The Cat in the Window, by Sharon Hill

The eventide casts my silhouette in shadow as I meander the dimly-lit lane and notice a cat in the window of a shop on the opposite side. I feel the magical powers of the talisman as a hypnotic stare penetrates through emerald eyes and the Moorish pattern of the fur coat appears as a cryptic message in a forgotten language. The cat is reminiscent of a connection to ancient Egypt and the eternal mistress of domestic felines, Cleopatra. It lays the length of the windowsill and appears as a mythical guard, the mighty Sphinx. Intrigued, I walk toward the shop.