The Love of a Stranger

As Bad as Pinocchio

I woke early in the morning. Around 7. It was unusual for me to wake this early, I'd always wake up around 11, well it wasn't like I had anything better to do. I turned to see Dan sleeping like an angel. No, he wasn't like one, he was one. I swung my legs round the side of the bed and walked out of the bedroom into the kitchen. I started to make tea, it was the only thing that was going to calm my nerves before I went to see Cathy in prison. I rubbed my eyes, maybe I was still tired and need more sleep. I leaned against the counter rubbing my eyes when Dan came in with the duvet cover around his shoulders, yawning.

"Morning sleeping beauty." I joked. I got a mumble as a reply.

"I made tea." I said sliding his cup along the counter. He gave me a tired looking smile before yawning. For the first this morning he spoke.

"Are you sure you still want to see Cathy?"

"I think I can handle it."

He waddled over to me and pulled me into a hug enveloping me in a cocoon with the duvet wrapped round the both of us. He squeezed me tighter and I was unable to move, I could only look up to see his grinning face.

"Dan I can't move you're suffocating me." He didn't speak, only squeezed me tighter.

"Da-an" I moaned, he still didn't listen. I tried wriggling out of his grasp but it was no use. I gave up and rested my head on his chest. Suddenly, he picked me up still holding me captive in his 'duvet cocoon' and shuffled over to the couch and fell like a tree that had just been chopped down. I screamed knowing I couldn't do anything to stop myself falling and prepared to be seriously hurt. We had a cushioned landing and he lay on top of me smirking and I couldn't help but to laugh. He placed his forehead on mine and we intensely looked into each other's eyes until he connected his lips with mine.

I broke it off realising that I actually was suffocating. He gently pulled me up and released me.

"Sorry." He said rubbing the back of his head.

"It's not your fault I have such horrific lungs." I smiled trying to make him feel less guilty.

It was 11 when I left to meet Cathy. I tried to reassure myself thinking that nothing will go wrong, what's the worst that could happen?

She tries to kill you that's what could happen, you sent her to jail, of course she won't be happy to see you.

I kept having mental arguments with myself. I still hadn't still decided on a definite opinion by the time I arrived there. It took me about 10 minutes to go through security. They gave me a 'visitor' sticker and I placed it on myself, even though I had this sticker I still felt like I was being guided to my cell, like a prisoner, probably like Cathy.

The policeman led me to the interrogation room where sat a handcuffed, very miserable looking Cathy. I sat down in front of her but she kept her gaze on whatever she was staring at. I didn't think she'd realised I was there.

"Cathy?" My voice squeaked. No response. She looked brain dead.

"Cathy look at me." I said sternly making sure my nerves weren't showing through. She blankly looked up at me and kept silent. At least I've got her attention.

"Cathy, I want to know...'the reason' for doing what you did." I tried to get straight to the point, I only had a certain amount of time to spend with her.

"Please, just answer me." Then, finally, she answered.

"I...I..." She started, I leaned in to hear more.

"I couldn't help it. He does these things to me." Her eyes were welling up. Who's he?

"Who's he Cathy, tell me."