The Bengal Kitten

Risking one's life to save a kitten's was not something I ever thought I would do. I don't even like cats. But there I was climbing up the closest tree next to an apartment building with smoke and flames coming out the top. All to rescue the bengal kitten sitting in the third story window meowing. It didn't seem to be in any particular distress but the building was evacuated and no one knew who was in that apartment and no one was allowed back in. Hence the climbing of the tree with the crow bar in my back pocket.

My intention, break the window, stuff the cat in my jacket and shimmy back down the tree. Kittens are not cooperative when windows have been smashed and strangers are trying to grab them. But that didn't stop me from making the attempt.

Just like I feared, as soon as the glass was shattered, the kitten jumped farther back into the house. I almost called it quits. If a kitten was stupid enough to run back into a burning building, then it was too stupid to live anyways. But something forced me to climb into the apartment. Maybe I was as stupid as the kitten.

The heat was the first thing to hit me, contrasting the chilly winter air. The flames had not yet reached this apartment but it felt as though I was standing directly in the fire. My face burned red and I almost turned back but then I heard the kitten mewling. It sounded close.

Black smoked filled the place, and I couldn't see a thing. I knew from the various movies I've watched that you're supposed to get down on your hands in knees. That's where the oxygen was. I turned back to the window to take one last huge gulp of fresh air and got down.

I crawled around the room, blindly searching for the stupid kitten. My eyes burned from the smoke and I had to close them, leaving me to rely on just my sense of hearing and touch. Despite the loud crackling of the fire and the blaring alarm, I could still hear the kitten crying.

I didn't know the layout of the apartment and more than once did I run into a piece of furniture or the wall. Why the hell did I do is? My lungs for already aching from lack of oxygen. I coughed, seriously regretting this decision.

"Where are you, you stupid cat?" I mumbled. I got down lower so I was on my belly, in hopes I'd find more fresh air. It was to no avail.

There was a loud crash, like a ceiling collapsing, from the apartment next door. My heart was beating faster and faster as the panic set in. My breathing became shallow and I tried to calm myself down. Panicking would only make this worse.

I heard the kitten meow again. It was coming from my right. I dragged myself in that direction, reaching out blindly. My hand came into contact with something soft and fuzzy. A pillow. I threw it out of my way.

Now I was getting frustrated. This kitten was going to get himself, and me, killed. I opened my eyes to see if I could spot the kitten but I shut them instantly. The smoke stung, even after I closed them. I wiped my face with my arm, trying to make the pain stop.

My whole body was on fire, or at least that's what it felt like. My tongue felt like sand paper, my throat itching for water. I coughed again. My limbs were getting weaker. I'm not sure how much more my body could take.

I think I heard the sound of firetruck sirens approaching then. That didn't do anything to reassure me. No one knew I was in here. Who in their right mind would climb back into a burning building to save some stupid cat who didn't even belong to them right?

My lungs were begging for oxygen. I suddenly became very dizzy and even more desperate to find this stupid cat. I flipped over furniture, uncaring if it broke because hey, everything was just going to burn up in the fire. Including me if I didn't find this fucking kitten soon.

I almost gave up hope when I felt something rub against my arm. It was hot, and very soft. I quickly grabbed it, causing it to cry very loudly. It was the kitten!

I didn't bother to celebrate. This mission was far from over. Now I had to find my way out. I got back up to my knees, holding to kitten with one hand, using the other to feel around. I found the wall and decided that my best choice was to follow it. The kitten wouldn't shut up now and struggled to get free. I had half a mind to just toss it. But I was determined now. If I didn't get some kind of medal or something for this, I was going to be pissed.

This was taking too long. If I didn't get fresh air soon, I was going to pass out. In a desperate attempt to get out faster, I stood up. The air was thick, and I started coughing uncontrollably. I stumbled forward, using the wall as my guide. My shin connected with what must have been a table, adding to the pain I already felt.

The seconds seemed like hours. The fire alarm was still screeching, but I could barely hear it over the sound of my own heart pounding. I held the kitten tighter, and for some reason it brought me comfort.

My legs were turning to jelly, and I collapsed down to my knees again. The kitten stopped struggling but it occasionally mewled so I knew it was still alive.

Suddenly there was a sharp pain in my hand. I yelped and brought it to my body. It felt like I got cut by broken glass. Wait, broken glass! The window! I stood up again and held my bloody hand out in front of me to touch the wall. I slid it along until I found the window and leaned out, breathing in the fresh air.

I opened my eyes to see the crowd gathered on the ground. Someone pointed at me. Someone else ran of too tell the fire fighters. I wiped my sweaty forehead, stuffed the kitten inside my jacket, and climbed out the window onto the tree. I was weak and in a lot of pain but at least I was alive.

I felt the kitten's claws dig into my chest as i climbed down but I paid no mind. Fire fighters surrounded the tree, watching my every move. As soon as I got to the ground, the swarmed me. They asked me questions but it all sounded fuzzy. My eyes were adjusting to the light and I was still disoriented from my time without oxygen.

"I got stupid kitten." I said, pulling out the cat from my jacket. I noticed my hands were black and my palm was cut open, bleeding profusely.

I was dragged to a waiting ambulance to be checked out. They wanted to take me to the hospital for further evaluation but I refused. I still had to find this stupid kitten's owner. I laid in the back of the ambulance truck with an oxygen mask for about half an hour. A medic cleaned and wrapped my hand which luckily didn't require stitches.

The kitten stayed with me the entire time. It was jumping around, as happy as could be, as though it didn't just almost burn to death. I think he was going to be fine.

As soon as the medic declared I was ok, I was released. The fire had been put out but the fire fighters still hadn't given the all clear for people to go in to assess the damages done to their home.

I wandered around the crowd with the kitten in my arms, searching for the owner. Everyone's response was something along the lines of "You mean that's not your cat?" One lady who I recognized lived on my floor said, "You risked your life to save someone else's kitten?"

"Well, yeah." I replied, and moved on to the next person.

No one claimed the kitten, or even remembered ever seeing the stupid thing. It was a fucking Bengal cat! It wasn't exactly a common sight. How could no one know whose cat this was?

"I have to get up there!" I heard. I turned around to see a brown haired boy, struggling to get past a firefighter to get to the apartment.

The guy looked around my age, maybe a little younger. Even under his winter coat, I could see he was thin. He was actually kind of cute. I looked down at the kitten in my arms and up to the boy. It was worth a shot

I walked over to them and tapped on the guy's shoulder. He turned, giving me a confused look.

"Excuse me, is this your-"

"Knots!" The boy's eyes lit up as he took the kitten from me. "Oh my god. I was so worried!" He snuggled his face into the kitten's fur that was covered in soot and left a little black spot on his nose. Then the guy looked up. He had these big hazel eyes and a wide smile that I couldn't help but return.

"I'm Ryan."

"Dan." I wiped my hand on my jeans and held it out for a handshake. He waved it away and wrapped one arm around me in a half hug. He head only reached to about my collar bone.

"Thank you so much." He said. "You saved Captain Knots."

"Captain knots?" I questioned with a smirk. The boy laughed as he let go of me, stroking the cat.

"Seriously though, thank you." He pulled out his wallet and took out a couple bills.

"No, I can't accept that." I said when he held the money out for me.

"You risked your life to save my kitten. You have to let me pay you."

"I'm not taking your money." I said sternly.

"Fine." He frowned. "At least let me take you out to dinner or something."

"Are you asking me out on a date?" I joked. Ryan's face turned red but he never looked away.

"Maybe." He said, biting his lower lip. There was a flirty tone to his voice. "So, Friday? At six?"

"Yeah. Sounds great."