Witching Hour (complete)

(3) Sweet dreams

'There you are,'
I say when I open the window for my cat.

'I see you brought your friend with you again, well, come on in then,'
My cat is a beautiful, big, white English Maine Coon with green eyes, just like mine. His friend, who I think is homeless, is a small grey cat. Her eyes are weird but so, so pretty. They aren't the shape like you expect a cats eye to have, but are more shaped like an almond and have a bright blue color. She has a tiny nose you just want to boop all day. Two really different cats, yet they fit so well together. The grey cat reminds me of my sister. Like the cat she is small, with hair that glows in the sun, and the same almond shaped eyes. That's why I call the cat Rose. My cat's name is Sammie, named after my dad Samuel. They sit in front of their bowls, looking at me with expectation written in their eyes. I look at the clock and see what I had predicted, eight o'clock, dinner time for Sam and Rose.

I put some food and water in their bowls before I start making homework. When I am sure they have enough and they're both purring happily, I start. First up: algebra. I really need to get my grades up. It takes an hour of hard work before I'm finished. I still don't get it, but maybe, if I remember just enough, I will get a sufficient. After that I start Latin. It's hard for sure, but somehow the language attracts me. I hear the cats are finished eating. I see Rose walking back outside to hunt some birds, but Sammie decided he wants attention. He jumps on my desk and lays between my arms. When I don't pet him enough, he moves and makes plans to sleep over my books. That's when I lift him up and set him outside.

'Go play with Rose,' I say. He looks at me disgruntled. Then he points his tail up, turns his butt at me and walks away. I sit down again and slowly work through my homework, sucking up every new word and printing it in my head. Then I close my book and put it together with my algebra books in my backpack for tomorrow. I reach out for my laptop, thinking about the other lessons I have tomorrow. Need to pack those books too. Just three other lessons next to Latin and algebra, nice. I pack the books and close my laptop. I walk over to my window, I always leave it open for the cats, but close the curtains. After that I crawl under my blankets. Rose and Sammie come back in from their evening stroll through the neighbourhood and settle for their sleeping spots. I see the curtains move slightly as they walk past them.

'No, you can't sleep on my head, you silly,' I say to Sammie when he tries to lie on my forehead. He growls when I try to move him, but eventually he settles for my neck, just fine. He licks his paw for a while, deciding if he likes this spot or is going to move. His eyes go back to my forehead, then my neck. When he is finished he curls up to a little ball, with his tail over his face, tickling my ear. He chose to stay where I placed him. Rose prefers to sleep on the ground, I watch her disappear in the drawer under my bed, which I left open for her. I set my alarm for tomorrow and go to sleep.

That night I had nightmares again. I see the faces of my parents float by. No, no don't drive dad, you will kill us. Please listen to me, you know I'm right. It is storming outside so hard, why would we. I'm sure mum's boss wil understand. Then the screaming starts. Over and over again I hear my mom screaming. I am screaming too. Mom! Mom! Where are you? I can't reach you! Daddy, why is your neck so weird? Please talk to me. Say something! Rose? Rose? Why are you so silent? Somebody help! Then I see the driver, in shock. Call somebody! Call the ambulance, don't just stand there. But he did, he waited so long, so long. Later, in court, I heard he stood there for an hour, before another car past by that saw what happened.
Rose, where are you Rose? Sammie wakes me up several times by licking my nose, but every time I fall asleep again the nightmares return.

I am awoken by my cat hissing to something. I open my eyes slightly, just enough to see. First I try to calm down Sammie and Rose, but then I see someone standing in my room, eyes focused on me. I don't know how long the person stood there. I shoot straight up in bed, fear is gripping my heart when I try to scream, but something stops me, like there is a lock on my voice. Almost at the same time, Rose and Sammie suddenly calm down.

The person starts speaking: 'You have a good pair of protectors at your side, they didn't even give me the change to enter silently,' she says, while looking at my cats. I can her from her voice she is a woman. I just stare back, baffled. 

She continues: 'Sorry I had to scare you, but given your current housing problem I had no choice. Did your grandmother say anything to you about you?'

'What do you mean, about me?' I say, finding my voice again.

'Well, maybe something about special gifts, or weird things in the family,' she answers.
I think for a moment before I answer. 'Apart from screaming to me it's all my fault and dinner is ready, next to nothing,' After a short period of silence, my lamp flicks on. Nobody moved, it just went on. 

'That's that. Now at least you can see me,' she says.

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Good morning everyone,

So noticed I had readers, and I am really happy. Now I have someone to write for. At the same time it makes me nervous, because I don't know what you think of my story. I just wanted to say college has started, and it makes uploading regularly a bit harder, sorry if I don't post a new part within 5 days or so.

Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy it!

Have a lovely day,

Me