Fifth - Tabs

Why did his brother make mention of his work to her? Now she wanted to see it but how could he show her? His work never made any sense, it wasn't like the portraits and landscapes like the paintings on the walls. It wasn't anything he wanted to show.

He sat at the table and stared down at the blank parchment in front of him, it was only going to be a matter of time until she insisted to see and there was no excuse he could make to avoid it. Instead, he would have to try and make something new, something normal but what?
Looking around the room he tried to find something, it was then that the cat that shared their home came closer, jumped onto the table seeking attention. He stared at the cat for awhile while stroking his hand over the soft back of the animal. Maybe he could just try and draw the cat? It would be something normal.
He picked up the cat and brought it down to the floor, gently shooing it away so he could have space and peace to work. The pencil was put to work on the paper and with a quick glance to the animal now and then the picture slowly took shape. It was just the head but it would do.
The outlines were finished but the cat felt empty, bland, boring. Something was missing and so he added a line and then another, a third and so forth. He added a mane to frame its face and then he kept adding. He did not know what he was adding or why but each stroke kept his mind calm and troubled thoughts at bay.
Finally the work was done but still, it did not feel right, the lines were too dull. Ink, maybe that would help. Sneaking into the office he searched around until he found the owner's inkwell and pen-feathers. This would do, he thought.
Everything was brought back to the table, he sat down and with a simple blade carved the tip of the feather-stalk paper thin, he didn't need a lot of ink and he wanted to be able to follow the lines perfectly. The tip dipped in dark ink, he began to sharpen the lines he had drawn.

The drawing took him hours and it was already morning when he sat back and stared at his work. Pride swelled inside of his chest but then it curled on itself and sank down into his stomach, just now realizing this wasn't what he had tried to make. He had wanted to draw a simple cat but instead, he ended up with another abnormal image. He couldn't show this to her, it made no sense.

The peace of mind that the exercise had brought him washed away with frustration and he cast a glare out the window, finding the sun rising. Perhaps he could still get a bit of sleep before he needed to go. He would have to try and draw something normal another time. Something he could show. Something that made sense.