A Second Chance

I hug mum with a "good bye" and hurry down the stairs. I was getting late for college. As I cover up a couple of steps, I hear a cat's mewl. Worried that it would pounce on me (though I'm an avid animal-lover, I'm skeptical about letting them get too close. ), I hesitate to step further. My eyes look around for that little thing, but it is no-where to be seen except that I could hear the soft mewls. I gather courage and proceed further. The mewls turn into yowls. Okay, I could sense that things were not that normal. Out of the blue, I see a little paw sticking out of the opening in the wall.... THE WALL!!!??? That "wall" is the wall on the third floor. That "wall" is open from the other side, that is this "opening" is the only thing that can save its life which unluckily is big enough only for that paw! One step to the north and that would the last step of its life.

I gather courage to go near it all the while mum yelling that it would pounce on me. How nice.. I tell myself...that cat cant go through the opening and it will pounce on me!?? marvelous! I was nervous, late for college and desperate to save that cat's life. Mum kept yelling that I would be late for college. I was in no mood to gather my neighbors around. The sight of the paw and the mewl was the only thing that made me stop in my track and turn around, each time wishing that I could be of help.

Without thinking any further, I quietly move on. As I reach the gate, I look up and there I see that little thing mewing with all its might. Feeling stupid and helpless, I pray to GOD, to somehow save its life.

On my way to college and even during the lectures, my mind was totally stuck on the cat. How did it manage to reach there? Anyway, I make up my mind to leave early at 12:00 pm and at around 1:00 pm I'm there, standing right outside my gate. I look up. Where is the cat??!! My eyes wander around desperately with a fear that I may find it lying in a pool of blood. No blood around, what a relief ! I ask mum about it. She says, "how am I suppose to know?.. go do your work". I kept searching for that cat for another few days, but it didn't help.

I never saw that cat again.
Sometimes, you never get a second chance.