once. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMJbtKWksy
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2501nY3Wey
I snapped down the tough meat, licked the bowl, then headed back for the wall of grass awaiting me. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQzrd7DXCK
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIkCiJvupE6
"See you tomorrow?" Missy called out with a worried frown. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvXLJJtisQ
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUVMYsrFWos
Of course, she would. I would never leave her wondering where I had gone. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabApnHTkq8
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV87rd5NVMu
I nodded and disappeared into the grass to follow the train tracks back to the East. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MMspEil2i
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFTPwIxrxT
I stared up at the moon nestled in amongst the glittering stars from my grassy ledge curved over several meters from the tracks behind me. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVHkpRvGeqb
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuEPmosWMDh
The field surrounding me was dancing with wildflowers that stirred at the touch of glowing fireflies blinking through the air like showers of floating embers. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYKc6rS519
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9NI40S3Dl
They flitted like fire in the cool air and amongst the flowers. The fireflies reached for the stars themselves and I watched them ascend to the dusted void above. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoIKLPkMAW
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw0sLWidcLd
It was so peaceful here with only the moonlight basking over the land. There was no artificial glow of streetlights or the sound of cars screeching on tar. The only sound piercing through the silence was the scraping of metal as the train thundered by on its nightly route to distant towns. Each lit window slashed over the grass below, reminding me of the loud and bright reality amongst the dark serenity until it was gone again. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVAlAfaoQb
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobwI9EMsLA
One day I might go visit those places. For now, I had my reason to stay here. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvKQKitK4oo
I wonder if she just stopped to stare at the beauty of the moon too. Maybe she sewed in her room while wondering about things beyond her reach like I did? 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Ct1XleNjm
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMu4knQVmr
I smiled at the moon and laid back, so I didn't have to take my eyes from it. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOsqOEHpWm
The soft grass would be my bed tonight. Usually, I roamed for food or trash on the roadside for several kilometres to try and salvage something until sleep sapped my energy and I collapsed wherever I was. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXKbot5FEH1
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzCxzzI5KOQ
The moonlit field of fireflies would be nice tonight. I could wait until Missy gifted me with her wonderful food tomorrow. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsKrpCq2QV
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXBR8Z7etc
I curled up with my hands wrapped around me, pretending they were hers cradling me and breathing warmth into me. 426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNh5JMiCOs
426Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhrjteXqjJ7
One day...
Penana
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