Stray Cat Sleeps Under String Lights

Warm amber string lights drape across a dark room, casting soft pools of illumination on a wooden window seat. A small stray cat curls tightly in the center, its fur absorbing the gentle glow while shadows pool in the corners behind it. Rain streaks the glass window pane beside the seat, blurring the night outside into a smear of indigo and black. The cat’s eyes are closed, whiskers resting against a folded blanket with a geometric pattern typical of Ouahigouya households. Dust motes float in the narrow beams of light, settling on the rough wood grain of the sill. one drop of water rests on the window frame, marking the monsoon season’s steady rhythm.