Post by CHARLIE REI DAVIS on Jan 24, 2024 3:04:18 GMT
[Googlefont="Dancing Script"]
so let the sun come streaming in
*TRIGGER WARNING - ANIMAL DEATH*
The world came to a screeching halt - at least, it should have. As soon as Charlie saw the grim look on the veterinarian's face, her heart lodged itself in her gut. She'd been seeing Dr. Sanders for years, taking all manner of creatures to him, from injured toads to a scraggly old Kneazle mix she discovered in Hogsmeade. The old man had never questioned her, always welcoming her into the clinic with kind, wrinkled eyes and a jovial smile. And, of course, he has been Percy's primary physician since kittenhood.
Her beloved Ragdoll was getting older. Her parents had gifted her the fluffy feline for her fifth birthday, complete with a gaudy bow and all the items he would need to live a long spoiled life. The pair had grown up together, and, naturally, he'd accompanied her to Hogwarts when she began her schooling. As she drafted design after design for her future cat café, every single drawing featured Percy. He was going to be the star of her show once she graduated. But...
Charlie stroked the luxurious cowl that ran along Percy's back, tears stinging at her eyes before the vet even spoke. "I'm afraid it's kidney failure," the old wizard said gently, trying to ease the burden of the bad news, even though it was impossible to do so. "I'm afraid the even the magical remedies we use for people aren't effective on animals."
Sure, Percy had been a little more lethargic lately. He was still happy to eat his paté, but he had started ignoring his feather string and wasn't as keen on grooming himself. Charlie's hand froze in Percy's fur. The gravity of the situation was setting in, but her brain couldn't process the plain English being spoken. "He's only twelve," she croaked, her mouth drier than a desert. Her mind went through a thousand scenarios, a million words to try to convince herself that something could be done. But renal failure was pretty much a death sentence for cats. The symptoms could be treated temporarily, but he would only continue to deteriorate. She'd been lying to herself for awhile, but she could see in Percy's eyes that he was tired. Her heart shattered into a million pieces as she resigned herself to the facts. Her body trembled as she looked at her companion, whose little snores she could feel under her suddenly cold hand. The tears in her eyes were threatening to spill over, desperate to relay the overwhelming emotions she couldn't find the words for.
"I...I..." she spluttered, still trying to find the right words to say, trying to find the words to say. Dr. Sanders place a grizzled old hand on her shoulder. She wondered blankly how many times he'd had to deliver such devastating news, comforting patients faced with such a difficult decision. Definitely more times than the years she'd been alive. She wondered if he'd become desensitized to it, the inevitability of the end.
Charlie absently stroked Percy's back again, clearing her throat. "I don't want him to suffer. He's -" she cleared her throat again, "he's my best friend." Dr. Sander nodded solemnly. "He'll be asleep. He won't even know." Charlie returned the nod, her free hand clenching into a fist as her eyes squeezed shit against a surge of tears. "How much will it cost?" she asked. "For you, my dear? Nothing." The kind old doctor was too good to her. Charlie nodded again, a silent affirmative to what was coming.
Within a few minutes, the little exam room was prepared, a tray laid out with the necessary instruments. As Dr. Sanders began the procedure, Charlie smiled at Percy with a pained expression, scratching the secret spot behind his ears that he loved so much. The big brute purred contently, his breathing becoming slower and deeper. After the second shot was administered, time slowed down until it stilled once more when the vet removed his stethoscope. Finally, Charlie let herself go, screaming into her hands, her racking sobs echoing around the room. She had remained strong for her sweet boy, but now the anguish radiated off her body in waves, her body heaving with the intensity of her grief. She wasn't sure how long she sat there, wailing like a banshee, her tears finally released from their confines and spilling freely.
When all was said and done, she left the clinic with a small, ornate black box clutched against her chest. It was a small memento provided by Dr. Sanders. Percy's ashes were contained within, where she'd be able to keep him with her always. Once she finally returned to Hogwarts, showered, and changed into her pajamas, she sat on her bed, the little black box sitting on her nightstand, several sheafs of parchment spread across the sheets of her four poster with several more crumpled up on the floor. With a final brush stroke of her quill, she sat back and wiped away the moisture in her eyes. But there was a small smile on her face as she looked at the final draft of her café logo, emblazoned with a massive fluffy cat surrounded by bold text.
Percy's Place
venting my feels about my cat passing
cause you'll reach up and you'll rise again