Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Liberty

Liberty sighed. She felt the dangling fur brush against her side and turned to recognize her little stumpy-legged friend, Bob. He was padding outside from the house through the 'doggy-door'.

        Liberty went outside more than Bob, but it was still known as the 'doggy-door'. The 'kitty-door' just didn't fit, she guessed.

        "Hello," he greeted her, dipping his head respectfully.

        Liberty's ears kicked back as she gave a nod of her head.

        She was obviously not in the mood to talk, but Bob didn't get the message.

        "Are you okay?" he asked concerned, "You look like you just got back from wrestling with a pack of dogs."

        Liberty let out another sigh. His guess was closer than she expected. Sometimes it was like this old dog could read her mind, even though it was only a dream.  It was weird that she would be this anxious after waking up.

        I knew it was more than a nightmare.

        She imagined the scenes she saw in the dream. She was so horrified. The way her body felt went death took her over. This animal wasn't just killing her as prey or protecting its territory. Liberty was murdered.

        I cheated death but now I am cursed...

        Liberty had to tell Bob about her death.

        But, not now, she decided. It would be too soon for her. It was still fresh in her mind; remembering her horrifying death. Liberty didn't want to talk about it yet.

         Sure, Bob knew she was quite different, but how would he react if she told him about her dream? How could she tell him that she was once normal, but then attacked, killed, and then came back to life as if she was a zombie? But, she wasn't a zombie. She was a vampire. Maybe that was worse.

        This was something that Bob didn't know about her and apparently neither did her; not until the dream brought it all back.

        Liberty's friend briefly touched his nose to hers and whispered, “Don’t worry. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to,” then added looking back at her, "You'll be okay," as he made his way down the steps into the front yard.

        He always loved bathing in the hot sunlight while he lay on his back in the soft summer grass.

        Watching the black and white Shih Tzu go, another question crossed Liberty's mind.

        How long has she been like this? How long did she have this craving for blood and these blazing red eyes? How long ago did she die?

        Her mind was a total blank when it came to the answers to these questions- except for one thing; that she had been like this for far longer than she could remember.

        Years, years I have been like this.

        She had not aged a bit, not since her death. Liberty still had the appearance of a young cat about a year old.

        In reality, from what she could guess, she could be 40, 50, 60 years old or more.  Who knew? Not her.

        Liberty knew she could never die, at least not again.

        But how could this happen and why to her?

        All of these years, Liberty thought, how could this have not cross my mind before?

        The cat gave herself a few swift licks on her forepaws, and then began to pad toward the 'doggy-door'.

        She hesitantly stopped as she saw Mary's shiny red car pull in the garage on the left. Liberty didn’t know Mary had even left. She had noticed Jacob's car was gone, but he went to work every morning, so that was not unusual. Mary usually stayed home in the mornings.

        Instead of going back in the mansion, Liberty waited for her owner outside to greet her.

        Bob, however barley noticed the giant machine as it arrived. The lazy dog was snoozing his summer away.

        Liberty's heart lurched as she remembered about when Mary and Jacob were talking about getting another cat. Liberty did not want another cat to get in her business.

        Liberty twitched her tail in frustration. Mary must have left to get a new cat! Sure this home was big enough for more to fit, but that didn't mean more pets.

        A moment later the human made her way out of the garage holding a small pet carrier by the handle. A foul scent fell over Liberty and her eyes grew wide. She could clearly smell a forest cat. Forest cats were filthy!

        The black cat let out a faint annoyed hiss as her Mary passed her and opened the door to the house. Liberty followed her in the mansion.

        "I have a friend for you to meet," Mary said as she sat down on the couch that was in the front room.

        She sat the pet carrier next to her. The last thing Liberty wanted to do was welcome a stranger in her life.

        But ever the curious cat, Liberty stalked up in front of human, sniffing the scent of the newcomer once again.

        Mary pushed her dark hair behind her ear and then opened the cage. She pulled out a pure white, young female with pale blue eyes and wears a black collar.

        The new cat looked confused.

        "Hey." She meowed shyly but calmly as Mary laid the white cat in her lap. "Do you know where I am?"

        Mary began to stroke the young cat to welcome her.

        Liberty jumped up on to the couch beside Mary and the stranger.

        She felt a small flame of anger rage in her, but, for some reason, not because of Mary who had brought the cat. There was just something about the way this cat made her feel that she didn't like.

        "Yes, you are in my mansion, my territory!" Liberty snorted and then added a sarcastic, “Honey."

        For a moment the white cat looked taken back.

        "Don't be so rude!" Mary snapped at Liberty, as the stranger cat said at the same moment, "Oh... I'm-" She turned her head breaking her eye contact with Liberty,"-Sorry," she said after Mary finished.

        After that the cat seemed sad and lost for words. For just a split second, Liberty felt sorry for the new cat; but the feeling faded away quickly.

        "Oh, its okay, Isabella," Mary soothed the cat stroking her softly.

        Isabella must be her name, Liberty noted.

        Mary was completely ignoring Liberty. She was giving the new cat all the attention. Isabella was beginning to like the attention and it melted her confusion away.       This cat smelled like forest cat, but didn't react much like one.

        The white cat began to purr and shut her eyes. Liberty sat there on the sofa as if she were a lump on a log. Mary kept on stroking Isabella, murmuring words to her and scratching under her chin.

        "So Isabella, how did you end up here?" Liberty kept her tone more friendlily, but what she really wanted to do was spit at her.

        "My name is Willow..." the cat told her awkwardly.

        Liberty giggled in amusement. Willow must have been her name when she was in the forest.

        "Not anymore. The humans have named you 'Isabella.'"

        "Oh," Isabella retorted in a small voice. "But how would you know what they want to call me?"

        Liberty didn't reply instantly. She didn't want to tell this cat about her ability.

        "Um, because I just know."

        That was all she could think of to answer with. Luckily, she questioned her no more.

        Liberty jumped down from the sofa, and gave one last glance at Isabella.

        "Oh, and you can call me Bella for short if you want." The white cat called as Liberty was looking back.

        The black cat stood still for a moment.

         "Okay," she replied still gazing at Bella; gaining a little respect for the cat.

        This is still my territory! She thought selfishly.

        Liberty called back before disappearing up the stairs, "And you can call me Liberty," Then slowly she made her way up the steps.

        This mansion she lived in was a two story building. She preferred the bottom floor, mostly because the top floor gave her strange feelings like something was watching her, something that she couldn't see. Other places made her feel like that too, but most of all it was the up stairs.

        Liberty took her first step onto the second floor. The hardwood floor was cold. She took a deep breath and shivered.

        Liberty was only going to the upstairs because she didn't want that new Bella cat to storm her with questions, and get up in her business.

        She could not believe how Mary would so easily ignore her. Liberty was supposed to be the family cat at least that is what she thought. Now that this new cat had arrived, Liberty felt left out.

        I know it's only been a couple of minutes, Liberty thought, But, I can see what’s coming...Mary is abandoning me!

        Liberty sighed and made her way into Mary and Jacob's bedroom. The room was cold- freezing cold, but she didn't care. She liked it cold.

        Liberty jumped on top of the king-sized bed that was in Mary and Jacob's room. She settled herself on the left corner of the soft bed.

        Liberty never usually slept on the bed. She wasn't doing it to get there attention. Mary and Jacob didn't go into the room much anyway, unless they want to go to sleep or take a nap. If they wanted to pick out clothes or if Mary wanted to put on make-up, they would go to a different room for that.

        Liberty decided that she would stay upstairs until tomorrow, at least away from the new cat until tomorrow.

        After a couple moments of rest, Liberty heard foot steps walking up the stairs. With a glance out the window Liberty noticed that it was still day time.

        It must be Jacob coming back from work, she thought. 

        He always took a nap first thing when he came back from work.

        Jacob! He won't abandon me, will he?

        Liberty began to let out a low growl from the back of her throat as she noticed Jacob carrying Bella into his bedroom with him. Murmuring words to her, Jacob stroked Bella a few times before laying her on the bed beside the back cat.

        "Hi there Liberty," Bella purred friendly.

        Liberty glared boldly at the cat. She replied with a hiss, her ears lying flat and leaped down from the giant bed, ignoring Bella.

        Frustrated, Liberty made her way now downstairs.

        As her paw touched on the last step she saw Bob pushing his was though the doggy-door. She greeted him with a wave of her tail, and then nodded towards the kitchen for him to follow. She wanted to ask her old friend for advice.

        Bob followed her through the kitchen, then through the dinning room turning right into another room.

        It was a big room full of shelves stocked with books. The room was long like a hallway. This was called the 'Library Room'; one of Liberty's favorite places to hang out. This area was always quiet and made her feel calm.

        Liberty sat down on the red and brown patterned rug in the front center of the library room.

        Bob spoke first, "Is this about the new cat?" he asked eagerly, getting the question right.

        Liberty wondered how he already knew about the new cat, but then again, she had been resting for at least an hour. He must have met her when he came in from his 'sun-time'.

        "Uh, yeah," she admitted.

        She didn't really wanting to talk about it but she forced herself too, "Err, I just don't want another cat here..." She trailed of into thought.

        "Why not, don't you want to make some friends?"

        Bob cranked his head to one side in question.

        Liberty just grunted and stared at the floor, rubbing her forepaw on the rug nervously.

        A memory from years ago came fresh to her mind.

        She remembered the time another cat had come in the mansion unwelcome by her.

        Liberty played the scene vividly in her head:

"Don't make me say it again!" Liberty had growled to a tabby tom cat.

        Fearless, the cat had yelled back, "You can't tell me to leave if I don't want to!"  

        The cat's claws dug into the carpet floor in frustration.

        "Go now or I will make you!" Liberty spat at him as she held her paw up in a threat.

        "Stop!"

        Liberty had heard Bob barking madly as she pounced at the brown tabby.

        The dog began to nip at Liberty's legs and feet in effort to stop her as she clawed madly at the cats face.

        Blood spilled everywhere from his leaking wounds. The tabby's attacks left mostly holes in vampire cat's body, Liberty's blood was unnaturally bright red and thin like red water.

        Liberty growled and hissed fiercely as she attacked the cat in a series of clawing. She avoided biting him, because it could maybe; somehow transform him to into a vicious vampire like Liberty and never die.

        The three animal's hair where standing on end.

        Bob was still barking madly, pouncing back and fourth, calling for help.

        The tom yowled in pain as Liberty ranked his eyes, shedding more blood.

        She gave him no mercy.

        The salty tang taste of blood pleased her as his blood spilled at her mouth.

        The tom cat had managed to run off during the battle, but the next day she found his body dead.

        Back then Bob was around 6 years old, so Liberty guessed that these events must have been at least 4 years ago.

        Bob flinched as he seemed to remember the same event, too.

        "Oh, Liberty," the dog began to plead,"we must not go though this again."

        His old voice sounded sad from the memory. It was clear that Bob could remember the murder, too.

        Liberty felt lucky she still had him as her friend after that.

        Liberty let out a frustrated hiss, and ran passed Bob, ignoring him. It was the only way she could stop him from asking questions. She didn't want to explain anything to Bob right now, nor tell him about her dream that reminded her of her death.

        Liberty didn't like to be rude to the elderly dog, but he was accusing her of something that she wouldn't never do again; or at least thought she wouldn't do again.

        I wouldn't murder a cat over jealously, again...would I? She questioned herself.

        Liberty stopped in her paw steps then glanced back as she smelled Bob's scent drift over her. She saw the short dog slacking behind her, his eyes full of dismay. It was clear to Liberty that he didn't trust her.

        I can't trust myself either, she admitted to herself.

        Bob's ears perked up as if he could hear her thoughts. His brilliant green eyes stared back at her showing that he was worried. Liberty twitched her ear then padded into the kitchen, then out the window that was above the kitchen sink, leaving Bob alone.

        The cat almost tumbled over as she landed on the ground with a grunt. The ground sloped downward and it made her paws tingle as she landed uneasily.

        Liberty decided that she would stay outside for a bit to think things over.

        She made her way to the front porch, away from the heat, where Liberty began to happily wash herself pretending that Bella never even existed.