by Ben Tigert

The one they called Misty always scared me the most. Those eyes were pure evil. She killed a man one time with just her eyes. I saw it. She told me I was next. If I told. If I told you all what I heard. And believe me, I heard it all. I wear a cat’s eye stone... it’s perfectly round — a cat’s eye —gold and glowing. I wear it on a silver chain on my neck. It scares them. It keeps me alive sometimes when they’re around. You know where they live, don’t you? No....no no no! Under the building...112 West 48th...112 West 48th! I tell you every time! You always pretend to listen, don’t you? But you never hear...you never hear. I know you’re not with them. Stop telling me that. They don’t talk about you — how could you be on their side then? I know all of them. Yes he was. He had those eyes...like theirs...evil. That was my first hint, but then I heard them talking under my floor. They said, “Abraham will help us, he is powerful. He knows the goat.” I don’t know what goat...If I knew I would tell you! Why do you always have to question it all?! You say you want to help?! I am calm. I found a book the other day. In the street. It was stained...all stained. But I could see some of the words...when they didn’t get behind me. They tried to hide, but I read...I did...I read! But then the book fell. So I walked some more. What? Who? Abraham? Oh yes the man...I had to...he was going to kill me. Why does no one else hear the cats? Why am I the chosen one? They’re under my building you know...right under my feet. Sometimes I feel them...looking through the floor...watching me. Do you wanna see my cat’s-eye? Here. See it...it scares them. He wasn’t afraid of it. I showed it to him every time I saw him. He wasn’t afraid. He wasn’t afraid. Misty is the leader, I think. She turns the lights on and off in his head. She tried to kill me, but I scared her off with my cat’s eye. Abraham was a seller. You know, on the street. He was a seller. I heard the cats. They told me. I never bought anything from him. He could have used it to poison my brain. Or kill me..kill me. That was their plan, you know. To kill me. I had to stop them. They couldn’t kill me — they were scared of my cat’s eye. They were scared. They had to have a man. They said Abraham was their man. He was the one to help them. I didn’t want him to die. You know that. But I had to kill him...I had to. Don’t you see, he was with the cats. He....he would have killed me. Can’t you understand? I felt him watching me...before. It was like the stare of a cat, Abraham’s was. Like a cat. But I killed him. You know how I killed him? Oh...you do. Well, I tried not to hurt him too bad. But I don’t know if the cats even have feelings. I don’t think so... The walls sang to me on my way home. They praised the fall of Abraham. I am a god to those against the cats. Only the walls and the water. The people run away. I frighten. Like a cat? No...no no! Never say I am like a cat...do you hear me?!?!?! I hate you I hate you I hate you! I am a god to them. A god. We are through now? Okay, I will miss you till next time. No next time? What do you mean?