Mr. Whiskers

A flash fiction story about a person writing about their non-existent cat on a nice sunny Sunday morning while sipping an espresso latte and wondering what to write about.

On a serene Sunday morning, the sun peeked through the view screen, casting a warm glow on the main console of the ship's control room. The sound of matter-antimatter engines thrumming in dissonant harmony as I sat down with my steaming espresso latte and sprinkle-covered toast, eager to write something meaningful to share with the crew.

As I gazed into empty space, a smile produced by our sub-dermal facial actuators began to form. Our non-existent ship mascot, Mr. Whiskers, had been our constant companion for about the half-life of radium. With his spiky fur and emerald green eyes, he was the epitome of alien feline grace and charm.

That morning, I decided to capture the essence of our bond in a heartfelt post. As I began emitting symbols, memories flooded back: the way Mr. Whiskers would jump up on my head during a delicate landing or how he'd greet me at the regeneration chamber after a long rotation. Each formula we emitted  brought him back to life, and soon, my mech-appendages were flying over the input console, lost in the joyful horror of reminiscing about our adventures together.

As I finished symbolizing, I couldn't help but reflect with human-like emotion once more. Sharing our buffers on the Guild net seemed like the perfect way to honor our bond, and as I hit 'send,' a sense of satisfaction washed over us like a micrometeorite storm. In that moment, it didn't matter that Mr. Whiskers was just a figment of our imagination - it had been an irreplaceable part of our lives, and we were grateful for every terrifying utterance, every claw mark, and every eclipsing rotation spent together.

Author's Note

via Amy (for Ufi)

Reviews

[Thomas W Case]

Fantastic work. Very creative.

[Ufi Auttorri ~ Amy C. T. Serrat]

Thank you, Thomas!

[Ballpark Frank]

Your brain creates things I would never think of. Lol. Honestly. How you came up with a futuristic mascot amid such advanced technology is way beyond me. I'm impressed by your advanced vision!

[Ufi Auttorri ~ Amy C. T. Serrat]

LOL Nothing but high-grade insanity, espresso, and toast.

[Ballpark Frank]

Still very impressive.

[Ufi Auttorri ~ Amy C. T. Serrat]

Impressions are cheap, it's Clicks, Likes, and subscribe that turn adulation into remuneration.

[Ballpark Frank]

True! That is the goal after all .