Chapter 50: 49: What’s this, meow?

"Where'd he go?" head veering from left to right.

"Which asshole said he ran this way!?"

"I saw him run here. I shit you not. He's supposed to be right here! I'm not the one who needed glasses!" one snapped.

The teens searched the area. Eyes sweeping the dark alley they were amidst. Going as far as to even look into the huge dumpsters against the walls. Rummaging. Digging. Not an iota of avail.

All they found was an abysmal stench wafting out from the opened dumpsters and warping into their nostrils. And the only living things they found were twin cats.

One cat hissed at them when they neared, causing instant recoiling of their bodies. Whereas the other remained silent. Looming in the dark. Lingering at the dead end. Widened eyes fierce yet manifesting so much fear. It was at the cusps of ansty.

One of its legs was injured. Blood stood out to the eye given that it was on the cat's pitch black fur.

The cat lingered at the end of the alley. It trembles convulsively in the cold of night. Its eyes remain widened.

The figure armed with the gun resolved to shoot them both for hissing. He would shoot them both even though only one hissed at him. Strong resolution. But he revoked it when he saw the glimmering innocence in the other cat's glowing, green eyes.

He relented, shaking his head at the thought.

"He's not here! Let's go look somewhere else!"

"We need to find that bastard!"

"Then let's go, fellars!"

"Go, go, go!"

They edged away, leaving the cats in the dusk of the gloomy alley. Silence. There, at the end of the alley, lingered the frail cat who the shooter had spared for its innocence.

The cat's eyes closed as it expelled a stretched breath as if to sigh in great relief. It opened its eyes again.

There was a puddle of water further up the alley. The cat approached the puddle, struggling to stride toward its destination. Step by step. Yet it couldn't seem to synchronize the movement of its hind legs with the forelimbs. It constantly collapsed.

Hopeless it felt.

After constant pain of bitter failure. The cat had decided to drag itself to the puddle of water. And it reached there.

Slowly, it looked down into the puddle of water. The volume reflected the facets of the alley. The stars in the night sky, and the walls. Then, came the cat's reflection, drawing itself in the moisture-laden mirror.

The creature's eyes dilated at the jarring sight. Its reflection peered right back at it with the same stunned expression. Deafening silence.

This couldn't be! He had become a cat? In an instant he wished he could blend in. In the other, he shrunk. What kind of sorcery was this?

The cat shook its head. What had happened?

It couldn't speak like before. It couldn't walk like before. It started to recall unlocking a new skill. And that's when it hit him.

[Skills in use: Shape-shift]

Its snake-like, green eyes expanded at the thought. It was most definitely the skill that had transformed it. It was saved from the skill. A matter of conscious volition triggered it. But how would it return to human form again?

A subtle noise sounded.

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The cat's ears quickly bolted upright. It's body jerked. It quickly turned around to see another cat in front of it.

The other cat was like a replica of itself—more so it thought. When in truth, it was completely the other way around.

The stray cat hissed at it. Its body flinched as soon as the stray's hiss resounded. The hair on its body rose. Its heart throbbed. Fear?

The stray hissed at it again. Was it a fight it wanted? The cat stepped back. Yet, the stray inched closer, drawing its claws. It snarled like a beast. The last question had an answer now. It really wanted a fight.

The frightened cat stepped in the puddle of water.

The stray pounced toward it. It rasped, swooping its claws at its target. The other cat got scratched to its face. Then another.

Blood was drawn.

The cat's claws extended out on instinct. It quickly shredded its nail back at the stray cat. The stray whined, "Rrrreowww!" It lunged toward its target to retaliate.

The other cat quickly turned around, and began to run away from the stray. It could not walk on all four of its legs a few seconds ago, but it taught itself in light of escaping.

It ran with all its speed. Running through the streets, so many different scents entered its nostrils. It knew each and every one of these food scents. Its stomach growled as it ran.

It wanted to trace these scents.

But it was deterred in that it didn't know whether the stray had been chasing it or not. And it certainly wasn't slowing down to look back.

After running until exhausted the cat halted on the pavements. Catching a breath. Slowing its throbbing heart.

Suddenly, a human began to approach it. The woman drew closer, "Aww, what a cute little green-eyed cat!"

As the woman bent over to touch the cat; it suddenly began to twist and bend. The woman gasped. Her heartbeat quickened. Her eyes widened.

She watched as the cat's body grew bigger, wider … taller. It contorted. It stretched. The jarring sight had paralyzed her. Stunned she was.

The creature grew and grew until it was taller than her. Its fur disappeared. Its facial structure altered. Bones crackled.

The cat had become a teenage boy in a black hoodie. Ethereal as ever. An attractive young man. Though, she saw him as a ruse. A monster swathed in elegance. Black Magic it had to be—she was sure of it! Her night shift of security guarding was only starting—how much more horror must she endure?

The teenage boy, with fine bleeding scratches on his face, stood in silence. He looked down at her and smiled. He cocked his head, maintaining a nervous smile. Then, he waved with laughing eyes.

The woman didn't think for a moment. Her draw was dropped. She unblinkingly gazed up at the creature shrouded in beauty. Her eyes closed. Her body began to lean. She collapsed. Unconsciousness.

***

Jin heaved. "What a long day…" he muttered.

His eyelids were drooped. He approached his front door. He looked around. Right, then left. Then ahead again. He revolved the handle slowly such that he made no noise.

He pulled the door open. A cracking sound made him part his lips and clench his teeth agitatedly. The cracking stopped.

Dobby was swathed in a bed seat, sleeping on a couch. Thank god Tristan wasn't present. Had he been at Jin's place, he would've been awake on his phone.

Jin slowly pushed the door closed, and walking towards his bedroom on his toes.

He opened his bedroom door, and then closed it again. He heaved. He approached his bed, and plopped down on it. Alas, he was home.

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