The Last Time

The cat has a tongue

"I can help you, Paul."

I stand still in absolute shock. Did a cat just speak to me? I can't even make a sound to scream or question it. The cat speaks again after a moment. "I know how to get him back."  I scramble to get away from this.. thing and back into the kitchen cabinet. "Why are you talking right now?" is all I can say.

The cat stalks over slowly. I grab anything I could from the counter and hold it in front of me to stop him. "Why are you holding a spatula in my face, is the better question." I look at my weapon and instead of the knife I thought I had grabbed, I was in fact holding a spatula. I jut it out further to assert any possible dominance "My choice of weapon is not what you should be worried about. It's how I'll use it if you don't tell me why a stray cat is speaking to me."

I hear a sigh come from my opposer and he sits. "I guess I should if I'm ever going to get you to trust me. My name is Callum Lockett Defurus. I used to be a regular cat until I met that Neil guy. Real unpleasant fellow. He once locked me in a cage for three days straight and no litter box, eugh."

"Can we get to the point, please? My fiancé just got kidnapped." That seemed to knock the cat back into the story since he continued, "Anyways, he picked me up off the streets one day. Thought I was going to get a regular home, but he starting chanting some words in English, I assume, and all of a sudden I understood what he was saying. I tried meowing at him but instead of my usual language, I said a whole bunch of mixed words. I'm not sure what I said, but he seemed ecstatic that his spell worked. Ever since then I've been stuck in the basement." I feel pretty bad for this guy. All he wanted was a home, not to be turned into some experiment.

"So what did you mean when you said you could help me. Do you know any spells that can teleport him back?" Callum shook his head, "No, but I do know the way to Neil's house. I bet he's keeping him in the basement. That's where everyone goes when Neil brings them." I meant to ask him what he meant by "everyone" but I'm too focused on Dean that I forgot. I put the spatula down and walk past Callum to the bedroom.

I dig in the closet for a bag and start stuffing items I think I'll need. I throw in flashlights, a pocket knife, a compass, a first aid kit, extra clothes, black gloves and a hat for blending in with darkness.

"What are you going to need all this stuff for? We're taking the bus, not a hike." I stop zipping the bag to look at him. "Well I just figured, since you're a talking cat and all, that an evil wizard guy would live, you know, not near civilization." Callum laughs at me. I didn't even know cats could laugh.

"You need to stop reading fantasy books. It's making you deluded." I feel like I'm being gaslit by the magical cat but I let it slide and continue zipping the bag.

"Well it's better to be safe than sorry. The bus might brake down after all." Callum sighs and walks out of the room. I've asserted dominance once again.

I follow the black cat into the living room where I relive the moments of the morning and feel less ready than I did a second ago. Luckily I didn't get to dwell on it much longer because Callum started explaining the bus times to me and how to time it perfectly.

"If we take the 11:30 bus to Shinesdale, we have a three minute interval to get on the 12:15 bus to Hopson, which is where Neil lives. From there we can just walk a couple blocks and we're there. It's a pretty tight schedule but as long as nothing goes wrong we should be good." I nod as I hoist my bag over my shoulder. "Alright, we should going then. Can't stay in here much longer."
Callum walks over to still open front door and out of the house.

I'm about to go with him until I remember the spell book. I grab it and put it in my bag with the other stuff. I know Callun said he doesn't know any spells, but I don't want any one else getting ahold of it. And who knows, maybe I can learn some on the way.