Better Left Unread

Prologue

     The pie smelled delicious! Delilah's baked goods were the best, "better than any bakery in town" her family claimed. She blew her bright red hair out of her face as she pulled the pie from the oven. Walking to the window she watched as the clouds burst into color, the sun had just risen. Delilah was alone in the kitchen, her sister, Dahlia, was still asleep but she had always hated getting up early. Sleeping in was now something she took full advantage of now that they were away from home.

     A pang melancholy struck her, she hated not having the whole family up early making baked goods for their bakery. At least she had her older sister. She opened the kitchen window it made a horrible grating sound as the wood pane removed itself from the frame. She shrugged it off a window was the least of her problems. The steam from the pie rolled off in waves. It was too hot for breakfast but it would make a delicious snack. Deciding it was still too early to wake her sister Delilah left to get ready for the day.

                                                                                               ...

      A small head poked up into the window. A fluffy gray cat looked into the kitchen, it was empty. His maroon eyes scanned the area looking for movement. Praxis couldn't deny that being a cat had its perks. He hadn't been a cat for his whole life, no, he had been human until...well until that witch turned him into a cat. Just the thought of it annoyed him. And to make it worse he wasn't a normal cat, nooo that would have been too easy, he had to be a six-legged cat. It was already hard enough becoming adjusted to the cat life. Adding an extra pair of legs meant tripping over himself for weeks after he became a cat. It was embarrassing. Fortunately, none of his crew was there to see the mess of a man or cat he was.

     There was a thud that came from above, he shook his head and regained his focus. He eyed the pie. The top covered with a golden brown crust with crispy edges, it was such a good looking pie. He glanced around the room again. The room was still empty. He climbed onto the windowsill the pie in full focus. Imagining the flavor Praxis quietly crept closer. Would it be Cherry, Apple, Rhubarb? Maybe Banana Cream! Wait no Banana cream had to be served cold. I mean it could be hot but that would be...no! Stay focused you already lost your bread this morning. Whatever this surprise pie is...oh surprise pie, that has a nice ring to-- his thoughts were cut off by the pan that was soaring right for him.

     "Begone mutant cat!" Delilah shouted while trying to protect her pie.

     Wow, name calling isn't very nice, that pie better be worth all this verbal abuse. Praxis thought to himself as he jumped to the counter. Delilah swung with good accuracy but he was faster. He jumped to the ground and she threw the pan at him. And this time she didn't miss. The pan caught his back leg, sending him sliding across her kitchen floor toward the center island. His light grey fur sweeping up all remaining flour on the floor.

                                                                                            ...

     "Well now that that's over," Delilah said contently.

     It wasn't over. 

     There was a bright blue and green burst were the cat was. Delilah covered her eyes but she could make out....well the impossible. The cat that had been trapped on the ground was now running across the counter. The pan slipped from her fingers clattering on the floor. There was another burst of light, this time significantly dimmer. Delilah watched as the cat jumped through what looked like a triangle and vanished. He reappeared near her kitchen sink. Snapping out of her daze Delilah frantically looked for a weapon. Only her spices were nearby.

     She shrugged, "Welp this will have to work," she said to herself as she grabbed a handful of pepper.

     She covered her mouth and nose with her arm and threw a handful at the cat. He came to a halt, coughing or maybe it was sneezing it was hard to tell. Delilah grabbed her colander and trapped him for the second time. 

     "Gotcha."