Gemotions

Rain lashed against the window as Thomas watched the fence go up. He hadn't known Mrs. Gable’s cat, Mittens, had been trapped in the woodshed the night before. He’d seen her dash in there just before the wind picked up. Now, the new fence was blocking the cat’s return path to her home.

He kept seeing Mrs. Gable's face when she'd asked him if he'd seen Mittens. Her eyes, usually bright, were clouded with worry. He’d mumbled a denial, his stomach churning, and quickly walked away.

The next day he noticed that Mrs. Gable was posting "Lost Cat" flyers around the neighborhood. Thomas clenched his jaw, the image of Mittens, huddled in the shed, a permanent fixture in his mind's eye.