My Kitty

My kitty wouldn’t wake up today. I was petting him a lot because he was colder than normal, but he didn’t warm up. My parents came in and saw me sitting by the fire, petting my kitty. They smiled. They never smile for long anymore. They told me I should wake up my kitty because he hasn’t eaten. I told them I couldn’t though. They came over to him and nudged him and then stepped back really fast. They stopped smiling. Their voice got louder and they asked what was wrong with me. I told them I didn’t know. They became all fast and sad, and they grabbed my kitty. I didn’t know what to do. So I just sat there, in front of the fire. My parents came back much later and they were crying. I don’t know why, but they cry a lot since I last saw the doctor. My parents told me that my kitty was ok and he was just going back to his family. They told me they would bring me one of my kitty’s brothers or sisters really soon and I shouldn’t be sad. I’m not sad though, if he’s just with his family why should I be sad? Why are my parents so sad?
My parents don’t stop crying now. They talk a lot and hug me a lot and touch my hair a lot but they always cry. They smile whenever they talk but their eyes are so red. They brought me a new kitty. This one’s a girl. She plays with me a lot and I don’t think about my old kitty too much.
I get really tired now. My parents want me to sleep all the time, but I want to play with my new kitty. Sometimes, I sneak out of my room so I can go play with her and Mom yells at me. She yells really loud and then she cries and needs to talk to Dad. I tell her I’m sorry I made her cry and she just cries more. After that though, they bring my kitty to me and sit on my bed and watch my kitty and I play together.
I went to the hospital today. Everyone is really nice here and the nurses tell me lots of jokes. They gave me a cool hair-cut too. They said it was cool. I get all the Jell-O I want and I get to watch funny TV. Sometimes though, I miss my kitty.
My parents are sleeping at the hospital with me. I like that. They talk quietly to each other a lot. I ask them what they are talking about and they don’t say. Mom was looking out the window for a long time. Dad came over to me and told me he had something important to tell me. He said soon I would fall asleep and I wouldn’t wake up. I asked if it was just like my first kitty. He said it was. He said I would be with my old kitty soon and all of his family. I asked him if I would see him and Mom there. He said I would one day. He said I was going to a good place and I would have a lot of fun there. Dad said there wasn’t any school there. He said I shouldn’t be afraid or worry. But if it’s fun why would I be afraid. Why do they keep crying? I told them it would be all right. I would see my old kitty and I liked my old kitty and I don’t like school. I asked him why Mom keeps crying. He said because he and Mom would miss me very much. But they’ll see me again. I keep telling him that. But he shook his head and told me I was a good boy.
My parents brought my new kitty in today. They said it was a special day, but their smiles look so funny. I was so tired though. My kitty kept playing with me but my eyes kept closing. My kitty kept licking my face and my parents kept crying. I just couldn’t kept my eyes open anymore. My kitty kept licking my face and my parents kept crying. But I don’t know why. (Andrew Reher)