Old Man And The Ocelot Cub (Part 1) Poem by Vasto Grom

As I stood on the shore of my little island with my spear in hand getting ready to once more watch the rise of the golden sun as I caught my breakfast, such as I have done for the past nearly 20 years, I feel something has changed on my island. For nearly 35 years I have been stranded on this small patch of earth and I had given up any hope of escape long ago. Now I am reaching my 57th birthday and I have grown fond of my little tropical home. However my island is no luxurious and care free place. I must always be wary and alert for I am not the only one living in this place. There are many monsters and demons that also call this place home as do I. But they have always left me alone at sunrise, why I still do not know but I do appriciate it. I begin to sing my mother's sweet lulaby that I can still remember from back when I was but a small child. This little lulaby is all I have left of my old life. As I pull back on my line and retrieve my catch for this morning I can't help but hear the sound of small footsteps on the sand coming towards me. Long ago I obtained the skill to know all that live with me on this island by the sound of their footsteps but this sound was alien to me. I look over my shoulder to see what new creature comes towards me, but I feel no fear or tension for some reason. As the footsteps come to a halt not but 3 feet beside me and I turn to face this new inhabitant of this long forgotten place I find myself for the first time in many years surprised at what I see. Infront of me is a small and fuzzy little ocelot cub. It stares up at me while its tail slowly whips back and forth in the sand. The look in this little ones shiny green eyes makes me can't help but feel ease and I smile as I believe for the first time since I have come to this place that I have finally found a friend. As I reach down and pet my new little friend she purrs loudly and I swear that I can feel the ground shake under us as she does. She then quickly runs up my arm and proceeds to hop up on to my shoulder and then on to my head. I laugh softly as I stand up and pick up my spear and our breakfast. Then as I begin to head towards my hut I find my new little friend happily playing with my long and unkept hair making me laugh harder than I have in years. At that moment I knew that this was going to be the beginning of a new part of my life here on this island.