CAT CLAWS

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PAGE FIVE

Richard supplied the officer with all the information that they needed and left the apartment.


He sat in his car wondering what he should do. Something was wrong and it had to do with the cats. He decided to go back to the Curio Shop and muscle some answers from the little fat man. The shop was still the same. Every spider web and speck of dust was still in place. Richard waited for the little fat man to appear. He began to feel uncomfortable as he realized how stupid it was to believe that a bunch of cat figures were after him, and that it was caused by the cat he bought here in the shop.

"I see you have returned!", the small round man said as he stepped out from the shadows."Is there something wrong with your purchase?'


"You better believe your fat ass there is!" Richard stepped over to where the man stood. "What kind of game are you trying to play?'


"I don't understand what you mean?" The little man drew in a puff off of a large pipe hanging from his beard. "I play no games sir!"


"Look, Buddy! That damn cat that you sold me has done something to my girl's collection." Richard looked into the face of the old man, noticing how strange his features seemed from the glow of his pipe. "Two men have died and I've been bitten!"


"I'm sorry about your troubles sir, but I want to assure you, that cat I sold you is just a piece of crystal. No more, no less!" The old man began to turn away. Richard grabbed him by his shirt collar and held him there. "I'd advise you to let me go!"


"Not until I've beaten the truth out of you!" Richard drew back his arm just as the old man let out a low whistle. Richard looked over the old man's shoulder to see something standing in the shadows. He could only see its outline but it was enough to stand his hair on ends. It was in a shape of a gorilla, but twice the size. The shining eyes stared at Richard, waiting for him to make the wrong move. Richard slowly released the fat man.


"Look Buddy, so you've got protection. Just remember that I'll get to the bottom of this, even if it kills me!"


"I would lay money on it sir!" With that the little man stepped into the shadows along with that thing.


Richard stood staring into the dark reaches of the shop, debating on whether to dive on the owner or just call it quits. He realized the stupidity of challenging something that large without a weapon. He decided to leave. Richard rationalized that the only way to find out what was going on was to spend the night in Elaine's apartment. He spent the rest of the day hunting down old contacts willing to sell him a handgun. He wasn't about to go into that apartment without out some kind of protection. It was just before dark when he walked into Elaine's living room. He gently opened the door to her bedroom and saw her sprawled out, and deep into a drug induced sleep. Closing the door, he headed over to the easy chair, and sat down to face the cat collection. He placed the gun on the end table and stared at the crystal cat. The room became hazy and shadows grew larger around the room. Richard became enveloped in the cold darkness.


Suddenly, a small, soft, white light hit the wall next to the collection. Richard glanced out the picture window and saw the full moon rising above the skyline. He watched as the moonlight traveled a slow deliberate path across the wall, finally reaching the head of the crystal cat. Richard kept his eyes on the illuminated face waiting for it to spring to life. What he saw instead made him reach for his gun. From that cat crystal, blue, misty tentacles crawled out, flowing through each cat on the shelf. As they passed through each cat, a ghostly image of the crystal cat fell to the floor. Soon they all gathered into a burning blue radiance that had transformed them into a large cat. It was the size of a full-grown lion bred from hell. Its body rippled with power. Its fangs dripping red energy, sizzling as it hit the floor.


Richard closed his eyes, shook his head, and opened his eyes again to see if the beast was still there. It was gone. Then the sound of heavy foot steps struck his ears. He looked down at the plush carpet and saw that its nap was being crushed by large paws. He didn't even try shooting at it. How can you kill something you can't see? He just ran from the apartment. As he quickly opened the door, something swiped at his back, leaving large torn slashes in the back of his coat. He practically jumped down the stairs and raced to his car. He fumbled with his car keys, trying to unlock the door. When he got it opened, he dove in, locking the door. He grabbed the steering wheel and tried to catch his breath.


It couldn't be real, he thought to himself. But now he felt the stinging and wetness of the scratches on his back. He put the keys into the ignition and started the motor up. At the same time, the passenger window shattered into a million pieces. He pushed himself as close as possible to the driver's side and jerked the gear into drive. He watched as the passenger seat became just so much torn cotton and vinyl. Then the beast slashed his arm and tore a large gash in his biceps. He pushed the door open and dove out, rolling across the pavement. He stopped in time to see his car hit a telephone pole with a sickening crunch. He jumped up and ran down the street, trying to put as much distance between him and that invisible beast. He didn't know if it was behind him or not but he wasn't taking any chances.


He cut into an alley, only to find himself at a dead end. He leaped into a bunch of tossed out boxes, trying to catch his breath. He searched for signs of his assailant coming after him. Just as Richard felt secure enough to relax, something jumped on his shoulders digging its claws into his flesh. He screamed as if insane, reached up to ward off another attack and found out he was holding an old tomcat, who's territory Richard had invaded. Without remorse, he snapped the cat's neck and dropped it at his feet. He stood in the alley, madly scanning each pile of trash and cracks in the walls. The old tomcat gave one last shudder and Richard kicked it out of his path. He knew that at any cost, he must destroy that cat collection before it destroys him. He also knew that it had to be done soon and during daylight. As he left the alley, he noticed a crowd had gathered around his burning car. He sadly watched forty-five thousand dollars go up in smoke. It was a shame he thought, but it was insured. He would call the police right away and report it stolen.


Waving for a cab, he glanced back down the alley, wondering why that thing hadn't continued to go after him. Then he saw it, two pale blue flames in the shape of cat eyes, the dripping sparks hitting the asphalt, from its drooling mouth. He jumped into the cab and screamed at the cabdriver to drive! He figured the safest place to be was in the moving cab. He told the driver to keep on going until he told him to stop. Richard watched the meter with its flashing digital numbers. He reached into his pocket and took out his wallet. He counted out eight hundred and thirty dollars. Plenty there to cover a long cab ride, but he couldn't ride indefinitely. Somewhere, there had to be a safe place until sunrise. A place where that terrible beast couldn't enter. It didn't take long for him to figure it out. He gave the driver the address and settled back for the ride.


It wasn't long before Richard could look out the cab window and read the single gold word on the shop glass. He hated and feared that word, it was much more than a shop of Curio's. Maybe, it was the very gate to hell. He paid the driver and went into the shop. A chill struck him like a splash of ice water. A feeling that screamed impending doom.

"I see that you have returned again sir!" This time the old voice came from the shadows. "If you are here to create more trouble, I must warn yo--------!"


"No! No trouble." Richard's voice shook. I just need a safe place to stay."


"I don't quite understand what you mean?" the disembodied voice said.


"Look! I watched it this time. I saw that hell cat that I bought here change the whole collection into a huge beast. Then, it tried to kill me!" Richard took a step forward. "I don't know who paid you or why you're doing this but I figured that you are the only person who can help me."


"You're right, Mr. Blake! The answer startled Richard. "My shop is a safe haven. But no one pays me to stand in the way of justice!"

The old man came out of the shadows, looking different, maybe stronger than before and more alien looking than human. "You see, the evil in you is such, that only a stronger evil can end it! It is my lot in life to give out the tools needed to accomplish this!"


"But, I came in here by chance the first time!" Richard had to buy time. "I mean that it could have been the beauty shop next door or some other shop on this block."

"It does not matter Mr. Blake!" The man spread his arms to indicate the vastness of his shop. "Whatever door you would have entered at that time, you would have been in my shop!"


"Ordinarily, I wouldn't believe you. I'd call you crazy, if it wasn't for what I've seen!" Richard felt weak and sat down in an old recliner, disturbing its dust cover. "As long as I am here, I'm safe!"


"True! Maybe just this once, I will allow it." The old man disappeared back into the shadows. "Stay Mr. Blake. Wait for the sun, feel safe. But remember, evil has never failed to execute an assignment."


Richard sat in the dreary shop, imagining all kinds of things. At least he hoped it was his imagination. There in front of him, he watched two small figurines, a man and a woman, come to life. They danced together, swaying and spinning, back and forth on the counter top. It wasnt long before the woman produced a large and slowly ran it across her partners neck. He stumbled backwards and emitted a spray of blood across her white gown. Richard wiped his face with one hand and the figurines were again standing silently. He turned his head to face a painting of a street at night. He saw the picture come to life as a large, filthy man grabbed a small woman and threw her into an alley. He ripped her clothes off as she screamed and raped her, while beating her head in with a brick. It got to the point that all Richard dared to look at were his feet. Everything in the shop, no matter how innocent, ended in death!


He saw his reflection in his shoes and was happy to see a familiar face even if it was his own!  It was then that the floor boards split opened and rotting, decaying hands reached up to grab his feet. Richard let out a scream and ran from the shop. He leaned against the door, looking up and down the street. Hours must have gone past, because he could just make out the pink glow of the sunrise. Then he saw it, across the street, two burning eyes and the strange hideous glow of the cat. He could feel the energy pulsating from it, as it paced back and forth, never turning its head away. The energy filled Richards body, vibrating every bone in his body.


The cat scraped its claws on the sidewalk, leaving a burst of sparks as bright as an arc welder. It stopped pacing and stared, then it leaped, flying high over the street, heading straight for him. Richard was frozen to the spot, unable to move. He covered his face and waited for the searing claws, but a loud growl ripped through the air. He peeked about him and saw the cat twisting and turning as if hanging from a large net. Then the sun burst overhead and the cat disappeared in a blink of an eye.

"I told you Mr. Blake that I would protect you this time!" The little man was standing next to him. "But you are on your own as of now!"


Richard backed away, then turned and ran down the street. It was almost noon before he got home. He walked for quite awhile in a daze, not really noticing the stares from other people or where he was. He finally found himself in a car rental office. He had a hard time getting them to rent him a car. He looked at himself and figured out why. His clothes were torn, he was filthy and he probably smelled like crap. But cash carries a lot of weight.


Around two in the afternoon, he felt a lot better. He called the police and reported his car stolen. He said that he spent the night at a friend's house and when he got home, it was missing. They informed him that it was found and he could figure on it being a total loss.


Next, he would go to Elaine's and smash the hell out of the collection. He found just the right weapon at a sporting goods store, an aluminum baseball bat! By three o'clock, he stood in front of Elaine's apartment. He rang the doorbell and braced himself to rush in and start swinging. He didn't care anymore about marrying her, fortune or not. His life meant more and it was either the collection or him. He rang the bell again but no one came. Then he tried the door, but it was locked. He took out his wallet to get the key, but it wasn't there. He was beginning to panic, when the neighbor's door sprang open to the sound of escaping laughter.


"Mr. Blake! How good to see you again." The woman was Miss Felters and she was a perfect ten. "Elaine's over at her mothers, because a cleaning crew came by to take care of the mess!"


"When will she be back?" Richard could always break in if he could be sure no one else was around.


"I think she said around six or six thirty." Miss Felters turned back toward her apartment. "If you want, you can wait in my place. I have a few friends over. It would be fun."


"Uh, no thanks, I'll come back later." Richard stared at her wishing that Elaine could have been built like that!

Six o'clock was still enough time, Richard thought. The moon doesn't come up until around eight. But to play it safe, he decided to call Elaine at her mothers. He dug through his wallet and found the number. He walked downstairs to the pay phone and dialed. He waited impatiently for an answer. The voice on the other end was Elaine's, much to his relief. He couldn't stand her mother, who was top contender for bitch of the year.


"Elaine, Hon, I came by the other night, are you feeling better?"


"Yes, Richard, a lot better, the police told me that you came by. I can't figure out why those men broke into my apartment." Elaine said with her normal whining. "Could you come by, because I want to ask you something?"


"Sure, Elaine, I'll be there. Bye." Richard hung up the phone and grinned. He knew that what he wanted was about to be put right in his lap and he could have cared less. All he wanted now was to smash the crap out of a bunch of stupid cats!


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