Chapter 3: The Cat

[JUSTIN]

I have been thinking hard for a week. I guess I should make the DSA office look more comfortable and nice, but with what? The three witches are already in, what else do I need?

I call Jared.

"Yes?"

"Jared, I need a cat."

There is some sound like choking and gushing there. I think Jared is drinking something when I call.

"What's a cat for?" he asks, laughing.

"I don't know.. I feel that DSA needs a pet. I can't put a dog there, because I’m afraid its barking will interfere with the campus activities."

"Yes, but why a cat?" he asks again.

"Do you prefer lizards?"

"Of course not! Let's just build a pond and raise some hippos!"

"Jared, I'm serious!"

Jared laughs and goes silent for a while.

"Jared, you there?" I ask. I’m afraid he faints.

"Ah yes, I'm chatting with my mother, asking if she has a friend who wants to give one of her cats.”

"Not your mama, please. She'll choose a Persian cat, and I don't want it. It dies easily and hard to take care of."

"Oh OK, I deleted my message," he says.

"If you're available now, let's just look for some stray cat."

"I'm not available, Justin, I have to drop my sister off to an evening class soon."

"Oh yes. It's my fault to call you right now .."

"Take Jack a try. Use Ben."

Jared and I both chuckle.

"Yeah yeah, great idea. Taking a Bentayga looking for a stray cat," I say. "OK, see you Jared."

This afternoon I go to Jack's house alone. Ramon is busy assembling a computer for his father, and Ken still has a class. Hopefully Jack doesn’t have an event too.

Ben, our Bentayga is parked in front of his house.

"Heyyyyy Justin!" says Jack with a big smile.

"You didn't go to school today?" I ask.

"I only had two classes earlier, because the last class lecturer didn't come in. I just went home," he answers.

"OK good, because I want to take you around looking for street cats," I say, grinning.

Jack freezes for a moment as he looked at me, confused. "The king wants a cat, then the king shall get a cat," he replies, opening his arms wide and laughing.

I am amazed. I don't expect him to immediately agree without asking questions.

"Shall we ride Ben?"

Jack freezes again and turns his head. "Using Ben to the traditional market?"

"Why are we going to the market?"

"There are a lot of stray cats in the market, Your Majesty."

Ohhh, I just realize. "Let's just ride a bicycle. Your bike and Ken's bike are here, right?"

"Yeah, Ramon's bike is here too."

We really like to put our bicycles here, so we can use them together if we want to go anywhere.

We chose a house for Jack that was close to the market because he lived alone, without parents and siblings. He learned to take care of himself and to cook the ingredients of which can be easily obtained from the market.

"Come on, let’s go!"

The two of us set off straight away, and only have to cycle three blocks to get to the market. There seems to be a few cats there, and I start looking for the one I am most interested in.

"Don't expect anything good, Justin.." Jack says as if he could read my mind. "Market cats are usually dirty."

"It’s okay.. It can be groomed," I explain, looking down below the sales counters.

"Wow, why are there so many pregnant cats, huh?" Jack scratches his head.

"There's one which isn't pregnant," I exclaim. But why is her belly drooping like she's been pregnant 100 times?

"Do you want a baby cat?"

"Where?"

"Here," Jack replies, pointing at a pretty clean orange cat.

But there is his mother, and there is his brother too, and it seems like he still needs milk.

"Oh, Jack, I can’t separate the baby from its family.."

"You’re right."

I wander around the market, and see a black cat that gleamed slightly in the sun. Handsome!

"Jack, how about a black cat like this?"

Jack walks over to me slowly looking at the cat intently, then shakes his head. "I have a bad feeling for this," he replies.

The cat suddenly turns its head, and its glowing yellow eyes are very intimidating.

"You know what, Jack? You are right. Let's go."

Many people say a black cat is a sign that bad things will happen. I'm not a person who believes stuff like that, but since I have Mera, I don't think I can just deny that mystical things do exist around me.

"Already? You give up?" asks Jack.

I'm confused. Why is it so hard to find a stray cat?

"Let's just go home, Jack."

"Hey wait!" Jack stops my bike.

"What?"

"Have you ever asked Mera for a living thing?"

"Living things?"

"Yeah I mean like people or animals, or plants?"

"No. I never thought of asking for a living thing."

"How about if you try ask Mera for a cat?"

"I can't draw a cat!"

"Just draw a bundle and then write a cat."

"And a deformed cat that doesn't have legs appears like a bundle!"

Jack slaps his forehead. "But how come yesterday's Bentley could happen?"

"Because the Bentley has a clear, exact variant that I can just write the name of. Even if I drew a bad picture, as long as I wrote the brand, it will appear."

Jack and I both sigh.

"Well, just print a photo of the cat you like."

"No, I can't.. I have to draw it myself, right?"

Jack mumbles, and I suddenly have a brilliant idea. Jack and I look at each other wide-eyed. Apparently we've got the same idea.

"I can draw on top of the one I've printed!" I half scream. "So I will just have to trace upon the image I print.. Yeah, I can do that!" I added, then pedal my bike back to Jack's house.

We then search the Internet for a photo of a cat I like and print it on Jack's printer. The cat is a white domestic male cat, with a perfect long tail.

I look at the printout of the cat's image with satisfaction. "We're ready."

Riding Ben, we reach the forest around 5pm. It is getting dark, but as usual, the forest still feels comfortable. There are several lights around the lake, and it makes the atmosphere less dark and not at all scary.

I place the picture of the cat on top of Mera, and start to thicken the picture with the black marker I brought with me. I write the word 'grass' next to the picture, so the cat doesn't emerge from the lake. I don't want to see a drenched cat limp out of breath. When I am done, I crumple up the paper and throw it into the lake.

I've never done this before, and I really don't know if Mera can give me a cat. I never knew if she could give me any living thing, and this would be the first time.

5 minutes, nothing happens.

"Can't Mera make it happen if it's a living thing?" Jack mutters. He knows I couldn't answer either.

10 minutes passes, and I hear the sound of a cat behind me.

"Oh my God, Jack!" I shout.

Jack, who is still waiting on the edge of the lake, runs to me, and we both stare at the cat sitting pretty on the grass.

"She did it," Jack says quietly. We still can't believe Mera can give a cat.

The cat is exactly what I wanted it to be. I don't know how old he is, but I think he's still a teenager. Male, a white ordinary country cat with a long tail and a very cute face. I crouch down and open my arms in front of him. Surprisingly, the cat immediately jumps onto my shoulder as if he asks me to carry him.

"Jack, do I seem like a kind-hearted animal lover now?"

Jack chuckles. "Obviously you're not like Justin."

People sometimes judge me as an arrogant young man, because I don't really like being approached by people. Even though I'm also a party prince, I'm actually only close with these four of my best friends, and only like to make small talks with the others. But now with this cat, I suddenly feel like I’m a kind and friendly young man who cares about animals.

"What's his name, Justin?"

"Hmmm... Sugar? Because she's white and very sweet."

"Sugar.. nice name," Jack agrees.

"Welcome, Sugar. I'm your daddy now," I say, stroking his fur while he was still on my shoulder.

I stand up and go back to the car with Jack. I'll probably stay the night at his house, because I can't possibly bring Sugar back to my house. Mama has two dogs, one Doberman and one Jack Russel who have been trained as good enemy hunters. They will not be sweet when they meet Sugar, even though he is very sweet.

"Yes, Sugar?" I say while stroking his head.

He meows.

"Are you staying at my house, Justin?" Jack asks, even though I hasn't told him I was planning to.

"Yeah, don't forget to stop by to buy cat food first, along with other equipment."

"OK, there's a pet shop in the alley next to the house."

It takes only about 10 minutes to Jack's house, as he was the closest to the forest. I drop Sugar in the living room, and Jack unloads the kitty kit I bought earlier. When I am pouring food in Sugar’s bowl, my cell phone rings.

"Ah wait," I answer the cell phone which continues to sing. I am still busy preparing food and drink for Sugar.

The phone goes silent for a moment, but then rings again. I quickly wash my hands, dry them with tissue and immediately pick up the phone.

"Ken?"

Just as I pick it up, the phone is off.

"Ken called twice, what do you think?" I ask Jack who is sitting on the sofa watching Sugar eating. He just shrug his shoulders.

Then my phone rings again, and I immediately pick it up.

"Yes?"

"Justin, Bob died suddenly."

I think my heart suddenly stop beating for a few seconds. Bob is Ken's favorite cat.

"What?" I ask in disbelief. "How did he die?"

"I don't know, he's been sleeping in his room since earlier, so have I. But when I asked him to eat he didn't wake up. He died in a sleeping position."

"Is he sick? Or had he had any symptoms before?"

"For God's sake, Justin! He's so healthy!"

I'm stuck. What have I done? Did I make a mistake? Is it because..

“Ken, what time did Bob die?”

“About 5-6pm.”

My heart feels like it's been punched. It was the same hour I got Sugar.

"Ken, I'm really sorry. I have to tell you something, but not on the phone. I'm about to gather everyone at Jack's house. Please, come here now."

I hung up the phone blankly.

"Justin, what's wrong? Who died?" Asks Jack, a little bit shocked after seeing my reaction.

I turn and see Sugar was eating. Whose life is in your body, Sugar?

"Justin!"

I gasp and see Jack already in front of me, holding my shoulder.

"Jack, we have to get everyone together, and tell them about Sugar. Bob died suddenly."

Jack's eyes look sad. He freezes and become silent for a while. Anyone would think the same as me right now: Sugar can live, but with another cat's life inside his body.

Mera makes it clear by taking the life of a cat we know well. She wants us to understand what the consequences would be.