Queen Sheba and the Ransom

A fictional tale; Short Story #1

As mentioned in my previous post, Wild Devotion is being created with a new vision. My plans for expansion will be rolled out slowly in the coming months. Today, I am happy to announce the addition of Short Stories. These fictional tales come from my love of storytelling.

Queen Sheba and the Ransom is created with a specific writing prompt- which is out of my comfort zone as I love to have stories float up and find me. I also only spent two writing sessions working on this piece as I had a set deadline. The joy of creating within a structure has me giddy for what comes next.

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Queen Sheba and the Ransom

Photo by Miguel Delmar on Unsplash

“Katty, relax, accidents happen.” Martin’s voice sounds eternally bored. 

It isn’t his fault that the cat is dead. All he wants to do now is lay prone on the cushioned lounger and continue his homage to the sun. The pool is stunning, deep, with dark turquoise blue tiles making it seem endless. He had planned to enjoy it, well that was until the accident.

Winston, mai thai in one hand, suntan oil in the other, shuffles around the soaking dead body on the pool deck and sits down in the adjacent lounger.

 “He is right, about accidents and all that.” 

“You’re utterly useless, Winston! Your one job is to keep the cat alive and you couldn’t even manage that!” Katty turns to look at the cat, its wet body growing stiff with rigor mortis. 

“Hey! I’m the one that noticed that Queen Sheba fell in.” Winston defends as he rubs oil onto his chest.

Martin sits up abruptly, suddenly interested. “Yes, but did you help the poor thing as she cried and screamed?”

It was terrible to try and suntan while a cat was dying in this beautiful pool. He wanted to swim when he got too hot but that wasn’t happening now. The wet fur was running rivulets of dead cat piss and whatever else into the crystal waters making the pool useless for the day.

Katty was vibrating as she stared down at the cat they named Queen Sheba, how hard was it to keep a $10,000 cat alive?

“How is it possible,” her words as sharp as the claws that remained extended on the poor fluffy dead animal, “that you both sat here while this animal died? TELL ME!” She lost it in the end. At least she had attempted to keep her cool.

“I steal, end of story.” 

His sigh was almost the ending of Martin as Katty began to lunge for him but then Winston spoke without missing a beat and it stopped her in her tracks.

“Honestly Katty, how do you expect us to save a drowning cat, do you have any idea how scratched up we would be? Aren’t you the one that keeps saying to keep a low profile? Cat scratches are a big red flag. You stress me out sometimes with all this flip flopping.”

Breathing deeply, while shaking her head, Katty began to slowly walk around the pool deck, her hands clenched at her sides. Face to the sky she appeared to be mumbling to herself.

“If it’s the money you’re upset about, you know I will give you whatever you need.”

Katty didn’t deviate from her pace. Her pant legs dragged around her feet as she slowly counted until she hit one. Her therapist had suggested counting backwards from one hundred might help with her anger issues. So far it was saving the lives of these two idiots. She attempted a smile as she faced Martin, the effect was terrifying.

“Martin, I realize that your inexhaustible trust fund is something you mainline for breakfast, however I come from a long line of thieves and I believe in earning my keep. As we’ve discussed, for what is it now… 15 years? I have no idea why you were born filthy rich and a natural born thief. It is the perfect example of how life is unfair. Right now we have no time to get philosophical while Queen Sheba lies here dead with a ransom expected to be paid out tomorrow.”

She turns to look at Winston, her eyes a dark chestnut with shades of fire rimming them. She always looks murderous when she is angry with him, which was often. 

“Get the dead cat out of here, now! I don’t care what you do with it but don’t bury it here, you cannot put it in the trash anywhere around here.” Her arms circling wide in the air to encompass their vast surroundings. 

“You cannot just simply dump it on the side of the road. Do you understand?” Her words are whispered with such a deadly calm that his hairs stand up on the back of his neck.

“Why do I..”

“Because it’s your fucking job to keep the cat alive, Winston!” If Katty could breath fire, right now she would.

“I will be looking into changing our rental car, again, and we will be leaving before midnight. Do you both think you can handle this one task, together?” The terrifying smile is back.

“It’s the first cat I’ve killed, just for the record.” Winston flinches as Martin smacks him with his flipflop.

“Shut up, Winston!” Martin is furious the day is ending up like this, he was only suppose to work one day ever few months. After a job he always vacationed. Plus, he feels sad. He had actually liked Queen Sheba out of all the cats he had stolen so far.  She walked right up to him at the party Katty had worked so hard to get him an invitation to. When he sat down the cat jumped right into his lap, almost like she wanted to be stolen. He didn’t mention that part to Katty, she would say he was slacking again, which reminded him of something.

“Katty, you know how much I appreciate all your work to keep me comfortable but, do you think you could let me pay for the car this time. I really want a limo, I need more space to stretch.” As he spoke he stood reaching to give her a hug. 

She slapped his face and walked off.

“What was that for?” he yells after her as she climbs the stairs to the main house.

“For killing my ransom!” The door slams behind her, conversation over.

Martin, completely oblivious to how dangerous Katty’s mood is, whispers. “Do you think she really meant I couldn’t throw the cat away in the garbage?”