"The Poet's Cat"
Part 3
by Breyll & Vagabond
~ Viggo ~
The feather moved over the paper with a soft scratching
sound, carefully inscribing word after word. This was the third time in the
last two weeks, that I was writing poetry. Amazing, considering that I hadn't
written one word into my little notebook in the course of the last year.
How much I had changed in these two weeks. Everything seemed brighter and
more cheerful.
"And I owe that to you, little Orli." I whispered to the fluffy
cat, that was curled up in my lap, dozing peacefully. I gently nudged his
furry pointed ear and giggled softly, when he grumbled a bit and tugged his
head deeper under his frontpaws.
I caressed his soft fur again and then contentedly leaned back, to add some
more words to my newest poem.
When the phone suddenly rang, I flinched so hard, that Orli jumped down from
my lap with a unhappy "mew", and looked at me reproachfully. I caressed
his head as an apology and went over to the phone.
It was seldom enough that anybody called me. Contact to former friends had
almost evaporated since... "Viggo Mortensen." I said, feeling insecure,
my voice almost questioning.
~ Orli ~
I shook my head to clear it. I had just been about to pounce
that mouse in my dream, when my human had suddenly decided to get up. It took
me a moment to realize, the unpleasant ringing had been the phone. Darn. I
hadn't even known he had one of the stupid things. I was not sure why, but
I noticed a fierce dislike for telephones in me.
I started licking my paw to wash my face, when the tone of Viggo's voice drifted
into my consciousness. Stressed. Definitely stressed. I looked up to find
him gripping the edge of the table tightly, his blood almost gone from his
face.
"Yes, of course you can come over.", he just said. Who could come
over? I slowly walked over to him and then jumped onto the table. He didn't
even realize I was there. His eyes were closed tightly. Who the hell was that,
to upset him so much?
Protectiveness rose in my heart. The last two weeks had been pure bliss. I
really had had nothing to do but eat and snuggle. And I definitely did not
want to change that routine. I had come to the conclusion, that being a cat
was quite nice if you had a human like Viggo.
I loved to sleep in his lap when he was writing, I loved sitting beside him
when he was painting. Especially, when he went outside and painted the sea.
I could spend hours watching him. I loved sleeping, curled up beside his head
on the pillow, his scent always strong in my nose. I loved to nibble my food
from his fingers. Quite frankly I loved him. And I did not want anybody to
disrupt our peace!
"Yeah, see you then." my human said and hung up the phone. See you
in hell, I thought. Whoever that had been would suffer. Viggo looked like
he had seen a ghost.
**********
~ Viggo ~
For the zillionth time in the last three hours, I looked
at the watch and wondered where he was. Finally I realised, that he probably
had changed his mind. – Of course, that was typical of him. I don't
know how often I had spend my time like this. Waiting for him.
It almost was as if the last year hadn't existed at all. One phone call and
everything was again like it had been then. The choking feeling of insecurity
and tension – the stupid hope that this time all would be different.
That he had changed. That this time everything would be fine. That he had
realized, that he couldn't live without me. That I was a part of his life...
I shook my head to drive away the painful thoughts. I was just lying to myself.
It had been a mistake to even allow him to come by. He would just hurt me
again. First, he would be all sweet promises, than use me, and then leave
me behind. Just like he had always done. I didn't know anymore how often I
had gone through this with him. Three times? Four? Five?
How long would he stay this time? How long, till he found somebody else, who
would give him what he thought I lacked. How long, till the big bright world
called him back. A world, where I was only a pale shadow compared to his shine.
No...
I wouldn't survive this again. It had used all my strength not to break. And
now, that I had finally found some semblance of happiness, he came back.
'Why now?' I thought desperately. I knew one look into his beautiful green
eyes would break my resolve. Would break down the wall, I had so carefully
erected around myself.
"Why can't he just leave me alone?", I asked Orli with a sigh. "Probably
he is in another bed now anyway." I laughed bitterly, the held back tears
burning in my eyes. "Why do I always allow him to hurt me?"
He had said he would be here 9 pm. Now it was half past one. "Let's go
to sleep.", I whispered tiredly. "Maybe fate has mercy on me. It's
for the best..."
~ Orli ~
I couldn't have agreed more. The last hours - no - the last
two days had been torture. My beautiful, gentle human had been nervous, insecure
and sad around the clock, not really falling asleep in the night, dozing off
during the day. Staring off into nothing for hours, rubbing his chin thoughtfully
and most of the time all but ignoring me.
How I hated this mysterious visitor. How good for him that he had decided
not to show up. I softly licked Viggo's face to reassure him. He caressed
my back, but his eyes were still far away. Mewing sadly, I pressed against
him to ease his pain.
Oh heavens, I just couldn't stand to see him ache so much. I wished so desperately
to take him into human arms, to comfort him in ways that this body would not
allow. My wonderful, wonderful human.
At last, he closed his eyes and was about to fall asleep, when there was a
sharp knock on the door and he shot upright, beaming with joy and frightened
at the same time. "He 's here!" he exclaimed. "Oh gods, he
has come." He smiled down at me, but all I felt was hatred. How dare
this person show up now?!
"How do I look?" he asked me nervously. I gave a disgusted grumble
and jumped of the bed. He was heading for his own doom with open eyes. Seemed,
he really needed someone to take care of him. And fuck all gods if I wouldn't
do that properly. Snarling softly, I followed him down the stair and then
sat on the last step to inspect my claws.
~ Viggo ~
Hastily, I raked my fingers through my hair, to put them
into a semblance of order and then shakily opened the door. And there he was.
Dressed as if he had just stepped out of the cover of a magazine, with that
typical impudent sexy grin.
"Viggo!", he cried exuberantly and his eyes gleamed when he pulled
me into a tight embrace. He smelled so good... so familiar. I stood there
like a puppet waiting for it's strings to be pulled.
"Sean." I whispered his name and hated myself for the tears running
down my face. He laughed. "Gods, Viggo. Do you always have to be so melodramatic?
Always my dreamy poet, huh?" He pressed a fleeting kiss to my cheek and
then walked into the living room, as if he owned the house.
"Still living in this 'museum'? Why don't you get something more modern,
not so dusty..." he criticized, sitting down on my beloved old couch.
"That's the couch we spent our first night on." I replied with a
voice thick with memories he had obviously forgotten so quickly.
"Really?" he asked and winked at me. "That was ages ago, wasn't
it?" He studied me while he said that and then smiled. "You look
good, Viggy. Not as pale anymore. A bit thin maybe, but that you have always
been. Can you get me a whiskey or something like that? It will surely be a
long night. You won't believe what an exciting year I have had. There is so
much to tell you... But that can wait. First, we should get more ‘comfortable’,
don't you think?", he purred and suggestively patted the place right
next to him. "Sit down."
Yes, it really was as if he had never left.
~ Orli ~
I walked into the living room very slowly, very deliberately.
I had watched the whole exchange at the door in silence. Had watched, as this
moron walked into my house, touching my human, completely ignoring me. If
I hadn't already hated him, this would certainly have got me going.
He was sitting on my couch, winking suggestively at my Viggo and I felt an
immense rage boil up inside me. This would not continue! Before Viggo could
walk over to him - which he was clearly going to do - I said "Mew!"
very loudly.
Viggo looked down at me in surprise. He really had forgotten about me. I forgave
him. I would forgive him anything. But not this other one... A smile appeared
on Viggo's face - one he had not had for 'Sean' - and he picked me up.
"Oh, Sean, may I introduce Orli to you?", he asked and carried me
over to the couch, holding me between himself and the other man as if to shield
himself. And I would protect him from that... that... ‘filthy thing’.
He smelled disgusting. Of too much alcohol and smoke and... sex. With an enraged
snarl I jumped from Viggo's arms right into 'Sean's' lap and swiped my claws
across this ugly face.
~ Viggo ~
Shocked, I stepped forward to put my angry kitten into a
safe distance from Sean, but it was already to late. I heard a squeak full
of pain, as Sean grabbed Orli by his soft fur and threw him away from himself
with horrible force. My kitten impacted hard with the heavy wooden desk and
mewed pitifully.
My guts wrenched with the thought, that he might be seriously hurt and I hurried
to him to gently pick him up. I just hoped that he hadn't broken anything...
"Viggo!!! That damned beast has ruined my face!"
I slowly turned around, still stroking Orli's fur to calm him. Sean hat gotten
up and was now standing in front of the big mirror in the hallway, trembling
with rage. "Look at that!", he hissed and carefully dabbed at the
long bloody scratches on his left cheek.
He glared at Orli, who was snarling at him as well, and made one threatening
step in our direction. After getting over the initial shock, I felt myself
get angry as well.
"Orli was just scared. Maybe he is not used to other humans." I
tried to explain. "Orli?" Sean sneered. "Don't tell me that
thing has a name. Oh god, Viggo – are you so desperate, that you are
living out here all alone with a cat? That's so pathetic." His voice
was dripping with sarcasm.
It was just too much. Damn, he had no right to talk to me like that. To hurt
me. "At least, this little kitten appreciates what I can give him. Orli
is happy just being with me. Happy, when I take care of him. And he doesn't
just come and go as he wishes. He likes my house as it is. And he gives me
something back for a change. A bit of happiness and contentment!" I was
shaking all over like electrified and my heart was beating painfully in my
chest.
Sean looked at me with something like disgust. "Fine," he hissed,
"then I hope you will get happy with that filthy cat-beast. Because I
will go. That would be it, me sharing a house with a demon like that! The
cat or I, what will it be?"
How I had loved this man. But now I felt only emptiness, when I looked at
him. My voice was low and shaky when I answered. "You are not here ten
minutes and already you ask me to throw away the thing most precious to me.
As always you want to destroy what means the most to me. But not this time,
Sean." I said.
Was that insecurity in his eyes? He raked his fingers through shimmering golden
hair and swallowed hard. "But don't you love me?", he asked and
made another step in my direction.
Orli showed his teeth and claws. "It's okay, Orli, I will take care of
this." I whispered and gently set him down on the floor. Sean wanted
to embrace me, but I shook my head and evaded him.
It was hard to look into that face that I had loved for so long, but I forced
myself to do it. "Sean," I said, "those who love, want to be
loved back. But the only person you will ever love, is yourself. I can't go
on like that. This kitten gives me so much strength and happiness. I am more
happy and content then I have been in a very long time. If there is anybody
I love - it is my Orli. He deserves it much more than you do."
With these words I passed my former lover and opened the door for him. I lowered
my head, so he would not see my tears when I firmly said: "Go. And this
time don't come back!"
Slowly he walked past me and out of my life. I watched him leave in the strange
twilight of approaching morning and then slowly turned around. I felt like
I was going to die.
~ Orli ~
'If there is anybody I love - it is my Orli.' The words lanced
through my heart like lightning. He loves me, was my last coherent thought,
then horrible pain exploded in my body. It felt like I was torn limb from
limb, like somebody was pulling my legs out of my body, stretching me beyond
anything possible. I couldn't even get out a sound.
Some dim part of me noticed the sound of the door closing behind that human
scum. And then I heard Viggo gasp in shock. What... what was happening to
me...? The pain slowly receded and I managed to open my eyes. How different
the world suddenly looked. So much smaller.
Confused I tried to move and found that I had no control over my pain filled
arms and legs. Arms? With utter astonishment I looked at my own hands, and
then looked at Viggo, who stood in the hallway, staring at me. "Viggo,"
I managed to speak, my voice raspy and rough from not being used for so long.
But I had to get the words out before anything took my speech from me again.
"I love you, too."
If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to: Beryll & Vagabond
go to PART 4