The Smiling Cat: CatNap

Chapter 15: The Train

The flickering shadows of the caverns accompanied CatNap as he ascended toward the source of the crash. The unsettling revelation of a shattered ceiling led him just outside of Playcare, where a once-familiar symbol of joy had met its demise.

Emerging into the upper levels, CatNap was met with the surreal scene of the Train, a once-beloved attraction, now derailed and ablaze. The acrid scent of burning fabric filled the air as he approached the wreckage, his feline senses overwhelmed by the turmoil that lay before him.

The charred remnants of plush seats and twisted metal bore witness to the catastrophic event. Flames danced hungrily, casting an eerie glow on the devastation. CatNap's stitched brows furrowed in bewilderment, his eyes reflecting the turmoil within.

As CatNap navigated the debris, his sharp ears caught a distant groan. He followed the sound, and amidst the wreckage, he discovered a motionless human figure. The sight struck him with both shock and curiosity — a living being within the confines of the factory.

"A human...?" He thought to himself, "What's it doing here?"

The unconscious human lay sprawled amidst the remnants of the Play Train, only possessing a few scars, seemingly untouched by the fiery destruction. CatNap pressed his paw against the human's chest, to feel a rapid heartbeat.

"It's alive..." CatNap whispered to himself, "Sure, it's a bit worse for wear, but it still lives... It still breathes..."

CatNap decided to drop the unconscious human in the chute that led down to the trash compactor.

Forcefully, CatNap shoved the human down the chute, allowing gravity to carry them to an unkind fate below. The clatter of the chute door closing reverberated through the empty corridors as CatNap, his decision made, peered through the vents to witness the aftermath.

To his astonishment, the vents revealed a startling scene. The human, seemingly unharmed, moved with unexpected vitality. CatNap watched in silence as the once-motionless figure equipped themselves with a GrabPack, a tool designed for employees.

"What the-'' CatNap stammered quietly to himself, "It survived? How?"

The mysterious human, now armed with the means to navigate the facility, embarked on a journey into the shadows. CatNap's stitched smile curved into a perplexed expression as he contemplated the unfolding events. The Train's destruction had unearthed a new human in the dark drama that played out within the haunted walls of Playcare.

CatNap observed in silent vigilance as the mysterious human, equipped with a GrabPack, ventured deeper into the Playcare, and break into Home Sweet Home. The flickering shadows played upon the walls, concealing the feline guardian as he followed the intruder's every move.

As the human entered a dimly lit room, CatNap seized the opportunity to exercise the unconventional power bestowed upon him by the Prototype. His stitched eyes glowed with an otherworldly white hue as he carefully approached the room, the red poppy gas circulating within him ready to be deployed.

In the unseen corners, CatNap took a deep breath, inhaling the potent mixture of the synthetic gas within his respiratory system. With a controlled exhale, he released the red poppy gas into the room, an red smoky veil that wafted toward the unsuspecting human.

The air shimmered with a crimson glow as the red poppy gas diffused, reaching the intruder. Unbeknownst to the human, the gas carried with it a non-lethal but potent sedative effect – a sleep-inducing mist designed to render its victim's unconscious.

CatNap, hidden in the shadows, observed the gradual effect of the poppy gas. The human, now in the grip of an unforeseen slumber, swayed slightly before collapsing into a peaceful repose. The GrabPack, once wielded with purpose, now lay forgotten on the floor as the tendrils of the gas worked their tranquilizing magic.

As the intruder succumbed to the effects of the red poppy gas, CatNap, his stitched smile betraying no emotion, approached the inert figure. The feline guardian circled the sleeping human, curiosity replacing the air of caution that had surrounded him.

With a deft movement, CatNap examined the GrabPack left behind by the unconscious intruder. The feline guardian considered the mysterious turn of events, the red poppy gas proving to be a silent enigma that shifted the power dynamics within Home Sweet Home.

In the hushed aftermath, CatNap watched over the slumbering human, pondering the implications of their presence within the haunted facility. The shadows deepened, concealing the quiet exchange between the feline guardian and the unexpected visitor who had fallen prey to the potent breath of the red poppy gas.

"Foolish sheep," CatNap places his sharp claw on the human's chest, "You shouldn't have gotten separated from your flock..."

CatNap begins to dig in to the human's chest with his claw, "There are wolves out in the forest, and they're hungry..."

Just as CatNap is about to tear this unfortunate human's guts apart, another loud thud comes from another room.

CatNap gets up and looks around, carrying the sleeping human by their neck.

"Looks like you've brought friends..." CatNap dropped the human on the floor carelessly, "I'll go and greet them and save you until you wake up."

CatNap leaves, and finds the noise came from one of the bedrooms.

The room was covered by a pile of cardboard boxes, which he aggressively knocks over.

He sees Kissy Missy sitting on a bed, holding a picture of a little girl.

"Oh," CatNap says, "It's you. Why are you here? I've not seen you since the Hour of Joy."

Kissy barely looks up at CatNap, focused on the picture. CatNap approaches her and notices the picture.

"This you?" He asks.

She doesn't respond.

"I remember when I was like that," CatNap sits on the bed beside her, "Weak and frail. I initially liked it that way... But The Prototype, he opened my eyes. It's thanks to him we're all here, the least I can do – the least any of us can do – is respect him for that. He's a superhero..."

He looked at Kissy next to him, who was still too distracted looking at the picture.

When he looked at Kissy, at that very moment, he saw himself.

He saw Theodore Grambell.

A few tears start to trickle from his eyes.

"I've thought about all that could have been in the past," He murmured, "If we had never done the things we did... If we had realized all our sins."

CatNap got up, "Imagine where we'd be right now if this whole thing never happened... I can see it. Even from the beginning, I told myself that the other kids in Playcare excluded me, but I was just scared. Even when they asked me to play with them, I refused..."

CatNap began walking away and stacked up the pile of boxes. "Goodbye."

CatNap returned to the room, and to his shock, the human was gone.