STAR CROSSED

© Fehmida Zakeer

Kiran saw the black cat for the first time a block away from her office. She was waiting for the lights to change and was looking around when her gaze fell on it. The cat was sitting on the wall of the small bridge just behind her. She noticed its glossy black coat and particularly the misshapen white star on its forehead – it sat on the wall looking at her unblinkingly. Blaring horns jolted her from her cat watch and she jumped guiltily. The lights had changed - as she turned the car around the traffic island she saw the cat again through her rear view mirror, it was standing now and its gaze was still fixed on her car. She smiled to herself and shook her head, it was a beautiful cat.  

The next time she saw it was during lunch time. She had gone to fetch her diary, which she had forgotten in the car. She closed the door and there it was, sitting by the rear wheel of her car. She was sure it was the same cat because of the misshapen star on its forehead.  

A frission of fear ran through her and her feelings of dread increased when she noticed the cat's eyes – the left eye was lapis lazuli blue while the right one was faded jade green. She shivered and ran back to the office, her heart beating fast. Her colleague Reshma observed her distress and walked up to her, “What happened?”

Kiran laughed nervously and related the episode. Reshma smiled and patted her shoulder, “It must be another cat, don't tell me you believe in all this black cat nonsense.”

In the evening, Kiran tiptoed around her car and heaved a sigh of relief. There was no cat anywhere near it. On the way home she stopped at the supermarket to buy balloons, chocolates, chewing gum and peppermints. They were planning a surprise birthday party for Reshma the next day and Kiran was in charge of getting these items.

At home she busied herself making dinner. Her husband had booked tickets for a movie that night, and she wanted to prepare everything in readiness. Popping two gums in her mouth she tuned into her favourite radio station and set about making dinner.  

A scratching sound from the kitchen window distracted her and she moved the curtain. It was the black cat again - thoroughly exasperated now, Kiran screamed at it repeatedly, “Shoo – go away.” But it sat there unmoving.  

S he opened her mouth to scream yet again, suddenly the gum slipped from between her teeth and lost its way down her throat. She tried to cough to dislodge the wayward chewing gum, but it was all in vain.

As she slid down to the floor gasping, she saw the cat jump from the windowsill and soar up into the sky.