Dear neighbour,

I used to be an adventurer. Going on epic quests and fighting beasts was my average week. Never a minute to rest, always out and about, saving people and the world.

But then I retired.

At 75, fighting monsters became not only boring (I'd been doing it all my life) but also more difficult. Despite being in superb shape, my joints eventually started aching and stiffening. Besides, eating the same rations for 50 years gets old.

So I bought a tiny little house on the outskirts or a pretty little town called Chatania, which I know you love dearly.

I didn’t know, when I moved in, that I was bound for one more crazy adventure.

***

It happened without me noticing.

At first, there was one, in the late afternoons, just hanging around while I enjoyed the last rays of sunshine on my face, sitting on my rocking chair in front of the house.

It came to me and asked, politely, for attention. I shared my snacks with it and pat its head. That lasted a few days.

One afternoon it jumped on my lap, curled into a ball, and started making noises like the growl of a tiny little beast. I tried to put it down, but it kept climbing back up. In the end, I gave up and fed it some more scraps from my snacks.

But that was far from the end of it.

***

One morning I opened the curtains and saw, in my garden, my furry friend. It wasn't alone. There were 2 more like it, albeit of different colors, and they were all quietly staring at my empty rocking chair.

Waiting.

I went about my day, not paying it any more attention. After all, they couldn’t come inside.

The day passed and I forgot all about the furry creatures in my garden. But when I went to sit on my rocking chair, I realised they hadn’t forgotten about me.

The usual one, which I called friend, jumped on my lap as soon as I was seated.

The other two positioned themselves next to me and, looking as adorable as they could, asked for snacks and headpats. I obliged, always happy for new friends.

The next day they were on my lap as well, a tangle of fur and limbs.

I never gave them names, and if they had any, they never told me. But everyday, I gave them cuddles and food, and everyday they came, sometimes with new friends that stayed.

***

Dear neighbour, as I write this my last hour is coming. I have invited my furry friends inside for the first time, and they, all 10 of them, took position on my bed to watch over me.

Please take care of them when I am gone. They have brought this old adventurer much happiness in the few years they have been by my side.

Be kind to them as they have been to me.

Many thanks, 

F.