THE KITTEN 

By Tessa Harvey

    Jackson drove slowly into the circular driveway of his modest three bedroom home. It was of patterned dark red brick alternating with paler or darker colour shades. It was a pleasing effect he wryly thought.
    Though it was slightly chilly and dusk was well-advanced, his wife was outside pruning some of her Peace roses. They glowed soft yellow and peach in the waning light of a somewhat grey day.
    The students had been unusually restless, almost feverishly so as he had talked about Chaos and the offspring of darkness and night. The subject was a strong force on the curriculum. 
    Right now he had to face his very beautiful wife.

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    Henry ran home at a very fast trot, sometimes a gallop. He wanted to see his parents. Almost there, he suddenly remembered his young sister. Leaning on a nearby fence, gasping a little out of breath, he thankfully saw Anna not too far away, trying hard not to lose sight of him.
    Henry's conscience smote him. Returning home without her was not an option.
"What happened?" the small girl gasped, sweat beading on her face, hair dishevelled and damp. Henry put his arm around her shoulders, murmuring 'sorry,' gruffly. "I was afraid of what Mr. Bryant said, Henry."
    Tears filled her eyes and cascaded down her cheeks. She sniffed hard, wiping her nose on her grey jumper sleeve. Her bright hair shone.

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