My long nails wrapped around the old wooden boards of the train tracks buried amongst layers of grey gravel. The steel beams running either side were boiled under the sun slowly cooking them and my own body. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG35ebTu6y8
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡehgZhtODYS
The sky was clear, as it had been for a week now, with not a grey cloud in the sky. It was the perfect temperature too. The air was cool but not cold enough to freeze me or hot enough to choke me. It was pleasant to idle in on my wander to the house in the distance. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ63k9Nv7S1w
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK0UWb7JRRr
I kept my eyes locked on the tracks running as far as the eye could see through overgrown fields of grass that rippled like water in the breeze. My pace turned to excited running and my heart gripped at my chest when I saw a flash of orange and blue emerge from the house in the distance. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW4oVYZXRkk
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTM59vfVj0D
I bounded over the river and paused on the other side where people were moving across the empty road to the shops lined either side. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoXvdH5dVPb
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I was in clear sight of them now. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKSGeKrHtXp
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwQRRpMg9H
"Soup!" the tiny voice blew on the breeze to catch my attention again. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhquRyqmJuy
It was so faint, but it was the sound I was waiting for. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMN2Z9xW5Mo
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLKhX4wKl3
A portly man approached the tracks as quick as his waddling body allowed, placing distance between us so he could squint in the direction of the house. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTvo91aLQAm
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBy5IQ692FV
He was the news agency owner here. His balding head with a halo of grey hair and leathery skin once roughed by laborious work in his youth was easily distinguishable. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjyglLOkeH
His corner-shop was only a few meters from the tracks so he could have the time to waddle out each afternoon I made my appearance to make himself known. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRwYuqNVeN
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL0mLhEgatr
I used to call him Bartleby. He preferred Bartie.290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡApdED2aCSo
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡge5CyaCsl9
"MISSY!" Bartie cupped his hands around his mouth before pointing them to me "you've got to stop feeding the beast!" 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmsUix3eJz1
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FrcNiipYR
I snickered at his concern and walked past Bartie before he cleared his throat to halt me. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwz8tGQLrEY
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTM6gcubtX
"You be good to her, Soup, you hear?" he scowled and waved a finger to me "I'll know if you do anything to her!" 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB1y5opGX85
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTIFqUe6jup
He had no reason to worry so much. It was the same empty threat he had been giving me for three months straight now. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8tSLflN62
I just shook off Bartie's concern and raced for the woman waving for me to come. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCg9kfHdpin
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIpxYBMxIJ
I was smitten with her. She was so kind and had this wonderful light voice that was rougher around the edges. She had the most adorable freckles painted on her face and a lovely round body that she liked to swamp in knitted jumpers or flowing dresses she made. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbTGw8xnXfv
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrfWxdgUNwZ
When her features began to form on the figure bobbing closer into focus, I grinned wildly and pushed myself to sprint for her laughing face bent down to search for me through the sea of grass. I swam through it to break through to her open gate held back for me. Her scooter was heaved back into its stand here too. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOb089MIRHM
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspzALDLMbo
Missy stood on the wooden stairs to her porch hugging the front half of her little wooden home. It was a very cost place made entirely of old wood painted in a muted green. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWonRHKeMG
It had herbs growing in the windows glimpsing into her sewing room in the left where she had spools of fabric hung on the wall next to her machine and dotted cloth mannequins. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0ltiAepsB
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc58bXv0tBq
Her right window had parts of her kitchen on show. I had peered into it a few times when I had been too eager to wait, watching her cook on her gas oven nestled within stone countertops while she shooed me away with a smile. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPVojZKSKT
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDpMzNn6s00
Missy had the window wide open to waft out the smell of the food she had been cooking. The rich beef spiralled around the earthy tones of stock and tangy herbs freshly plucked from her windows. I could smell the carrots and buttery pumpkin I knew were harvested from her garden nestled out the back. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOptfwRihSX
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWbww28Ji0O
That's how we had met. I had been raiding her gardens at night before she caught me and chased me off. After a few nights of futile attempts to stop me, and several vegetables left discarded in my escape, she started offering me her leftovers before it became proper meals. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdAEQxRiDo3
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWJHh6343AD
She didn't know what to call me, so she called me Soup. It was her favourite thing to feed me, and the easiest on her budget made selling homemade dresses. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwuMUNBzOS
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRr5FUBzMES
"Soup!" Missy cooed down to me waiting at the bottom of her stairs "I missed you! I'll grab your food. I think you'll like it today." 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIgiKFFUHu
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL2brOHIKXH
I liked how her voice rose excitedly when she saw me. It sounded like she was greeting a lifelong pet dear to her heart. I didn’t mind that; I was just glad she loved me so dearly to put this much effort into caring for me. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmTC3RdM1hV
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwJIWEBnH5p
"Beef soup with my own vegetables and the local meat. I cooked it with teriyaki before putting it in" Missy exclaimed as she returned carrying two stone bowls and carefully placing one down on the grass for me. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd3pzDmD99V
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaXlwKnEwUn
My mouth was watering when I saw the mixture of colours beside me. Steam spiralled from the fresh meal Missy set down so she could fan out her checkered blue and white dress to sit on the stairs. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8LcvYyeXci
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8eBbIcz8ii
She cradled her soup in her lap while I blew onto mine to try and cool it enough to scoff it down. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXdneINaqU
My stomach was begging for the hot meal that little birds and discarded rubbish along the roads could never satisfy. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBh9IRto5t2
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2GO4As0TFr
"Thank you" I grinned to her and wrapped my hands around the hot bowl so I could lift myself onto my legs and drink it down. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdQu9MqATC
Soup spilled down my chest to burn trails down my skin before I could swipe then up. The chunks of beef were chewy and wedged between my teeth. The bitter teriyaki coated all its layers to bring out the meaty flavour. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMaPe8IMZQ
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMEp4bgjae
It was the cheap meat again. I don't think Missy could afford anything like the ones that fell from the bone or had soft marbles of fat throughout rather than thick coats. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaFtm1YjOqM
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIKgrUtKim
She grinned and watched me try to keep my balance as I felt the meal burn a new hole in my stomach that growled for more. My legs trembled, not used to being so relied upon when I had all four of my limbs to power me effortlessly now. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEyVUppgqEc
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEr6mccS2qs
I placed the bowl beside her and lowered myself back down. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5tLqkoC8ix
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"More please" I pointed.290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDXN5Zhrbe
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlhVBOUhJC
She couldn't understand me but smiled like she had. All she heard were the same noises I did whenever I spoke in this form. It was just a mixture of growls and low snaps that I preferred to keep quiet, so I didn't scare her. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhktoNpm2xM
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5oRyH4j6SD
Missy liked it when I talked to her, and I liked it when I made Missy happy. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHfenHIVhKW
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZoEmReQL2
"You're hungry today" she mused "did I not feed you enough yesterday?" 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhp3p8oLRnP
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZIW9GEsvst
I just smiled and watched her retreat back inside, leaving her bowl on the stairs. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5GbJlF3ptW
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ17QBNYPKe5
Missy was the type of person I would grow old with as a human. I often let my mind wander to what we could be if I hid behind my skin again as a human and tried to form a relationship with her in this home built for two. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVCmQYfbwh
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqa3UxsH1pi
Despite having a sunny personality and being loved in town, Missy liked her quiet life. She didn't want her heart to be broken or taken advantage of. She was worried she was too poor to ever please a man or mother children. She hated that she was too scared to reach out and form those connections. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMeLm75WwgX
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUpr7a0xPxm
She liked me because I was an animal to her. I had no commitments other than one hot meal a day. I wasn't going to make her sad or upset her simple lifestyle with big ambitions. I didn't drain her trickling budget or offer anything outside the trinkets of lost belongings or junk I presented her with. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdso40vV6rP
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG1ovZ60G85
I didn't want to ruin that. I kept in this form and didn't dare to try and act on my daydreams of being accepted into her life as her partner with open arms. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKihbJ2vupP
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiey9RxAB64
I ate my soup and accepted her new name for me that spread through the town. It was simple and the way things were. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCu8aSMes4a
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOTjKGr1Uon
"Here we go!" Missy returned from the house along with two slices of crusty sourdough she had pushed into the bowl "buttered it for you too, you greedy guts. I'm surprised you didn't eat mine." 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfvDZB4zdjA
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DL8OkwpcT
I was lucky to have her. She was too kind to be so afraid of life itself. Missy deserved more than it was handing her.290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuYsVbRLjzE
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeV1OwyIYgV
I took the filled bowl to drop one of the slices of bread into her own before shovelling this one down greedily. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqZJsDk4gzp
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXxyEkc6ZB
I could feel the warmth of it leaking down my front from the inside and bubble in my gut gurgling from so much liquid drowning it at once. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBcxzHElSRf
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhMAWketNB
I snapped down the tough meat, licked the bowl, then headed back for the wall of grass awaiting me. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPheLK4vc4S
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxvsPJ5LUs
"See you tomorrow?" Missy called out with a worried frown. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnPBVX5Y4E
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Of course, she would. I would never leave her wondering where I had gone. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4EKiB3HCw
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVO2Q0Mn9l
I nodded and disappeared into the grass to follow the train tracks back to the East. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN4oLLf5ou9
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA7mH3J0GFb
I stared up at the moon nestled in amongst the glittering stars from my grassy ledge curved over several meters from the tracks behind me. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hpVHpmGYO
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyQLrebXciB
The field surrounding me was dancing with wildflowers that stirred at the touch of glowing fireflies blinking through the air like showers of floating embers. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeyPdN2m2ob
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZKhBBEGVq
They flitted like fire in the cool air and amongst the flowers. The fireflies reached for the stars themselves and I watched them ascend to the dusted void above. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZJX6O9UW0U
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXn21RPc4BC
It was so peaceful here with only the moonlight basking over the land. There was no artificial glow of streetlights or the sound of cars screeching on tar. The only sound piercing through the silence was the scraping of metal as the train thundered by on its nightly route to distant towns. Each lit window slashed over the grass below, reminding me of the loud and bright reality amongst the dark serenity until it was gone again. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWs1OArnEAr
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtwH0Lu0VZg
One day I might go visit those places. For now, I had my reason to stay here. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeGQTW2LiwZ
I wonder if she just stopped to stare at the beauty of the moon too. Maybe she sewed in her room while wondering about things beyond her reach like I did? 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2gyeZfFQ2b
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZb6V7owMQ
I smiled at the moon and laid back, so I didn't have to take my eyes from it. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvGXFbqX5MX
The soft grass would be my bed tonight. Usually, I roamed for food or trash on the roadside for several kilometres to try and salvage something until sleep sapped my energy and I collapsed wherever I was. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi4slhB5Hx9
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTK9a6H2e0U
The moonlit field of fireflies would be nice tonight. I could wait until Missy gifted me with her wonderful food tomorrow. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCZdkY8Wf9r
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgm5pku9ar0
I curled up with my hands wrapped around me, pretending they were hers cradling me and breathing warmth into me. 290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrdTyWRZRfS
290Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEQuRl5zy8U
One day...
Penana
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