The Black Cat

Chapter 12 Lemons

"4345 Cooland's Drive," I whispered under my breath. "Oliver? Are you there?"

I eyed the open window on the second floor. No matter how hard I tried, I could never take a direct root to the window. Going around the neighborhood and taking the rooftops would take too long. I'm wasting time just thinking.

The alleyways would most likely prove the best passageway. I will start there.

The once lively room of Oliver's was now a dark ghost filled room. It was cold and unwanted as if nothing ever good happened here.

Once comepletely inside, I did my best to close the window and melt into a shadow. With everything silent, I made my way to the door.

Silent upstairs, but it seemed everything was happening downstairs. Wild voices rose with many people in the room. Though full of life, the meeting downstairs did not seem like it was held on good terms. The words were violent when I reached to top of the stairs.

I leaned over the top and watched the only thing I could safely, the shadows on the wall.

Like I thought, there were many people at a field of arguments. It was sickening.

A long hiss filled my ears and I tore away from downstairs. I turned to my right and arched. I snarled at the creature who first alerted me.

"You're in my house, don't you dare disrespect me." Oliver emerged from the shadows. "I told you to leave Erin. Not to seek refuge in my home! You don't understand what danger you have just put yourself in."

"Oliver I came here to ask you a few questions about all this. One, your master is looking for the key? Isn't he?"

Oliver hissed. "This is no place for that! Get out of here!"

"Isn't he!" I swiped at Oliver's face and sulked back into a shadow. "Answer me!"

"Yes," he snapped hiding in a shadow as well. "He is."

"Did...did he have something to do with that little boy's death?" My voice was uneasy as I tried to pull links together.

"Absolutely not!" Oliver snarled. "He would never..."

"I know you know of him, who is the shadow man?"

Oliver went silent. "I...No one knows. That's why my owner invited him, that's why you must leave."

"A key and a girl, that's what everyone is looking for. Oliver, why do they need the girl. What can she do?"

Oliver was once agian silent. He rose from his shadow and looked down at me. "I don't know."

I did the same. "This talk was more worthless than a stack of lemons Oliver. You lied to me. I am me, but who are you? What does the key unlock? Why does your owner want it? Why is the shadow man after the prize as well? What is it Oliver?!"

Oliver looked down and then jumped down the stairs. "Leave Erin," were his last words to me.

I swiped the air and turned toward the window I came from only to face a rising shadow coming out of the ground. "Lemons."