Shadow was a dark gray

I need to tell you all something strange that’s been happening in my house. It’s about Shadow, our family’s old cat. Shadow was a dark gray tabby my grandmother gave my mother before I was even born. He lived a long life, almost twenty years, until we had to say goodbye to him last year. My brother and I grew up with him, so it was heartbreaking to lose him.

A few nights ago, my brother came to my room around midnight, looking pale. He said he heard scratching at the bedroom door, but when he opened it, there was nothing there. Our current cats, Misty and Jasper, were both curled up asleep on the couch downstairs. I told him he was imagining things and sent him back to bed.

The next morning, something felt… off. Some of the old cat toys we packed away after Shadow passed were scattered in the hallway. The little blue mouse was out, the one only Shadow ever played with. Misty and Jasper weren’t interested in those toys; they had never touched them. When I asked my mom, she said maybe the cats got into the box, but the lid was still on tight. That didn’t make sense.

As days went by, things got weirder. Misty refused to go near the staircase anymore. She always used to sit on the top step, watching the house, but now she avoids it like there’s something waiting there. It reminded me of how Shadow used to sit on the bottom step, staring up, like he was guarding his space. He never liked Misty much, always watching her with narrowed eyes. Now she won’t go anywhere near where he used to sit.

Then there’s the bathroom door near the master bedroom. It’s always been slightly open, just enough to let the air circulate. Lately, it moves by itself, creaking open a little wider, even when no one is near it. My father mentioned seeing it too when he’s heading to bed, but he brushes it off as a draft. I’ve stood there and watched, waiting for it to move again, and sometimes it does—just a slow, deliberate shift like someone is nudging it.

The strangest thing happened last night. I was lying in bed when I heard the sound of soft footsteps in the hallway. It was the distinct padding of a cat walking, slow and steady. I called out, thinking it was Misty or Jasper, but neither came. I got up to check and saw nothing. But just as I was about to go back to bed, I caught something from the corner of my eye—a dark shape, low to the ground, darting away towards the staircase.

I don’t know if Shadow ever really left. Maybe he’s still here, watching over his home, making sure we don’t forget him. Or maybe… he’s waiting for something—or someone. If anything else happens, I’ll be sure to tell you all. But for now, I think I’ll keep my door closed at night.