The house was finally quiet. The family had gone to bed, leaving behind the soft hum of the heater and the twinkling glow of the holiday lights that strung across the room like glowing fireflies.
For Oliver, the tabby, and his sister Hazel, the calico, this was when the real day began.
Oliver had been eyeing the wooden post all evening. They had hung something new there a small, silver object that dangled tantalizingly on a green string. It wasn’t a mouse, and it wasn’t a feather. It was a mystery.
Oliver approached first. He sat at the base of the post, his tail twitching with anticipation. He rose onto his hind legs, balancing perfectly. With the precision of a surgeon, he extended his left paw. He didn’t want to attack it, he just wanted to understand it.
Tap.
A soft, crystalline ting echoed through the silent room. Oliver froze, his ears swiveling. The silver thing sang!
Hazel, hearing the sound, trotted over from the sofa. She nudged Oliver aside gently. Let me see, her body language seemed to say. She stood up, bracing her white paw against the rough wood for leverage. She didn’t just want to touch it, she wanted to smell the mystery. She pressed her wet nose against the cool metal.
Ting a ling.
The bell swung back and forth, shimmering in the light of the colored bulbs behind them. The cats looked at each other, their eyes wide with the reflection of the holiday lights. They had discovered the secret of the silver object.
For the rest of the night, the sleeping house was filled with the faint, rhythmic music of the bell, played by two conductors with very soft paws. To the sleepers upstairs, it was just a faint dream of sleigh bells, to Oliver and Hazel, it was their own private concert.
Shannon Willis can usually be found in the company of furry friends. A passionate animal enthusiast, her work is often inspired by her deep love for cats, dogs, and the animal kingdom as a whole.
