It took a few more days, or perhaps even weeks—Tilia was not quite sure—for Papa and Mr. Laptop to fix the bug in the code and make Eva Lucia walk, talk, and behave like a real cat—or, well, almost. Like the code promised, Eva Lucia could stretch downward and upward, curl and wag her tail, respond to Tilia’s voice, and follow her around. Somehow, the calico’s little heart was responsible for such unparalleled magic that filled Tilia’s heart with love and joy. And somehow, everyone was a little surprised by Eval Lucia’s ability to behave like a real cat, or, well, almost. Perhaps most of all, everyone, even Papa, was surprised that Eva Lucia showed signs of what could be described as “feelings of affection, attachment, care, compassion, and deep emotional connection” towards Tilia. Papa said he could not explain it. And when the school year knocked on the door, delivering the yellow bus card for Tilia, she ran to her mama and asked if they could request one for Eva Lucia.
“No, dear. Eva Lucia is a cat and must stay home”. – Said Mama.
There were tears, bargaining, and pleading, but it was determined that Eva Lucia would remain home, even for the first day of school. And so, when that day came, Tilia lined up at the bus stop in her new first-day-of-school clothes, a third-grader’s backpack, and a lunchbox, but no Eva Lucia since she was a cat.
The yellow school bus came from around the corner, huffing and puffing, then crawled up to the bus stop. Its rusty doors hissed open, and the driver’s devilish grin greeted the kids on board. Tilia boarded last. She glanced at her room’s window one last time, hoping to see Eva Lucia peeking from behind the curtains. And there she was, in an upward stretch, Eva Lucia leaning against the glass, wagging her tail. Tilia waived and stepped in the bus’ belly. The smell of diesel and old rubber pinched her nose, and either that or the piercing pain of separating from Eva Lucia made her eyes tear up a little. Tilia gulped and found her way to the first empty row. She wasn’t afraid of the bus, but that monster was terrifying. Somehow, his belly had the power to transform children from clean and orderly pupils to either terrifying bullies or fearful victims with almost nothing in between. Tilia wondered where she was going to end up this year. From the seat, her new blue Mary Janes were barely touching the floor. Perhaps it wasn’t bad that she hadn’t grown much over the summer. The less contact she made with the yellow beast, the better.
At the school, the children promptly left the bus, flocking like little bees toward the giant colored banners with their grade signs, except, of course, the poor kindergarteners who, as usual, were always lost. The third-grader’s banner towered over many familiar faces and some new ones. One, in particular, was pushing and shoving some of the other children. Tilia thought it must have been a real mean yellow bus that transformed him into such a rude boy. Not long after, she learned that his name was Gotto. What a strange name, or perhaps it was a nickname. She wasn’t sure, but Gotto was, for sure, a peculiar specimen of the bully kind. He bounced around the classroom, pulling pigtails, giving wedgies, sweeping books on the floor, and causing all sorts of general mayhem. But Tilia knew how not to draw attention to herself and folded in the seat of her desk, neatly crossing her new Mary Janes underneath.
Thankfully, it didn’t take long for the teacher to arrive. Ms. Austersen commanded immediate respect from all pupils, even from Gotto. And when the school bell rang, the lessons started in an enchanted rhythm, like little pieces of a puzzle that knew exactly where to fall. This rhythm slowly lifted Tilia’s worries and even managed to help her forget about Eva Lucia’s upward-facing stretch behind the window. That was all the way until the third period when the kids got to go out to the playground. Lined up against the classroom wall, everyone waited for Ms. Austersen’s signal. But when the teacher opened the door, she made a few steps and raised her hand like a stop sign. She bowed, picked something from the floor, and, holding one of her arms behind her back, let the children out of the classroom. Out in the schoolyard, Tilia’s thoughts drifted toward her room’s window and Eva Lucia’s upward-stretching body. What wouldn’t she trade to hold her little pal right now? Even the shiny blue Mary Janes.
The school bell summoned the children back into the classroom when the break ended. Everyone marched semi-orderly into the hallway and then into the classroom when, instead of going to their little desks, the children flocked around the teacher’s desk. At first, Tilia didn’t follow. She hated being pushed and shoved, so she hurried back to her desk and sat quietly. But then, over the increasing buzz of the children, Tilia overheard familiar sounds of meawing, chattering, and purring. Wait, no, that’s impossible!
Tilia spurted from her desk straight to the center of the crowd. And there she was, Eva Lucia, meawing, curling her tail, and downward stretching. How? How was this possible?
The children were pushing each other and shouting commands over and over and on top of each other:
“Sit! Roll over! Meaw!” …
Some were petting Eva Lucia’s head, and others were grabbing her tail. Still, the little calico managed to escape their dirty little fingers. Tilia reached out and took Eva Lucia into her loving embrace.
“This is my calico, Eva Lucia!” – declared Tilia with all the pride and joy her little heart could carry. The little calico responded with a gentile purr, headbutting Tillia’s face and whispering:
“Love, Tilia!”
“Return, Tilia!”
The children got quiet for a few seconds, and then everyone started asking questions:
“Can she walk?”
“Can she roll over”?
“Can she talk?”
“What can she do?”
“What can she say?”
Tilia’s face beamed. She realized Eva Lucia’s love helped her find the way to school like a real cat would! After all, Eva Lucia was almost a real cat! And Tilia proceeded to show off her best friend, Eva Lucia! Her Papa’s magnificent creation! Here. Eva Lucia, stretch! Eva Lucia, follow!
Everyone was in awe of Eva Lucia as she performed all the tricks Papa had coded over the summer. And everyone clapped—everyone except Gotto. In the distance, Gotto was not clapping, not even smiling. His eyebrows had arched like two angry caterpillars over his fire-shooting eyes, every spark of which was pointed toward Eva Lucia’s innocent little body. With one glance at his face, Tilia realized something was about to explode and quickly picked Eva Lucia from the teacher’s desk. But it was a little too late as, at that very second, Gotto swooped like an eagle onto the desk and clawed Eva Lucia out of Tilia’s hands. With one hand holding the calico and the other pushing the kids, Gotto ran wild around the classroom, screaming: “Die robot! Die!”
Terrified, Tilia ran after him, but he was too quick, wild, and unpredictable. Some of the children joined the chase but to no avail. Finally, the second bell rang, and the teacher entered the classroom. Everyone froze in fear and shame. The room was messy; the children were sweaty and scattered around like pieces from a broken vase. Taking advantage of the moment of shock, Gotto threw Eva Lucia on the floor and jumped on her with all his weight. The sound of the cracking box pierced the silence in the classroom, followed by a few gasps and Tilia’s scream:
“Eva Lucia, No!”
Tilia rushed to Eva Lucia’s site, attempting to retrieve the calico’s little body. But Gotto raised his arms like an eagle, stomping and twisting his heels into Eva Lucia’s body. Tilia swooped on the floor, scraping her knees on the floor and stretching her hands under Gotto’s rubber sole shoes. Her bravery confused him, and he tripped. Tillia grabbed her beloved calico and cuddled the lifeless little body into her chest. Bitter tears started rolling down Tilia’s face.
Eva Lucia was a cat like no other. On the first day of the third-grade school year, Ms. Austersen pronounced her “irreparably broken.” The cause of damage was one bully, Gotto.
© 2024 KJ Markeli | All Rights Reserved
