After what felt like eternity, the white paw retracted…

““After what felt like eternity, the white paw retracted. Melvin, the mouse waited for ten, fifteen, and then thirty minutes. He poked his head back out of the hole and glanced around the room. Quietness had settled over the house and as he sniffed the air, the scent of cat was gone. Melvin scrambled onto the kitchen counter his nose to the air, whiskers working. At last he was rewarded with an open bag of animal crackers. Scooping one out with his tiny claws, he sat munching the vanilla cookie while watching for the hated cat.   *****   Piggy curled up on her human’s bed. Distressed over the filthy little mouse, she vowed to find him later. Nobody steals Matt’s food. Her human, Matt, who was oblivious to the scenario which had just gone on, spun around from his computer and scratched Piggy under her chin. Piggy closed her eyes as she enjoyed the attention.  She began to purr, and drifted off to sleep. Her last thought was: I’m coming for you mousy. Just see if I don’t. Piggy awoke the next morning, forgetting all about the mouse. The one thought, above all else, her most favorite in the world: food. She stretched her body and a yawn escaped her. Matt was still asleep, his arm flung across his face. Piggy prodded at her human to try and annoy him into waking, but to no avail. Her stomach gave a rumble, and she tried harder, pawing at feet this time. Matt rolled over, and one eye opened peering at her.””

— Karen Malena