CHAPTER 7: The Knapsack
Sherlock finally stopped running when he entered the park. He sat by the stream and buried his head in his arms.
The night sky glistened with stars. The light wind blew the smell of lilacs into the air, but Sherlock didn't care. He didn't care about Luna. How could he? She was probably laughing at him too. He sighed. A strong gust of wind suddenly blew, stirring Sherlock back to his surroundings.
A rustle in the bushes next to him made him turn. The bushes almost seemed to glisten and then he saw it. A blue knapsack appearing through the glow. He got up and went to dig through the bushes wondering who put it there. He couldn't find anyone. Who left the knapsack? Was it left for him? How did it just appear out of nowhere?
Sherlock picked it up and looked inside. It was empty. Who would leave an empty bag here? He figured that it was probably just no longer wanted yet he couldn't help feeling as though there was something magical about it. Magic isn't real! That's silly nonsense, he thought.
He picked it up and walked back home. He'd get his car tomorrow. It was a long walk from the diner, but it gave him time to cool off. He was still worked up from Chauncy. Sherlock was still upset about his date but happy that he found a knapsack. He could use it for school.
“Home already?” Rags asked as Sherlock entered the front door.
Rags was watching a cartoon on television with Boots. They were both sitting on the couch and looked worried because Sherlock usually used the back door when he parked his car behind the garage. Sherlock just grumbled and continued walking from the living room, dropping the knapsack beside the blue striped couch.
Sherlock stayed in his room for hours. Mr. Cat came into his room looking worried.
“How did your date go?” he asked, already knowing the answer. Sherlock grumbled. “That well huh” his Dad replied.
“Why can't I just be a normal cat?!” Sherlock emphasized every word.
He was so loud that the others could hear him throughout the house. Boots, Rags, Potato and Purrsia all came into his room.
“Great! Now everyone knows,” he moaned.
“If you hadn't been so loud then we wouldn't have all come in. We are all worried about you Sherlock,” Purrsia said. Sherlock just grumbled again while slumping against the headboard of his bed.
“So, what if you can't meow!” Boots said. “You take me and my friends to the park.”
“You take us on hiking trips and to fun places,” Rags said.
“You're there to help when I need a little,” Potato said.
“You have true friends who like you for who you are,” Mr. Cat said.
“Everyone is a little different,” Purrsia began, noticing that she now had a fork stuck in her tail fur. “Some of us are just more different than others. This makes us special.”
“Purrsia's right” Mr. Cat told him. “You're a great big brother, a great friend, a great son and a good person. This is what is important, not that you can't meow.”
A tear welled up in the corner of Sherlock's eye. “I just don't know anymore,” he sighed. “I, I want to be left alone.”
Mr. Cat motioned for everyone to leave the room. Rags ran off and then came back holding the blue knapsack.
“Here is your knapsack,” he said to Sherlock. “Why does it only have a mirror in it?”
Sherlock looked confused as he took the bag. The bag was empty before, he was sure of it. He opened it and sure enough a round mirror lay at the bottom looking straight up at him.
Sherlock picked up the mirror and looked at it. It looked a bit old with glittering silver around the edges and a shiny face. He looked in and thought for a minute that he saw his reflection glow around it. Where did this mirror come from?