by Shirley Delsignore

Created on: April 18, 2008

Unable to sleep I got out of bed and moved my tired but restless body to my recliner. Pandora took over the warm spot on the bed, and falls immediately to sleep.

The only light in the room comes from the muted television, this allows me to see Pandora's ear twitch. What did she hear? Again the slight twitching of the ear, as if an invisible stream of air passed over the delicate hairs that protect its entrance. Her eyes still closed she raises her head a few inches and sniffs the night air. The hairs on her neck quiver and her body stiffens. She returns to her sleeping mode and I to the screen of the television and the infomercial trying to sell me some useless product. Again Pandora's ear twitches. What the hell did she hear?

The night is deathly silent and there is no detectable sound in the room. Silence, sweet stillness. This time my ears are on alert and I hear it, a slight scratching noise. Pandora is now on full alert, she looks twice her normal size, with every strand of her long white fur standing at attention. Leaping off the bed, she crouches on the floor, her pale blue eyes catching a reflection of light, glow red, she looks like the predator she is.

Crouching she moves towards the sound of the scratching, her ears pinned to the side of her head, and her long tail straight and level off her back. She now has located the spot from where the sound is being made. In one swift and silent movement she leaps onto the dresser and takes an attack stance. I watch as a little field mouse pokes its tiny head from under the dresser. Pandora has now spotted it and is awaiting the opportune time to attack. Slowly the mouse, who appears oblivious to Pandora's presence darts out from under the dresser and is heading for the bowl of cat food. Pandora leaps, her claws and teeth at their ready and in one swift and silent movement has captured and killed the tiny invader. Pandora then retrieves her kill and drops it at my feet. She has a satisfied look on her face as she returns to the warm spot on the bed, and I return to the muted television and the infomercial trying to sell my some useless product.

Learn more about this author, Shirley Delsignore.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.