Neckbeard Vampire: Nightbeard Rising
Page 15
The days rolled by and the rest of the week seemed more or less normal. Paxton continued to make plans and then bail after leaving his friends waiting for hours, and the comic shop took on an increasingly ominous air.
Kara, however, was looking healthier. Her complexion had almost returned to normal and she was back to her normal, energetic self. Dasha made an appearance at school only on Thursday, odd he thought, as she seemed to only choose the worst weather to come to class.
Chad became increasingly concerned for Paxton. Was his behavior just the standard symptom of lovesickness? Paxton would put distance between him and his friends, isolating himself from those who care about him—and then what? He would get married? Two point five kids and a house? Maybe he’d get a pet? A cat, perhaps?
Then something occurred to him. He remembered the incident with the strange cat. He didn’t realize Kara had a cat.
On Saturday morning he took a drive over to Kara’s house, hoping he might be able to catch her before she went out for the day.
Her mom answered the door, “Oh hey Chad, how are you?”
“I’m ok, Mrs. Traube. Is Kara around? I’d like to speak to her.”
“Let me check and see if she wants to talk.”
“Thank you.”
Mrs. Traube invited Chad inside and offered him a drink, after a few minutes she returned with a worried look.
“I’m afraid she’s not feeling great today—is it something urgent?”
“No, it can wait,” he reassured the woman.
“Mrs. Traube,” he started again, “do you have a cat?”
“A cat? No. Why do you ask?”
“Oh it’s nothing,” Chad dismissed, reluctant to sound ridiculous, “…just Kara mentioned something about a cat recently.”
“Hmm. No I don’t know what it’s about. She needs some fresh air, though—she’s been stuffed up in that room. You wouldn’t believe, last night I came in and it felt like a hundred degrees in there---I had to open all of the windows to air it out.”
Kara walked into the kitchen, pale and leaning on furniture to keep her balance.
“Mom—do we have any orange juice?”
“Hi honey—yes, I just bought some.”
“Oh hey Chad,” she noticed him sitting at the table. “What’s up?”
“I was just heading out.” Chad said.
“Kara, honey. Chad said you mentioned something about a cat?”
“Huh?” She seemed surprised at the question, “Oh—there’s just a stray cat that’s been hanging out near the house lately, I felt sorry for it, so I let it in through the window sometimes.”
“I don’t think you should do that,” Chad said sternly.
“Why not?”
“I don’t know.”
“Okay….”
“I gotta go. Get better, Kara. Good bye Mrs. Straube.”