The Black Cat

chapter 2

But during those years i was slowly changing. It was that evil enemy of Man called Drink who was changing me. I was not the kind, loving person people knew before. I grew more and more selfish. I was often suddenly angry about unimportant things. I began to use bad language, most of all with my wife. I even hit her sometimes. And by that time, of course, i was often doing horrible things to our animals. I hit all of them- but never pluto. But, my illnes was getting worse- oh yes, drink is an illness! Soon i began to hurt my dear pluto too.

I remember that night very well. I came home late, full of drink again. I could not understand why pluto was not pleased to see me. The cat was staying away from me. My pluto did not want to come near me! I caught him and picked him up, holding him strongly. He was afraid of me and bit my hand.

Suddently, i was not myself any more. Someone else was in my body: someone evil, and mad with drink! I took my knife from my pocket, held the poor animal by his neck and cut out one of his eyes.

The next morning, my mind was full of pain and horror when i woke up. I was deeply sorry. I could not understand how i could do such an evil thing. But drink soon helped me to forget.

Slowly the cat got better. Soon he left no more pain. There was now only an ugly dry hole where the one eye was. He began to go round the house as usual again. He never came near me now, of course, and he ran away when i went too close.

I knew he didn't love me any more. At first i was sad. Then, slowly, i started to feel angry, and i did another terrible thing...

I had to do it- i could not stop myself. I did it with a terrible sadness in my heart- because i knew it was evil. What did i do? I caught the cat and hung him by the neck from a tree until he was dead.

That night i woke up suddenly- my bed was on fire. I heard people outside shouting, "fire! Fire!". Our house was burning! I, my wife and our servant were lucky to escape. We stood and watched as the house burned down to the ground.