19/11/2024
“A Fading Dream”
Soot remembered an old faded postcard on the kitchen wall; a little white cottage nestled amongst purple and orange hues, set against a royal blue sky. Mabel would pour a cuppa from the old tin teapot, dunk a digestive biscuit into her mug and smile at the picture. “One day, Soot,” she would say to him. “Ron said he’ll take me there when he retires.”
Mabel never did get to visit that place she dreamed of. A few weeks after her funeral, Ron took the picture down, folded it and popped it away into Mabel’s special keepsake box...
“Grab ya case, Soot,” said Ron. “We’re nearly there.” The two stepped off the train and into glorious sunshine. A short walk later and they arrived at a little path. Soot looked ahead and gasped at the sight before him. “It’s the place in Mabels‘ picture,” whispered Soot, his eyes wide with delight. “It’s so much more beautiful in real life.”
Soot sat and drank in the view before him. The sunflowers were tall and strong; he’d never seen petals so big before and wild daisies looked beautiful dancing amongst the lilac bushes. It was quiet apart from the coo of a pigeon nesting close by and his left ear twitched to the distant rumble of an old train enjoying its travels. The air was fresh; a far cry from the smog-filled skies back home.
Soot's heart felt heavy. “Oh, how Mabel would have loved it here,” he thought. “The perfect holiday away from the noise of the clanging and grinding of the coal cart, and the wheel pit humming day and night.” But he and Ron were here and Soot knew the old, tired ex-miner needed a break too.
Ron had gone ahead and was fiddling with a pretty white garden gate at the end of the path. Eventually, he worked out how to open the lock and pulled it wide. It squeaked; just like the one at home.
Soot enjoyed a marvellous holiday at the cottage, and as he packed the last of his things into his little case he felt a twinge of sadness to be heading home, yet happy at the same time. He was looking forward to flopping into his basket by the coal fire. He heard Ron call out his name. It was time to say goodbye to this lovely old house. Soot ventured out into the garden to look for Ron and was surprised to find him lowering a little box into a hole in the ground. It was Mabel’s keepsake box.
“I promised I’d bring you here Mabel my love, and I have,” said Ron wiping a tear away. “We’ll be coming back to the cottage again soon.”
“Will we?” asked the surprised little cat. “When?”
“Whenever we like, Soot. I've just bought it. I’ve been saving for years to buy this old place so I could surprise Mabel with a holiday home by the sea.” Ron bent down and plucked out a w**d from the soil. “She’s where she always wanted to be. I kept my promise. She’d be happy.”
Soot was excited to think he would be coming back and the three would be together again when they stayed. He planned to bring his favourite blanket next time. Ron battled with the lock as he closed the little white gate and Soot smiled. Ron was grumbling to himself.
“Looks like this one needs fixing too!” huffed Ron.
Home or away; it looks like some things will never change.
Original art & Short Story (c) ~ “The Miners Cat” by Lizzie Jayne, 2024
Art by Lizzie Jayne ❤️ ゚
(c)2024
*art and stories are copyright to Lizzie Jayne and cannot be used without permission from the artist.
