Kittley stood atop the rooftops, her weight lowered as she eyed the ground below. Darkness cloaked over the city as the lights from the Watcher's torches remained one of the few lights in town. She grinned to herself as she saw the no lights illuminating from the area a market is normally set up, sliding down from the rooftops and into the window. The room was empty; the stands that typically overflowed with patrons remained dark and lifeless. Kittley moved silently down the hallway until her gaze drifted over the booth where dyes sat. She snuck closer to the dyes before glancing over her shoulder; the area remained empty.
Quickly, Kittley began snatching up several bottles of dye, shoving them into her satchel slung across her hip. She paused at a single crimson red dye, grinning to herself as she shoved the bottle into the pocket of her pants. She planned to use that particular dye for something special. As soon as Kittley gathered up all of the dyes she needed, she leapt to her feet and turned to run. Suddenly, she felt a jerk on her arm, yanking her backwards. Kittley spun her head around to see the angry glare of a watcher, whose torch lit his face.
She took in a gulp as the Watcher snarled out, “Caught you, ya little delinquent.”
After being dragged back to the Jailhouse and having her bag yanked from her clutches, the Watchers threw Kittley into a cell where she remained for the rest of the night. When day broke, Kittley awoke at the sound of her father’s gruff voice, snapping at her to get up. So little did the two speak anymore, and rarely did they speak kindly to one another. Kittley’s father dragged her home to find her mother sitting at the table in their small home.
After sitting down across from her parents, her father spoke. His tone remained cool, not angry, nor happy. Just empty, as if he merely spoke of the weather, “We’re done, Kit.”
“Aye, I’m done with the Watchers too. Ain’t those guys pricks?” Kittley would snort out, her tone carrying a defiance of sarcasm.
Her mother’s face twisted into anger at Kittley’s words, “No Kit!” She snapped out, “We are done cleaning up after your messes. It’s time for you to grow up.”
Kittley nodded slowly, “As far as I can tell, I have been growing up.”
She knew her the expression on her mother’s face that meant she crossed the line. It always made Kittley feel anxious, since she knew that the next words escaping her mother would escape in screams. However, her father held up his hand, stopping her mother from speaking as he took over again, “It’s time for you to leave.”
“Leave? To where?”
“Not our problem,” Kittley’s mother said coolly. “You had your chance. Now you’ve blown it.”
“But… But mom… dad?” Kittley felt a flood of panic wash over her as her gaze moved between the two.
Her dad looked Kittley in the eyes, speaking clearly, “Get whatever you want and leave. We do not want you to walk back into this house ever again. Do you understand?”
Kittley felt her heart break in that moment, as if the world around her grew heavier and began pushing her down into the ground. She opened her mouth, fighting back tears from flooding into her eyes, “You can’t just kick me out for good.”
“We tried to get you to behave, Kit, but you are bringing this family to embarrassment,” her father said as he stood. “Come on Penny, let’s go for a walk. Kit will be gone by the time we get back.”
Kittley sat silently as she heard the door shut, her body suddenly feeling sore. Perhaps it was from the night at the jailhouse, or perhaps it was pain from a broken heart. She slowly stood up, moving to her room that at one point she shared with her older sister. Turning her gaze around the room, Kittley grabbed her leather backpack, shoving a few spare shirts in. She paused as she looked at the stuffed puppy sat on the bed. The ears were torn and tuffs of the fur were missing from the raggedy old bear. Yet at sight of it, Kittley felt a calming sense wash over her. She reached out, snatching up her puppy as she slid it into her bag carefully before pulling her bag onto her back and making her way to the door.
Kittley moved across town, walking up to her sister’s home. The two never got along, but Kittley knew she had nowhere else to turn. She hoped that deep down inside, her sister loved her as most claim to. The door swung open and there stood Kittley’s tall sister with silky blond hair and deep, beautiful brown eyes; such a well behaved girl, so dearly loved by everyone, especially Kittley’s parents. Her gaze scanned over Kittley, seeing the younger girl in a dishevel mess from the night in jail. Kittley’s dark brown hair stuck up everywhere, and her face remained coated in dirt. Her back slouched from the weight of her backpack contained with all of her belongings.
“Alley,” Kittley began, “Mom and dad kicked me out.”
“Good,” Alley snapped out.
Kittley blinked a few times in surprised before she slowly spoke, “Can I… maybe… stay with you?”
“Get lost, Kit. You’re a lost cause,” Alley snorted out, smirking as she slammed the door in her younger sister’s face.
Kittley stood silently, almost speechlessly at her sister’s bluntness. Alley always spoke harshly to Kittley, but never so much, especially when Kittley needed someone. Although it had been the first time since Alley’s wedding the two spoke. Alley still hadn’t forgiven Kittley for dumping water on her head in the middle of the ceremony and stuffed frogs into the wedding cake.
Later that day as evening began to approach; Kittley paused beside a fountain, looking into the water. She suddenly realized something remained in her pocket, pulling it out to find the bottle of red dye. Silly watchers didn’t notice she had dye in her pocket. Kittley then turned back to the fountain. Her life could fall apart, but it wouldn’t stop her initial plans. She’d then open the bottle, letting the dye trickle down to the water, turning the fountain a soft shade of red. Kittley then nodded to herself, feeling a sense of accomplishment when she turned to walk towards the back of the Prancing Pony Inn.
She turned her gaze around at the horses, all tied up by water troughs and posts. She walked up to one brown horse, a giant beast compared to the tiny Miss Kittley. Running her fingers through the horse’s warm fur, she felt a sense of longing for it. She wanted him. Kittley looked over her shoulder for a moment before leaping unto the horse’s back, the steed seemed very docile and calm. She then nudged him towards the front of the Pony, smiling to herself before she heard a man cry out;
“Oi! Stop there! That’s my horse!”
Panic filled Kittley again as she attempted to kick the horse forward again, but instead the horse merely reared up and sent Kittley flying off. She scrambled to her feet, feeling stunned from her fall. Everything grew blurry for a few moments before she felt a sudden grip on her arm and a man glaring at her. Why does everyone have to glare at her?
He demanded for her name, and she merely snarled out, “That’s none of your business.”
Kittley was lucky that the horses owner didn’t want to press charges against her. That night, Kittley wandered back to the alley, the alley her best friend as a kid lived in. She lowered herself into the mud, curling her knees up to her as she drew the stuffed puppy from her bag.
“At least I have you, Kobi,” Kittley whispered to the puppy.
She then pulled the puppy to her chest in a tight hug.
