I Thought The Scratching Sound Behind My Truck Cab Was Just Another Piece Of Road Noise—Until I Stopped At A Rest Area And Found A Terrified Cat Clinging To The Back Of My Rig With A Tiny Note On Her Collar That Carried Someone Else’s Entire Life

That’s when I noticed the collar.

A thin red collar hung loosely around her neck, worn enough that the color had faded to a dull pink. Attached to it was a tiny plastic sleeve holding a folded piece of paper.

I blinked in surprise.

“Well now,” I said quietly. “What’s this?”

The paper was creased and slightly damp, like it had been exposed to rain at some point. I unfolded it slowly under the harsh white light of the rest stop lamp.