Hurt-and-Ran

Passer-by's turned their heads to me as I rushed towards her, in high hopes of saving her. If she is not badly hurt, I might bring her to the sidewalk where she would be safer. The night became selfish of its darkness which allowed me to see her clearly. She was in terrible pain. She was kicking her legs in a very slow rythm. She was already swimming in her own blood. I thought it was too late. I walked on, eyes wet and heart broken. I could no longer stare at her dying slowly. I merged myself into the flow of uncaring strangers who just glanced and walked away. How much I wanted to save her! But her chance of surviving is already very small.

A spirit of sadness and guilt haunted me from the back. To justify what I feel, I entertained the thought that it was already late in the evening and I was just victimized by a snatcher the night before. And also, by that time, all pet clinics would already be closed.

Coming home, I immediately hugged Tiny, my pet cat, and cried as I narrate the horrifying hit-and-run story of the cat to my mother. Then it came to me, the realization of the big difference of how I feel about things before and now. At 13 of age, before becoming a vegetarian, I'd laugh at things like this. But today, I cried. When I was younger, I can intently watch a dead body of a cat being run over repeatedly by the vehicles on the road, and laugh at it as if it was a Tom and Jerry episode I enjoyed watching as a kid. But today, even just the thought of laughing will crush my being. What to speak of actually hurting and killing the body of a cat, or any animal, so I can eat it afterwards?

I will never regret this step I took years ago, simply for the love and care I feel for them--for the souls seen through the eyes of each cat and other animal body. I'm glad that in this simple way, I could help lessen their unnecessary pain and suffering. I'm so thankful that I am a vegetarian.

Photo credit: http://sabarton.blog.com/files/2010/09/CatHugWet.jpg