Thunk, Thunk
I grew up with a cat named Boots. Boots was motivated only by food and spent his later years sleeping on my parents’ bed until someone came home. Then he would jump off the bed, with a “thunk-thunk” of his front and back paws hitting the ground, and run to his food bowl to beg.
Sadly, he had to be put down when I was 18 years old. My parents moved out of my childhood home during my first year of college. I went back a few times before it sold. Every time, I was certain I felt a cat’s presence.
Sometimes I would hesitate my step because I was sure a cat had just walked under my legs. Not only that, but upon walking in, I would always hear a “thunk-thunk”, like Boots jumping down to beg for food.
When my mom and I returned for the last day we would ever be in that home, I told her what I had experienced. Her reply gave me shivers. To my surprise, she had the exact same feeling. When we walked into the house, there was a “thunk-thunk”.
We exchanged shocked glances and confirmed we both heard it, that tell-tale sound. I went and sat in my empty room while my mom got the final things together. While my eyes were closed, I had to force myself not to pet a cat that I felt walk up to me because I knew logically he wasn’t there.
Before leaving, we stood in the hallway outside of my parents’ bedroom, hugged each other, and said goodbye to my first home. I said I thought Boots was still around and suggested we take his spirit to the new house.
She agreed, so she called out, “Bootsy”, and from my parents’ room, we both heard “thunk-thunk” one final time. Story credit: Reddit / Reyali