Watchguard

Chapter One

Lucy drifted gently out of sleep. She was still spending most of her time in slumber, but then again, she was still a relative newborn. She nestled in close to her mother with her four sisters and two brothers. It wasn’t time to eat yet, even though the dawn had broken hours ago. Down the hall she could hear the old woman accept visitors into the house. An older man, a young one and a young woman, almost a girl.

            The old woman was walking down the corridor now, and opened the door to the room. Lucy looked up, her mother and siblings still mostly asleep. The old woman picked her up and carried her down the hall, handing her to the woman. The woman petted Lucy and she began to purr. Lucy liked to be pet. Looking over she saw the men shake hands with the woman and one of them walked over to her. He put his arm around the woman and they began to walk.

            Wait a moment! What are you doing?

            Lucy looked around in panic. They were taking her out of the house! Away from her mother…and putting her in a smaller red box. There were holes all around it she could look out of, but she was trapped.

            Oh my God. I’m going to starve…I’m going to freeze.  What’s happening to me?

            The woman was trying to make comforting sounds. So was her man. From somewhere in their hearts she could see that they were taking her away. There was a new home prepared for her, and a new life. She would never see her mother again.

            Lucy began to cry.

            “Oh Matthew,” Amy said. “She won’t stop crying.”

            “I know.”

            Matthew felt bad for the poor kitten, a whole new world was unfolding before her eyes. The car ride alone must be terrifying her.

            “It’s okay baby girl,” Matthew said to the kitten. “Look! Over there is a red barn. And that’s a house….oh and look at that car over there! That’s a Volkswagen beetle. We like those.”

            “What are you doing,” Amy asked.

            Matthew looked back at her. “Just showing her the sights.” he smiled. “A young cat should know all about these things. Never to early to start learning.”

            “Silly,” Amy chided. “She needs a name. What do you think?”

            Matthew put down his copy of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe and cocked his head. “How about Tori? Sally? Stacy? Melissa? Perhaps Yuki? Hollie? Billie? Jennifer? What about Agatha? Maude? Margery?”

            “No,” replied Amy.

            “Beth? Becky? Patricia? Dale?”

            “Dale’s a boy’s name.”

            “It works either way. Remember Dale Arden in Flash Gordon?”

            “No.”

            “Okay, how about Linda? Erin? Wilma? Diana? Tabitha? Hazel? Hortensea?”

            “No!”

            Matthew looked at his book again.

            “What about Susan?”

            “No.”

            “Lucy?”

            Amy thought about this. The Lucy Matthew was thinking of was a great warrior who fought evil and became the queen of a magical land called Narnia. When Amy thought of the name Lucy however, an image of Lucille ball came to mind. She could picture Lucy Ricardo crying and complaining to Ricky.

            Crying. Just like the poor kitten was doing right now.

As Amy turned the car into the driveway of the home she shared with her Grandmother she said “Lucy. I like Lucy.”

            “Lucy it is. I wonder what Lucy is going to think of that huge dog of yours.”

            “Benny? he’s nothing but a big baby.”

            “Yeah, well still you know she’s going to be counting the days until we get married and she moves away from that great lumbering beast.”

            “She will not!”

            “Why not? I am.”

            “Meanie,” Amy smiled.

            Matthew and Amy carried the pet carrier into the house and opened it up. Little Lucy was huddling in the corner. Amy dragged her out, and set her by the litter box.

            “You have to start off by showing them where their litter and food are.”

            Lucy padded the sand a few times and looked around, plainly terrified.

            “There. You see? Now she knows where to go to the bathroom at. Now let’s show her the food dish.”

            Matthew nodded as Amy picked up the kitten and walked her over to the dishes.

            “I’ll have to bring over the camera and get some pictures so I can put them up on the wedding website.”

            Amy smiled and prodded Lucy who was looking at the food like she’d never seen anything like it.

            Then the dog came in.

            Okay, that’s a good place to bury my business, but I’ve got no clue what this stuff is. This place is so strange…Where’s my mother?? I’m hungry! I need to eat! Oh God, I’m going to die…

            A huge yellow animal came racing around the corner. Lucy screamed and jumped back. What was that thing. It sniffed and sized her up.

            Get away! Mercy, that thing could swallow me in one bite!

            The big yellow thing extended a powerful leg and reached out with it’s paw to touch her. Lucy hissed. In her mind she could almost make out a sense in the loud racket it was making.

            Hi there! I’m Benny! What are you?

            GO AWAY!

            I’m just so happy to see you! I've never seen another dog quite like you before! I mean small, but your snouts so different and you eyes…

            GO AWAY!

            What was this thing? Was he stupid as well as ugly? Lucy looked up. Benny was still rambling.

            ….And it’s so great around here, especially the treats. Boy wait until you get one of those let me tell you…

            Don’t want to leave me alone? FINE! Let’s rumble!

            Lucy jumped, landing on the dog’s back, and for the first time in her life unsheathed her claws.

            “Wait a moment, the cat did what?”

            Matthew checked the phone to make sure he had heard correctly.

            “She jumped on Benny, got on his back and wouldn’t let go! I mean she just held on to him. Poor guy didn’t know what to do with her. I think she scared him.”

            Matthew shook his head. “So the dog is afraid of our cat.”

            Amy smiled. “Looks like it.”

            “Is she okay? I mean is she settling in alright?”

            Amy paused a moment. “Actually I’m getting worried. She hasn’t eaten yet. It’s been a few days, and she hasn’t touched her food yet.”

            “But she must be starving.”

            “I know. I’m wondering if mabey she wasn’t weaned when we got her.”

            “Good question. Have you though about calling the old owner.”

            “I did,” Amy said. “I called and asked what kind of food she had Lucy on, and do you know what that witch said to me?”

            Matthew shuffled in his seat and smiled. This would be interesting.

            “What was that?”

            “She complains ‘Well I don’t have any money for any of that fancy catfood, and if you can’t take care of that cat you should just bring her back to me!’ and I just was shocked.” Amy tucked her legs underneath her and cradled the phone so she could pick up Lucy. “I tried to explain to her we just wanted to know what she used to eat so we could get it. You know, because we were worried about how she wasn’t eating. This witch just wouldn’t listen.”

            Matthew stretched out the phone cord a little longer than it normally reached and opened the refrigerator.

            “Mabey she just misses Lucy.”

            “She still shouldn’t talk to me like that.”

            “I know. You’re right.”

            “So what are you doing?”

            “heating up some chicken. I wanted something to eat while I read.”

            “Where are you at today?”

            “Back in Genesis. Thinking about the fall.”

            Amy stroked Lucy in long, full sweeps. “What about it?”

            “The way Eve talked to the serpent. She doesn’t se it as odd, I mean if a penguin came up to em and started telling me to go play in traffic, I’d be a bit suspicious  if nothing else.”

            Amy shook her head. “Why a penguin?”

            “Because they’re evil, evil birds. But that’s not the point.”
            “What is?”

            “If Eve sees nothing unusual about a talking serpent, that would lead me to believe that Adam and Eve could talk directly to the animals, just like I talk to you.”

            “You think?”

            “We know Adam could talk directly to God and hear his voice the same way. Why couldn’t it be the same with the animals?”

            “And when man lost that kind of fellowship with God during the fall you think he lost it with the animals too?”

            Matthew smiled. “Exactly. But think about this,  Man was the one punished. Man lost his ability to hear the animals on whatever…telepathic or  psionic level. The animals however…”

            Amy though about this.

            “You know how Benny will come to you if you’re sick,” Matthew continued.

            “Yes,” Amy said.

            “That’s because you have a rapport with him. He knows you. Mabey he can hear you.”

“He doesn’t seem to hear you,” Amy observed.

            “That’s because I hate dogs,” Matthew replied. “I probably couldn’t establish a connection with him to save my life.”

            Amy smiled, as she looked down at Lucy.

            Lucy just looked around. It was getting more and more familiar in this strange land, but her mother was still gone. Soon she would starve.

            As the woman petted her, Lucy noticed that she was starring at her. There was something sad about her. Lucy looked back at her and reached out. She could hear the word’s of the girls heart. She wanted her to eat. Lucy wanted to eat too, but her mother was a world away. Lucy could see that her woman was looking at the bowl of brown stuff and thinking about it. The woman though of that the same way Lucy thought of her mother’s milk. The woman picked Lucy up and set her down by the bowl. Lucy looked at her and knew. This was food. It was solid, but it was food. Lucy put a tentative paw on it. It was hard, but not too hard. She could chew it if she tried. She wasn’t sure she could swallow it. Lucy looked back at her woman. Not now. She would try this later, when her woman was asleep.

            The lights had gone out an hour ago and the woman was wrapped up in her bed. Lucy heard her making smacking noises with her lips and knew she was asleep. Quietly Lucy crept out in to the hall. That big oaf  was sleeping in the kitchen, his head atop of his massive paws. Lucy looked at the bowl. She examined it closely, sniffing the aroma. It wasn’t particularly offensive. It actually seemed kind of appealing. She lowered her head and took a bite. It was different from milk. Not sweet, not thick, but soft and grainy. The flavor was unlike anything she had ever tasted before.

            Slowly the gnawing hunger in her stomach subsided and she looked up, around the house. It looked different at night, and she knew  the difference was in her eyes. She could see things that the others here simply couldn’t. Outside the windows she could feel something sinister flow, but not here. Inside these walls, there was a protection. Nothing evil held power here. Lucy took comfort in this and wandered back into the bedroom where she curled up next to her woman. It was warm here, and for the first time in over a week, Lucy felt safe.

Chapter two

            As the months passed, Lucy began to get herself into a comfortable routine. As she did so, she began to notice that while her daily activities didn’t change much, the world around her was quickly going through a metamorphosis. In her woman’s heart she could see that this home was only temporary. In the fullness of time, they would move to a new home where they would remain for good. As the candles and videotapes began to vanish, with more and more boxes taking their place Lucy knew the time was drawing close.

Finally, one day the woman came to her with her man and they picked her up, hugging her. In their hearts she saw that the time had come. They would be leaving to prepare a place for her. She would have to remain her for a time, but soon they would return to take her away to live with them both forever. As they left, Lucy turned to consider her home. Grandma and Benny were still here, but something was missing. Something more than just her woman.

            “Bye bye Lucy,” Matthew waved.

            “Awwww,” said Amy. “I’m going to miss her. Think she’ll even notice I’m gone?”

            “Of course she will!. It’ll just be a week. So, is your Grandmother going to miss having the kitty in the house?”

            “She won’t miss Lucy whacking the pill bottles off the family room table, I know that. But yeah, she’ll miss her. The house will really seem empty once she finds a home for Benny too.”

            “She’s getting rid of Benny,” Matthew asked.

            “Yes. She wants to do some more traveling, and besides he’s just a bit too much of a handful without me.”

            “I suppose that makes sense. You can leave a cat at home alone for a week or so, but certainly not a dog.” Matthew looked out at the road. “Just one more day. Are you staying with Carrie tonight?”

            “Yep. Is Mike at your place yet?”

            “I think so. We’ll try and tackle most of your boxes tonight, so you’ll be mostly moved in when we get back.”

            “Do you think Lucy will like her new home?”

            “How could she not? It’s got the one thing that both of us want the most in it.”

            Amy looked at Matthew quizzically. “What’s that?”

            “You,” Matthew said and quickly kissed her on the nose.

            Lucy decided to take one more walk to stretch her legs before going to bed. It was strange, Benny was still up, but then the dog had been acting weird all day. As she strode around the house she wondered how to describe what had changed. It was more than the empty room down the hall. Grandma was still here, but it wasn’t the same. It was as if something intangible had been lifted right out of the home. She had no description for it but she knew it’s name. Dayspring. It was a word out of the book the woman read. Grandma didn’t care for it much, but the woman kept to it every day.     

            Lucy put it out of her mind as she lay down. She slept for most of the night, opening her eyes only once.  When she looked she could see Benny barking at something, but no one was there.

            The man opened the door to the red box, and Lucy stepped out. After finding her food and litter she carefully explored every corner of her new world. It was a smaller home than the one she had spent the last eight months in, but as far as she could tell it was dog free. In fact, she could tell by the scent that there had never been a dog in this place. Two cats have lived her though. One a very long time ago, and on very recently, only a month or two ago.

            There were familiar things here. That was comforting. Her dish and mats were here. Her litter and couch were here. Here people held her and watched her as she discovered all the secrets that this new land had to offer. She loved the Library, with all of it’s warmth, shelves to sit on and wonderful computers whose hum reminded her of her mother. Lucy soon found out that the rules were a bit different here. At bedtime she was escorted out of the bedroom by her man. She wasn’t sure to make of this. She had only wanted to sleep with them like she had with the woman and before the woman her mother. To be sure, the man had held her and petted her before taking her out of the room, but just the same she wished she was back in there with them.

            The house was hers at night. Lucy found a bed on her couch and tried to sleep, but something disturbed her. There was nothing missing, the absence of Dayspring at the other home was made up for with the abundance of it here. Something was simply not right though. She drifted off to sleep wit the vague impression that someone was watching her.

            Lucy awoke happy, and trotted out the kitchen to find something pleasant to put in her mouth. To her delight she found her bowl was full and her man was sitting on the couch. After breakfast she walked into the living room and jumped up on her man’s lap. He stroked her while he watched television. Lucy didn’t really know her man all that well. She spent most of her first eight months with her woman, the Man only visiting. Still he liked to pet her and fed her so she decided she liked him. Climbing over the man she sat on her couch and looking out the window thought about outside.

            She didn’t think she’d like outside. She might like to step out there sometimes but mostly that was just idle curiosity. She saw her woman go outside almost every day, and the woman didn’t seem to like it very much. She would stay out for hours at a time, eight, ten thirteen, and come back looking tired and sad. Sometimes she would come home hurt. Lucy didn’t like to see that at all.

            As the day drug on Lucy began to feel more and more at home. This was a good place to be. The woman came home and the sun went down, and Lucy followed her people into the bedroom. They all lay together watching a television program, but when it was time to go to sleep, the man still grabbed her and put her out. Lucy gave an upset look back at the closed door and climbed up on the couch. Closing her eyes she tried to figure out a way to stay in the bedroom.

            Lucy woke. It was still dark out, but she was well awake. Something was wrong, and it was the same thing she had felt the previous night. This time however it had a form. From the corners of the room, shadows swirled and darkness began to creep in. The darkness merged and congealed, flowing toward the bedroom door. There were no eyes, but Lucy could tell the dark shape was looking at her. She walked to block the dark shape’s access to the hallway. Lucy almost fainted when it spoke.

            “Move aside nightchild.”

            You don’t belong here.

            “Move aside.”

            You’re not supposed to be here. What are you?

            The dark shape seemed amused.

            “Why don’t you come and find out?”

            No.

            “My dear sweet pussycat,” It replied in a light tone. “are you actually afraid of me?”

            Yes.

            The dark shape began to float toward her.

            “Then you show good judgement. You are far wiser than your years. My business is with your masters.”

            They’re asleep.

            “I know that. Nevertheless, my business is with them, not you.”

            What business do you have with them? Mabey I could help.

            “My purposes are my own, and not to be questioned by a mere beast.”

            Then mabey you should come back when it’s daytime. They’re awake in the daytime.

            “You know more than I thought.”

            I just know I can see you.

            “And?”

            I don’t think they can.

            “Step aside.”

            No.

            “Nightchild,” the dark shape said in a terrible tone. “do you know where you stand?”

            Yes. Lucy looked into the swirling blackness of the dark shape.  I stand with the people down the hall, and I believe you intend them harm.

            “Just as you say. As you wish then, prepare to stand with them.”

            With that, the dark shape began to move to the hallway. Lucy dug in and prepared to stand her ground. As the Dark shape came closer she reached out a paw to touch it. A single spark erupted and touched the center of her pad. Lucy yelped but did not move back. The dark shape stopped, looking as surprised as the cat.

            “Don’t make me destroy you kitten. Just move out of the way.”

            Lucy’s ears flattened as the hair on her neck began to stand. She raised her paws to the level of her eyes and unsheathed her claws.

            Come and burn.

            The dark shape moved forward and Lucy leapt into it. Again and again she slashed and kicked, but it was as if she was wrestling with air. A shriek bellowed out every time she slashed. A wail every time she kicked. She may have battled against something with no more substance than the night itself, but she was winning. The darkness began to retreat, cursing her name with every step.

            This is my home, and those are my people down the hall! If you want them, you’ll take them over my dead body!

            “Oh, you wretched cypher! Do not be deceived, for that is precisely what I intend!”

            With those words, the dark shape withdrew, and there were no more than the ordinary shadows on the walls. Lucy walked around a bit, breathing hard. She quickly checked every corner of the house, but it was clear. The dark shape had retreated.

            “Do you notice that Lucy is getting a bit….aggressive lately?”

            Amy looked at her husband. They had only been married two months after dating for five years, but she could already feel the changes that marriage engineers into a relationship. Still she couldn’t imagine life without him, or their darling little Lucy. It was as if the three of them had formed together the perfect family unit, at least until Amy decided to have children.

            “nothing really unusual.”

            “Are you sure,” Matthew asked. “My family’s had cats all my life and I never saw one as rambunctious as Lucy.”

“So she’s entertaining.”

            “Better than cable. Seriously. But the way she goes after Mike when he comes over, and the way she plays,” Matthew paused . “She plays hard.”

            Amy shook her head. “Just because she’s fixed and domestic, that doesn’t kill the urge to hunt. She’s just preparing to feed her young, and defend the ones she loves.”

            Matthew decided that she must be right and turned back to the book he was reading. As Amy turned to leave he asked her “Where are you going?”

“To take a bath,” Amy paused for a moment thoughtfully. “Actually do me a favor and grab her.”

            “Why?”

            “She could use a bath too.”

            “Honey, she’s a cat. Cats are self-cleaning.”

            “Lucy doesn’t mind the water.”

            “It’s one thing when she wanders along the edge of the bathtub with her tail dragging in the water Amy. It’s another thing altogether to dunk her in soapy water.”

            “Come on. It couldn’t hurt her.”

            Matthew shrugged. “Alright. Alright. Just don’t come asking me where the band aids are when you’re bleeding to death.”

            “You know you have a point,” Amy said.

            “What, that bathing a cat typically ends in grievous bodily harm? Thank you.”

            “No, silly,” Amy looked at Lucy as Matthew slowly lowered her into the tub on top of Amy. “It might be about time she got declared.”

            “But that’s so cruel,” Matthew complained. “and just think, our poor Lucykins going through life unarmed!”

            “She’s an indoor cat silly. What could she possibly have to defend herself against? Now be dear and hand me that lufa sponge.”

            Lucy was tiered the next morning. The dark shape visited almost every night, but Lucy always drove it back into the darkness. As time passed on she became an expert in the ways of warfare and was wary of any stranger. Some nights were more difficult fights than others. The dark shape respected no person, nor any day. It showed contempt for the Sabbath, and open scorn for holidays. There was a name it feared, but Lucy could not pronounce it, so she battled on, tooth and claw, night after night.            

            Last night had been particularly grueling, so when her man left in the morning and left the bedroom door open she crawled into bed with her woman and slept soundly. Her woman was gone when she woke up, and she heard voices in the Living room. Lucy stretched, yawned and quietly padded in. Talking with the woman was another woman. Lucy wasn’t sure she knew her so she hissed and made it clear that any attack on her woman would not be tolerated. The woman waved back at her and the woman let Lucy know that everything was alright, so Lucy began to relax. Then she saw the other stranger.

            Lucy was used to humans. She had grown up amongst them, but this was something new. It looked a bit like a human, but it was smaller. It’s proportions were grotesquely deformed, and it’s chatter was distinctly different than humanspeak. As it turned, she realized to her dismay, that it had noticed her and was wandering toward her.

She hissed, a defiant warning not to approach any farther. The creature wasn’t daunted. Lucy prepared to defend herself, and jumped. The next thing she knew, her woman had her in a firm hold and was reprimanding her. In her heart, Lucy saw that she didn’t think the little munchkin wasn’t a threat, but had she seen it? Lucy found herself locked in the utility room, but she could rest satisfied that she had sounded the alarm.

            “I’m so sorry Carrie! I don’t know what got in to her!”

            Amy had been apologizing for ten minuets now and it didn’t seem to show any signs of letting up.

            “It’s no problem Amy. Kids can handle animals pretty roughly. She was just afraid. That’s all.”

            “Well I promise I’ll be more careful in the future. Really, we’ve been meaning to get her declared, but just haven’t gotten around to it yet.”

            “Honestly Amy, it was just an accident. It could have happened to anyone.”

            Amy shrugged. “Makes you wonder what will happen when Matt and I decide to have children.”

            Matthew Looked up from his copy of  Elsewhere as Amy and Lucy came in.

            “There’s my sweetie! How are you doing snookums?”

            “I’m just fine,” Amy answered.

            “Not you, I was talking to the cat,” Matthew replied. “How did our little trooper do today?”

            “Not bad. I mean she hissed at the nurses and tried to assault the staff, but for her, that was pretty good. She’s a bit upset though.”

            “I wonder why,” Matthew snapped. “How would you like it if some one you trusted dragged you into a scary place where they chopped off your fingertips?”

            “Matt, we agreed she needed to be declawed.”

            “Just because I agreed, doesn’t mean I have to like it.”

            “You’re being childish”

            “So I’m being childish,” Matthew replied. What’s the point of being grown up if you can’t act like a child once in a while?” he cuddled Lucy. “Did the mean woman take away your claws? Don’t worry baby, we’ll keep you safe.”

            Lucy was scared. Of course it wasn’t great that the man was in a bad mood. She had seen this sometimes when he came back from being outside. Usually when he was in a bad mood she just stayed out of his way until he got better. She really wished that her woman would figure this out. The woman still hadn’t snagged a clue about how to deal with him when he was unhappy.

            No, the man being in a bad mood was a bad thing ,but it paled in comparison to the horrifying fact that she had been violated. The woman had taken her to a place where scary people in white coats had mutilated her paws. She no longer had claws. How on earth wold she keep her people safe now? She was defenseless! She began to wonder about that, and as she did, she felt a tingling in her paws.

            When night came, the dark shape took form. It was early tonight, but it could hardly wait. Months of work, had finally come to fruition. A whisper on the wind, a hint in the air, all headed to Amy’s ear. How much better it could be if the cat were declawed, how much easier. He had sat there in a corner of the vets’ office, unseen even by Lucy’s eyes, and watched the procedure, grinning all the whiles. Tonight was the night. The cat was back home and now she was defenseless. As it entered the room it saw her, sitting at watch on the top of the couch. Right where she always was, ready to block it’s path to the hall.

            “Good evening Nightchild.”

I’ve been waiting for you.

            “Have you now?”

            I have.

            “Here I am. Will you step aside?”

            No.

            “What?”

            My answer has not changed. You do not belong here.

            The dark shape had not been prepared for this. It had expected her to be scared. It had expect her to run and hid in terror, cower in fear. It would have been delighted to promise not to hurt her if she just let him pass, and after he had, he would have been even more pleased to rip the impudent cypher to shreds. Yes he had expected a frightful reaction from the cat. Instead she still stood her ground.

            “What do you think you are doing?”

            My duty.

            “Your duty?”

            I am honour bound to these people. I will protect them to my last breath.

            “Then prepare to draw it cypher. I have found you tonight, and I have found you defenseless.”

            Do you think so?

            “Yes!”

            Lucy flattened her ears and dug in her hind legs. She bared her teeth.

            Then come find out.

            The dark shape had had enough. If the cypher would not move, it would tear it’s way through her. It certainly had the permission to do so. It began to close in on her, and as it did it watched her rise up. She extended her front paws, and the dark shape stopped dead cold at what it saw. From each paw came four long, sharp claws.

            “That’s not  possible.”

            Lucy’s spirit claws were the color of dull silver that hasn’t been polished in a decade. A pale blue light emanated from them, and Lucy began to close in on the dark shape.

            You once told me I was wiser than my years.

            “Yes,“ The dark shape said, standing it’s ground.

            You said I knew far more than you had ever suspected.

            “I did indeed say something like that,” The dark shape said, beginning to back away.

            I know this. Lucy continued to advance.

            There is a God of the universe, and he protects his children.

            The dark shape continued to back off.

            Those people behind me are his children, and I am the instrument of their protection.

            The dark shape suddenly found itself against a wall.

            And that same God will NOT leave me defenseless!

            Lucy leapt, and the dark shape had never in all it’s existence felt such pain.

            “You know honey,” Amy said. “She’s so much more fun now that she’s declawed.  I mean she still jumps up and catches those feathers we play with  in her paws, and she still rolls around, it’s just not as dangerous.”

            “Are you sure she knows she’s been declawed,” Matthew asked. “I swear she still thinks she has them. Did I tell you about the Jehovah Witnesses that were over her the other day?”

            “No.”

“Well, they showed up at the door, so I stood there talking to them, although I didn’t let them in. So anyhow, Lucy walked up and got on her hind legs looking trough the part of the door the screen is supposed to be.”

            “We really need to get that fixed.”

            “I know. Anyhow…”

            “So she watched then through the door. So what?”

“That’s just it, she didn't just watch them through the door,  She reaches out and starts to swat at them!”

            Amy laughed at him.

            “That’s nothing,” She said. “You should have seen her at my candle party. The hostess won’t believe me when I tell her Lucy’s a little monster, so she’s holding her up making kissing noises and asking what a pretty kitty she is. At this point Lucy reaches out a whacks her right across the face!”

            Matthew shook his head.

            “I told you she would be alright without claws,” Amy said.

“Well, with or without claws, she’s still a tough little cookie,” Matthew said looking lovingly at their darling little Lucy.

Chapter Three

            “I’m telling you Matthew, She’s sick.”

            Matthew looked at Lucy. She wasn’t quite as active as she usually was.

            “I had to clean up a mess again this morning. I really think we should see the vet.”

            “Alright,” Matthew said. “Let’s get her to the vet.”

Amy came home with Lucy in the pet carrier.

            “How is she?”

            “Well, he says she’s dehydrated. He want’s us to feed her with an eye dropper for a while and  see how she does.”

            Matthew looked worried. He shook his head as he pet the cat.

            “This is a terrible time too. We are leaving for our anniversary in a few days, and we were about to leave her with your grandmother….I mean do we even want to leave with her like this?”

            “It’ll be okay,” Amy said. “Grandma will be fine taking care of her. Besides, she misses her, and with Benny gone, it’ll be good for her.”

            Matthew and Amy looked down at Lucy.

            “Poor kitty-witty,” Matthew said.

            Lucy was confused. She was under the impression that once she had gotten to this home she would be here for good, so the move back to her old home was a bit confusing. A look into her woman’s heart told her what she needed to know. This was just for a little while. She needed to be here so someone could feed her and love her while her people went outside for about a week. She remembered Grandma and had no problem being here.       

            Still, something was very different here, at her old home. There was still a distinct lack of Dayspring, and now Benny was gone. IT was just grandma and her….and an eerie sent in the air. As she got reacquainted with the home she felt a wave of nausea hit her again. She still wasn’t feeling well, and it may be prudent to find some places of privacy where she could hide when she didn’t feel well.

            As nighttime fell about the house she realized what that eerie scent was. All those swirling shapes, that nameless evil that she had noticed out the window a year ago, none of it was confined to the outside anymore. The shapes and forms roamed the house freely now, as if they owned it. A chill ran down Lucy’s spine as she realized that mabey, just mabey, they did. Lucy found her hiding place and sat still, her eyes wide open. She barely dared to breathe for fear she might be discovered. The dark shape back at home was just one foe, and besides, she had been healthy then. Here there are shapes upon shapes, and she was at her weakest. She kept her spirit claws sheathed, lest their light draw attention form the darkness. Six more nights, she thought. Six more nights and I’ll be home.

            Each night was the same. Lucy became an expert in hiding, and perfected her unseen routes from hiding place to hiding place during the day. She rarely showed her face, but ate when she could, trying to keep up her strength.

            On the fifth night it came. As the other shadows poured into the house, the dark shape came in. Lucy froze. It knew she was here. She couldn’t breathe, as it turned toward her hiding place and swirled neared.

“I know you’re under there kitty-cat.”

            Lucy came flying out claws wailing

            Come on then! You couldn’t take me alone so you have to hide behind your friends! Come on! One at a time or all at once!

            The dark shape silently smiled.

            “I choose all at once. Hold her.”

            To her horror, ten shadows wrapped themselves around her as she tried to run away. The dark shape came nearer, and with a deafening silence, began to rip into her.

            Matthew was sitting with Mike, watching a video when Amy came in. She was going to pick up Lucy on her way back from their Bible study, while Mike and Matthew had come directly home to spend some time together. Matthew was on his feet as soon as Amy came in. She was crying.

            “Oh my God Matthew. Oh my God.”

            “What’s wrong?”

            “She’s hurt. Oh God, she’s hurt so bad…”

Matthew reached out to take Lucy, but Amy blocked him.

            “No, don’t look, You couldn’t take it.”

            Matthew didn’t doubt her. While he liked gore in the movies, the real thing made him terribly ill, and this looked pretty bad. He could see Lucy’s fur was stiff with blood by her hind quarters. Mike came over and looked.

            “My God.”

            “You see,” any exclaimed. “Do you see?”

            Mike nodded. There were open sores all around her bottom, and no amount of tissue could stop the steady seeping of blood on her. Lucy let out a piteous moan.

            “How did this happen,” Matthew asked.

            “Grandma said she didn’t know. She never got out, and there’s nothing in that house that could do this kind of damage to her. Grandma just came out one day, and Lucy was like this, and it’s gotten worse since then.”

            Matthew went over to the phone. “Alright, we’ll call the vet, I’ll see if I can get her in tomorrow.”

            “We can’t,” Amy moaned. “We don’t have any money! We just came off of vacation!”

            “We’ll find a way.”

            “How?”

            “We will find a way.”

            Matthew dialed and spoke for a moment. “Okay we can get her there in the morning. We’ll just need to watch out for her until then.”

            “I had better go,” Mike said. He turned to Lucy and pet her. “Bye bye kitty. I hope you get better.”

            Amy set Lucy down, and Matthew just turned and held his wife. Turning he saw a green stuffed dog setting on a shelf behind them.

            “Dear Lord,” he prayed. “I know you care about things that are important to us. And dayspring, this cat, she’s a part of our family. She just about a year and a half old. I am so not ready for all of those stories we tell about her to suddenly become the past tense.” Amy was beginning to shake against him. He looked heavenward. “If you will just get her to the vet and give us the answer, how to heal her….Lord I offer a sacrifice. That dog is one of my most precious possessions. In twenty seven years she hasn’t left my sight. Heal our cat Lord and she is yours. Burnt, borrowed or broken, I will give her up. Just heal my kitty-witty. Oh dayspring, I beg you.”

            Matthew fought tears. He wasn’t ready to tell Amy yet. Not yet, but come hell or high-water he would honor his part of the bargain. Suddenly he felt Amy stiffen against him.

            “Matthew, She’s gone.”

            “Gone? What do you mean gone?” Matthew turned and started to look around.

            “I don’t hear her….I don’t se her,” Amy gasped.

            “Then we’ll find her. It’s not that big of a house! Come on!”

            Matthew and Amy looked for hours, but there was no sign of Lucy, and finally Matthew had go to bed so he could at least drive to work without falling asleep on the way there. That night Matthew’s dreams were plagued with nightmares.

            Matthew woke up the next morning and did a quick sweep of the house to see if he could find Lucy before he left. Unsuccessful, he drove out the shop, got in the van with Mike and they drove out to their first call. After finishing up on a customer’s computer, Matthew pulled out his cell phone and checked the time. It was about time for Lucy’s appointment. He called Amy who picked up on the first ring.

            “Hey! How are you doing sweetie,” he asked. On the other side of the line he could hear Amy crying.

            “I found her.”

            “You did? Where?”

            “She had wedged herself under the desk in the living room.”

            “How? There’s barely any room…”

            “She must have gotten behind it. She didn’t want us to see her hurt.”

            “Did you get her to the vet’s?”

            “Yes. They asked to keep her there so they could run tests, but Matthew,” Amy’s voice cracked as she struggled to speak.

            “It’s okay honey. What is it?”

            “She has some new sores. They’re all over her tummy!”

            Matthew closed his eyes and leaned against a wall. Under his breath he muttered an oath, and closed the phone.

            “Mike, how many more of these things do we have?”

            “It’s a light day. You can take off if you need to.”

            “I do. Thanks.”

            Matthew ran out to his car and peeled rubber leaving the parking lot. Home was forty five minuets away.

            When he got home Matthew ran in, forgetting to take the keys out of the ignition. He burst through the door and found Amy in a fetal position on the bed.

            “Any news?”

“They don’t know what it is. He’s never seen anything like it before, and he’s not even sure he can treat it,” Amy choked back tears. “But if we can, it’s going to be a long, painful process.” She shoved her head into a pillow “This is a nightmare! Oh Matthew, you should have seen her. She was in so much pain. They even said some more sores have opened up since she’d been there! They’re on her tongue!”

“Is she home?”

“No. She’s still there. He said he can run the next battery of tests, but only with our permission.”

“Will they tell us what this is?”

“He’s not sure.”

As Matthew looked into his wife’s eyes, they both knew they were thinking the same thing. Amy didn’t have the strength to say it.

“Then we should consider the possibility of putter her out of her misery.”

Amy nodded. Matthew gritted his teeth.

“What do we want to do,” he asked.

“I can’t make that decision ! ” Amy screamed.

“You’re not. We are, but I have to be absolutely certain we are in agreement.”

Amy cried as she shook her head. She beat her fists into a pillow and let Matthew hold her.

“She’s in pain,” she finally said.

“Okay,” Matthew said. His voice was softer than she had ever heard it.

“I can’t do it.”

Matthew put his arm around her and gently kissed her forehead.

“I know. You don’t have to.”

Matthew got up and walked out to the car. At the door he paused and rubbed his eyes.

“It’s the right decision,” he said to no one in particular. “And may my bones rot for making it.” As the tears began to come he spoke softly. “Damn it Lucy, Look what you made me do.” he wiped his tears before he walked in. “I’m so sorry Lucy. I’m so sorry I couldn’t protect you. I’m so sorry I failed you.” Matthew opened the door and prepared to say goodbye to his lovely Lucy.

Lucy was vaguely aware of  the doctor picking her up and carrying her into the room. The pain made it hard to see things, but sitting there waiting for her was the unmistakable figure of her man. She tried to get to him but the doctor wasn’t sure. Her man accepted her gratefully even though they both knew it was against the rules. The doctor and her man spoke briefly and the doctor left. For that moment there rest of the world faded away. It was jut the two of them, and words came pouring out of him. This time Lucy understood him. She didn’t even need to look into his heart to know what he was saying she could feel it inside of her. She could see him crying , and the marks on his face showed that he had been crying before he got here.

It’s not your fault. I love you, I always will. She rubbed closer to him, getting some blood on his shirt. I’m sorry Matthew. I failed YOU. I won’t be there any more to…

The doctor walked back in with a needle in his hand. A nurse held her down and she swiped at them.

NO! I’m not done yet!

As Matthew petted her she looked to the sky and let forth her final petition.

There is a God out there. Matthew and Amy pray to you every day, and if you can ever hear an animal cry out to you then I implore you to hear me now! My time here is finished. All I ask of you… Lucy felt a small prick as the needle penetrated her leg.

            All I ask…just…protect them.

            And Lucy closed her eyes for the very last time.

Interregnum

            Matthew was tired. The last few days had taken a toll on him and he didn’t feel like going to work. Still he couldn’t very well call off. “Reason for calling off?” “Well my cat died...” It was just too ridiculous.

            Mike pointed out a calico in the window of their first stop. Matthew was checking for his tech disk.

            “Hey Matt, look at her. That’s the same kind as you cat isn’t it?”

            Matthew looked up. The cats markings were hauntingly similar to Lucy’s. Painfully similar.

            “Yeah,” he said. “It sure was.”

            Mike looked up. “What do you mean ‘was’?”

            “I mean was. We had to put Lucy to sleep yesterday.”

            “Oh, Matt, I’m so sorry…”

            Moses opened his tiny eyes. It had only been a few days since he opened them for the first time, but already things looked bad. He came up to his mother to nurse a little but she wasn’t moving. It didn’t take a close examination to know she was dead. Several of his brothers had already fled, and his sister lay sick and dying. Only his brother and he remained, and Aaron was begging to slow down. He nudged him with his head.

            hey! Wake up! We have to get out of here!

            The other kitten stirred. And go where? We’ll starve!

            Our mother is dead. If we stay here, we’ll starve anyhow. If I am going to die, I would rather it be in a less dangerous place.

            Aaron considered this. He nodded and consented to follow Moses. Together the two kittens walked out of the dark ally into the open night. They followed the sidewalk for what seemed like an eternity, but the early September was chilly and both found themselves shivering before to long. Finally Aaron stopped walking.

            I’ve got to stop. I have to rest, I just can’t go on, it’s too cold.

            Okay, Moses nodded. We’ll just stop over there in that doorway.

            Moses and Aaron walked over to the doorway and lay down. Moses lay over Aaron to conserve his body heat.

            Don’t worry. I’ll keep you safe.

            Down the street, a car came to a slow stop. A young woman got out and went over to the sleeping kittens, scooping them up and setting them down on a warm car seat next to a stack of papers labeled Animal Protective League .

            Night fell and the dark shape began to coalesce. It could tell, the cypher was gone for good. It would almost miss the feeling of piercing her and ripping sores into her body. Still it was here to do a job. It brought itself up to it’s critical mass and began into the house. It turned a corner and found itself face to face with the single most terrifying being it had ever seen.

            It was an angel. It stood eight feet tall (The fact that the ceiling was only six and a half feet high did nothing to hinder it), and it’s skin was a dusky marble. It’s powerfully built body radiated a phosphorescent energy, and one its face a terrible calm set. It turned all of it’s eyes towards the dark shape, giving it’s full attention.

            “You shouldn’t be here,” It soundlessly said.

            The dark shape sought for words.

            “Why…why are you…”

            “I am here because of a death-wish. Such things carry an enormous power when prayed in earnest. I shall carry out this task until a successor is raised up”

            “But I killed her! I destroyed that cypher well within the bounds of fair play! This is unjust!”

            “The nightchild died for these people. Would you have me ignore her final plea?”

            “I had leave from you master to eliminate her!”

            “You had his permission, but not his pleasure. Tonight, the permission you need is from me to pass this threshold.”

            “No.”

            “Then depart from here before I reduce you to particles.”

The dark shape held it’s ground for a moment, then from the body of the angle a sound began to emanate. The dark shape began to feel it pull at it’s atoms, and made haste, as far from this place as possible.

Matthew hung up the phone and looked at Amy.

“The vet says, that from what he can tell, and that’s not much,  that Lucy wasn’t contagious. We should be able to get a new kitten anytime.”

“Oh good. I want to get her at the APL. I think it would be nice to rescue one there.”

“Sure. Want to go now?”

“I think they’re closed now, but we can probably go on Sunday.”

“Okay,” Matthew said as he settled back reading his bible. Back in Genesis, around the same place as he was when they got Lucy. Odd.

“Mike says she’s in kitty heaven. A wonderful place where the birds fly really low and the mice are easy to catch….”

Matthew smiled in spite of himself. He was reading Genesis 2:7 then the LORD God took dust from the ground and formed man from it. The Lord breathed the breath of life into the man’s nose and the man became a living person. Checking the Greek, Mathew could tell you that the breath Genesis referred to was the soul, and further more, he had never see this kind of reference to any created animal. It saddened him to think that nothing of Lucy remained after death. Nothing but their memories of her.

“Amy,” he said. “There’s no way she made it to kitty heaven unless the kitty devil down in kitty hell was afraid of her…which I admit is not out of the question…”

Matthew loved his wife. There was no reason to argue about a silly lie that made her feel better.

On Sunday afternoon Matthew and Amy walked into the APL after Church. They passed through rooms full of cats and kittens in cages, occasionally taking them out of their cages to play with them. Amy fond a calico that was absolutely loveable, but she was already about eight years old. Amy and Matthew wanted a kitten. Passing a cage with two brothers in it the younger took a running jump from the back of the cage and held on to the bars grinning at them. His brother looked at him in bemusement.

Matthew looked at his bride and pointed.

            “I want him.”

            “He’s cute, but it’s too bad we can’t adopt both of them.”

“One is going to be more than enough, trust me.”

            Matthew picked Moses up out of the cage and the three of them began to walk out. Moses looked over his shoulder and waved goodbye to his brother.

Chapter Four

            “It’s not so bad Matthew,” Amy said.

            Matthew sat in the passenger seat of the car and brooded.

            “They just wanted to make sure that we could take care of him is all.”

            “They called my father! What kind of place is this? I’m not some little kid coming in here begging for a kitten! I’m an adult with a job, two cars, and a wife!

            “It’s just a character reference…”

            “Grrrrrrrr.”

            “I’m pretty sure that the cat’s supposed to make that noise.”

            Matthew turned to his wife. “So what do you want to call him. We can’t just keep calling him ‘hey you!’ indefinitely.”

            “I don’t know. What about Tiger?”

            “Too common.”

            “Well what do you think then?”

            “I don’t know. He’s got this little ‘M’ shape on his forehead….Marvin? Melvin? Mike? Matt? Morpheous? Mitchell? Mark? Malichi?”

            “You’re  not helping.”

            “I’m helping plenty! How about Mylon? Mick? Marco? “

            “No.”

            Matthew stroked the new tiger tabby in his lap.

            “He kept wandering around exploring in the office,” he said. “How about Magellan?”

            “I don’t know. That just doesn’t sound right.”

            “Well he’s got these markings around his eyes. They could almost be Egyptian. What about Moses? he wandered the wilderness for most of his life.”

            “Moses could work,” Amy said. “Mabey if we give him a Bible name this one won’t die,” She finished bitterly.

            Moses liked people. He knew that being around people instead of being on the street meant he would get fed, and have a warm place to sleep. It wasn’t quite the same without his brother, but Aaron was happy for him and he knew he would find a home soon. His new man  brought him into the wonderland of his new home and started out by setting in the litter box. Moses knew what to do with this. There had been one back in the cage. What he wanted to know was ‘where is the food’. His new woman showed him his bow, and a ridiculous bed. Moses ate slowly making  sure there would be enough for later. You learned to do that when you weren’t sure where your next meal was going to come from. His people waved goodbye, and went outside for a few hours. He would have time to explore.

            Everywhere there was the scent of another cat, a female, but he couldn’t find her. That was too bad because she didn’t smell to much older than him, and he would like to find out what kind of people these were. Moses looked up at his enormous new couch, jumped to the top, then curled up there to nap.

            When His people came back, Moses greeted them by eating at his food dish. He figured that if he showed his appreciation of the food, there might be more. They picked him up and petted him. The woman had him on her lap and he stretched out contentedly. His man turned on the Television, and the fan above them. Moses was fascinated with the fan. He got down to the floor and watched it for a moment. It didn’t look like it was that far up. He jumped and tried to grab it, but couldn’t quite reach. Moses wandered over to the television and climbed up it, trying to leap at that fan again. He still missed. That thing really was up there a bit wasn’t it? Moses loved his new home!

            Okay, it was clear that the bedroom was pretty much off limits. Since it was only at night Moses could deal with that. The whole house was his after dark. He was a bit tiered tonight so he figured he’d just catch forty winks.

            Moses felt it rather than saw it. He knew he wasn’t really alone. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to open his eyes or not, but he figured if danger was near, he had better look it straight in the eye. On the other side of the house he saw the dark shape.

            “You’re the new one?”

            What are you?

            “Ask the one who came before you.”

            What do you want?

            “Just to pass by little nightchild. Just to pass by.”

            Moses looked behind him. There was nothing but the hallway to his people’s bedroom. He looked back at the dark shape. There was something inherently sinister about it.

            I don’t think so. I don’t think you belong here.

            “Step aside cypher, or I’ll rip you apart like I did your predecessor.”

            Moses unsheathed his claws and bared his teeth as the dark shape began to advance.

Says who?

            As the dark shape prepared a killing blow, that statement gave it pause. It had gained permission to destroy the other cypher, and it had leave to go ahead with it’s plans for Amy and Matthew, provided it could get past that hall. It had no directive concerning the new cypher. The dark shape roared.

            Moses fled. Hiding behind the couch, he saw the dark shape move to the hall. Moses stuck out a sharp pawful of claws to rip as it passed. The dark shape turned. Moses ran to another couch.

            “Don’t you dare play with me like that!”

            Bite me chuckles.

            The dark shape flowed over to where Moses was. The kitten climbed up the blinds and leapt, soaring over the dark shape, dragging his claws over the top of it, sparks flying. Moses landed on his back, and rolled to face his foe, hissing. He ran for cover behind the desk to hide and watch.

            “Fine,” The dark shape roared. “Twenty four hours! That’s the length of your life cypher!”

Moses panted. He watched the dark shape melt out of the house. Moses looked around the house, and made sure there was nothing else like that here. In his short life, Moses had never been so scared. Who knew that things like that we existed in the world?

            “No one knew Moses, but now that you do…you need to know how to deal with it.”

            Moses turned around and stared into the glowing green eyes of a cat who wasn’t there.

Chapter Five

            Matthew got up in the middle of the night to get a quick drink of sprite. This was becoming a habit, but he didn’t mind. As he passed through the living room, he glanced over by the couch where Lucy used to sit, almost like a lookout. Moses on the other hand was huddling in a corner. Matthew looked a bit closer. It almost looked as if he were talking to someone but there was nothing there. He got his beverage and returned to bed.    

            You’re the other cat. The other one I can smell you here.

            Lucy shook her head. “Not exactly.”

            You’re not like that other one. I mean, you’re made of the same stuff, but you feel different.

            “I am different. I’m from a different source.”

            A different place? Where?

            “Not where. From who.”

            Moses looked at him.

            Then who?

“Eliohm.”

But you’re a cat. We only exist here. There’s nothing for us after death.

            “That’s true. This is a special circumstance. My life was cut short and I’ve been given some extra time. Even so I won’t be here for long.”

            How long?

            “Just tonight. That’s all the time I have.”

            Moses looked down. He sighed and shook his head.

            Just tonight, then I’m alone again. He looked up.

            “We haven’t much time Moses. You know why I’m here. You saw it.”

            I saw it. What was that thing?

            “It used to be one of Eliohm’s. A long time ago, it rebelled with a great many others, and has spent the rest of it’s life trying to harm his children. That’s where you come in.”

            Me? Yeah! I can hurt it can’t I? Moses began to dance around happily. Yeah! I kicked that thing’s cloudy posterior!

            “No you didn’t. You scratched it’s surface, and it left ten spaces before it destroyed you.”

            But it ran.

            “It ran because it’ didn’t have permission. Before something like the dark shape can harm someone it must have permission from Eliohm.”

            Twenty four hours. That’s what it said.

            “I’d count on it. This one is pretty punctual.”

            Moses flexed his claws. I can hurt it though! I can hurt it…

            “Don’t count on those,” Lucy looked down at her own declawed paws. “You won’t have them forever, and you may lose them sooner than you think.”

            Moses looked at his claws, and then back at Lucy.

            “Claws don’t do you any good when you’re asleep. They don’t help when you’re tiered, or sick. You’re mind is just as important in any fight. You’re strategy.”

            But I don’t know about those kind of things. I wouldn’t know where to start.

            “You already have. You realized it’s more  than just standing and fighting. Running, jumping and hitting, it’s all strategy. Learn to fight smart, and find your voice.”

            With that, Lucy began to fade in to the shadows.           

            Wait! What did you mean by that? How do I find my voice? How…

            But she was gone.

            Moses spent the next day running from place to place in the house. He quickly figured out the best routes from furniture to chair, and how to get down the hall in a crunch. He wished he had time to set up traps, but then again, he wasn’t sure what would hurt the dark shape and what wouldn’t. All he knew was that he would never let it pass. These people were his, and he was the watchguard against the darkness.

            Evening came and he thought his people would never go to bed. When his man picked him up to put him out of the bedroom he was racing into the living room before his man had even set him on the floor. Tonight he sat on the top of the couch waiting. Soon enough the shadows began to penetrate and the dark shape appeared.

            “I will give you one last chance,” it said. “I have been thwarted long enough and I will not suffer another night’s wait. Let me pass!”

            There was a look of total peace on Moses’ face.

            No.

            “As you wish.”

The dark shape began to move, and so did Moses. Coming up to the shape he looked straight into it, and as he did, a low rumble began from his throat. The dark shape paused for a moment, then started. It was the same sound the angel had made. It began to retreat but Moses reached out with both paws and dug his claws in.  Blue sparks danced around his paws, never quite touching them. Moses purred.

            “Stop it! You don’t know what you’re doing!”

            Of course I do. My purr is a thanks to Eliohm for a warm home and plenty of food. My purr is a signal to him that I will honour Lucy’s legacy, and fulfill the tasks that were set for her.

            The dark shape trembled. It could feel every fiber of it’s being beginning to pull apart.

            My purr is praise.

            With that, the dark shape shattered into thousands of pieces scattering all over the world. Thousands of years would pass before it could pull itself together. Moses looked at the pieces still in his hands. He bit into them, but finding them to taste vile, he buried them in his litterbox.

            Moses made another sweep of the house before going to sleep on the top of his bed.

            “He never stops purring,” Amy said.

            “I know,” replied Matthew. “It’s like his motor is on constant idle.”

            Moses playfully bit Amy, then jumped down from her arms.

            “Well, he was in a lovey mood.”

            “He was like that with me earlier too.”

            “What happened?”

            “He stopped.”

“I see,” Amy said. “You ready for bed?”

            “Sure. Just a moment”

            Matthew picked up Moses, and tried to set him outside the door, but he was already racing for another room.

            “Wait a moment,” Matthew said. “I need a cup of sprite. I’ll be right back.”

            Amy nodded and Matthew went out to the kitchen. Passing back through the living room, he saw Moses sitting in Lucy’s spot, watching out in the darkness.

            It was well after midnight when the black form oozed into the house. It came tentatively, slowly, exploring new surroundings. Moving forward it found itself confronted by a small kitten.

            “Who are you?”

            The kitten looked calm.

            Ask the one who came before you.

            Moses began to purr.