Emily's Kitten

By Christie Vick



Today’s prompt: They were a color she’d never seen before, a watery mix of gray, blue, and green.

Emily lifted the tarp over the woodpile, and two little orange and white kittens blinked up at her. Their eyes were open wide, a watery mix of blue and green. She reached down to pick one up. It scooted away, but she caught the other one. The kitten nestled in the crook of her arm, mewing softly. “Where’s your momma, little one?” she said, petting the soft fur.
“Ma, I found a kitten.” The screen door banged shut as she entered the kitchen. It smelled of bacon on the woodstove.
Her mother stood at the wooden table kneading dough. White flour dusted her blue checkered apron and the side of her nose where she must have itched it. “A kitten? Let me see.” 
Emily held it up, and the kitten wiggled its little legs to get free. 
“Well, wouldja look at those eyes.” Ma pushed and pulled at the dough. “I hope it’ll be a good mouser. I found droppings in the cupboard this morning. Put it back, so its momma can take care of it.” 
“What have you got, sis?” Chester came into the room with a pail of fresh milk. 
Emily cuddled it close to her chin. “A kitten.” 
He set down the pail and came to see. “It’s cute. Them eyes is pretty.” 
“Those eyes, Chester,” Momma said. 
He tickled the kitten’s ear. “Those eyes look like glass marbles. What you goin’ to call it?”
“She’s not giving it a name. Put the kitten back, Emily, and get to your chores.” 
“Yes, Ma.” The girl went back to the woodpile. She put the kitten down, and it squeezed under the stack. With her thin arms piled high with split wood, she returned to the kitchen. 
“Don’t get attached to that kitten.” Her mother’s fisted hands were on her hips. “Folks here are in desperate need of mousers. Pa will sell it. That kitten could help us buy a calf.” 

Emily smiled as she filled the wood box. Pa didn’t know there were two kittens with the same coloring. She’d keep hers a secret.

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