Friday, May 29, 2009

Secrets



In a place far away from here She saw a house. The house sat quiet by the side of a busy road. A garden at the back, maytree at the front, pear tree at the side and the house itself in a tumbledown state. Something about it made Her stop and as the car pulled up, behind the dusty window shapes moved. The house was full of cats, waiting by the window, watching for someone. Ginger cats and tabby cats, all but one scattered as she approached.
Since then She has been haunted by the house of cats. Maybe they had moved in when the house became empty. Maybe their parents and grandparents had been the pets of a person who had been taken one day, years ago, to hospital. Each day the cats would wait for their person to return. Each year kittens would be born and the story of the two legs that lived in the house would be told until the story became a legend.
Or maybe someone is still there, in this tumble down house of cats, guarding a secret.

19 comments:

trash said...

Ooooo! I like secrets...

The Curious Cat said...

What a lovely little piece -I love the idea of a house full of cats! xxx

Moonroot said...

What a gorgeous old house! And what a beautifully told tale. Now I am haunted by the house of cats too.

Goldie, Shade and Banshee said...

That is a house shrouded in mystery, what tales whose felines could tell. Hopefully there is some kind soul nearby that keeps an eye on the place and leaves some food once in awhile.

Purrs Goldie

ps~ We have a post up about a vixen and her kits in our front yard. You can check it out here if you want.

Michele said...

My dream house!

Karen said...

Thats a book for you to do Jackie! ;)

Felina said...

Such a surprise to me this entry is today.... I've been concieving and slowly writing a story that concludes with an abandoned house full of cats in need of rescue, and now I have the perfect mental depiction of what kind of abandoned house those FOUR-legged kings of the grass would prefer. :)

I love your voice, btw.

JC said...

Did you ever go back to check if there is someone there ?

Who's feeding the cats ?

jamjar said...

What a small world it is, I too have seen that house and photographed it, some time ago now, but I didn't notice the cats. I often wondered why such a beautiful house should be abandoned, but it obviously wasn't - the cats had made it theirs.

The Ginger Darlings said...

The cats seemed happy. The garden was sort of tidy. There was a caravan in a field at the back. It felt as if the house was empty, of all but cats. And I should imagine that the cats were fending quite well for themselves as they can, but maybe, just maybe, they were fed by a ghost, or runaways, or a witch, or passers by.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps, when Pixie has finished "the other book" she may like to tackle this story...


(and did you get the boat photos this time?)

Dreaming Stone said...

I am pleased to see that this lovely, fascinating old house is still standing - used to drive past it regularly whilst travelling between our previous house and the Mon & Brec canal. Always there were cats in the bay window - must therefore be the warmest place in the house :)

Anonymous said...

Could we have some more stories about them please?

Christine

Jackie Morris said...

Lovely that others who read the cats' blog have seen this house.
For a long while I have had a story wandering around my head without finding the time to write it. It is a story set in Venice and has the island of the lost cats in it.
When I saw this house I partly saw my future, although all f my cats are neutered so after a while unless wild things moved in with them the house would be empty.
These cats seemed healthy and watching and waiting. It was early evening when we drove past and stopped to take the photo. There are so many stories tangled in it. Will see what comes out over time. Meanwhile Pixie's book seems to be getting close to having an offer made for it although the publisher is reluctant to put her name on the cover. Maybe instead will say ' as told by Pixie' , or 'narrated by Pixie Mischief'.s

Kitikata-san said...

Oh I hope there are people who live there and who can tend to themselves and the cats in a good manner.

Poppy Q said...

We hope the cats aren't too hungry or scared living in that house.

I would be a bit too spooked to live there.

who said...

Maybe it's just late and I'm tired.

My instinct tells me the previous disclaimer is nonsense. That my initial impression was accurate.

Beautifully written art. Your words produce images more detailed than the ever improving flat hd crap that circuit city tried to push on every household.

My wordly descriptions don't do yours justice. I don't know how to link... but From the House of Edwards in her post A Happy Mistake (her writings also in form of beautiful art) seemed to be a better description of both hers and your written art... being and I quote but didn't wright clique "-all school bus yellow and chlorine blue-with such vividness they almost sting the eye"

I am not always clear with my written words. So in short. To be clear.

I love to read your beautifully arranged words.

Lydia said...

I gasped. Then tears actually came. Beautifully written and photographed.

Rowan said...

What a wonderful and intriguing house - I wonder if She has found out anything more about it and its feline occupants. I hope they have Someone to care for them. I enjoy reading about all that you do and seeing your photographs, you are all such handsome cats.