MSSSC: Escape Plan

This short story is my entry to the Monthly SimLit Short Story Challenge (February 2022). You can find the challenge details in the related blog entry and forum page. The theme for this month is the word: inveigle.

This monthly theme was particularly challenging to me, English is not my first language and I'm not sure that in my language we have any word translating perfectly all the shades of meaning of this term. Either way, I had quite a lot of fun writing a short story focusing on a character who has never got enough attention in my legacy, and I hope you may enjoy the read as well!

Escape plan

It was morning again and, as usual, they were about to return back.

-You are late. What happened?- 

-It’s what humans call public transport, it’s so inefficient. Surely this is the last time I don’t take the teleporting machine. In addition, I can’t stand this disguise anymore, it’s getting itchy.- 

From the other room, I cautiously listened to them as they entered.

For all the furballs sake, why couldn’t they arrive just a bit later? I was about to find an exit to this place, if just…

-Hey, where did it go?-

-Grrrrrrrr!- 

-Oh, it jumped on the fridge. Again.-

-I still don’t get how it manages to escape his cage so often, is the lock defective?-

-Just put it back into its cage, we are late enough already…-

I didn’t even try to protest, at that point I knew it was useless. My chance for today was gone, all I could do was think about a new plan for tomorrow...

-The data are clear, this experiment is just a waste of energy and time. The brainwaves of felines are too simple, there is no way we can alter them to collect information about the humans they live with.-

-I fully agree, we have to point it out in the next periodic report.- 

Life is so boring and stressful here... I went outside only once, when I still was a kitten, but I still remember it as if it was yesterday, meow.

-Hi, you really are a lovely little kitten, you know? Are you feeling unwell?-

-Mhhhh…-

I remember I was scared, everything was new to me. But she was different from the people in the lab, she couldn’t change her appearance, nor she talked all the time about brainwaves. Actually, she was so nice and kind to me…

-Don’t worry, darling, you’re going to return in full shape in a blink of an eye!-

In these years, I tried everything to escape from this place by myself, but it was no use. 

Long story short, I realised I need to persuade them to bring me out, and here there is a lot of stuff with a funny smell which could help me to trick them, meow!

The following morning…

-What happened to the feline? His temperature is clearly exceeding the standard range!-

-I suspect it could be ill.-

-What can we do? The supervisor is coming for an inspection tonight!-

-Well…-

-Meow, cough cough…-

“I’m so sick and weak, please help me!” At that moment more than ever I needed to be convincing, to persuade them to believe I was mortally ill and in need of help.

-Well, I guess it needs to see a veterinary.-

As they were changing their appearance before leaving and I was still coughing like a dying feline, down deep I was cheering as I rarely did in all these years. It was my chance, and I wasn’t going to waste it, meow!

-Poor kitty, what happened to you? It looks like food poisoning, you know? Have you any idea about what could he have eaten? -

-It is quite, ehm… curious cat, it could have ingested anything.-

-I see…-

I was so happy to see that vet again! I was sure she already understood something was off with my owners, if only I could convince her to help me…

It took her a while to heal me, but at the very moment I felt a bit better I jumped in her arms and I looked at her in the cutest and most adorable way I was able to.

Can I remain with you? Please please please, meow! I'll be a good cat, I swear! 

I wanted to persuade her to get help, and it was the best I could do. C’mon, the door was open already, it would have been so easy to run away as fast as I could!

She looked at me, then at my owners.  Then she hesitated, loosening the hold on me and, a second later, I was gone.

I ran, ran and ran as I’d never done before. It was cold, I was still recovering from the self-inflicted poisoning, and I could hear my owners yelling at that nice vet but, above all, I was feeling so euphoric! I could go anywhere, I was free!

I’ve never seen my former owners again, probably they just didn’t care enough about me. However, the nice vet spent days looking for me. She found me at the harbour, where I was hiding when planning about my future.

-Oh, poor kitty, you are half frozen! And you’re hungry too, aren’t you? Don’t worry, come with me!-

I was a bit suspicious of people at that point, but she was right, I needed help. And, maybe, I could at least trust her…

-Oh, so you like Nachos? Wait, thinking about it… this could be a nice name for you, Nacho! Do you like it?-

-Meow?-

-I’m so sorry I can’t keep you know, you’re such a good cat… But I know a person, he’s a very nice and intelligent guy, I’m sure you would like him too!-

I was a bit sceptical about this guy at first, but she was actually right again.

And that’s the story of how I, Nacho the cat, finally found a house and a family. I owe them a lot, and for sure I won’t forget it easily.

900 words, 15 pictures. And I already cut a lot of my initial draft :P