Aos Sí

5: Trouble

I spent the day exercising. It was thoroughly enjoyable. I climbed over the bed, the desks, the chairs. It had been a long time since I just... Acted like a Proper Borrower. It was easy to hide when Housekeeping showed up, and they had some pretty awesome music while they worked.

Seán came back shortly after dinner. We sat out on the step of his room, a nice little gated porch, to look at the scenery and enjoy the weather while eating.

In the middle of our conversation, Signe's ringtone sang out from the room. Without really realizing it, we stopped our conversation mid-sentence to let him answer it.

I munched away happily at the bit of cookie I had been left. Then a strange updraft wormed its way up my back. The hairs on the back of my neck started to stand on end. A low rumble sounded behind me, and I looked over my shoulder.

A large pair of yellow eyes stared back.

Fuck

I lept from the banister to the grass below. I misjudged the distance and collapsed to the ground. As I struggled to stand, I was pressed back down. I let out a panicked scream. It turned to pain as a claw dug into my arm. I heard Seán from inside. I squealed when I was grabbed by the cat's mouth, its fangs tearing my clothes without piercing my skin. I went limp, not willing to risk stabbing myself from my struggles. My stomach dropped as the cat lept high. It growled, fangs vibrating against me. With a whimper, I finally got my bearings. It stood on the branch of a tree, Seán hesitating beneath it. He met my gaze.

His fear fell away to a hardened expression, and he took a running jump into the tree. The cat hissed, and I watched its nails dig into the wood.

"Give her back, ya fuckin' prick," Seán spat. He seemed determined to not look down. The cat swiped at him as he got close. I couldn't figure out what to do, the cat's jaw locked in a precarious position around my torso. His hand snapped out. I seized up, images of a green haze filling my mind. I struggled to break free, anything to get away from his grip. The cat yeowled. I fell, briefly. Then, I was pressed against something that was moving. Forward, back. Forward, back.

"It's me. Yer fine. It's me, we're okay."

Seán's voice pierced the cackles sounding in my head, my breathing erratic. I was shaking.

... No. No I wasn't. He was.

"Alright, Jackaboy," he muttered to himself, shifting a little while keeping me close. "Jus'... don't look down."

I clung to his shirt, still partially lost in a green haze. I managed to bring my breathing to a reasonable rate.

A dog barked.

Seán's entire body jolted in shock.

We began to fall.