“Honey, please don’t distract me with all sorts of nonsense, I have lots of work to do. You better go and read a book. It’s your favorite pastime, isn’t it?” mother looked at me friendly and went into the garden.
I indeed adore reading. I imagine myself as the main character of the book and it seems so thrilling and compelling.
I was left alone in this dusty, old attic. I don’t understand anything. Where is he? I was about to go downstairs, but then something rustled behind me. I looked around and saw him – the big ginger cat, blinking at me with his ruby eyes! His look was so captivating, it felt as if holes were being drilled into my very being, his mechanically swinging tail hypnotized me, forcing me to withhold an exclamation of surprise which otherwise threatened to break out. He sat on a pile of random boxes as if he was the king presiding over his vast kingdom; a truly regal sight.
“Are you looking for me, my friend?” he questioned, pulling me out of my trance.
I remained silent for a few moments since it took me some time to realize that I actually understand what the cat is saying.
“Y-you can talk! A-and I understand you! It’s… incredible!” I finally exclaimed.
The cat looked at me with the same ruby orbs and deftly jumped off the boxes.
“Of course, I can talk, naive child. Everyone knows how to talk, don’t they?” he spoke like a true aristocrat. He settled down opposite me and straightened his back.
“Who are you?” I asked him. “Why do you live alone in the attic of this house?”
“Why don’t you tell me who you are and why do you live alone in this house?” he asked.
I didn’t understand what he was going on about, so I got a tad annoyed. “What? No! I know who I am and I definitely don’t live alone”.
“Oh... Are you sure?” the cat questioned with a wily smile. “Silly, my naive little child, you don’t even notice what is right under your nose. New house, new bedroom, yet no friends and no fun, no parents’ attention, because they’re busy and they don’t care for things like ‘stray cats’. You’re lonely, but you don’t realize it. Am I wrong?”.
I don’t know why, but I couldn’t think of anything to retort, so I kept silent.
Pacing around, he continued. “Trust me, I’m no simple cat. I know that you’d like for things to be different and I can help you with that. Do you wish to know how?”
I kept silent, doubting the truth of the matter, but something pushed me to agree.
“Yes,” I muttered. “I do.”
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