The Cat Hunter by Krishna Ahir

Author:Krishna Ahir [Ahir, Krishna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-11-25T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Pulling up outside Christopher's house, Barbara slowed the car to a crawl and checked the oncoming lane, before swerving into an empty space beside the curb. Rolling into place beneath a recently lit lamppost, the entire car was swathed in a dull orange glow.

Taking her right hand off of the wheel, Barbara reached up and started to pick at the corner of her mouth. Remnants of BBQ sauce, evidence of their meal at the Parkridge TGI Fridays, still clung to the corners of her lips.

"Thanks for the lift," Christopher smiled, shifting in his seat in an attempt to access the clasp of the seatbelt.

"Don't mention it," she replied, sucking on her finger before turning the stereo down. "It's not as if you could've walked back."

"Well I could have," he laughed. "But it would have taken fucking hours."

Nodding towards the front of her friend's house, swamped with shadow, Barbara lowered one eyebrow. "When does your family get back?"

"This Sunday, I think," Christopher replied. "Or next Monday. Either way, they're getting back really late or really early."

"Are you going to be glad when they're home?"

"Maybe," he silently grinned. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss them... At least a little bit."

"Do you think your sisters miss you?" Barbara asked, an ever so slight amount of humor present in her voice.

"A little bit. I'm pretty sure they miss the cat more, though."

"Speaking of..." Barbara squinted her eyes and peered through the darkness, towards the front door. "He's laying on your porch."

Christopher tooted under his breath and followed the line of her eyes. "Damn him... He'll go out of the flap on the back door, but he'll never go back in through it." Patting down his pockets, he made sure that he had everything before exiting the vehicle. "Little arsehole," he added.

Rolling down her window to wave, Barbara called after Christopher as he made his way along the garden path. "See you tomorrow!"

"By the corner, yeah?"

"Yeah, same as always."

Stooping to scoop up the cat, Christopher heard Barbara's car rev slightly before peeling away and vanishing down the road. The distant sound of the engine blended with the muffled purr escaping Crystal as Christopher slipped his hands beneath the feline and cradled him in the crook of one arm.

Fishing into his pocket for the house key, with his free hand, Christopher took a deep breath as he stared down at the ground. As he did so, Crystal twisted uncomfortably in his grip, in an attempt to wiggle free.

Turning slightly, to readjust his hold on the cat, Christopher's eyes momentarily flicked down the dark street.

Chilling sensation licked at the nape of his neck.

Like someone had just walked over his grave.

An off sensation knotted his stomach. A feeling, like he was watching a horror film and waiting for the jump-scare, gripped him with a dull intensity.

Christopher briefly remembered a September evening, on Barbara's sofa watching The Haunting in Connecticut. The pair had switched off all of the lights and turned her Dad's sound system way up.

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