Barnaby

Barnaby the cat loved his life.
His favorite part of the day was when Rosie came home, she would pet him, give him his dinner, and company after a lonely day.
One day, she stopped coming home.
At first Barnaby waited.
He lied near the door, expecting her to come through any moment.
Any hour.
Any day.
Barnaby's hunger got to be too much.
Barnaby couldn't wait any longer.
He got up from his spot near the door, and looked for an open window.
Barnaby roamed the living room, the kitchen, the bathroom, and found no way to leave.
A waft of air with the hint of roasted chicken came from under the bedroom door.
Barnaby inspected the door - it was closed.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

A paper with bold red letters slid under the front door towards Barnaby.
Barnaby slid it back under.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

The paper slid back under, and muffled, gruff, gibberish came through the door.
This was clearly not his beloved Rosie, who had a softer voice that Barnaby quite liked.
Barnaby politely returned the paper with loud meow in turn.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

A long pause.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

Barnaby grew tired of the rude human noises and began to walk away.
Then he heard it.

A clinking of keys.

The clicks of pins in the lock of the doorknob.

The hinges whined slowly.

Barnaby rushed to the door and sat down angrily, pompously, ready to let Rosie hear just how hungry she had made him.
Rosie did not enter.
Barnaby saw the face of a man he did not recognize.
He wore a red polo with tan khakis beneath, a large ring of keys at his hip.
A scowl on his face deepened the creases that sat on his dark skin.
His expression softened as he glanced to Barnaby.
Barnaby, quite confused but hungrier than ever, gave a polite greeting mew.
Understanding that this was surely someone Rosie sent to feed him, Barnaby walked to the stack of orange cans and looked up to the man.
The man was not there.
Footsteps and the squeal of the bedroom door told Barnaby the man was looking for something.
The man must not have found what he intended.
He put his black box to his ear and began to speak as he walked back.

Barnaby knocked a can toward the mans foot.
The man kicked it as he walked out the door and closed it behind him.