Following orders
I woke up to the smell of bacon wafting through the house. Immediately awake, I bolted upright and hit my head on the ceiling. I moaned and rolled over on to the floor six feet below the top bunk where I was sleeping. I cursed myself for being an idiot and was thankful I hadn't hurt myself too badly, I mean, I could walk, so I was alright according to my Mother's usual response to my many injuries.
I rose to my feet, scratching my headfur with one paw. I hadn't done any laundry in a while, so there were barely any clean clothes. I ruffled through my closet, eventually picking out an old hoodie that had my high school team name printed on it in bright red block letters, "THE BRIGHTON BRATS". I wasn't a big fan of the name, and I hardly ever wore the hoodie, throwing on some old jeans, I looked myself over in the mirror to make sure I was presentable. I was 5'7", barely taller than my mother, I had taken my Father's looks where I had taken my Mother's height. My tabby frame was covered in brown fur, with the exception of my right arm, which was black. It was the exact same colouring my Father had, the doctors said it was a one in a million chance something like that would happen.
Tired of reminiscing, I bolted down the stairs, eager to get some breakfast before my Sister ate it all. Turning the final corner into the kitchen, I knew something was wrong, my Mother was sitting at the kitchen table talking to a human male in his early thirties. He had a uniform on and was wearing the rank markings of a captain. I looked to my Mother who looked at me straight in the eye, it was the same look she had given me when my Father was in the hospital after his second heart attack. It was a look I had hoped to never see again, it was stoic, yet it had no hope at all in it. My Father died two hour after being admitted to the hospital after his second heart attack. There wasn't a dry eye in town, whether they were sad for him being gone, or for the family that now had to live without a Father and a Husband.
"And this is my oldest daughter, Shelly" My mother motioned to me as if putting me on display for this strange man across the table.
I looked to my Mother, the only thing on my mind was one thing, "Where's Lizzy Mum?" I whispered, as much to break the silence as to actually find out where my Sister was.
"I sent her to the store for some butter, we just ran out." I nearly vomited. Her voice was a monotone, flat and unfeeling, something was horribly wrong. But I didn't know what it was, I didn't have the slightest idea why a ranking officer would be sitting at our table, drinking my Mother's coffee.
My Mother's golden eyes were devoid of life, there was nothing left. Her grey fur was dull and matt, her smile empty and meaningless. She motioned to the man sitting across from her, "This is Captain Stewart of the British home front,"
The man nodded and gave me a politically correct smile, "A pleasue ma'am," He said, his voice civil and polite. I wanted to lunge at him, to tear his throat oit, to watch him bleed out on the kitchen flo- "I'm here to supervise the relocation of all anthropomorphic civilians in the county of Manchester." He interuppted my thoughts with those 15 words that changed my life forever.
I was at a loss for words, I didn't have any come backs, nothing to say, I was uncharacteristically quiet. "You have until 2:00 PM this afternoon to get a suitcase of belongings together, at 2:00 PM a bus will come along the road and stop in front of your house, you are to board that bus," He opened a briefcase and removed three sheets of paper, "These are the orders for your relocation, signed by the Prime Minister himself." He handed the paper to my Mother, who gave it a cursory glance and nodded.
The man got up and moved towards the door, "The government expects your full cooperation on this." He told us. Then turned back to the door and started walking away.
"One last thing," I whispered. The only reason he heard me was because it was unnaturally quiet. He froze in his tracks. "Go to hell..." Never had I once meant something more than what I said right there. My Mother finally broke down and burst into tears.
"God help us Ma'am, I'm only following orders..." Those were his last words as he walked out the door. Little did I know he was the only thing that would keep me sane over the next few months.
Captain Howard Stewart walked out the door, this was the fifth family he had "informed" as the government called it. He wiped a tear out of his eye, "This couldn't be happening..." He murmered to himself. "I have to stop this..."
His aid honked the horn of the jeep, Howard looked up and composed himself, "I'm just following orders..." He murmered to himself.