I'm home

I'm Home

Orange light of afternoon soon dimmed into the cool evening. The brunet lifted up a sight, seeing a moon arisen in the night sky. It was red. As if that sphere on the sky had just absorbed the light from the autumn leaves surrounding him. He walked on, hands hidden in his coat pocket. Once, he had to let his hand out to the chilly air to prevent wind from blowing away his newspaper-boy cap.

Eventually, his house came into sight. A small house painted in blue, its front yard was a mess as he had left it for a while… For a moment, he just stood still and stared at his home. A sweet relief of longing washed over him.

“I’m home… aren’t I?”

An unexpected voice heard, as if replying to his questions. A low meow. The brunet then felt something brushed his feet, and he looked down to find a cat rubbing its head against him. The cat paused, then looked up to him and meowed again — as if saying, “Welcome home.”

Was it his cat? The cat was lean — couldn’t be older than a year, he guessed. And it had black fur… He couldn’t remember. He wasn’t sure whether it was his cat or not, but something about the cat triggered a feeling in him… something sweet — a kind of affection. As if it were indeed his cat.

Picking it up, he couldn’t help a smile. “I’m home,” he spoke to the cat… and it replied to him, swinging a paw to his paw and smeared his tear… He almost didn’t realise it — that he had shed a tear. Clutching the cat close, he wiped it away. And with the cat purring happily against his chest, the brunet finally stepped toward the porch.

I’m home.