Stories of Stardust (pt2)

244. Fire and Gold (8)

I slammed the front door shut behind me. There was a loud thump from the corner as a wild-eyed Ani leaped back in surprise, his back rising into an arch, then falling flat once more. Ignoring him, I proceeded through the kitchen and dining room, flinging my office door open. It caught on the doorstopper with a twang.

My feet thudded harshly against the wood floor as I took the last few steps to my desk, where an essential box sat. Carelessly, I yanked the folder from my inventory and flung it. It landed on the wood top desk with a light thump, sliding until it brushed one of my monitors.

Leaning over the box, I pried open the flooded flaps with the gentlest movements I could muster.

Finding what I'd been looking for, I pulled it from the box with revenant fingers.

Sinclair Harris: A Case of Puppets and Monsters.

The book that had entranced and traumatized Ember and me, the book that had been at the center of my family issues.

My free hand groped for the chair. Finding it, I sank, cradling the book gently between my fingertips. Curious, Ani jumped onto the desk and shoved his face toward the black-and-white paper cover, sniffing it. He sneezed. I tilted the book and its precious pages away.

What were the odds, indeed?

"But why did it have to be this one?"

I angled the book, watching as lights from the window behind me set the title aglow. I scowled.

Ani meowed.

My knuckles grazed the lacquered desktop as I lowered the book. His eyes caught the decorations hanging outside, like the stardust against the endless black of my dreams.

I sighed. "I haven't forgotten about you."

Palm out, I offered my hand. Ani took the invitation, nuzzling my hand without hesitation. I cupped his face gently and cleared the space between our minds.

His thoughts were as disorganized as always, but his eagerness pressed all around me. The connection went both ways, and before my mind had finished processing my request, the memories of El Dorado were floating like ashes in a gentle wind between us.

I wouldn't have admitted it, but warmth bubbled in my chest at his actions. He'd learned from the last time.

The first offering I reached for shone brightly, and I breathed in the powerful scent of freshly popped corn. Our feet were comfortably warm against the gold brick as Ani crept outside of a jungle-like alleyway, following the delicious scent to a populous patio. Mindless chatter filled the air above the tables, and it stuck with me how very human the whole scene was.

A lithe El Doradian lifted a crisp piece of corn with blackened grill marks. Ani sprinted from his hiding place, shattering the peace and snatching the piece of corn. He swallowed it before his paws touched the ground, earning the ire of the entire patio.

I let the memory go and reached for another.

Then another.

Then another.

Dozens of memories of irate El Doradians floated past as I watched Ani terrorize the locals. I felt no small measure of empathy for the unfortunate individuals who fell for his tricks as I absorbed and pieced together as much of the city and its populous as I could.

From my limited observations, there wasn't so much as a hint of unrest. The only crimes I witnessed were the ones conducted by my troublesome familiar. Neither raised a red flag nor a green, given the limited time and perspective of my observations.

Dozens more memories still lingered between our thoughts. Tiredly, I stretched my hand out to yet one more.

A burning bright blue and red light filled Ani's vision, burning through his closed eyelids. Only after it faded, dying down into a familiar pattern of curves and lines, did I realize I was watching the portal creation. For the first time, I understood my cat's perspective.

His eyes caught every slight twitch of my fingers, every twitch of my eyes. The affection he felt was overwhelming, and I left the memory for my final one of the evening.

Brilliant orange sunlight caught the challenge in Ranch's blue eyes. A squirm and a dash were Ani's answer to the challenge. They raced beneath surprised legs, tumbling along the street I recognized from our path to the tunnel. All paws studded to a stop with the appearance of two hulking–to the perspective of a cat–shadows that pried themselves from the dark. The shadows halted just as suddenly. Our–Ani's–spine arched back into a hiss, Ranch mirroring the movement.

One of the shadows shuffled forward, light catching on an unfamiliar hood. The movement elicited a growl from Ranch's throat, and the figure froze.

The other shadow shuffled forward, knees pressing into the ground and arms parting from their sides. Beckoning fingers stretched palm-up from the shadowed shirt.

Ani cautiously accepted the offered invitation, sensing a possibility for attention. He moved forward until his nose kissed the scarred fingertips. Slowly, to avoid raising any alarms, the cloaked figure reached up inside his cloak, pulling out a pack of cat treats. My foolish and overly trusting cat eagerly took one.

The man brushed the evidence of his fingertips. The first shadow, his slightly taller companion, nudged him with an elbow. As the cloaked figure stood, Ani's eyes caught a glimpse of the bright red scars that crept down his cheek, ending at the top of his neck. He reached up, pulling the hood lower and erasing the evidence into the shadows.

With a final pat of acknowledgment, he said farewell to Ani and returned the nudge of his companion. The taller shadow's head bobbed, and he stepped back, disappearing into the shadows.

The cloaked figure confidently walked toward the cavern walls, feet away from the start of the tunnel. He stepped through them without stopping, leaving me with yet another mystery.

--

I AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG. Long story short, I had to get my cat on a feeding tube, and I've been overly cautious about the whole thing. Feeding him has been eating up my free time (hah). On the bright side, not only has my job been generous enough to give me enough time to go home and feed my cat multiple times a day, but I also got moved to full-time AND got a dollar-per-hour raise!!EVEN BETTER, I now have his feeding down, so I should be able to release another chapter or two this week! Also, my boy is doing great on the feeding tube, so hopefully, he'll be off it soon!!!For anyone waiting, thank you for your patience! Hayden's getting closer to stepping foot into a new world!