Zib's Kid

Chapter 4

Zib woke up to the kitten pulling his tail.

He looked over and saw Rocky just standing next to the bed, his little grubby paws on his tail, eyeing him with a casual look.

"What?" Another pull. "What?" A tiny smile spread across Rocky's face as he slowly, teasingly pulled his tail again. Zib groaned, as the tip of his tail started swinging in annoyance. The little kid giggled and gave another tug, those little sharp fangs showing.

"Stop it."

Zib prepared the now usual simple breakfast of milk, coffee and toast, watching the kid eat eagerly and swing in his seat, humming a random cheerful tune.

"You're in a good mood today."
"Mhm!"
"So, did you return the book?"
"Yes!"
"Oh, then how come it was at the cafe again when I came back?"

Rocky looked at him with his big blue eyes over his glass without stopping eating.

"Did it sprout legs and walk all the way back on its own?"
Rocky smiled widely. "Maybe!"
"Hm. Then you're gonna have to take it back to school again. And this time make sure it stays there."
"Mhhhm," he whined.
"You've had it for a while, just give it a break."

That morning he made sure to walk Rocky to the entrance of the school again, the little one grabbing his tail and playing cowboy, muttering nonsense, like Zib's tail was a horse's reins as Rocky kept giving it instructions while trotting behind him. Once they arrived Zib crouched down in front of him.

"Please, give back the book. If you don't I'll do it myself next time, understand?"

He really didn't want to. He didn't want to have to walk in there and maybe talk to someone, he rather Rocky finally stopped dancing around it and did as he said already. The little kid swayed in place in an uncomfortable gesture, holding Zib's tail, for some reason.

"And what's with you and my tail today? Come on, let go."

He tried very hard to pull and shake his tail free but the little one held tight, and when he used his hand to tear it away Rocky giggled, jumping in place, trying to grab it. Zib found himself chuckling as he turned around, swaying his tail out of the kid's reach to have him chase it.

Eventually he stopped and Rocky grabbed his tail tight. He took the chance to tilt forward and talk to him.

"That's enough now. Off you go," he handed him the book, "and make sure to give this back."

The kid sighed, grabbed the book and trotted into the school. Zib watched him go and tried not to think of what he was doing. Was he really attending class? Was this his school? Did the teachers not notice he had been gone from home or that this random kid had wandered in and was now attending? Did his parents not ask for him?

He tried not to think of anything. He didn't even know what to do with all that. He left it for later, once again.

He took a nice walk around the park, smoked some and then some more. He saw people walking by and tried not to think of it when one of them was a lady with a baby.
What was he doing? He didn't want to think. He tried to convince himself that the problem would take care of itself eventually, if just for a little while longer.

He went back to the cafe. Galileo was already serving. He sat at one of the stools and proceeded to brood while the white and black cat got him some coffee and tried to make some friendly, casual conversation.

Then Galileo stopped talking mid sentence. Zib looked up and saw his face turn pale, looking at something behind him. He really wasn't thinking of what it could be when he looked over his shoulder, but nothing could have prepared him.