Diamond-

My real name is Delma, but when I first got assigned to Madison she named me Diamond. I am her protector. For this assignment I am in the body of a cat, which is one of my favorites because of the all the petting and the amazing agility. Anyways, at first I didn’t understand why Madison was so high up on the list for people in need of a protector. She was a very strong independent girl. Before I became her protector, I would watch her tell her dreams of the future to the stars. She talked to the stars as if they were old friends. On my first night at her house, I finally understood her need for a protector.

            We got to her house, and she was all excited because her mom actually bought her a cat. Even though I was already kind of old. Her mom, Molly, thought that a cat would distract her kid from their hard reality. Madison took me up to her room, and showed me all her favorite hiding places. I didn’t find that too strange, because Hide ‘N Seek was a popular kids’ game those days.

            I hadn’t seen her father, and it was almost 9 pm. When it was around 10:00 pm, her father came stumbling in, yelling nonsense words. Molly was trying to calm him down, but it wasn’t working. Madison swept me up into her arms and took me to her #1 hiding spot, under the stairs.

“It hasn’t always been this way, he used to be here. That’s what I call it. Mom says it’s sober, but I don’t like to think that he’s my father like this. I just think of my father being away. Like his mind is wondering the moon, and someone else is controlling his body. The dad I know, the one that’s here, wouldn’t act like this”

After she said this she fell quiet. I didn’t know what to do to make her feel better, so I just purred and sat on her lap. I’ve never seen a girl so young, yet be so burdened by life.

            Throughout the years, it didn’t get better. It got worse. The dad started abusing Molly. Madison and I were under the stairs a lot more. One time we didn’t get to our hideout quick enough, and he started hitting Madison. I was horrified, and had to call in reinforcement. I contacted the Protector Headquarters, and the cops showed up in a matter of minutes. They dragged the dad away, and took Madison to the hospital. I didn’t see her for a week. The dad didn’t come home either.

Madison’s dad came home a couple days after she did. For a few days, he wasn’t here or away. I didn’t know how long that could go on, but I didn’t think long. Madison wasn’t very optimistic either. She’s been slowly losing that part her for a while now. To be honest, so have I.

It’s been some years now. Actually quite a few. She’s 16 now. Which makes me 18, because she got me as a 9-year-old cat. Madison has grown into a great person, who I believe will change the world someday. She’s nice to everyone, smart, and has big ideas. She’s wise beyond her years. Her dad however, hasn’t changed even though Madison and I truly hoped he would. But Molly has. She has grown into quite the independent woman. She even asked for a divorce, and is finally getting one. This is what makes me sad. I can only be Madison’s protector if she needs me. Her dad is the reason I’ve got to be with her for so long. When she doesn’t need me, my cat body will die, and I’ll have to go back to Protector Headquarters, and wait for my next assignment. By now, Madison must be wondering how in the world I have lived so long. My cat body is aging away, and should have died years ago. But since I’m on an assignment, it’s nearly impossible to die too soon.

It’s happening. They’re getting a divorce. Madison isn’t as happy as I thought she would be. She’s been saying “I love you,” to me more often, and been giving me more kisses. I think she can tell I’m dying. I wish she could understand it’s just my body whose dying. But I’ll be assigned to another, and I probably won’t see her again. So what’s the difference? Leaving assignments are always hard. But this? This is the hardest goodbye I’ve ever had to say.

The divorce is over, the dad moved out, and I can feel my body decaying away. Madison’s noticing too. She’s been holding me in her arms for a couple of hours now. She’s talking to me. Telling me how much she loves me, and will miss me. She’s recalling all of our memories together.

I’m fading away. I look into Madison’s eyes and give my hardest purr.

Before I go, I hear her say, “You’re not dying Diamond. You’re just going away for a while.”

Madison-

I loved her. More than anyone will ever know. People tell me she’s just a cat, but I know better than that. She may have been a cat then, but now she could be roaming the earth as a massive elephant. Or maybe she’s living as a human. I’ve been told all my life she’s just a cat, by people who have never seen the sorrow in her eyes when she sees me cry. Or they never saw the knowing look she gave me when my first boyfriend picked me up. They never saw how she could understand how to turn off my lights on nights when my parents were too busy fighting. I loved her, because she understood me in a way that no one else even tried.

Dear Diamond,

I’ve heard that writing letters to the deceased can heal the broken. I know that you’ll never see this, but I wrote it anyways.

I’ve told the stars all about you. They listened silently, just as I knew they would. I told them that your soul was beautiful, and you would listen to me too. I told them how you’re gone, and how I miss you dearly. I asked for us to meet again. It’s a big favor to someone, but if anyone could do it, it would be the stars. After all, they did bring you to me.

With the stars on our side, nothing can keep us apart. We will find each other again, Diamond. I know we will.