The Tongue Of A Lion by Olivia O'Donnell (that summer book TXT) 📕

When your pet dies, you feel as if it's the end of the world. As for me, Sapphy, loosing my cat Lola was as if I wanted to run away an never see any other cat again. I thought of Lola as a lion, because she always used to sit on the rocks outside our front lawn, look out into the woods and would focus on only one thing. Finding mice. Lola was the best cat I ever had. But Lola's tongue, maybe I should tell you what happened before Lola died.

Before Lola dies
I was in the first grade, mom took me to a pet store. We looked at all the different animals, even the weird ones. I'm talking lizards, snakes, llamas. Why llamas, why? We saw one small cat and it was black, white, and orange. It had a pink nose, small whiskers, and small white paws. It looked right at me. "Mom, this is the one, I want this one." I told mom. "Are you sure, Saph? What'll you name it?" Her response was hard to answer, but then it hit me. "Lola, mom! Lola. She's so pretty." I told mom. She was speechless. I know mom loves Lola. Mom walked up to the cash register and looked back at Lola. She rang the bell, which means she's ready to adopt an animal. The cashier asked, "What animal number?" Mom looked at Lola one more time, and said, "Number 32." "Oh, yes. She's almost been taken 4 times, but no one loves her enough." The cashier told mom, as she walked over to me. The cashier took Lola out of the cage, along with 2 other cats, about her size. "I'll just give you her, and you can take her in this little room too see if you like her." The cashier said, as she was leading us to the play room. She had Lola in her hands, and Lola was the cutest kitten. We played with Lola. After 3 minutes, we knew we had to get Lola.

The First Day Home
When I took Lola out of the cage, she was nervous. I thought she was an indoor cat, but it turns out that she was really an outdoor cat. Lola took baby steps toward the front door. She wanted to go outside. Imagine. What's it like being an outdoor cat when all you do your whole life is stay inside. He's probably just happy he'll be going outside. So I picked Lola up, and let her outside. I went where ever she went, and she sat up on our rock wall, leading to the woods. I pet her back, and she purred. Purr, Purr. She smiled. In that cat kind of way. She saw a mouse. She went for it. I called her name, she looked back, and soon, she came back. It seemed as if she already knew her name.

Years Have Past Now
This is it. This is the day that Lola turns 3. It's been 3 years since we've got her. I put her in a pumpkin suit, since she was born on Halloween.
It's 8:00 PM now. Lola's not eating. I've put cat treats and wet cat food out. Lola's favorite. She's been looking outside the front door all day. I finally checked what she was looking at. I saw no-. I see now. My dad has been feeding this stray cat. The cat has been on our front steps all day- I guess. Me and my little brother has been talking about one day making him- or her, our pet.

Making It Official
Here we go. We brought the stray in our house. Andrew, my brother looked so happy. He didn't enjoy Lola. This stray is a boy. He's so happy that we now have a new cat.
"Ash." Andrew says.
"Huh?" I ask him.
"I want to name him Ash. You named Lola, and I name-"
"Ash?"
Dad walked in the front door. He looked at Lola, then Ash. He looked at me, then Andrew. He looked at Ash again.
"The stray? You brought him in?" He asked us.
Me and Andrew looked at each other, then both cats, then dad.
"Well, while mom was at work-" I started. "Then we called mom and she said that if we really wanted to bring the cat in, we could."
"I'll show you what you should do and what you shouldn't." Dad said.

Why me, God?
It's Lola. She's not feeling good. Maybe it was the other day, when she couldn't eat. I don't know. Right now, I'm rubbing her stomach, and she's purring. Purr, purr. Ash comes through the cat door. He rubes his cat sent on Lola. Lola smiles again. We're on the family room couch, and Lola starts to fall asleep.
"Mom! Dad! Andrew!" I yell. The first tear in years drip down my face.
"What? Where are you?" Mom says. She comes in the family room. Soon follows dad and Andrew. Andrew brings Ash in, and I just start to pour with tears.
"What? What is it?" Mom asks. I shake my head no, and put my hand on Lola. My face is as if I just swallowed 10 lemons.
"It's Lola," I say. "She didn't eat the other day, and now she's not breathing!"
Andrew starts to cry. I've never seen him cry. I only remember when he was 2. Andrew puts his hand on Lola. Mom and Dad walk over to her, too.

Here
I stopped going to school, for maybe a week. Nothing more. Every day Andrew would get home, and wish nothing happened to Lola. He knows how much Lola meant to me, and that's why he cares. I need something. I share a room with Andrew. When he comes home, he'll see me crying onto my pillow. But one thing has changed. Ash is gone. He's not in the basement, and he didn't go outside. I didn't tell Andrew, because then he'd think that he's not- not with us. I can't say it. I'll just think of Lola. I know Ash is still with us. Even if Andrew thinks he is not.

I Don't Know
Why did Lola die? I don't know. I always ask my self questions when something happens. I never have the right answer, though. Tomorrow is Monday. It's been just about a week since Lola die- or stopped living with us. There is one thing I loved about Lola. Her tongue. I don't know why. When ever I fed her, she'd lick my knuckles. Her tongue was so smooth. When she- stopped living with us, I kept her tongue. Dad asked me, "What do you like most about Lola?" I stopped and thought. "Her tongue. It's so smooth." I said.
Dad went inside, and came back with a knife. It didn't look that sharp. But just sharp enough to- Cut something smooth. It came to me- Her tongue. Dad did it. He put her tongue in a jar.

Once
I went to bed, and looked at Lola's tongue. I noticed. Dad put her tongue in Lola's hat jar. Lola had a hat that she'd put on every winter, and where one hat. Black, pink, light purple and- I can't. I went to our backyard with the hat. I lifted a stone, and put the hat underneath it. It's like I could almost hear Lola's voice. "Purr, purr-" I can't. I'm going in my bedroom, to go to sleep. Her tongue- it's not smooth anymore. I held it. It feels- heavy. No, light. Lola will be in my mind. She always will. Her tongue feels like an ordinary cat tongue now. Rough, not smooth. Lola, will always smooth out my life. She'll make everything easy. And as for Ash, he's sick, but will never, never die.

Publication Date: 08-10-2011

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