CAT CLAWS

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PAGE FOUR

He arrived at the city bar and grill around six p.m. Larry Wilcox was sitting in their favorite corner booth, having a drink. As he walked in past the bar, he signaled to Mary for the usual, then slid into the booth across from Larry.


"So, the great lover gets a day off!', Larry teased.


"Screw you Larry!" Richard watched as Mary placed his beer on the table.


"I've got enough problems without your smart ass attitude!"


"Look, lover boy, you might as well get a job and find yourself a good-looking bitch to live with! You'd be a lot happier old boy." Larry raised his glass and finished off his whiskey.


"Besides, you're going about this all wrong."


"Oh yeah, tell me how you'd do it jerk! Richard liked Larry, but sometimes he could be an asshole. "Come on, tell me!"


"Simple, she's all alone up there, no one to protect her, right? He waited for an answer but Richard just glared. "Okay, you have her roughed up a bit, nothing sexual, maybe break a few things, see. Then she'll beg you to marry her, just to have a big, strong man around day and night." Richard glared but then his face began to soften. He thought about how this wasn't such a bad idea. "So, who do we get?"


"Are you serious? Because, if you are, I know just the two guys!" Larry watched as Richard mouthed the word yes.


Richard gave the instructions to Larry as far on how he wanted the place roughed up. He impressed the importance of having the cat collection smashed to bits. And as for Elaine, they could do what he wanted. He didn't care. A price was agreed upon and Richard downed his drink and left the bar, with a smile and a renewed hope.


That night, Richard laid in bed looking at the glowing red numbers of his digital alarm clock. It was 1:00 a.m. and he knew that in two hours the burglars would be entering Elaine's apartment across town. He could picture them grabbing the showcase and smashing all the cats onto the marble floor, then grinding and stomping each one into fine dust. By then, Elaine would enter the room, they would probably slap her around a few times, maybe tear off her clothes and play a little bit, then laugh and leave. That was a sight that he would've love to seen. He nodded off for a few minutes, but later was awakened by a strange sound. As he listened, the sound became distinguished as a soft steady scratching from the other side of the bedroom door. Richard cautiously got out of bed and crept to the door. With a sudden movement, he jerked it open, expecting to see Elaine's collection trying to claw their way in. But there was nothing, not even a fleeing shadow. He slammed the door shut and turned toward the bed. He stopped as he thought he saw the bedspread move. Running over, he ripped off the spread to find nothing. He was being foolish again he thought and slid into bed pulling the covers up to his neck. As he stared at the clock, he gave out a little laugh. He wished that he could be in the apartment, to watch Elaine's collection to become so much trash. He tried to close his eyes and go back to sleep. As he lay there, he felt a warm wet feeling flowing over his body. Peering through half opened eyes, and he looked at the white bedspread. He saw a small red circle in the middle of his chest. It began to grow, and spread further as the bedspread began to ripple as if alive. He grabbed the covering and looked underneath to see his body lying there in shredded pieces. Blood was pumping from torn veins and arteries. Miniature cats fed off his torn flesh. He screamed and sat up, breaking the spell. Limbs shook with fright as sweat poured from his still intact body. He dressed hurriedly, rushing out of the bedroom, failing to notice the small scratch marks on the door. He stood in the apartment hallway, wondering what to do and needing a stiff drink. But it was four o'clock in the morning and nothing was opened. Maybe I should drive by Elaines to see what happened he thought.


As he drove over to Elaine's, he got a feeling that he was being watched the whole time. He felt like a hundred concealed eyes blazing with hatred and waiting for just the right moment to attack. It was a relief turning onto Elaine's block and sees two police cars with their lights flashing. There was also an ambulance. He positioned his car to park directly across from the ambulance's open doors. Two attendants carried a stretcher down the front steps and on the stretcher was a plastic body bag with a large white tag. His eyes moved from the tag to a police officer walking over to his car. He felt panic grow inside him.


"I'm sorry sir, but you'll have to move on." Said the officer.


Richard turned his attention back to the body as it was being loaded into the back of the ambulance.


"I know the woman who lives there, officer!"


"And who is that?", the officer asked, expecting the man to be one of the other tenants.


"Elaine Myers" Blake turned back to look at the officer. "Apartment 3 C"

"Then, you better come with me." The officer opened up his door. "We might need your help."


Richard got out and followed the officer up the stairs to Elaine"s apartment. Inside the place was a total mess. Blood and shattered furniture were everywhere. Maybe Elaine had more spunk than he gave her credit for and she tried to fight them off, he thought. As he looks around, he noticed a second body bag and tried to swallow back the bile in his stomach that was trying to escape. The victim"s face was shredded to pieces, the eyes were hollow sockets and the mouth was frozen open in a silent scream. Richard turned quickly away.


"Where's Elaine? Richard asked.


"She's okay." the officer said. "The doctor gave her a sedative that put her out!"

"What the hell happened here?" Richard fell into the long chair to escape damage. He gaped up at the police officer, waiting for an answer.

"As far as we can tell, those two men broke into the apartment with intent of theft."


The officer picked up a shredded pillow case and displayed it to Richard. "The cause of their death? My guess is a couple of tigers or lions attacked them! But we both realize that's impossible." The officer tossed the pillow case back on the floor and leaned against the wall.


"Miss Myers came into this room when she was awakened from her sleep by their screams. She claims she saw the men waving their arms at invisible assailants as pieces of flesh were being ripped away from their bodies. At that point, she fainted."


Richard stared around the room and remembered the showcase. Each cat was in its place. Not one animal was cracked or chipped.


"Can I go now?" Richard asked.


"Just one question sir." The officer leaned toward Richard. "Does Miss Myers own any large animals?"


"No, she's allergic to fur of all types." Richard started to get up from the chair and stopped. "That's why she collects these damned cats in the showcase."


"It still amazes me that with all this destruction, that the collection is in one piece!" The officer turned and walked over to the showcase. "You may go, but leave your name and address with the officer downstairs."


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