Ch. 24 A Lost Cat (1)

Sswaaa.

On the tenth day since my disappearance from home, it rained continuously throughout the day. I didn’t know where I was, and I was just moving as fast as I could to get out of the downpour.

Right now, visiting my mother was not my priority. I needed to recharge and gather more energy from the moonlight so I could become a person again. I couldn’t tell my mom that her daughter had turned into a cat after all.

“Achoo!”

My fur was drenched with rainwater, and I could feel a deep chill soak me to my core. Even though this body was several times more resilient than normal cats, I was not invincible.

After I had run away from home, I tried to set my sights on someplace suitable to live in, just like the rooftop garden. But the world wasn’t very friendly. I had forgotten that fact in the comfort offered by Tae-il’s home. It was much easier to accept the security he gave to me without thinking much of it, much like the protective arms of one’s parents—that is, until you had to leave them and struggle in the world on your own.

“Mya…” (I shouldn’t have left…)

Rain dripped down my eyes and nose, and I shook the water off my ragged fur. With Tae-il, my coat was always dry and smooth and soft.

My sore paws squished on the wet ground. I wanted to go home. I didn’t even want to be with my mother. I wanted to go home to Tae-il.

I struggled to bite back my tears when I suddenly realized the surrounding area looked familiar.

“…Huh?”

I walked to the corner of the street, moved back to the center, then looked forward again. Then I looked at each side and then back where I came from. I couldn’t believe it! I recognized this street from when I was a person!

“Oh!”

I hadn’t noticed immediately because of my lowered perspective as a cat, but this was the neighborhood where a friend from university lived. She had moved from the countryside and lived by herself, and whenever there was a group assignment, I would head to her place.

I recalled the face of my friend, who I kept in touch with periodically, and my spirits lifted for the first time since I ran away. The pain in my foot was momentarily forgotten as I headed to her home with renewed purpose. My friend loved cats, so this could work out. I wonder if she still lived in the same place?

I walked quickly at first, and then broke into a run. Hope and optimism crowded out every other thought. My friend was a reliable and trustworthy person, and I knew that she would take care of me once I told her what was going on.

Because she lived in a semi-basement, her room was partially below ground. The stickers on the window were familiar. She still lived here!

I rapped my paw against the glass.

Kang kang!

“Ga-eun!” I urgently called out her name with my human voice. The angel of death had warned me to hide my identity from everyone, but one person already knew, so what was one more?

I just wanted to rest. I was so exhausted that I couldn’t think of anything else.

There was a familiar voice in reply.

“Who’s there?”

“Are you there, Ga-eun? It’s me!” I said excitedly.

“Who—?”

Kaga, kaga. I nosed against the window of the semi-basement and scratched it with my claws.

I had no doubt Ga-eun would welcome me. She liked me, and she liked cats. It was the perfect arrangement.

The rusty window creaked open, and I saw her looking out from inside. From behind her I spied a fluffy blanket, and the television was blaring the sounds of laughter. It looked like nothing less than heaven.

“Ga-eun! I—”

I was overjoyed at the expectation of being able to rely on civilization again, and I approached her.

However, she was not as enthusiastic to see me as I was. In fact, she was wide-eyed and frozen.

“…Kkeuaaag?!”

“Huh? Um—”

“Kyaaa! Kyaaa!”

I tried to explain the situation to my terrified friend, but she was beyond reason that I didn’t have the chance.

Kwang!

Ga-eun screamed hysterically in my face and then banged the window shut. I was equally as stunned, and I was frozen to the spot.

There was a click and a rush as the window was locked and the curtains were yanked shut. Loud thumping sounds continued inside the semi-basement room, and Ga-eun kept screaming as if she had witnessed a nightmare or a monster.

“No way! What was that?!” she yelled in a high-pitched voice.

I backed away in surprise. Ga-eun didn’t even stop screaming inside. I could hear several people begin to gather to her room, concerned by her frightened screams.

“What?! What’s going on?”

“It’s the girl from the basement.”

“What is it?”

Aaaagh! I turned away and fled from Ga-eun’s place.

I was a monster! No one was going to accept me. Devastated by my own stupidity, hot tears began to prick my eyes.

I wanted to see Si-yul.

***

I had no idea how long I had run, but I finally found an abandoned cardboard box in an alley. I needed somewhere where I could rest my anxiety-ridden and faltering body.

My nose sniffed the air and I deduced the box was sufficient to keep me out of the rain for a while. I went inside the makeshift shelter and collapsed. In spite of the rain, it was a busy alley, and I huddled up in a ball. My body was too exhausted to move.

I surrendered. Trying to form thought was difficult, and any stimulation of my senses was bothersome. I closed my eyes with a groan.

I sensed someone crouch in front of me.

“Kitty?”

I opened my eyes to see a small boy with a red umbrella and a small black plastic bag. He squatted in front of me, and didn’t seem to be going anywhere.

I closed my eyes again, not having the energy to lift my head.

Was he going to throw stones at me? I sarcastically wondered if he was going to kill me, but I only curled up my body even tighter.

“What’s wrong, kitty?” The boy roughly poked me in the back, whether out of concern or out of intent to taunt me.

“Kaaak!” (Go away!)

I didn’t have the strength to chase him off or run away, but I hissed and bared my teeth at him. The boy didn’t leave and simply stared down at me.

“Are you hungry?”

“Mya…” (You’re troublesome…)

I just wanted to fall asleep, and maybe when I opened my eyes, I’d be on the other side. The angel of death had said that this body wasn’t immortal…though I’d rather prefer that I just fall asleep.

Suddenly, the rain stopped pouring over me. I looked up, and I saw that the red umbrella was carefully placed over the box.

The child was already running off into the rain.