Cold-Blooded

Good Friends

I hadn't been expecting a package. I mean sure I like cats, but that doesn't mean I would go out and buy myself a creepy tabby cat statue. There was no return address. In fact, there weren't any addresses on the box at all, not even mine. I should have known right then that things would change drastically.

Now, the cat wasn't that creepy, it had big black eyes that were so shiny you could see your reflection. It's orange fur complemented the eyes carved with such detail from a distance it was hard to realize it was a statue. This of course did cause a problem when my sister came to visit.

"I didn't know you got a cat! Aww, it is so cute!" I sighed in disgust.

"No, I did not get a cat Julie. You know I don't like the responsibility of another life in my house." She rolled her eyes.

"Really Harriet? Geez, loosen up. It would be good for you to have a cat. Mom and Dad don't really like you hanging out alone in this house anyways."

"I know Mom and Dad don't think I can handle myself alone, but I seriously doubt getting a pet would change their minds. I'm not going to be moving back home any time soon." The was a shared tense silence, which ended abruptly when Julie changed the subjects to a much happier topic. Relationships had been strained with my parents when I stopped following their ideals. They did not seem to understand why a young girl my age was so determined to pursue a career when I could just get married and start a family. It had been tough for Julie as now she was the last child to still be home while she finished high school, meaning she had their full undivided attention. We left the room to go watch a movie, and I could have sworn that the cat's head turned to follow us.

A few days passed and I came home after a frustrating day of work, throwing my bag onto the bed, narrowly missing the cat in the middle of my bed frame.

"How the heck did you get over there?" I felt like the cat kept shifting positions after I moved it to my room. I was pretty sure I placed it to the right of my headboard before I left for work.

"What are you playing at?" I started intently at it, encouraging it to speak up for itself. "You are seriously creeping me out. I don't know where you came from and frankly I don't want to know. Just stop freaking staring at me with those stupid kitten eyes!" Here I go, talking to an inanimate object. I have officially stooped to a whole new low. I gave an exasperated sigh as I slammed the door heading to the kitchen to use some of my emergency ice cream stash for days like today.

One tub of Neapolitan ice cream and round of Netflix later I had sufficiently calmed down. I reached to grab my blanket and found it completely covered in orange cat hair. This was starting to get really weird. I carried my blanket to get washed and put my spoon in the dishwasher before heading back to the couch to continue procrastinating my other responsibilities, before being stopped by a phone ringing.

"Hi Mom."

"Harrietta sweetie, how are you!"

"Same as the last time you called. Which was yesterday. How could I forget." My emotionless tone reflected my mood, which did not go over well with my mother.

"You should not speak to your mother like that young lady! Not when all I am trying to do is check up on you. Your father and I are worried about you that's all."

"I am fine. I have always been fine. I actually enjoy living by myself and you just can't handle that can you?" I marched to the freezer and pulled out another carton of ice cream. I instinctively reached for the chocolate chip cookie dough.

"That is not at all what it is, and you know that. We love you Harrietta and we really would love it if you would come home where it is safer so we could look after you."

"I am plenty safe thank you very much, and I do not need you and Dad to keep treating me like I am four! I don't need you in my life." I hung up the phone with a huff and went to grab a spoon. Sitting right on the counter was that cat statue again. I dropped the ice cream and jumped back. Taking a minute to calm my fractured nerves I bent down to grab my dessert off the floor, not taking my eyes off the statue for a single second. I must be going crazy. It is the only way any of this makes sense. I placed the ice cream back in the freezer and ran upstairs to go to bed, covering my head with my hands attempting to calm down again.

I woke up the next morning feeling much better. After walking back downstairs however I saw that I had received more messages and missed calls in a single night then I have in an entire month. I felt my mood grow darker and darker as I listen to the messages my sister had left.

"Harriet? Answer the phone please. There is something in the house... Please come."

"I have locked my door. I think it is on the stairs. Harriet this sounds stupid, but I think there is a bobcat in the house. I called animal control, but they said I was crazy. I didn't know who else to call. What should I do? Please call me back."

"Harriet. Whatever it was, it got Mom and Dad. Harriet... I found their bodies. They were torn apart. The police are on their way. I don't know what to do."

"Harrietta Thompkins we regret to inform you of the passing of your parents Peter and Mary. Could you please call us back with times you are available to come down and answer some questions down at the station?"

"Harrietta, this is your mom's sister Janet. I am on my way to get Julie from the station. Do you need anything? I am so sorry sweetie."

I set down the phone and placed my head on the cool countertop. I was startled by a soft meow and jerked my head up to see an extremely large orange cat looking at me with big black eyes. It's mouth had dark red stains and there was bloody paw prints leading from the door to its spot on counter.

"It was you. You did that?" The cat simply paused from its licking to change to a sitting position and I watched with my own eyes as it shrank to the same shape and size of the statue that had been there the night before. I watched with curiosity and smiled.

"You know cat... I think we are going to be very good friends." I reached out and began stroking its stone head gently. "Very good friends indeed."