JUNIOR REPORTER

The Dream Angel
by Erinn B., St. Anne's Elementary School, Peterborough, ON

It was a blustery day in Winnipeg, Manitoba on February 4, 1982. There were warnings of a blizzard on the radio and everyone was advised to stay indoors. My brother, Paul, and I were sipping hot chocolate after coming back from tobogganing. Our cat, Misty, was curled up next to me and purring loudly. Blizzards were common, but by the sounds of this one, it was going to be very big.

Misty was a white cat with beautiful yellowish green eyes, who was young and very proper. She always made sure she had many baths a day. She never begged at the dinner table and only ate food that was offered to her. She only meowed a teensy-weensy bit when the alarm clock in her tummy went off and told her it was a meal time. She had been with our family for four years and was very close to me.

Misty was an indoor-outdoor cat. There was a little flap in the door that she walked through to get outside. She loved to chase squirrels, birds and anything else that moved quickly. I had just finished my hot chocolate when Misty jumped up, ran to the window, and then ran swiftly outside into the blowing snow. The snow and her coat of fur matched perfectly and I could only see her yellowish-green eyes as she ran into a big swirl of snow. My only thoughts were “What if she get lost in the blizzard? How will she ever find her way home?”

Misty never stayed away overnight, but that night she did. We couldn’t have gone out and searched for her because we might have gotten lost ourselves. My dad told me that Misty would somehow find her way back and that she was a “tough, old girl.” That night I prayed that she would come back to us, safely.

The blizzard lasted for two days and two nights and on the third day around lunch time it finally stopped. Misty still hadn’t come home. For the rest of the day I sat by the window looking for any sign or trace of Misty.

That night I heard a familiar sound - the flip flap of Misty’s door. I jumped out of bed and ran to see a small, huddled up, snow-covered ball on the rug. I ran over and hugged Misty and realized she was shivering. I ran and got her a blanket to wipe as much snow as I could off her fur. I guess Mom heard me running and she got up, too. She warmed up a saucer of milk and placed it in front Misty. I realized she couldn’t finish the milk, so I brought her into bed with me to keep her warm. Soon after that I fell asleep.

In the morning Misty was still in the same place I left her, at the bottom of my bed. She wasn’t moving and she was breathing slowly. Her eyes were dull compared to their usual bright colour. I called my mom into the room. I asked what was the matter with Misty. My mom said we should take her to the veterinarian. When we got there the vet told us that Misty had a very serious case of hypothermia and that there was nothing we could do except keep her warm, make sure she got lots of rest, and hope for the best.

That night I prayed that Misty would get better. That very same night I had a dream. In the dream, Misty was on my bed and I was sitting beside her. Then an angel appeared. It had a face like a cat but the body of a human and it was covered from head to toe in a shiny, silver gown. The angel promised me that somehow she would help Misty get well. But Misty was so ill I just couldn’t believe her. Then the half-cat half-human angel suddenly disappeared leaving me and Misty alone again. I woke up to see Misty sitting beside me purring. I was so happy! Maybe she would get better after all! I went and told my mom. She got Misty some more milk and Misty lapped it up quickly.

I decided not to tell my mom about the angel in my dream, just in case her promise wasn’t true.

But as the day went on Misty seemed to be recovering rapidly. By the end of the week, Misty was fully recovered!!!!

Misty still lives with us and always checks the weather before she goes outside. Every night I remember how lucky I am that an angel spoke to me in my dream and kept a promise that I will never forget.