“Magnum dropped something else off. Feels bad in your hands.”
Leaves. Dish sponges. Shoelaces.
Katheryn Crenshaw is used to her cat bringing her odd gifts.
Then he brings home an object that terrifies her.
It won’t be the last.
A disquieting tale starring two women. More disturbing than gory, with many of the scares happening in broad daylight...
I called again. The beat-up rocking chair behind me squeaked as Roomie stood up and came to the window. Her green-haired reflection squinted out into the dark.
“Is that him?” She pointed to the dark jagged shapes formed by the juniper bushes against the back of our wall.
“They’re wobbling…did he jump down?—Oh!”
As I said those words, a feline shape began serpentining over the concrete paths between our xeriscaping. I flipped on the patio light in time for it to glint off the something he was carrying in his mouth. Something golden.
“Hey! Whatcha got, there, buddy?” asked Roomie.
He’d just crossed the threshold into the house—his grey tabby body was scooching between my leg and the door. Normally he’d give over any prize, purring triumphantly, but this time he looked like he was trying to hide what he’d found. But whatever he had in his mouth looked small enough to swallow—and maybe choke on.
READ MORE“Grab him!” I said.
Roomie lunged, caught him en route to the kitchen.
“Kay, gonna fish it out…Easy, Maggie,” I clucked. He squirmed, and even pushed against my hand with a paw, but didn’t bite or scratch when I pried the object out of his mouth. This cat didn’t have a mean bone in his body, which was another reason to worry when he didn’t show up after dark. I didn’t need my favorite feline cuddle bunny getting catnapped, even if it was by a well-meaning family.
I squinted down at Magpie’s latest treasure.
“What is it?” said Roomie.
COLLAPSE
