Friday a Thirteen

[Clarity]

_____Hi, everybody. I thought I’d take a moment and write up what happened today, because so many of you seem to think there is something different about Fridays with a thirteen.
_____Occasionally, Ethan likes to take me out to lunch. He says it’s “Just to remind myself how to treat a girl, and to let you know that just because you’re living by yourself, that doesn’t mean you don’t have people watching out for you.”
_____We decided to go to a place called “L.A. Café.” It was very nice, though I don’t think one of the men at the bar liked me very much. Maybe it was because I told Ethan how the bathroom had two toilets and no doors for them. He told the man at the bar and he looked at me in a strange way, all squinty and mean. He probably didn’t know about it. Boys aren’t supposed to go into girls’ bathrooms, and I didn’t think he had a girl for a friend.
_____Ethan and I left.
_____“Oh, look at that adorable cat!” I pointed to the street corner.”
_____“Cat?” he asked.”Where?”
_____“Right there, silly.” I said, pointing again. “The black one.”
_____“Black?” Ethan seemed really scared all of a sudden, rubbing the necklace he wears under his shirt and fingering his chest.“Come on, Clarity. We have to go.”
_____“Okay,” I agreed as he pulled me along. I looked over my shoulder at the cat. “Ethan, he’s following us.”
_____“Who’s following us?” Ethan looked behind him, his face paling.
_____“The black cat,” I informed him, looking back and waving with the hand that Ethan wasn’t holding so tightly. Several people waved back, some enthusiastically and others not so much; some didn’t wave at all. The cat ignored it and kept following us. Ethan looked back and said a naughty word, though I didn’t ask him to stop. “It’s invisible, Clarity. Keep watching it, but don’t wave at it. I don’t like it.”
_____I nodded quickly and obeyed, looking back at him. Maybe it was just Ethan being so tense, but suddenly the little thing didn’t seem so cute anymore. His ears were laid flat along his skull and his tail was straight out as he followed us. His body was crouched low and he slithered along on his belly, claws out. The pace he set was slow and methodical, and yet the bustling people seemed to unconsciously avoid the small creature at their feet, not so much as considering where they stepped and not coming close to getting in the cat’s way. We slowly wedged some distance between us and him, though even at a hundred feet, the cat’s eyes clearly burned crimson.
_____“He’s still following us,” I reminded Ethan. “And his eyes are red.” Ethan swore again, and this time I did remind him that I didn’t like it. He just rolled his eyes and ducked into a very large store named “Wal*Mart’s.” He led me through the long aisles, nearly empty of people, which I found odd, and along the walls. After about half an hour, he found an exit and picked up a shopping cart, using the smell vehicle and taking several things from the aisles and putting them inside. He asked what I might need, and I told him, a little confused. There was a strange cat with red eyes tailing us, and he decided to go shopping? He wouldn’t answer my questions, though something nudged a thought around in my mind when he picked up a small container marked “Pet Gold Dried Bonito Tuna Flakes.” Afterward, he paid for the merchandise at the checkout stand, and left the store, my questions dropping unasked from my lips as I followed him.
_____“Ethan!” I breathed in panicky horror, seeing the maliciously eyed cat perched upon a cement half wall, staring at us through partially shut lids. Glints of red were easily seen, and all the feelings of despair and angst washed over me like a showerhead of water. I swallowed against the phalanx, find within myself a wall that staved back the inundation of negative feelings.
_____“The cat?” Ethan asked, his brow stern. I nodded. “Open that bag of tuna treats. Toss a few to el gato.” He had to repeat his instructions twice and show me what he meant by his words. It was evident he felt the unease squirming along his spine like a slithering snake, too. But like me, he had fought it off; that seemed to anger the cat. His fur flared out and he showed his teeth, spitting. I tossed a few pieces of the awful smelling stuff beside him, and I didn’t blame the cat when it ignored the yellowy globs at his paws.
_____The cat hissed and spat, eyes blazing and dripping bloody sparks like blood. His fur stood on end, his tail lashing his flanks as he stood. The air compressed heavily as his eyelids unshuttered, my heart constricted as his gorgon-stare found mine. My eyes stung, and I flinched. With a yowl, the black feline arched his back, ready to pounce. I threw up my arm as he screamed, swiping a paw through the air. A flash of light shredded the air. I was falling . . .
_____The shopping cart tilted and fell, tripping up Ethan and spilling its contents with a rattle. My hip hurt, I had landed hard on a corner of the cart. I looked around wildly, my eyes tearing up at the pain in my side.
_____But the cat was nowhere to be seen. People’s muttered hints of surprise pattered around us like water, but they largely ignored us, going on with their own business. Ethan was watching me in concern and surprise.
_____“What happened, Clarity? Are you okay?
_____“You mean you didn’t see him?”
_____“See what?” he demanded, the harshness of his tone softening at seeing me try to get up and flinch with pain.
_____“The cat . . .” I felt like crying.
_____“Nothing,” he shook his head and closed his eyes, twisting around and helping me up. I did start to cry then, sniffling and wiping my eyes.
_____“We’ll getcha some new groceries,” Ethan patted my back and dusted my sides carefully. I nodded, but that didn’t cheer me up. I didn’t want groceries. I wanted someone to see what I could see.
_____Happy Friday a Thirteen, everybody.

[Hannah]

Hi Clarity,

I'm glad you and Ethan are okay. Did he tell you why he was nervous about the cat?

Hannah

PS: At least he believed you saw it.

[Clarity]

_____Hi, Hannah,
No, he didn’t tell me why. I’ll ask him tonight. The cat has been following me around.
_____P.S. I hope Mr. Ron is okay. I don’t think the cats like him.

[Ethan Skinner]

Invisible cats always make me nervous.

But more especially, I started getting nervous at the diner. Apparently there was a lady taking pictures the day before we came.

[Clarity]

_____Hi, everybody. I looked at Hannah’s calendar today. It’s going to be Friday a Thirteen! Sometimes really bad things happen on Fridays a Thirteens, so please be careful everyone, okay? Be extra nice and vigilant and don’t talk to dark and creepy people, either.

[Cybermancer]

Thank you for the warning, Miss Grace.

I'll be in my lab all day tomorrow but I'll stay away from anything explosive. I'll probably stay in for the evening and go to bed early. I can't imagine anything bad happening with that plan.

And my dog Blackie will keep away any unlucky cats.

[Grace]

I like cats. I don't trust them but I like them.

It'll be interesting to see who manages to stay out of trouble tomorrow.

[Gotham Witch]

Vegas would put 5 to 1 odds against anyone on this board, I'm sure.

[Ron Caliburn]

I'll have to expand my health coverage again I suppose.

[Grace]

I've got you covered, big guy.

[Hannah]

Please do Darcy, he has horrible luck on nights like this.

In fact, if you could persuade him to stay home somehow it would be even better.

Hannah

[Grace]

I can't make any promises, Hannah. Ron is his own man, all I can do is try to influence him, or support him as is required.

[Ron Caliburn]

I am intact if that's what you were worried about Hannah.

Unfortunately my night was ruined by having to deal with some contractual obligations.

[Clarity]

_____Hi, everyone! Tomorrow’s another Friday a Thirteen, so be careful! Be careful with black cats too, unless they’re Esme. Then it’s okay to snuggle them, okay? Because she’s a nice, adorable, sweet kitty that loves when people snuggle her and rub behind her ears.
_____P.S. I’m going to stay at Miss Wie’s for the weekend, too. It will be fun.

[LostSeeker]

So I take it Friday 13th is a busy time for you guys?

[Ron Caliburn]

Some of us have better luck with them than others.

Some examples of my luck can be found here, here and here.