Saving Sam Meeker

By: Kelly Smolik

I feel the dewy grass kick against my furry orange legs as I

run through the spring grass. I’m at my loyal master’s side, Tim

Meeker. Trailing behind us is Tim’s brother Sam. We’d just

saved Sam from the encampment wherehe was being held

before they planned to killed him in the morning.

“Peaches, come on we have Patriots on our tail.” Tim

yelled down to me.

“Purr…” I whispered.

Sam finally catches up to Tim and me.

Sam yells over to Tim, “Why did you bring that beetle-

headed cat with you? All it does is slow us down.”

“Her name’s Peaches! I found her at the port this winter.

Just keep running.” Tim sighs.

Sam glares down at me.

“HISS!” I screech up to him. Sam was never too fond of

me. I never liked him much either.

I start to slow down because I see the Meeker’s tavern in

sight. I’m now the last person in our formation line.

Sam starts to run toward the tavern when Tim yells, “Sam!

What are you doing? You’re not staying in the tavern. The

Patriots will be searching houses soon. If they find you and

you’ll be dead.”

Sam turns around, smirks and asks, “Then where am I

sleeping?”

“In the barn.” Tim says while he points toward it.

Sam walks back toward us. Silently Tim, Sam and I tip toe

to the barn in the breezy black night.

“I’ll go fetch an oil lamp for you Sam.” Tim whispers.

He runs away to the tavern leaving Sam and I alone. We sit

silently in the dark for a couple minutes. Then I look outside of

the barn. We live in a tavern in Redding, Connecticut. There’s

only a couple other houses nearby, but I like it that way.

Finally I see a flicker of light running towards us in the

night. Tim comes into the barn carrying a wool blanket and an

oil lamp.

“Here’s a lamp and blanket for the night. Peaches and I will

be back in the morning.” Tim whispers, and without saying

another word Tim and I leave the barn.

In the early morning Tim and I sneak down to the barn

when the sun is rising. Mother and Father aren’t awake yet so

we tip toe quietly out of the tavern. We’re bringing Sam two

eggs for breakfast.

“What are you doing?” a voice whispers loud enough for

only the two of us to hear asks.

Tim turns around. It’s Father’s friend’s children, Rose and

Robert Burks.

Tim looks down at me. We shouldn’t trust the Burks. I

think Tim agrees. We’ve only met them once before.

“Hiss…” I yell up to Rose.

“Nice cat,” Rose says, “What do you call it?”

“Peaches,” Tim replies.

I scratch Tim’s trousers. He respects me unlike most

owners.

“What are you doing?” Robert repeats sternly, “It’s so

early in the morning.”

“We’re going to feed the animals.” Tim replies.

I look behind us. We’re feet away from the barn and it’s

starting to get bright outside.

“Can we help?” Robert asks. For the whole time we’ve

been talking Robert has been staring at Tim not moving a

muscle.

“No,” Tim answers, “We don’t need any help. God speed.”

We then walk away from the Burks and go to the barn.

Sam’s lying in the corner of the barn sleeping. Tim starts to

tend to Sam while I stand guard looking out the barn. I see the

Burks hiding next to the tavern watching the barn.

“Purr…Purr…!” I say as loudly as I can at Tim’s heels trying

to get his attention.

“MEOW!” I say making an ear piercing screech.

He looks down, “What Peaches?”

I scamper towards the barn’s end. Tim sees the Robert and

Rose next to the tavern. He runs to the tavern and I follow at

his heels.

Tim glares down at them and says, “Leave. You have now

business here.”

“Fine.” Rose says.

She pulls Robert away while he stares at Tim sternly until

they disappear into the darkness.

For the rest of the day Tim and I watched over Sam and

take care of him. Tim told Mother we’d be gone for the day to

go to our Aunt’s so we could give them food. The Burks don’t

come back so Tim and I decide to back to the tavern at night.

I wake up to the sound of marching from outside. I climb

on top of Tim. Instantly Tim jumps awake almost hitting me in

the face. He looks out of the window.

“Oh my God!” Tim yells.

Without listening to Mother and Father’s screams of fright

and confusion Tim and I run outside of the tavern to the barn.

Soldiers are marching to the barn. We’re too late to do

anything.

“No! Don’t shoot him! He’s an innocent man!” Tim yells

over to the soldiers.

The Burks are next to the barn yelling over to Tim, “I sorry

Tim! I had to tell General Pudnam. Robert made me. I’m so

sorry!” Rose yelled.

Tears are now streaming down Tim’s face. The front

soldier pulls his gun up and points it at Sam.

I jump in front of Sam and the soldier shoots. I feel the

bullet hit my left side.

One of the last things I see is Sam running down Redding’s

roads faster than I’ve ever seen him run before. Also I see the

soldiers silently watching me die slowly. Tim runs up to me.

I say drowsy, “Purr…”

Then I just stare up into Tim’s green eyes with tear marks

under his eyes. The soldier’s marching fades away and life

seems to jump out of me into thin air. Then my eyes shut.