cigarette | h.s

chapter 16 | do it

the song for this chapter is Somebody's Watching Me by Rockwell :)

Greyson

It's been a week and I got a cat.

Well, "got a cat" is a broad term, I guess I took him?

I've started to go on walks every morning before work to get coffee and to help clear my mind. The first day I started, the blue eyed, black cat that was at Phoenix's grave somehow managed to take the ferry and end up in the city. It started with me giving him a small pet on his head when he was perched outside of my apartment building, to him going on the walk with me. The pads of his paws would tap on the concrete as we walked to my favorite coffee shop, I would get my usual and get him a small cup of milk. After I got home from work, I would put food out for him and he would wander off into the night.

After a few days, and no sign of an owner, I decided to take him to the vet. The veterinarian told me that he was a stray with no owner and seemed to be like that since he was a kitten. He needed a few shots and right after the appointment, I went to the pet store, got food, toys, and dishes, and decided I wanted to adopt him. I named him Leo and he is the most perfect cat. Iris loves him too and even started to paint a painting of him for my room.

Leo has helped to keep some form of calmness and stability in my life and has put my attention on him, and not the chaos going around me. He's been coming with me to work, and today is no different.

It's cloudy and a little chilly today, so I decided to put on a chunky sweater and jeans with my converse. I said bye to Iris before grabbing my tote bag as Leo prances next to me, walking out the door as I open it. Our walk to work was nice, it's not too hot today and feels like it I going to rain. The perfect day for going to work: not that many customers and I can read for most of my shift. We got to the coffee shop where I got our usual order before walking to the bookstore to open it for the day.

The smell of stale cigarettes and books fills my nose as I enter the small book store, flipping the sign to 'open' and setting my bag down as Leo jumps onto the couch near the window, sprawling out onto the only sun spot on the leather. I set my bag and coffee down, putting the milk near Leo, heading towards the back of the room before I stop in my footsteps.

Wait, why does it smell like cigarettes? I don't smoke in here. no one else is allowed to smoke in here.

Fuck.

Someone's been in here.

The sound of something clattering on the ground fills the room as my hand shoots to my pocket, pulling out my pocket knife I've been carrying around recently.

Someone's in here.

Leo makes his way over as I try to grab him before he hops out of my arms and follows the noise, me follow behind him, knife in hand. I slowly follow behind Leo, making sure my footsteps are quiet as I walk along the old wooden floors, avoiding the creaking floorboards. The sound of soft breathing gets louder as I approach the back of the store, Leo meowing loudly at whoever is back there. I slowly crept around the wooden bookshelf, seeing a tall figure in the shadow, their back faced to me, my nerves heightening and hands shaking.

I cannot be scared. I have the upper hand here. This person doesn't know I'm behind them and I have a weapon. I decided to swallow my nerves, slowly creeping up behind the shadowed figure, tapping them on the shoulder. As the mysteries figure turns around, I have the knife positioned right at their neck. A pair of green eyes meet mine as I realize it's Harry, the knife still positioned at his throat.