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21

21

I wake up on a beach. This is not my body. I'm a fucking cat again! I look up, and see her. How easy is this? I run up and try to talk. A pitiful meow echoes off me. I shut my mouth and try again. I get scooped up, and fussed over. I lock eyes with the male with her and hiss. My friend! He punches my face, and I go flying. What the hell! I slam into the garbage can. I growl and rise up. I arch my back and charge at the man. I extend my claws, sending them down his face. He roars in pain, and I feel something changing. I hear the girl scream, and attack the man. I punch his jaw and he falls. He never rises.

The girl slaps me and calls me a monster. I try to explain and keep up. She doesn't listen to me, she just slams her door in my face. I storm away, and find a pier for the night. I plan out a picnic and everything, laying it out, and renting a limo and truck, before I fall asleep.

22

I ambitiously stride into a floral store, heart in my hand. I have been forwarding inquiry after inquiry for eons over some highly significant scarlet roses. They are a horror to locate, may I assure you of that! You'd believe that an individual could locate some simple flowers, but alas, that is not factual. It is a mere romantic fantasy played out by the rich who smelt under the temperature of all the coins they hide beneath. They hide behind their coins... The desk is now under my palms as I fix my ruffled appearance, my voice inquiring for my preoccupied mind, "Do you retail healthy, scarlet roses in this fine establishment?" The desk clerk glares horrid daggers at me. What did I insinuate to insult her? A new clerk takes her place when she beckons one, and I inquire again.

The clerk comments, examining my suit from a reasonable distance, "Dressed sharp, eh Alpas? Going on a date?"

I purr, absolutely content in a daydream, "Indeed." The clerk laughs, he and I suffered the American horror of high school together.

He comments, insinuating, "I see. Got your keys?" I feel my jaw drop, and my eyes go wide. My hands slip off the counter like noodles off a saturated plate. He laughs, grabbing some roses, "I'll take that as a yes." I feel a scorching heat escalate over my neck and face. I feel a meltdown encroaching on my brains' lot, full of playful anger . I glare, and place the tokens in the slot. They slide down to a lockbox below, and the change gets thrown back up. I grasp my change and uplift the innocent flowers. The man, Torpid, nods to me with a wink. I feel the heat fill my chest and wander out. I bound to the cheap limo I rented, and cruise down boulevards to my exs' home. We broke up this morning, and I am horrified and my self-disgust has only magnified. I was an animal, a horrible beast. Now, I shall prove myself to be a valiant knight, not a disgusting dragon. I lope to the door, made of beautiful, dark stained cedar, and grasp the door knocker. The brass is cold to the touch. I bring it down, but I receive no reply. I put my key in, but it rebels against the lock. I feel my rage boil, and pocket my keys into my suit pocket. I look under the mat, and grasp the key. Polished and new, I can't believe the nerve. I sent a porter to inform her I had come bearing gifts. No reply. I use the key. The door creaks, sounding grateful. I examine the door jam. That lock was very recently installed. It hasn't got a single imperfection yet. I lurk into my own home, but trip over my own duffel bag. I hear sounds upstairs, and walk towards them. I then stop. The sound... my entire brain shuts down. I grasp the duffel my ex packed. I storm out, and raise my pistol into the air. I discharge it a few times. I replace the key and storm back to the car. I leave the roses on the doorstep with the card and get into my car. She can return the rental. I paid, but it was under her name. A recent identity thief attack rendered my accounts useless until I rebuild my credits. I hear sobs as my vehicle roars to life. The matte black truck squeals away, my fingers a vice to the steering wheel. My brain automatically turns, the truck heading to the jewler. I grab the steering column and shift to Park. I hop out and storm to the door. My heart is bleeding all over my hands now, where I held it. I intended to give it to that cheating hairball, but now I fear my heart won't be of much use. A knife is embedded into it, twisting. I storm up to the door, and thrust it open. I go to the counter, and lick my lips. I need to explain this.

The clerk chimes, Middle Eastern accent bold, "Hello, what can I do for you?" My heart stops.

I growl, causing him to wince, "What is your return policy on unopened rings?" I set the box down, original packaging still on it. He draws a breath, with everyone in the store. Is this uncommon?

He takes it and exchanges my money soundlessly, mumbling, "I'm sorry for your loss." I thank him and walk out. I go to the nearby beach, and go to the farthest pier. Pier Fourteen is where I had set up the moonlight picnic for us. I fall to my knees and look up at the stars. I see them blur out of focus as the sunsets off the Pier. I go over to the blanket. I had the food in the limo. I sit on the edge, my brain racked for answers. I watch the eclipse start from the commercial loading pier. I swing my legs and lay on my back. Tears fall onto the dock as I feel myself sliding away. Why did this happen? Why did it occur? What have I done? I pound the wood with my fists, and I feel the tears rush faster. I sigh, and resume watching the lunar eclipse. It's a supermoon too, which works out fantastic. I start live streaming the eclipse to the internet. I watch the eclipse over the top of the phone. The moon slowly grows darker, than its' gone. I stare at the blackness as the rain suddenly pounds down. I stand up, not realizing my legs are off the pier. I hang by my hands now, two feet from the water. I hear the boards cracking under my weight. I see lightning, and curse. I feel the board split as I close my eyes. I remember her. She was so wonderful. My mother, such a wondrous human. That is, until she changed. She became someone I no longer recognize. I feel the water, and begin to swim to the surface. I pull myself to the surface and wander to the shore. I feel my breath rage in my chest. I put a hand on my heart. My brain goes dull, and I gasp for air. I feel my heart stopping painfully. I hear someone calling my name.

The man calls, "Alpas! Stop this madness!" I see a dragon come out of the water. It is definitely a sea dragon, but why does it exist. The dragon hisses, "This is offensive. You can't swim," the voice is now female, my mother's voice, " you can't fly, you have no sense of balance, your blind, you cannot be special like me and your family! How could you be? You have no special traits. You are nothing, Alpas. Prey for the predator."

I insinuate, "Don't even think about saying it." The dragon smiles, mouth full of crocodile teeth.

It sneers, "And you hurt her." I feel the tears rolling down and my body gives out. I hear screams of alarm. It snides, "Now look, you hurt her and all of them too. Useless, I don't even want to change you." I feel my life slipping away as I close in on darkness. A knife is in my chest, my hand around it. That dirty snake!

I hear her crying, "I never meant for this to happen! He loved me so, but I hurt him.I broke him." I feel a hand on my cheek. I take it in mine with my last strength.

I whisper, eyes open enough to see the upheaved face of my love, "You never hurt me, darling. I hurt you. I drove you out. Be safe, love him more than I. More than your ever did... He is your soulmate." She has panic in her eyes. I feel my last seconds passing. The serpent was a hallucination from the cold. She sobs and I take a breath.

She sobs, "No! Alpas!"

I reply, firm as all hell, "Love. Him. More. Than. You. Did. Me. He. Is. Your. Soul. Mate." She nods as my life ends. I manage a strong smile before it happens. The black, coldness engulfs me. Then, light and warmth. I feel water beneath my fingers and the light engulfs me. I shield my eyes and rumble, "What..." My body becomes alive again. What the hell? I try to stand, but I cannot. I feel my hair blowing in the wind, but it covers me. I stare at the stars. My back arches and I stare at the stars. The moon is sinking now, so I decide to swim. I dive in, and I feel a change. My body returns to normal, but I feel nothing from the waist down. I look, and scream. I have a tail? A mermaid tail? I flap it around in the water. My brain grows hysterical. I have a tail. Realization then takes my breath. I'm breathing in water and I'm not dying. Wait. I DIED.