"I found Jacob's body"

'I found Jacob's body'.
I'll never forget the night my sister approached with that somber look on her face, and those eyes that penetrated my every nerve. I felt weak at the knees. 'No', I wanted to scream. I couldn't have possibly been the cause of Jacob's death.
The nightmare began two days earlier. My sister brought her two beloved cats over to our house for their annual check up at the local animal hospital. Jacob, unaccustomed to the new surroundings, hid in any tight space he could find. I was told to shut him in one of the smaller bedrooms, so we could find him easily for his appointment.
Instead, I made the mistake of shutting him in the bathroom, figuring atleast then he wouldn't have a bed to seek refuge, and later need some coaxing.
What I didn't think of, was that our bathroom was under contruction. The new bathtub had just been placed, and dad hadn't had the chance to finish the plumbing, leaving enough space for Jacob to sqeeze in past the pipes and behind the insulation under the tub.
Leighann had come back from her shopping to pick up the precious little one's for their appointment, only to find out that I had lost Jacob.
'I'll find him, don't you worry', I assured her.
Twenty-four hours later, after hours of searching, we began to think of all of the possibilities. Could Jacob have slipped out the door of the bathroom when I went to get him? Then somehow maybe have managed to escape outside into the blistering cold? Could Jacob have sufforcated in the insulation? Or could he be lost and freezing to death outside. One thing we knew for sure, was that Jacob must be starving. We placed food, making sure that each kiblet was accounted for, that way we could atleast rule out the possiblity that he was outside. The door to the bathroom would remain shut, so there would be no where else in the house he could go.
Leighann would call frequently, only to get the same answer. 'No, he's still missing'.
By the second day, I began to lose hope. I woke up that morning, having had next to no sleep at all, with an idea and a determination to stop at nothing.
'Mom. Dad. I've been thinking.' I told them my plan.
There was one way of getting in behind the bathtub, without tearing it out and starting over.
My bedroom closet was directly behind the tub. With a hammer in my hand, I announced to mom and dad that I was going to knock holes in the back of my closet. After much contemplating, it was agreed.
And so, the length of my closet we knocked holes the size of fists. The insulation made it almost impossible to see anything. I began to second guess. Could Jacob be in there? Maybe he had slipped out. I hoped that he did. Nothing would be worse than having a cat sufforcate to death under your bathtub.
Hours passed, and Leighann called again. We cried together, and I told her to come over and first thing in the morning we'd go around town with his picture.
Later on that night I met up with some friends, and shared my story. The tragedy and the guilt I felt weighing down on me. All of my attempts have failed. To make things worse, I now have gaping holes in the back of my closet, and for what? Not even the slightest 'meow'. Not one kiblet eaten. I lost hope. I had come to a realization that there is a very good chance that I have killed my sister's cat.
As I finished telling my story, I looked up to see Leighann approaching. My stomach turned. What do I say to her? How can I comfort her? Do I still try to remain positve, 'Don't worry we'll find him'? How can I tell her that, when I don't believe that we will ever be found.
'Come with me', she said as she lead to somewhere private. My heart went out to her.
Her head down, she told me. 'I'm going home'.
I looked at her, not understanding. Has she given up? 'Why?'
Her voice low, she looked at me with such pain in her eyes. 'I found Jacob's body'.
'What?' My thoughts raced. He's dead. Jacob's dead. I didn't know what to say. My pulse raced, my heart sunk.
'He's dead?' The lingering silence nearly killed me.
Suddenly Leighann's eyes brightened enthusiastically, the tone of her voice changed dramatically.
'No, he's in the car, wanna see him?'
I walked to Leighann's car with jello legs, only to see Jacob in his travel carrier. His face appeared sunken and he was scared..... but HE WAS ALIVE!!!!
'How? When? Where did you find him?'
Leighann had told me that she was in my bedroom when she spotted a little bump moving under my bed sheets. She pulled them back, only to reveal a frightened and hungry little Jacob.
We believe that he had escaped the bathroom out of one of the holes I punched in my closet.

Almost a year later, I visit my parents, and sit in my old bedroom.
My old room, that I decorated and painted myself. My gaze drifts towards the closet, and I see them. The holes. And I hear Leighann's voice, 'I found Jacob's body'.
I laugh at the cruelty of her joke, as the memory comes back.

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year!!!
First entry of 2007. A year to the day I started this website.
Spent New Year's at the Johnstown Community Center, with my two friends Melanie & Jessica.
Dave and the rest of the band, 'Scribble', did a fantastic show!!! Good job boys!!!
Visit their website at www.scribbleitdown.com.