We had been sitting there for I don't know how long, a couple of minutes or a couple of hours, when we heard large footsteps coming down the stairs. I looked up and the witch was standing at the half way mark on the stairs.
"It's time to eat." she said before turning and walking back up the stairs. It suddenly came to my attention that I hadn't eaten since yesterday. I was starved.
Cooper and I both went up the stairs. Two plates of raw meat were on the floor in the kitchen. Cooper walked up to one and started eating, but I was repulsed. Raw chicken? Gross! The witch must have noticed my hesitation because I heard her say from above me "Eat. If you don't eat now you won't eat until tomorrow. I suggest now."
I walked forward and tried not to be repulsed. I grabbed a piece in my mouth. It felt so wrong. The meat was cold and slimy, yet it was the best tasting thing to me right now.
I ate quickly, cleaning my plate in no time. I was tempted to lick the remaining blood left on the plate but the witch grabbed both of our plates and put them in what I assume is a sink.
I can't be sure since I'm so close to the ground. I licked my lips and rubbed my face. "Now go to the lounge, we have things to talk about Ash." The witch said. I looked up in time to see her turn around and head down the hallway, where I assume the bedrooms are.
I walked into the lounge to find the TV still on. The news was still on and they were covering the candle lit vigil for me. The sun hadn't set yet but lots of people were already there. My friends and family were all crying. It felt like a kick in the chest to see it. Footsteps thudded behind me and the TV turned off. The witch sat down on the couch and pulled out a manila folder.
"As you know, right now Ash Sanders is officially dead. You have no home to go back to. This house is now your home and you are going to work for me. I am a witch and I sell my services." "Why-" "Rule FOUR! Speak when spoken to. Did you HEAR me say you could speak?" The witch raised her voice. I shook my head timidly.
"Good. You are now my familiar. You are bound to me. You probably know already that you can't escape the house, but you can't enter my son's and I's bed chambers. If you are working, you won't be able to run away. The bond will make you come back, no matter how hard you try to fight it. Only death can separate us now." She said matter-of-factly while she crossed her ankles as she pulled a photo out of the folder.
It was a sheet of paper with a photo of a woman on it. Underneath the photo was some information. "This woman, " she continued, "Is Isabelle Clarke. She's 27. Her husband believes she is cheating on him and wants her to be followed. Their address is on that paper. Memorize her face. I am going to drop you off near the cafe she goes every morning before work. It is only two blocks away from were she works. You will follow her to her work and watch her. Understood?" The witch asked. I nodded silently.
"You will meet me in the lounge tomorrow morning at 7 sharp." The witch got up and walked away with a flourish, leaving me with the photo. I looked down and read the information under the photo. It described her daily routine and where she worked. I read through it a couple of times after memorizing her face, but I would constantly be distracted.
My poor family. Were they coping? I missed them so much. I just wanted to hear their laughter again.
The clock read ten-thirty-nine as I let out a yawn. Cooper came trotting over to me. "Come on, let's go to sleep." He walked off and I followed him. We used the cat flap and went outside into the darkness. With my new sight I was able to see everything like it was dusk. The light of the half moon lit up the night as Cooper led me to the back of the house. There was a patio with a couple of chairs and a table. Cooper jumped up on a chair and curled up. "It gets a bit cold sometimes, but I would rather be cold then sleep in the same house as that evil witch." He said by way of explanation.
I agreed with him and jumped up on another chair. My paw had stopped hurting a couple of hours ago thankfully. I tried to get comfortable on the chair. These were out door chairs, made of hard plastic with no sort of cushioning. I eventually got comfortable and closed my eyes. "Goodnight Cooper." I say tiredly. "Goodnight Ash." He replied.
I had trouble sleeping, thinking about my family. My sleep was fitful, and I'd wake up with every foreign sound. I had been camping before, but then I had had the comfort of my family's calm, deep breathing to lull me to sleep. Now I was sleeping next to a stranger.
When sunrise came, it came too soon. I hadn't gotten a full night's sleep and my emotions were shot.
I quietly got up before the sun had peaked over the horizon and went inside. I didn't want to know what would happen if I was late. When I walked in I found Eleanor and her son eating breakfast together, quietly talking together. Eleanor had a cup of coffee she was sipping and if I didn't know any better, I would say she was a normal single mother. Bonding with her child over breakfast.
As soon as the witch saw me her smile disappeared. "Good, you're up. We leave in half an hour." I turned to the lounge and decided to sit and wait, listening to the witch and her son talking. Almost like a regular family. I heard the clinking of plates and glasses as they were put in the sink. I heard footsteps and a thunk from behind me.
"Get in." I heard from behind me. I turned to find a cat carrier open in-front of me. I got in reluctantly. As soon as I was all the way in the witch slammed the cage door shut. The carrier was lifted and I lost my balance. I fell with a thump onto my side. I peered out of the carrier door and watched as the carrier was carried outside. The backdoor to the car was opened and the carrier was buckled in place. The door shut before the front drivers side opened and the witch got in the car.
The witch turned on the radio as she backed out of the drive way. I saw her wave to someone, her son I'm guessing before she sped down the road.
I was silent the whole trip, while the witch hummed along to some classical music playing on the radio. The witch pulled into a parking lot and got out of the car, opening the back door and opening the cat carrier. I got out and looked around.
"Be here at 7 pm sharp." Was all the witch said before she got back in the car and drove off. I was in a small park next door to the cafe. It was empty at this time of morning, the jungle gym sat silent and motionless except for the crows sitting on the monkey bars. I sat down on the dewy grass by the foot path and waited. Not too long after a silver car like the one Isabelle had parked across the road from the cafe. I watched as she got out and walked towards the cafe. When she was inside, I walked over and looked through the large windows.
Isabelle Clark was a conventionally beautiful woman, with long blonde hair and cherry red lips. She ordered her drink and sat at a table, typing away at her phone while she waited. She got up and got her drink, still typing away on her phone before sitting back down at the table.
She giggled at her phone, causing people to look at her. She payed them no mind as she kept typing away, stopping every so often to sip from her drink. She finished her drink and got up. I watched her as she left her mug on the table and grabbed her bag before making her way to the door.
I was beside the door and when she opened the saw she saw me. I freaked out for a second, thinking I had been caught watching her when she exclaimed "hey kitty, you're a little cutie aren't you?"
She reached out to touch me and I backed away. "Aww, maybe next time." She said pouting. I watched her walk to her car and drive off down the road into a parking garage. I walked along the foot past, following. By the time I made it parallel to the car garage Isabelle was walking out and further along the road.
Three buildings down and she went inside. I looked at the name and it was the building where she worked as a receptionist. I crossed the street and looked at the window.
A black cat with light blue eyes looked back at me. It shocked me. I moved my head and sure enough the reflection mirrored my action. Though it was stupid, my last hope of this all being a nightmare was dashed. I dismissed my thoughts and got back to the task at hand, fearing the witch's wrath.
The lobby was large and fancy, with a modern light fixture hanging from the high ceiling and a large glass water feature full of fat goldfish. Isabelle sat at the front desk with another young woman. They both looked up with a greeting every time some one entered the lobby.
A few minutes after I had been sitting there a tall man, maybe in his early thirties came through the door and walked towards the desk. Isabelle ran out from behind the desk and embraced the man. The man planted a kiss on her mouth and she returned it amorously.
Looks like she is indeed cheating on the Mister. Isabelle and mystery man head to a door that has a sign saying employees only.
I sit and watch the lobby for the rest of the day. Isabelle and mystery man came out half an hour after they went in and then went separate ways.
It was boring work but with the lingering words of the witch's threat playing in my head as I got comfortable in a bush opposite to the window and continued to sit and watch. Besides leaving for an hour long lunch break to go back down to the coffee shop, Isabelle stayed in the lobby.
At five thirty Isabelle started packing up her stuff. The mystery man appeared in the lobby from somewhere else in the building to give her a goodbye kiss and whisper some words in her ear that made her blush. Isabelle walked out of the building and tried to pet me once again.
I backed away, running off down the road to watch her get in her car. She drove off alone. I slowly made my way back to the place the witch left me.
The park was quiet at this time, only two teenagers sitting on the swing set could be seen. I stopped when I realized that I knew both of them. Josh and Rebecca! I was so happy to see them I ran to them. As I got closer I slowed down and listened to them talking.
"...The other day. I feel so guilty." He said. Josh looked like he was about to burst into tears. I remembered that conversation. I wish I had taken Rebecca up on her offer.
Rebecca looked down and hugged him. "Now she's in a better place, an angel in heaven." Rebecca reassured him. Tears fell from her eyes and into Josh's hoodie.
I wish it was true. In that moment I really wished that I had died instead of being forced to work for the person that ruined my life. At the same time I felt so guilty. I wanted to let them know I was really alive but I had no idea what the witch was really capable of.
The sun was setting as the witch's car parked in the car park. I rushed over to the car, worried what would happen if I made her wait, as the witch got out and opened the back door. I jumped in and got in the carrier before the witch slammed the door shut behind me.
We made the silent trip back to the house. I was relieved when the witch let me out of the carrier, it was making me nauseous from my claustrophobia. The witch put the carrier away before sitting on the couch and interrogated me. "Did you see anything suspicious?" She asked. The witch had a pen and a small notebook in her hands.
"She is defiantly cheating on her husband." I say. The witch starts writing. "Describe the person." She demanded.
I thought back to mystery man. "Tall, dark hair, in his early thirties." I recited.
"Who else knows?" the witch asked.
"Her work mate." I say.
"Good, good." The witch says absentmindedly. I shift nervously. I feel wrong, like I'm telling on somebody. Like I'm snitching on a friend.
The witch flips to a new page and scribbles something down. "Tomorrow I'm going to give you a note. Give it to her. You did a good job today." The witch says clearly dismissing me. I leave the lounge wanting to find Cooper. I look around the house but he isn't anywhere.
It's a big house, fairly new with two lounges, separated by the kitchen. The second lounge seems to be rarely used. A hallway comes off one of the lounge rooms and off that hallway are a couple of closed doors.
I go through the cat flap. It is getting dark now. Cooper is sitting on the couch watching something. I jump up on the couch beside him and try to see what he is looking at. The house across the street has their curtains open and through the window you can see a family.
The family is watching TV. They are sitting together laughing and smiling at each other, the parents leaning on one another, cuddling on the couch. The two older kids are also sitting on the couch while the youngest is sitting cross legged on the floor looking at the TV in wonder.
"My mum and I would eat dinner in-front of the TV watching those trivia game shows. Every night, it was a tradition." Cooper said. I looked over at Cooper. His sad face had been bleached by the moon, his green eyes reflecting the moonlight. "Tell me about your mum." I said.
"She is hard working. Ever since my dad left us when I was eight, my mum worked tirelessly to make sure I didn't miss out on anything. She is a chef and makes the best food ever. She rarely cooks at home because she wants to relax. But she always brings home stuff from the restaurant. She taught me how to cook and if I ever get out of this, I want to go to culinary school and make her proud." Cooper tells me proudly. I try to smile but it feels weird in this new form.
"Your mother sounds wonderful." I tell him.
"Your turn, what's your family like?" He asks, looking at me. Suddenly hauntingly beautiful music started drifting from within the house. I looked in surprise.
"It's Samwell. He's a musical prodigy from what I have over heard." Cooper explained. We sat listening to the music for a while before I spoke.
"My dad is a car salesman and my mum is a graphic designer. She also paints and has pieces up in galleries. My brother Adam, he's on the school football team. He plays video games a lot. He's younger than me, he's fifteen. Every Friday night we get together and hire a movie or two and buy some snacks." I tell him. "That sounds nice." Cooper tells me. We sit in silence again as the music stops but the memories of our families continue to haunt me.