The Black Cat

Chapter 9 Hidden Key

"Rayne!"

I slid into a metal trashcan and all of its stuffing fell on me. The stench did its most to stop me, but I kept running in the rain.

"Rayne!" I called louder approachiing the isle of the backyards near our fort.

I splashed and dashed through all the puddles that filled holes left unattended and unwanted by previous residents.

As always I avoided the rusted bear trap left by an old hunters family from years before. Since I was typically always alone, I just left it there making sure that I never got close to it. Now that Gunther's an ally, maybe he can get rid of it.

"Snowbelle?"

I stopped in my tracks. I tried to keep a positive expression, but now was not the time to stop me from my quest. "Oliver."

The orange cat chuckled and turned the corner he hid behined. He glanced at me up and down and hissed. "You smell of garbage. Is this where you live Snowbelle? It's terrible."

"Oliver, I don't have time to deal with you right now. I must keep going."

"Yes yes yes," he said in a offended voice. "I have been looking for you for quite some time now. Sorry to find you in this...dump though." Oliver's green eyes shined in the rising sun. He was not his regular happy self, no. He was serious. His serious face was much more menacing than his owner's gun collection.

"Do you need something Oliver?" I asked loosing the need to rush back to Rayne. If Oliver was here looking for me with a serious manner, it had to be something urgent.

"Erin, this place is quiet dangerous as you know, but...you must know that everything is not as basic and easy going like before." Oliver came closer to me. "There are strange men here . Men that have powers over the smaller people of this town."

"What do you mean?"

Oliver flicked his tail back and forth as if thinking. "I will tell you this much, but if I do promise me you will look out with a closer eye. Promise me," his voice came out harsh and demanding, "promise you wll be safe."

"I promise," I muttered trying to make sense of it all.

"All powerfull leaders here are looking for this...key you may call it. It is very important. It opens...something unheard of-."

"Money? Humans love money."

Oliver nodded. "Yes that and other things beyond that. Just- I just had to tell you that Erin. You must leave this horrid town if you want to live. We are not alone in this search."

"We? Who is we?"

Oliver sighed and turned away. "Erin, don't ignore me."

Before I could even respond, Oliver dissapeared around the corner he came from. Everything around me grew louder as I was frozen agianst Oliver's words. I thought and thought agian about every word he said.

"The key was stolen wasn't it?" I questioned under my breath. Somewhere in me, I knew I was right about it.

"Rayne?"

The harsh rain outside grew stronger over time. It turned from small rain into thunder and lightning.

I slipped out of the rain and into a small hole in the south east side of the house I made a long time ago.

Gunther was on the other side waiting for me with a angry glare. "Where were you? It's been hours, no more than that! Rayne has been...well she keeps seeing this person that she says is hunting her. A while ago she said he had you."

I nodded. "I've seen the man...shadow that is hunting her. I think there is something more to all of this Gunth. A girl who can speak to animals, that same girl being hunted, and a wanted stake on having a special key. Gunther, something big is happening."

"Erin?" a low troubled voice whispered. "Erin!"

Rayne rushed into kitchen and threw her arms around me. "He had you Erin. I dreamed about it."

I shook Rayne loose and glared at her. "Rayne! If you want me and Gunther to keep protecting you, you must tell us what you know. You are keeping something from us and we need to know what we are rising our lives for. The shadow man was not a simple joke. He wasn't even a complex one!"

Rayne sat back on her ankles and looked from me to Gunther over aand over agian. "I...Erin...Gunther...No I-." She stood up and walked out of the kitchen. "We have to go somewhere quiet and hidden. I will tell you what he told me."