Fiction Friday: Poor Patsy

Note: This is a work in progress, i.e. I wrote it during my lunch break.

 

 

On days like this, public facilities hand out free tepid water bottles to children and the elderly.  Public pools are pumped with extra chlorine as gallons of sweat and miscellaneous body fluids contaminate the water.  On days like this, air melts across your face, grabs hold of your skin, and saturates the pores until it’s beading off.  If you’re lucky enough on these days, your AC breaks down, your car overheats, and the crazy you’d been curbing during the winter and spring finally snaps.

 

 

But none of this concerned Haley because she wasn’t allowed to leave the house anymore.  Not since the incident with Toto, the Thompson’s golden retriever; may he rest in peace.  Instead, she spent lazy days and lazier nights on the old mud-colored Laz-E-Boy recliner watching movies with her Persian kitty, Patsy.  Patsy was the only creature Haley considered a friend as she was the only one who could bear significant amounts of time with Haley; one hour intervals before she would flee out the back door. 

 

– I swear, Haley, if you do not close that friggin door and stop letting all the AC out, may gawd have mercy on your little ass, because by the time I’m through with it –   

 

–But Ma, Patsy wants to go out!”

 

–Then let her out and close the door, use ya head

 

–But what if she wants to come back in?

 

–Then I will let her in. Shut the door

 

Haley slid the glass shut and pouted as Patsy darted away after a squirrel.

 

–Now come help your mother with her gardening. 

 

She turned away from the door and climbed onto the stool in front of the linoleum breakfast bar.

 

–Make sure those pH levels of the water in those jugs is just right, alright?  Make sure it’s yellow.

 

–Ugh, I knooowww!

 

Haley dipped the little vial into the jug and fished it out with her nimble fingers.  She squeezed the eyedropper to suck up the chemicals, then carefully dripped three drops into the vial.  Yellow.

 

–Ma! It’s yellow!

 

She jumped down from the stool, tossed the vial into the sink and ran into the den.  The leather on the recliner hissed and moaned as she sunk into its plush cushions.  She picked up the remote, pressed play, and continued to sing with Scar.

 

–And injustice deliciously squared!  Be prepaaaaared! Ha ha!

 

Villians always had the best songs.

 

 

 

–aley!  Haley, you need to move your ass.  I am not missing Jeopardy!

 

Haley opened her eyes

 

–Huh?

 

–Get up! It’s almost seven!

 

–Seven?  Oh no! I need to feed Patsy!

 

She jolted out of the recliner and ran into the kitchen, socks coasting on the plastic wood. 

 

–I’m sorry Patsy, I’ll feed you now!

 

But no pitter patter of kitty feet followed her.

 

–Patsy?

 

to be continued

Tags: fiction, prose, short story, work in progress, writing