Moon Land

The Fat Shadow Man

       Kennedy woke up last. Not, because of the sunlight shining in Catana's bedroom, not even because of Sydney doing pushups in the corner near the closet; softly counting, but all because she had to pee. The brunette forced herself to get up.

Sydney stood up, "Mornin'. Catana's mom made breakfast and it's in the oven."

Kennedy was grateful Catana's mom actually knew how to cook, unlike the lunch ladies at school. Or she would starve until she got back home. "Thanks and good morning. Where's CC?"

"Eh, probably in the kitchen sweeping the floor." 

"Mm. K, then. I'm going to pee and then to the kitchen."

"Too much information" Sydney teased her.

Kennedy gave Sydney the middle finger not looking at her. "Suck my imaginary dick." She shut the door lazily. 

"SUck mY iMagInary DiCk.." Sydney mocked in a high pitch tone. Even though Kennedy was long gone by now. 

     After half an hour all three girls sat in the kitchen together. Not a word spoken between them as they sat at the dining table. "Aye, people the bus is coming in like two minutes we gotta leave now." Kennedy announced. Sydney grabbed her bag and her and Kennedy waited in the open door frame for their friend.

"Hey  you can go ahead me. I just lost my house keys, if I don't make it to the bus stop on time I'll just catch the public bus or try and make it to another stop." Catana explained to the two girls waiting for her. 

Kennedy placed a hand on her hip, "You sure? We can help?" 

"Nah just go. I don't want you guys to be late." Catana took off her backpack.

Sydney was reluctant to leave but saw no issue in it. (She would have stayed to help her if she asked though). "If you say so. We'll see you at school. If you play hookie I'm jumping yo' ugly ass in the alley." Catana closed and locked the door behind them.

      She missed the school bus by the time she actually found her keys. Grabbing her backpack and locking the door behind her. The walk to the bus stop wasn't long, but the wait was. If everything worked out all right, she should be at school after breakfast ended. 'I really hope that old lady isn't subbing again...' she thought to herself. 
     She had the weirdest dream last night. That she was just walking, like she was now and suddenly she fell through a hole in the ground. She wasn't worried, however she subconsciously avoided the cracks in the street. 
     Nothing was unusual about the bus stop. There was the usual graffiti and stickers on the pole. The seats still smelled like horse shit. The garbage can was still overflowing. A stray black kitten carefully walked across the street. Sitting next to Catana who stood leaning against the pole. The girl looked down at it, and it looked up at her. "Aw you're so cute" It turned away to clean it's paw. It could feel her eyes staring at it.
      She had taken the bait. Just like Alice. Children were easy when it came to being lured. All it took was some animal to mind it's buissness, give the child a few looks, and it was over with. The animal would play hard to get and it drove the child wild. Catana didn't know this though. Didn't know the real reason the black kitten rubbed between her legs. She didn't know the real reason the cat begged to be picked up. Giving her soft "mrrows" of begging and pleading. Then jumped out her arms, looked back at her, gave her those big kitten eyes, and started to walk away. It had paused just one more time to make sure that Catana got the message to follow it. She did.
      She believed she was helping a poor defenseless kitten. Creating visions of future events. She would be the hero to save that poor cat's family from starvation. A second thought was, the kitten was leading her to help one of it's injured friends. They stopped in the town square. Catana wouldn't be surprised if the mother cat was hurt, and hiding behind the opening in the statue of Mike White. There he stood made of marble, his hand on his hip, and a fake smile just to look more photogenic. The kitten- now named Nightmare, gave a small "meow" and gave her the signal to follow him behind the statue. She did just that. Her scream sounded like a car that had just stopped too fast. It happened in the blink of an eye. She was there behind the statue following Nightmare. Then she vanished. Nightmare trotted away as if nothing had happened. 
       The girl had been set up for nothing but disaster. Set up by the little black kitten she was trying to help. Catana had been pushed by the shadows into the portal, created in the back of Mike White.
    It felt like water. The air felt like water, yet instead of drowning she was floating. For some reason this 'water'  did not suffocate her. She screamed and moved her arms and legs in a state of panic. It was like a dream. The kind of dream she had of falling into a black void. This time it was real. She wouldn't roll over and grip her bedsheets. Catana felt like she was going to die. Die at the age of 12. She wouldn't get the chance to be a freshman in high school. Her body went limp. She passed out.
   

     Pharaoh stopped in the middle of the street. A white haired girl with wild curls was passed out. She wasn't from there. He only needed to look at her. He poked her forehead with his foot. Nothing. She was out cold- maybe even dead. "That girl's mine." He turned towards the voice. A fat silhouette of a man appeared. He had no features. Just pitch black skin.

"...fine." It wasn't his business anyway. He left the shadow person to do whatever they wanted to the brown skinned girl.