Tick ... Tok ... Tick ...
In a room with faded painted walls, the sound of the clock ticking cut the silence. An old man with a white beard sat alone in an old rickety chair which every time he moved it would make a “crack” sound.
He stared at the void, beside him was a table on which was a silver medal and badge. It says 'Soldier of war xxx' 'John Mernir 18xx-19xx'. In front of him was a cupboard with a rifle hanging from the handle of the cupboard, an old winchester.
His eyes showed no light of life, he spent his life in war. Spend his life serving the country.
Never feeling happiness, his parents died when he was a child so he never felt how warm parental love was, let alone that, he didn't know what love was, the warm feeling that was in the human heart, he didn't know it.
Tick ... Tok ... Tick ...
Time passed imperceptibly.
DOR! DOR!
There was a gunshot from outside his house. Had made him surprised but he then managed to calm himself.
DOR! DOR!
Again, this time it sounded louder than before. He then got up from his chair, walked out of the room and approached a window which was covered with a curtain.
Sreett
Opening the curtains, he looked through the window and found an orange stray cat in front of the door with one eye closed, blood dripping out of his closed eye.
John just stayed there watching the cat. Meanwhile the cat who noticed John raised his head and looked John straight in the eye.
Receiving the cat's gaze, a warm feeling ran from his veins. He didn't know what feeling it was, but it's somehow make his heart tight.
DOR! DOR! DOR!
"Get out you damn cat!"
The sound of gunfire appeared again and this time it was accompanied by a scream.
The cat was surprised which made his body jump reflexively, the cat then meowed loudly as if asking John to open the door.
"Hehehe…. I hear you shitty cat."
The voice of that person appeared again and soon there was a sound of footprints approaching.
Stomp… Stomp… Stomp…
"Found you!"
The man was now in front of John's yard, staring at the cat crazily.
He then laughed loudly as he walked over to the cat. Meanwhile John just stared in silence. The person did not notice John or see him because the window of John's house was a one-way window, a window that could only be seen from the inside.
The cat meowed loudly and scratched at John's door desperately.
"Hehehe…. No one will help you."
Standing right in front of the cat, he aimed the muzzle of his rifle at the cat's head and-
DOR!
Blood gushed profusely, staining the doors and windows of John's house.
A grin crossed his face, he then burst out laughing while holding his head.
John who saw that silently felt something in his heart, a feeling that he had never felt before. Feeling hot, tight, his heart screaming.
His eyes started to feel hot, his vision slowly began to blur, until finally a tear came out of the corner of his eye.
He then made up his mind, he knew what he had to do.
He quickly returned to his room and picked up his old winchester hanging from the cupboard. He came out of his room with the sole purpose of killing 'that' man.
John checked through the window and found that the man was still there, taking the cat carcass and putting it in the plastic.
Taking a deep breath, he then opened the door and quickly aimed his gun at the man's head. Meanwhile, that person, who was picking up the carcass of the cat, did not have time to react and just stared at the rifle pointed at his head.
Time seemed to be moving slowly, John gave the man one last look before he finally pulled the trigger.
DOR!
A hot lead pierced the person's head as blood dripped from his forehead. He looked at that person's body flatly. He died now, but John didn't felt anything, neither sad nor guilty. He had done this many times in the past. No fear, no doubt, no regret.
A feeling of relief rose in John's heart, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
He then stared at the cat carcass in front of him, staring at the cat carcass with his crushed head making John's eyes wet again.
He then remembered how the cat was looking at him, with drooping eyelids, woefully calling out for John. Remembering that made John's heart tighten and tears began to roll down the lids of his eyes.
He cursed himself for letting the cat die …….
