Whispers

Part Two - Luna

                  

I collapsed after making a left turn. All around me were continuous giggles and whispers. I couldn't take it. My lungs ached, but I managed to lose the cat. I lay there, not wanting to move, wishing the soil beneath me would envelope me and pull me beneath the earth. But alas.

After a while. I got up to my knees and wiped my cheeks and forehead of dirt and mud. I drop my hands hard into my lap and breathe out heavily, the hot air from my lungs burning the walls of my throat. When I breathe in, I shut my eyes and inhale until my lungs can only take so much and exhale again, feeling the relieving coolness get drowned out by the painful heat again. I yearned for water, and I'd have some too, had I not decided that leaving my bag at that fence would've been a good idea. "In and out, I said. Smart."

            I grunt as I lift myself to my feet, wipe my eyes and feel my ear perk up at a sound. I look to my left and see two big white, glassy orbs peering at me. I scream and jump away. The cats head jerked back and looked almost confused. "Sorry." I mutter, and walk over, scooping her up in my hands. I hugged the cat and ran my hand through her surprisingly soft fur. I felt her purr and her nose nuzzled into the base of my neck. I smiled and began walking.

            I was happy that I sort of made a friend here, despite the fact that she chased me into quite possibly the heart of the town, making me more lost than I probably would've gotten myself. I named the cat Luna, because of the moon (ironic, I know). I looked around and then watched Luna look over both my shoulders. "You got me lost, Luna." I muttered. She just patted my chest and meowed, remaining still in my arms. I sighed, thinking of bringing Luna home with me –if I ever got out of this place- and how well she'd get along with my cat back at my dorm.

            I kept walking and turning corners, listening closely for shouts and murmurs coming from other turns and walls so I could avoid them. I stopped walking when the voices had died down. Luna then jumped from my hands and walked away. "Hey! Wait!" I shouted, sprinting after her. "Where exactly are we going?" I ask. The cat looked up at me, meowed and kept walking, and I mentally hit myself over the head for talking to an animal like it could actually respond. She stopped walking when I saw a house come into view. It very visibly and obviously stood out from the rest of the houses in this town. "It's the only one that doesn't look like the floor would fall out from under you if you step on it..." I mutter to myself.

            It seemed odd. To have a house deep in an old, broken, watered down town look so decent and well-kept. I took a step back from it. "Uh..." I started, before meowing interrupted me. "Okay... Shall we?" I say reluctantly pushing open the door. Luna hops in eagerly, and I follow, closing the door behind me. When I step away from it and take in the overwhelming, but extremely wonderful heat of not being outside anymore, I hear a loud Click! I whip my head around and see that the top lock of the door had been turned and locked. "What. Oh, god no." I yelp and run over, gripping the handle and lock hard and tugged.

            Twist.

            Nothing.

            Pull.

            Nothing

            Tug.

            Nothing.

Neither knob nor lock budged. "Goddammit cat, you screwed me!" I scream, hopelessly yanking on the door again. I shook the knob violently, and still nothing happened. Luna meowed lightly before I heard her tiny feet patter against the floor boards. I spun on my heels and sank on the door to my butt, groaning loudly and watching Luna explore two of the rooms on either side of me. "You damn cat." I mutter angrily. Suddenly Luna stops and her head cranes slowly towards me. I feel my eyes widen when I catch a glimpse of red hint at the corners of her eyes.

I swallowed hard, wincing lightly at the dryness of my throat. "Luna..." I say hesitantly. She hisses and pounces, landing hard on my chest and locking her claws into the fabric of my sweater, and I felt her dig harshly into my skin. I scream and clamp my hands tight around Luna's body. This makes her angrier and she releases her two front paws, and begins to claw at my face and neck. "Stop!" I scream dryly. But she doesn't, and eventually the pain becomes too much to handle, and my body goes limp before I can feel consciousness slip too far out of my reach.