Narrative

Cuban music drifted in and out of hearing range as i wandered across the street form the compound. My hair stuck to the back of my heck with sweat as i brushed the back of my hand across my forehead. Humidity clung to every living being like a warm mist of salty water. Coconut trees barely moved with what breeze could come through the thick air. Not much happened in the early afternoon in Havana. No one wanted to battle the heat. 

I made my way over to a fence that surrounded a large paint chipped manor across the street. I sat on the curb to rest before making my way to the cool oasis of the Atlantic Ocean. Salty sunscreen sweat stung in my eyes as i rested my elbows on my knees and inhaled. I looked up at an elderly man in a straw hat gradually shuffled down the weed ridden side walk. Stray cats and dogs roamed in the distance. Out of the haze a small stray cat came close into view. Immediately i took notice. As she came closer i saw she must have been only a few weeks old, her fur was soft grey but was already starting to become nappy. Seductively, she sauntered over to me and rubbed her back against my leg as cats sometimes do. My irritated dispostion slowly melted as i began to take a liking to this lost animal. I picked Cat up and she sat in my lap. I striked her solf coat as she closed her tired eyes. A thought came to me; i should get this poor cat something to eat. what a brilliiant idea. "Wait here Cat ill be right back. " 

I made it about fifteen steps. Out of the corner of my eye two larger mutts trotted over fromdownt the street. Single file they were on a mission. I turned around, my hair wisping against my damp neck. The synapses in my brain coundlt connect fast enough., delayed from the heat. Suddenly everything was in slow motion. I watched Cat clime the fench in panicked horroe. She was neither strong nor fast enough. The larger of the two mutts opened his snaggle toothed jaw and clinched Cats abdomen. i stood in shocked silence as the dogs masticated lifeless car into almost obliteration. Jut as quickly as they came, the dogs ran away leaving mangled Cat in the gutter. My mouth hald open, eyes widened with revulsionn. I hadnt even noticed a family standing next door, witness to this senselessmurder. The small tearly eyes girl looked away as her mother and father looked at the cat, then at me , then at the cat again with riveting disgust, then sorrow. THe mother covered teh eyes of the young girl and tyhey walked away. Looking back the mother made eye cntact with me. She must have read my face, becasue she gave me a knowing look, as if to say " yes it is sad this happened, but this is common in Havana. theese kinds of things happen because of the large number of stray animals, there is not enough garbage they can eat from. Like humans, animals resprt to ruthless tactics if they must fight for survival."

I stood in the middle of the street. I couldnt find the words for the sentiment sweeping across my frontal lobe. a bead f sweat dripped down my forehead. i ran my fingered through my hair, over my scalp. I began to think abotu life. how they always say it is unfair. like thats supposed to make you feel better, knowing things are just "unfair." Car certainly didnt deserve her dreadful fate, or maybe she did. i really dont know. But just as quickly as you come into the world, you can be gone. if you dont make an impact to someone while your living perhaps an unwarrented death will do the trick.

I took one last look at Cat, :rest in Peace". I made my way down the worn sidewalk. Haze engulfed the murder scene as i walked farther and farther away. Feeling wearly, i took slow deliberate steps down the street, squinting the sun out of my eyes.