the silver cup

Jennifer Dole blew into town like a chill wind.
Women whispered behind her back.
There was something about her.
Although, the men did not think so.
The men would go out of their way to help a young widow adjust to life in their small town.
The men could never say enough about Jennifer's bright blue eyes.

Joe Strong was a hard working man who kept to himself.
The most valuable thing he owned was his his mother's silver cup that she had cherished her whole life.
Every Sunday Joe would take the silver cup down to the well and drink water from it while saying a prayer.
He never told this to anyone.

When Jennifer met Joe it was obvious of her intentions.
She was very attracted to him.

The next day was Sunday, Joe as habit took the cup and walked down to the well.
He went down to the well & filled his cup.
As he began to drink his eyes caught a flash of light like sun on yellow roses.
Coming out of the woods was a cat.
It strolled up to Joe.
He bent to stroke it's head.
A chill lifted the hair on his neck and arms.
Joe stared into the big blue eyes of the cat-the color of frozen ice.
The cat was purring.
Without warning the cat stuck its sharp claws right into Joe's flesh.
Joe angrily pounced on the cats head with the silver cup.
The cat ran away quickly.

The next day, the village had heard Jennifer was missing.
After a while the landlord had found her dead in her bed.
The body had laid with a bruise to her head, they said she must have fallen in dark.