'I want to keep him, please mommy?'
Sophie caught the passing glance from her step father, a big fellow with no hair. He sat at the table reading the paper and occasionally shoved forkfuls of curry into his mouth.
Sophie's mother passed a confirmation glance at her husband Eddie before the plate that he was eating off hit the wall.
CRASH!
'That fuckin shit Cat ain't livin under ma bloody roof!' Eddie stood up, face red like a whoopee cushion.
'Ed, please.' Begged Sophie's mother, shielding her daughter.
Eddie reached for her throat, and not for the first time. She was frail enough as it was without this. 'Who tha spit ya talkin to? Ya fuckin hooker, I run this house! Not you, and not that little bitch over there!'
'Mommy!' Cried Sophie screaming.
Eddie turned his anger towards the stray Cat that Sophie had found in the woods. It cowered from him, hissing from beneath the table.
'Ello shit Cat, come to ya uncle Ed. Ill twist ya cuntin neck!'
The black Cat scratched out at Eddie, and then made a dash for the kitchen window which was slightly a jar.
'Pissing thing, glad it's gone. Right, I'm going the flippin pub. Don't wait up!'
Sophie clung on to her mother as she stroked her throat, they were at peace once more.
That night Sophie sat at her window wondering where her new friend was. Her Mother lay weeping into a pillow, a pillow that had cushioned her face during rape, more than once from her husband. She missed her own mother, which forged her to raise Sophie well. Sophie could hear her mother, she knew she should never venture into the woods. Not in October. Strange things happen in October, bad things. She remembered her grandmother before she passed away, and of all the tales that she told. Like the one about the Witch who lived deep in those woods, the Witch who helped rid the town of murders and rapists many years ago. Sophie slid into her bed and curled up, she struggled to sleep that night. This night could be like many others, when a stepfather comes in drunk and does things to a little girl that no father should ever do.
'That's the sound of the men...working on the train...gang...hic'
Eddie sang as he staggered along the old dirt road from Abbots bar. Six double whiskeys, three pints and five bottles of Budweiser were enough to make him happy. The large man wrestled with the idea of taking a shortcut. After reassuring himself that 'he ain't scared of trees,' he entered the plum forest.
His twisted mind somehow put up pedophile images of lustful pleasures, regarding his step daughter. So what, he thought? His father did it to him, so whats the harm, right?
An owl brought him back to the forest, he shouted at the darkness.
'Fuckin birds, kill ya, lot of ya!'
He stumbled over a branch and hit the forest floor, the leaves stuck to him like vacuum fluff. That's when he saw it.
His blurry vision held him back, but he got to his feet.
'Now I'm gona get ya. lickle shite.'
It was a black Cat. Like the one Sophie had found, sitting by a tree as black as the night. Two green eyes was all that Eddie could make out, but he knew it was the one. Almost as if laughing at him the Cat began licking his paw.
Eddie fumbled around the undergrowth until he found a stone. But it was too late.
A fatal swipe had found it's mark on Eddie's throat, he clutched at the stinging wounds. They burned like very hot water and he gasped for air. He could hear very light steps around him, he was scared now and turning constantly. His eyes did their best to make out the dark. He heard a hiss and started to run.
He didn't know which direction he was headed in, a loud 'meow' froze him to the spot. He suddenly felt something brush past his leg so he kicked out. Then a sharp pain consumed his entire shin.
'ARR!'
Eddie was down yet again, he made a crawl for it. He could see the black Cat strolling along side him. There were lights up ahead, he was getting hopeful. The pain was excruciating, he guessed that the Cat had bit into his shin. Another swipe grazed Eddies forehead, this time barley missing his eyes. He began to smell his own blood. He fought on towards the lights which appeared to be a cabin. In his unfit state, his mind managed to conceive the fact that he had never seen this cabin before, despite hunting in these woods. The Cat urinated into Eddie's eyes. The stinging wastage blurred his iris and caused fast flicker blinking, there was no time for his thinking.
Eddie felt a hand on his cheek, and a voice. An old lady's voice. 'Relax now my son, you have to pay for your sins. Onyx, be done with him.'
The Cat pounced onto Eddie's face removing his nose with it's sharp claws. The swipes were like that of a kung fu expert, swift and fast.
'HEEELLLP MEEE!'
Blood had covered what was left of Eddies face and leaves stuck to his exposed flesh. His screams fell faint as his last breath was removed by the Witch's broom, lodged deep down into his windpipe. It was dark once more, no cabin, no Cat, no Eddie.
Weeks had come and gone and Eddie was on milk cartons all across town. Another addition to the missing persons list, except he won't be missed. Sophie sat on the bench and watched her mother put some flowers on her Grandmothers grave. A black Cat appeared from behind the headstone, it brushed up against her.
'Sophie, Your friends back.'
Sophie ran over pulling off her little blue cotton gloves, she stroked the Cat which purred back at her. 'Mommy, what's this tag say?'
Her mother studied the silver tag, 'I didn't notice this tag before Sophie. Is it the same Cat?'
Sophie looked at the green eyes smiling back, 'Yes, mommy. I'm sure!'
Well his name is Onyx, darling.' Replied her mother tickling Onyx's chin.
Sophie clapped her hands, 'I like Onyx. Can we keep him mommy?'
'As long as he's not owned, yes my darling, we can most certainly keep him.'
Sophie hugged her mother. Who seemed to frown in thought.
'Funny that Sophie. I'm sure your grandmother once had a Cat named Onyx...'
He approached the wood land area with the Owls sound drawing him in, he ventured further. He was no longer cold, yet warm and lost his dressing gown almost voluntary. Mud smothered his feet as he kicked away his slippers from his pale feet. He felt no need to rub away the sleep felt weight that rested on his eye lids, and the woods came to an end. Darrell could see the land marks of the resting, he continued to them, wondering why he wanted to. How did this night suddenly turn to day? Had he gone mad and walked around in daylight as a nights man? But wait...he was still there, with the resting. The sun was blinding yet Darrell was very cold again...ice cold. He moved closer towards the voices. He walked quietly as not to be noticed, but needed an answer to why he was here. He knew this place it seems, not far from his house. There, a man talking down and people gathered around dressed in black crying. A funeral. He was at the cemetery. Darrell thought about all the better places he could have chosen to sleep walk. He waited for the mourners to depart and made his way over to the tombstone. He nosily bent down and moved the flowers from the plack. It was there that Darrell finally seen, it read...DARRELL SMOGGS R.I.P...
