Jealousy?

What is it? Hopefully to any non humans it is an entirely alien concept. Jealousy is an emotion that is 'neither use nor ornament'. It occurs in people when they see something in or belonging to someone that they want for themselves. But as with most things, the 'grass is greener on the other side' and one could asume that jealousy stems from a persons own insecurities. Get over them, and you are over jealousy. That would be a good way to be!

This is a story I wrote as an anology of human behavior and jealousy.

The day outside the window was not a particularly nice one as far as weather goes. I could see from the leaves that blew across my line of vision that the wind was fierce, but it didnt look cold. I gazed longingly down the garden path, wishing I could be out there, frolicking. Perhaps in the garden, perhaps in the street. I would be back before dinner.But no, I was locked inside, the same as usual. The last time I had escaped He had found me, cowering behind a thin piece of tin roofing blown against a wall.I was reprimanded sternly and taken back home.

I turned my gaze away from the window, no point in tormenting myself. Ah well, He sould be back from work soon, I thought, I might as well be comfortable whilst I waited. I snuggled down into the sofa, curled up in a ball and listened to the tick tock clock and muted traffic outside.

I dozed, and woke only when I heard His key in the lock and His footsteps in the hall. He brought the smell of outside with Him. Warm wind, fragrant with the smell of flowers and growing things in the early spring. He spotted me where I lay, still half asleep and said 'Sorry I'm late. The traffic was...you know what its like.'

I didnt. So I just looked at Him, eyes half closed. He came and sat next to me, nudging His way onto the seat. He hugged me. He was warm under His layers of clothes and I snuggled up to Him as He took off His boots and turned on the T.V. Comfortable again, I slept.

Clatter, clunk, bang. This time I woke immediately. No residue of sleepiness held my eyes. I got up and walked to the kitchen.

'So you're awake are you? Did you have a nice nap? I think you were dreaming. Dinner will be ready soon, its chicken, are you hungry? Well you must be and I know you like chicken.

He always answered His own questions, it seemed He spoke a monologue and didnt really care for my response. He worked on assumption. I didnt mind much. His house was nice, He put the roof over my head and the dinner on the table , so to speak, and despite not being allowed the freedom of coming and going when I pleased, I loved Him.

The only mar on my happiness was my jealousy. It's hard to say how, but occasionally I just knew that He had been in the company of a female other than me. A sixth sense maybe? The slight smell of some florally perfume such as I never wore?
I set aside my doubts for the time, savouring the day, now early evening, as if I knew that my happiness was to be short lived.

The next day He was late home. He made His excuses, but didn't really pay much attention to me. I tried to get close to Him, to tell Him how I felt, but He just told me off for whining. I knew that He had been with someone, I was definate this time.

He had the faraway look of someone who was reliving a secret encounter in their head, one He did not wish to share with me. Well, how would He feel if I went off gallivanting with every tom...
I stalked off.

Later that night when I was in bed, He came and tried to apologize. Having none of it, I turned away from Him.
'You can be so moody sometimes, you know. Are you listening to me Emerald? Emerald?

Emerald was what He called me, I dont know why, I never contrived any pet names for Him. But He called me Emerald so often that I had grown accostomed to it, sometimes I even answered to it.
'Look sweetie, I know you are mad at me for being late. It was work, they called a meeting just before clocking off.'

Lies, all of it. I could tell by the tone of His voice and the earnest, almost overly effusive manner in which He conveyed Himself.
Did He think I couldnt tell? Did he think I was stupid?
'Emerald, stop this please. Oh I love you, you are so beautiful, how could anyone not love you?'
He took me into His arms and nuzzled my neck.Mmmm. Forgiveness, for now.

The next night He didn't come home at all, growing hungry in His absence, I raided the fridge. Turkey ham, nice. I ate it without bread and discarded the empty wrapper on the side, He could tidy when He got back, if He ever came home.
He was with one of the ladies from work, I knew it. I wondered what my challenger would be like. Would she be tall, or small, like me? Would her hair be honey blonde in contrast to my ebony? Young or old? Doubts assailed me. I got mad. In my madness, I trashed the living room. I swept the ornaments off the shelves, they crashed to the floor leaving dangerous shards that could hurt my bare feet. In a temper, I shredded every last bit of paper in the room. Next; the furniture. I ripped open everything. I didn't care what happened when He got back. How dare He do this to me? After committing some atrocities worse even than the ones before, I slumped down in the middle of the floor, a wrethedly miserable form, and cried pitifully.

The next day I spent in sulking and only adding to the state of the place. Nothing could rouse me from my self indulgent temper. I knew the house was a mess, that I had purposely destroyed some of His prize possessions. I didnt care, why should I?

It was about 10 'o' clock that evening when I heard His key in the door. As He walked into the hall I heard Him yell
'Emerald, there is someone here to meet you!'
I guessed that He had brought someone back from work, and in that case, the mess served Him right!
I spitefully eyed the door as He opened it. Behind Him I could see the woman, a vision of loveliness with rippling brown hair and full lips. Her eyes surveyed the room and at last landed on me, widening slightly in shock.

Laura liked Daniel a lot. She had been seeing him for quite a while now and liked him more each time. He had stayed at her house before, but she had never been to his. Until tonight. She felt a slight apprehension as he led her up to the front door and unlocked it, crying something out as he went through the hall. He opened the door to the living room and cried out, amazed. He rushed forward in an angry fashion and over his shoulder she saw why. At first she thought he had been burgled. The room smelt of ammonia and garbage, which was scattered across the floor. Nothing was left untouched. Then she saw the focus of Daniel's anger.

In the middle of the floor, unblinking, eying the doorway almost evilly was the most adorable little green eyed cat.
'Emerald!'