This is a superb story, Chiron; one of the finest I have ever read on Medium. My heart aches for the little girl and her cat. The callous disregard of the little girl’s feelings and the ignorant superstitions of her neighbors are hard to read about, but you face them both with courage and compassion.

Thank you for writing this sad, wise story. And by the way, I love black cats and have owned several, or I should say, they have owned me!