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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlg64OFalS
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJNvceRnRL
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBzsBqD3Jp
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUNeQi5ar1w
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr3AYYlB77N
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfIFTwf9m5
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrihX87cKY5
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZP42yeR2VK
I was in clear sight of them now. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvIg2v3qff
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5J6XTe1lNn
"Soup!" the tiny voice blew on the breeze to catch my attention again. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKe5GsaPKDW
It was so faint, but it was the sound I was waiting for. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvvn7lnUicQ
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRYauYML0oj
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzFf6aZWadl
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPqaKWdMt6c
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxwjaBLLTnn
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6THi0kyRDM
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAQLsY3crIG
I used to call him Bartleby. He preferred Bartie.361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjbdlngTwl
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIgO61WRV9
"MISSY!" Bartie cupped his hands around his mouth before pointing them to me "you've got to stop feeding the beast!" 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJqFTBndEbf
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGs3mlomiL6
I snickered at his concern and walked past Bartie before he cleared his throat to halt me. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz8nAzl7zLj
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7ySN9C56F
"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!" 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4PE1UwtIF
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LkbbwL8cy
He had no reason to worry so much. It was the same empty threat he had been giving me for three months straight now. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoejnxjouE6
I just shook off Bartie's concern and raced for the woman waving for me to come. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡroMUxmme1V
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX4ADnazVcR
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcHBGAmsV8E
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2RHw4krf7
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7l33ubnoxU
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZGay98Nl8
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvFI4qrM2fq
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWF9mil08Ow
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzEagh7oQ4
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtUJFHYIIy
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfabchBRqV4
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡydyp4QFFUb
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdEcHbt0zzj
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7U3DGUPjB
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJw7407yj3R
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7t4PUbKr63
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwBZOFf4zjI
"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." 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCK7ELVQz66
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyeMH2z5OFt
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZMKrYtDypt
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5Cw4RG6fU
"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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyiycnJdQSb
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Ywq4ZYg6D
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAfM2NHybh
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAivI8U1nx
She cradled her soup in her lap while I blew onto mine to try and cool it enough to scoff it down. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCP9rQ0ZZ2S
My stomach was begging for the hot meal that little birds and discarded rubbish along the roads could never satisfy. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5oHdW81GdN
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0NzHkreHJ
"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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfMehevvzIl
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2Mk6Zv94U
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjB0FcdjIHg
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡssY9KjAmoF
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbBf8AtIPzG
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGPfX9mLkud
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1MyVCMWe7u
I placed the bowl beside her and lowered myself back down. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvwlzLoezS
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdZNb7pYBy
"More please" I pointed.361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaD9VLiRYA8
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhFTL27GLE
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVhn1hePSGW
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3z3M2pW3cM
Missy liked it when I talked to her, and I liked it when I made Missy happy. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvjR9341Kf
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdNiOJOB80n
"You're hungry today" she mused "did I not feed you enough yesterday?" 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKFCOMpjUu
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYi0SJXSyY
I just smiled and watched her retreat back inside, leaving her bowl on the stairs. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5dAt2kZEA
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7JACZZOt7w
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Z5Yu9wTy0
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNug1IKHJB
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlDh5XQiqCr
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ORneCIrkA
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bdoLzKosI
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZvJKQ21uF
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvyIB3T8Dg
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ4aeTKeDIo
I ate my soup and accepted her new name for me that spread through the town. It was simple and the way things were. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6tH2MBSZl
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9BZY44Cdtq
"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." 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcMkJ9uJQ6
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlmxJ7SdRy
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.361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1rWeR2upH
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnsxkhAP726
I took the filled bowl to drop one of the slices of bread into her own before shovelling this one down greedily. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKbsuWjP0fv
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ORYy7JMZT
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSqqtRmTdwC
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMyQsnIAx1x
I snapped down the tough meat, licked the bowl, then headed back for the wall of grass awaiting me. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWhhI3vCxd1
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLT25kqkFss
"See you tomorrow?" Missy called out with a worried frown. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOall0i0NLX
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLTOEKV0gA
Of course, she would. I would never leave her wondering where I had gone. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjE3wNchXr8
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aDSwvVw9y
I nodded and disappeared into the grass to follow the train tracks back to the East. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHBLguW08dX
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVq8fF0MfMx
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywkWhveaoj
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJgtueQZyyE
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkOrdjXANJY
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvcT7hzge6
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1AQHFAIEmj
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28QNj0WJ2o
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbEBdFbJFqM
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3I90mArop
One day I might go visit those places. For now, I had my reason to stay here. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtKSYRoS7n
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? 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWM3jYeZk77
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo6TVMvExIU
I smiled at the moon and laid back, so I didn't have to take my eyes from it. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbq6v3dxSI4
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. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC0qVxSBtz8
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk707EGrlYN
The moonlit field of fireflies would be nice tonight. I could wait until Missy gifted me with her wonderful food tomorrow. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbi1H141VAr
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj6OIoDg0AU
I curled up with my hands wrapped around me, pretending they were hers cradling me and breathing warmth into me. 361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiF1FIaLg0w
361Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3DF1mFgepZ
One day...
Penana
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