The Extent of Love

8

Her eyes flickered open.

It was still dark. Early. Purring rumbled on her chest and near her head, and there was a heavy weight on her legs.

4:34 stood in red against the black.

"Shadow, move kitty," she muttered, her cats head snapping up as she motioned off of her, the cat jumping off and landing on the bed, waking the other by her head.

Yawning, she stretched, Odele -who was previously on her legs- coming over to lick her face.

Forcing herself onto staggering feet, she went to her window and pushed it open, early breeze sinking into her bones. Looking over the grounds, she watched to see if any movement caught her eye. A horse in an old field, lying down asleep. A dog that went outside to do its business. A few cats sharing their early morning prey.

Bathroom meant self-care, and self-care meant that paranoia had to fuck off. She brushed her teeth, cleaned her face, and put on her minimal make-up and deodorant.

Spinning on her heel, she went into her closet, looking through the selection of about fourteen hoodies and eight pairs of ripped jeans, with a few scattered t-shirts and wife beaters.

It was warmer out, but the silver lines on her wrist did nothing getting shown. It was nobody's business how many times she'd wanted to die.

Throwing on a camo hoodie and jeans, she went into her room, tidying up.

Something was thrown out of her head.

"Skexi, if that was another mouse," Rulyn turned to the window, a bearded vulture sitting on the ledge, eyes looking right at her. Pulling whatever it was out of her hair, she discovered that Skexi was getting more original. "Wow. Rat skeleton. You know how to please me, truly."

She threw the skeleton to the bird, who chomped down on it, eating whatever she could get out of it.

"Don't do it again," she sighed, as the bird squawked and flew off, the sound of wings fading.

Her animals followed at her feet as she left, grabbing her bag and sparing a glance at the clock. She was still on time to get to the kitchen if she hurried.

Running through the halls, she skipped the elevator and ran down the stairs, avoiding the walls which were outfitted with cat-walks and shelves.

When she got to the main hall, she opened the main door with the keypad and went along, animals running out as a bug net fell from the ceiling, coating the entrance.

Rushing to the kitchen, she realized that, once again, she was first. God, people really needed to hurry- she was ten minutes early. Oh well.

Starting up some of the machinery, lights, bread, and vegetable chopping, she got on her tablet and went to work on seeing what needed to happen to make ends meet this month.

Same as all the others, besides more outside supplies being needed... and she had to worry about Alfie. He better be safe. If he wasn't... she'd send that Russian to the Wendi's. It was almost amusing to think of, a nation torn to shreds by overprotective sinners.

She felt something slither over her foot and looked down.

King Cobra.

"Bruh," she said, picking up the snake and wrapping it around her neck like a scarf, the cobra scenting her for a bit before finding the counter more interesting. It, actually he, curled up on the counter, looking towards her with his black eyes. "Do you want food?" the snakes head bobbed, and Rulyn took out her stick, checking the collar on his neck and connecting it to her tablet, registering everything about the animal. Heart rate, breathing, illnesses, genetics, origin, and most important: last time fed. Exactly seven days ago. Cobra could count.