Ashton

Who is Ashton you asked? It was a normal day where I go to the guard house, collect my parcel, and go home happily cause what I ordered came. But no.

I stumbled upon this grumpy-looking little kitten who sat and stared at the entrance. People were taking pictures of it. My immediate conclusion is it is theirs and they are simply admiring how it looked cute sitting there. Got to admit, he looked adorably grumpy like me. I ignored them cause I don't care about anybody's cat. Do I? Then they left.

Leaving that poor soul there. So they came cause they are a fan of this little ugly thing? Takes pictures and leave? Great. "Whose kitten is that?" I asked out of curiosity. "Oh it is there since morning. I have been feeding it rice but it didn't eat at all. Not sure what's wrong with it," answered the guard person casually. I was taken aback. That thing probably just born 2 days ago and you think it will straight away shove rice in its mouth? I knew what's happening. If a few hours go by, this ugly thing is going to die starving. Even then I didn't see a pity face. Just angry grumpy face staring at some space.

Carried it and put it on top of my big parcel. The little ugly thing didn't make any sound or movement. Probably too weak or too much pride. I don't know. Today, I can tell that it is pride. Kept him in my room and ran to the nearest grocery and got milk. Fed him in a container. Assuming that he is going to gulp all of it in a second since he hasn't eaten since morning. No. I brought it near the container, and he smelled it and just sat there. He didn't even know how to drink the milk out of the container. How young is this ugly thing? I panicked. What do I do now? Aren't they supposed to learn on their own how to drink milk? How do I teach him to lick the milk out of the bowl?

Leaving with no choice as it was 10 pm and all pet shops are closed. I cleaned the empty serum I had. It had a suction pipe in it where it can suck in milk. Washed it 10 times and soaked it in hot water. Praying for it to be not toxic, I sucked the milk out of the container and shoved it in his mouth. He drank like there is no tomorrow. Finishing the first bowl I gave him, he ran away once he was full. I never felt that happy in my life. I managed to keep this one alive. I didn't know what was coming my way. He pooped outrageously, grossly, smelly. I died. It didn't stop there.

He still didn't know how to drink the milk from the container. So he cries for milk every 2 hours. I kept waking up every 2 hours to feed him for 2 weeks straight. I felt like a zombie. It was so torturous, especially when the special release comes out of that tiny little stomach that fills up the whole room. I was sleepless. What is deep sleep? Well, what is sleep anymore? That ugly little thing looked small, but the sound that came from that tiny body was unhinged. He should be sent to torture people, and all the truth will come out.

The initial idea is for me to vaccinate it, and send it to a different home so that a better person will care for it as I always travel so I wasn't a good fit. But as guessed by many, I failed to just foster and fell in love with that little ugly thing. It became a part of my routine. Ashton. Ash is coming from my name ChuojASHni. I was happy. I started laughing out loud whenever I saw that little ugly thing start doing something cute. I realised I can't be without him for more than a week. Wherever I go in the world, my brain goes back to him right away, though he was all safe and sound in the cat boarding.

I saved him? No. He saved me. During my low time, I struggled to wake up. Sometimes I bed rot the whole day cause I just couldn't. That's when that little rowdy will come and hug me, and if I don't respond much, he will resort to terrorizing me by screaming out loud and asking me for breakfast. I have no choice but to wake up and serve the master. I no longer need an alarm clock cause my current alarm clock is small in size but so much louder and so much more effective than any alarm clock out there.

He eats only chicken or lamb. He hates tuna. He plays a lot. So he has more toys than I have clothes. He gets bored easily, sometimes hunts me, and bites me to keep him entertained. He gets annoyed when I sing. He hates when I work that he climbs on my work table and sits in a direction where I have to look at his ass. He threatens to break the glass near my television by climbing it and sitting next to it if I don't give him attention for a long time. I always wondered how life would have been if I hadn't gone to the guardhouse that day to get my parcel. How would life have been without Ashton in it all these years? Guess we will never know.