username: SilhouetteStation
name: Chantelle Adams
gender: female
prompt:
Everyone has their own little moments of calm, whether that be an activity, a place, a person. Chantelle was no different. She liked a bit of yoga in the morning. Nice cup of green tea in the evening. Maybe a feel-good movie during dinner. Normal things, common things.
But it wasn't just about finding pockets of peace in a hectic day. 'Finding the time' wasn't a choice, it was a necessity. The atmosphere in her apartment needed to stay calm, quiet, serene.
For Chantelle, her biggest reason for calm came in the shape of a Siamese cat named Milo.
The one that was found dumped in a box on the side of the road. The one that cried every night in the shelter. The one who found three different homes, and was returned three different times.
The one on the verge of being a lost cause.
The one people very nearly gave up on, until Chantelle came along.
She was young, optimistic; she was sure she could be his forever home. The shelter staff had their understandable doubts, but allowed her to adopt him all the same.
At first, he didn't change. He cried, he wailed, he paced around the rooms and scratched at the doors. When left alone he fretted, and around any loud or unexpected noises, he hid for hours.
She never gave up on him.
For almost a month she slept on the floor near his bed to try and give him some company. She woke up one morning to find him curled up next to her, sleeping more soundly than he had in a long time.
From there their bond only grew. She learnt to speak softly, move slowly, never startle him. Friendship forming, he began to follow her around the house, poke his nose into things, sleep on her bed. A calm environment was key to happiness.
In saying that, it was almost like a double edged sword. Their bond strengthened to the point where he became scared when she wasn't around. Separation anxiety, they called it. In giving him a forever home, he now couldn't be without her. And because he always wanted to be around her, it meant she had to always stay calm.
That was okay. He brought her more joy than she could describe. Keeping a constant serenity was a small price to pay. He was beyond worth it.
(398/400)
