Chapter Twelve
"Is she alright? Please tell me she's not dead! Oh gosh, oh gosh! This is terrible!"
"Calm down, Kit. She's not dead. Look, she's still warm."
Warmth surrounded my left cheek. I felt my muscles relax. This feeling... it felt like home. Who is this person? My mom? No. This voice is a boy's. Dad? No. I remember dad's voice being deeper. Then, who is he?
The warmth on my cheek subsided. Strangely, I felt sad that it did. I almost wanted to say what I couldn't do to my parents.
After the footsteps disappeared, I slowly opened my eyes, staring at a pure white ceiling.
"Am I in heaven?" I asked.
"Trinie!"
White fur rubbed against my face, blocking my whole view. I tore off Kit's death grip on my face.
"I'm so glad you're alive! Do you know how long you've been unconscious? Half an hour!" Kit rattled on about how worried she was so I toned her out, sitting up while looking around the unfamiliar room. White walls on all four sides, paintings of birds, a computer desk with a laptop, a book shelf, and a closet.
"Where are we?" I asked Kit after she finished.
Kit quickly jumped off the bed and heads out the door. "You must be hungry. Come eat! I'm starving!"
I blinked and removed the covers, doing another 360 on the room. It's plain but calming. Clean, too. I started to stand up until I realized something.
My clothes were different from earlier.
"Uh, Kit?"
Kit popped her head from the side of the door. Her cat ears twitched. "Yes?"
"H-How did I change clothes?" I asked, looking at my reflection with a Pikachu crop top with my white undershirt and jeans capris from a mirror across the room. I do not remember changing.
"Well, of course I changed you! I just had help from... someone. Since you're too heavy for me." She avoided eye contact and disappeared down the hall.
I felt uncomfortable about that "someone" helping me get changed while I was unconscious. But I'll find out later since my stomach has been growling ever since I woke up from this foreign place. Standing up, I also realized that I'm wearing fuzzy white socks.
I followed Kit through the hallway and down the stairs. Straight ahead was the dining room connected with the kitchen and a flat screen TV with black sofas. I didn't know what I expected to see, but I was still surprised. The place kind of looked futuristic. Black and silver covered almost everything.
Kit didn't seem amused by it at all. In fact, it looked like she knew the place like it was her own house.
"Hey, Kit, have you been here before?" I asked, taking a seat.
"Yeah! Many times." She suddenly stopped, bit her lip, and jumped on the counter.
"Whose house are we in?"
"Uhhh.. Hey! There's a letter on the fridge!" She jumped off the counter and bit on the letter. Using her weight, the letter slid down with the magnet. She lay the letter on the floor in front of her and read to herself.
I walked over to her. "What's it say?"
She smiled up at me, placing a paw on the letter. "Owner of the house says he's off with a friend. Dinner is in the fridge. Um, mind opening it?"
I bit the insides of my cheek at her response. She still didn't tell me who the owner is. Then it hit me. Was he the one that was talking to Kit earlier? Though I'm pretty sure it wasn't my dad.
"Hello? Trinie? Mind opening the fridge? I'm not the only one starving, am I?"
I shook my head in frustration.
"So you're not hungry? Can I eat all the Orange Chicken then?" Kit grinned.
"What?! Orange Chicken?" I opened the fridge and sure enough, it was Orange Chicken from Panda Express. I took the container out and placed it on the table.
Kit giggled. "Your second favorite food right?"
I rummaged around for a fork and stabbed one of the glimmering pieces of chicken. "Nope. Third."
"What?" Kit raised an eyebrow. "Then what's second?"
"Pancakes."
"But that's your first favorite."
"Nope."
"Then what's first?"
I put the chicken in my mouth. "Secret."
Kit hugged my face again. "You never tell me anything! I liked you better when you were still innocent and depended on me!"
"Mmmf!" I pulled her off my face. "Sorry to disappoint you, my cat guardian, but I am now big enough to hold my own fork." I took another piece of chicken and ate it.
"You make me sound like a mother watching her kids grow. And hey! Don't pig on the chicken! I have a stomach too, you know!" She dived in the bowl of Orange Chicken and we finished it before 5 minutes was up.
"Aaahh. I'm full," Kit said, rubbing her stomach.
I laughed. "A huge appetite from just a small stuffed animal cat."
"Don't underestimate the stomach of a cat!" She rolled over and groaned.
I looked at her then frowned. A flashback of the hospital visit and the burn of my back came back to me. "Tell me, Kit, did the house really explode?"
Kit sighed. "I'm so sorry, Trinie."
"How about the dalmatian?"
"I don't know about him, but..."
I bit my lip. "Do my parents know? That I'm here?" I asked, trying not to sound too worried, even though I am.
She smiled. "They know. Don't worry."
"But still, you haven't told me where 'here' is." I tried taking a peek at the letter that was on the fridge, but Kit slid it behind her. "For all I know, I could be in a kidnapper's house."
Kit didn't say anything and jumped down the table, the letter in her mouth. "Clean that up for me. Oh, and you should take a walk around. I have something to do."
I raised an eyebrow.
"You know, to go back to the Land of Talia." She headed up the stairs.
"Are you seriously not going to tell me where I am?" I stood up from my chair, glaring at her.
Kit looked back at me and smiled. "Take a walk. You'll find out soon enough." And she ran up the stairs.
I groaned. What's with everyone keeping secrets from me? Sure, it's meant to keep me safe but come on, I'm the victim here!
I dropped the empty bowl in the trash can and washed the fork in the sink, since it'd be embarrassing if the owners were to find a random dirty fork in their sink. After that, I sighed, thinking about my house, my parents, the letter by them. Really, what am I suppose to do now?
I opened the glass doors to the patio and looked around, my eyes widening at the sight. There was a big tree in the middle that provided shade. Before that though, there's a stream with a small bridge, lily pads, and small Koi fish. The place was well made for relaxing, so I took Kit's advice and took a walk. I took the exit from the backyard, a small wooden gate.
Heading toward the sidewalk, I only just realized the peaceful silence. The neighborhood was quiet. The wind sent a tiny breeze through the trees, just enough for them to sing and sway. I inhaled the fresh air and kept walking. This was a really good idea.
Walking farther into the edge of the unknown neighborhood, I saw a park. A park with swing sets, slides, monkey bars, you name it. It reminded me of the park I used to go to with my parents when I was younger. Only this one had a forest behind it.
The flashback made me frown a little, but I kept heading towards the park.
I sat on one of the swings, kicking the ground a bit, pushing me off the ground. Swings were always the best part in parks. Unlike the slide, you can just keep swinging by just a kick on your leg instead of going back up the stairs then down the slide. Then up again.
At the sky above me, I saw birds flying about, flapping their wings against the wind. I wish I can be them sometimes. Being able to fly is like being free from the world. I closed my eyes.
From a distance, I heard talking. I snapped out of my daydreaming and hopped out the swing, jumping inside a bush near the forest. Wait, why am I hiding? It's not like those people are kidnappers.
My eyes widened having caught sight of the peace intruding visitors.
Maybe it was a good idea to hide because the person that came was worse than a kidnapper.
Tom Evans.