A Letter from Beyond the Rainbow–a Fiction Story

by Donna Poole

Greetings from the land beyond the rainbow to all who know me, and especially to my own dear people! I have many names, TT, Sweet T, and Getdownoffthatcounter, but my real name is Theon Greyjoy Kiefer. I have hazy memories of being held and loved by my people who cried as they told me goodbye a few earth days ago. Then I slipped softly away from them so quickly I hardly noticed my own passing.

I’d heard stories about the rainbow bridge ever since I’d been a kitten, and perhaps there is one for others to cross. I’m no expert on these things. I suppose dying is different for every creature. I can only tell you what happened to me, and where I am now.

We call this beautiful planet Anki. I don’t know how far from earth we are, nor how long it takes to get here. It seems it took only a millisecond to leave the arms of one who loved me and wake here. The first thing I saw was a rainbow, and somehow, I knew I was on the other side of it. I don’t recall crossing any bridge. I could see all the rainbow colors, not just the blues and greens I’d been able to see on earth. Here, cats can see all the colors, even some you humans don’t know exist. I lay there in the softest grass I’d ever felt and looked at the other side of the rainbow. Its colors were violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red, in the exact opposite order of earth rainbows. It never fades, not even at night.

Even though my people were gone I didn’t feel lonely. I felt surrounded and comforted by love. The sun seemed closer than earth’s sun, but I wasn’t too warm. I felt cold on earth for a while. My long, furry coat helped, but quickly going from 10.7 pounds to 8.2 pounds is enough to make any cat shiver. My coat grew dull, and some of it fell out. My people coaxed me to eat, and I tried, for them, but it was hard. Somehow, I knew it was time to stop eating, time to get ready for my journey to Anki. And I’d been tired on earth, so tired.

My people were worried, and soon we were in the car on our way to the vet. My mom person held me a lot at the vets, and that comforted me. I was only half awake, but I heard the vet say “cancer,” and “suffering,” and I heard my people cry. Then the vet gave me the traveling shot that sent me here, and I died in my dad person’s arms. My last earth sound was the sound of his heart breaking. My mom person’s heart broke too; she loves so deeply.   

I never once doubted I was loved during the almost ten years I lived with my mom and dad person, and the old ones. The old ones were there too when I passed from earth to Anki. They cried too, and so did the sweet vet who took care of me all my earth life. I hope they all get to read this letter and know I felt their love. They made a difference in the life of this lonely shelter cat, and I think I made a difference in their lives too.

I spent my first day and night here on Ankin sleeping, just waking for brief, joyful moments. Dying is hard work, and I felt tired. When I woke at night the stars looked close enough to catch between my paws, and a low, orange sliver of a moon hung in the sky. Tree frogs and crickets sang me a lullaby; an owl hooted, and off in the distance, coyotes howled.

That’s when I first noticed the difference. I wasn’t at all afraid! The animal kingdom on earth is always alert, always on guard, but in Anki, I knew I was safe. Next, I noticed the sounds. Have you ever observed all nature sings in a minor key on earth? On Anki, the lullaby the night creatures sang me, the hoot of the owl, and the howls of the coyotes were in a major key, a sound of pure joy. I fell back asleep smiling and thinking, I wish I’d known on earth there was such an animal kingdom as Anki waiting for me.

When I awoke the next morning, I heard birds calling to each other in song. They, too, sang in a major key. Next to me a lion woke up, yawned, and shook his mane. His eyes were blurry from sleep and a butterfly perched on his nose. I laughed. Somehow, I wasn’t afraid of him. A family of field mice scurried at my feet, eating tiny, white, round things. The lion began to lick the round things up too.

“Mana?” I asked the lion. “Mana?”

He roared with laughter. “It never ceases to amaze me how the new children born on Anki instinctively know the universal language. Yes, child. Mana. Mana means what is it? It’s food for the day. Eat, and gather as much as you like.”

He and I ate, side by side. The food was delicious. It tasted like wafers made with wild honey.

A hummingbird paused in flight long enough to whisper in my ear, “Are you happy here?” I nodded. “Good,” the creature said, “everyone is.”

Just when I’d finished eating, a sweet, solemn silence fell over the land, and I heard the rustle of someone walking through the grass. No one had to tell me it was the Son of Man.

He touched a bluebird who’d somehow broken a wing, and it flew to his shoulder. He cradled a field mouse with a long scratch, and the scratch disappeared. He came to me and scooped me into his arms and held me close to his heart.

“Sweet T,” he said, “rest, play, and be happy until I make all things new. When I make the new heavens and earth, your people will once again care for you. Until then, you’ll be safe here, on Anki, my animal kingdom.”

I could feel my strength returning. I didn’t need a scale to tell me I’d gained back the weight I’d lost or a mirror to show me my coat was soft and shining again.

So, my dear people, I know you’re sad because you miss me. I know you wish you could have done more to help me, but you did all you could. No one can do more than that. It was my time to go. There are many more wonderful things about Anki, but I’m not allowed to say more, and even if I was, I have to go now.

The lion is challenging me to race. Silly cat. Who does he think he’s messing with? I’m Theon Greyjoy Kiefer, alpha cat on earth, and happiest cat on Anki. Tell the other cats, Cass, Lily, and Mr. Lou they can have the food I left behind. Tell them I’ll wait for them here, and they’re going to love the mana. I hope you all know I love you and I miss you. You won’t hear from me again; I’m only allowed to send one letter from beyond the rainbow.

Thank you for taking such wonderful care of me. This isn’t goodbye. It’s see you later. Theon

P.S. I’m not sorry I got on the counter.

The end

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These blogs are now available in book form on Amazon:

Backroad Ramblings Volume One: Stories of Faith, Love, and Laughter

Backroad Ramblings Volume Two: Stories of Faith, Love, and Laughter

Backroad Ramblings Volume Three: Stories of Faith, Love, and Laughter

Backroad Ramblings Volume Four: Stories of Faith, Love, and Laughter

Photo by: Kimmee Kiefer