The may have started at nine, but to be truthful, the day didn’t start until 7:35. When it started with an undeniably feminine scream. Hunter sat, squatting over the coffee table, non-stick pan raised above his head. Sweat poured down his forehead, stinging his unblinking eyes. A warm breeze blew through the open window, revealing the trash-filled floor of the ally, rustling the pages of the splayed books spilling onto the floor. He sat completely still, surrounded by the darkness of his own tiny apartment. The eerie silence was broken at last. His pan hand tensed, as a low guttural noise emanated from across the room. The pan flew, headed in the general direction of the beast. The sound of glass shattering filled the apartment.
The sound of claws skidded across the hardwood floors. Hunter lunged, aiming his body for the creature. The fight was a quickly finished, furious outlash. Claws flew, sinking into Hunter’s flesh as he screamed and hurled the ball of fur. The creature skid out of sight once more.
Hunter stood, paralyzed, waiting for the creature of darkness to make its move. The clock blinked, the sound of nothing once more an present entity. He glanced at it, certain he’d seen something, a movement of some kind. Suddenly the kitchen crashed, pots fell, clanging on the floor. A flash of fur darted past, Hunter jumped back onto the coffee table, protecting his ankles from ambush. His skin stung, the cut on his jaw beginning to bleed. A wisp of dry air permeating the apartment fro He surveyed the apartment, looking for the beast once more. The darkness helped the creature, but soon, thought Hunter. Soon.
For the next five minutes he sat, sweating, stinging, completely still. His heart racing in anticipation. The lights flickered; he looked widely for the beast. The lights finally coming completely on, illuminating the brick walls and worn furniture. Before him sat a gray tabby, and a shabby looking one at that. “You gotta be kidding me” he muttered, slowly coming down from the table. The cat backed away, glaring in a suspicious manner, hesitant of it’s former foe. Hunter slowly knelt down to the floor extending his hand as a sweaty olive branch. The cat stood, motionless. Slowly padding forward to inspect his hand. Hunter reached out to touch the cat’s head, rubbing behind his ear. The cat purred, pushing his head farther into Hunter’s out stretched hand. Hunter chuckled under his breath. “A goddamned cat. I almost just broke my leg. For a goddamned cat.” He smirked, and inspected the cat. A tabby, whose face; a soft gray was interrupted by scars cutting across it’s nose. 