I turn around hoping to see someone, but what greets me is not a human. A cat. A pure white cat whose fur is as white as the snow. It’s sparkling blue eyes seems to shine as its mouth curl.
“I’m glad my efforts are not wasted.” The mouth open and close in accordance to the words. As if the cat is fluent in human language. I open my mouth to speak. But surprise got me a better grip on my throat.
The cat…. It’s the cat Kenneth and I saved. It’s the cat who stayed with me along those months I spent kneeling in Kenneth’s grave. And it’s talking right in front of me. As if there’s nothing strange about it.
My mind is probably too dumbstruck to give off any strong reaction.
“You’re not a cat?” The white cat’s blue eyes glared fiercely in my direction.
“Seriously? And you notice it now? I’ve been with you since four months? Or six? I even tried to talk to you but you are all moping miserable messy brat who can’t get over her lover. You did not even respond to me no matter how much I tried to create a conversation with you. Like, hello? Am I talking to an empty air? It’s a good thing that little servant of mine got your attention or else you will still be kneeling in the same spot, breaking your knee joints!”
How strange….. The cat is nagging at me.
I parted my mouth, trying to say something, but snow started to fall and I completely forgot. My eyes followed the direction of small white puffs as it fall to the ground. All those months spent kneeling in the snow got me immune to the cold.
“Anyway! Where’s the locket and the notebook?”
Notebook….. I look down to my hands. The realization finally came into me and I started to bolt back to the hospital.
“Hey! Stop! Stop! Stop! Where are you going?!” The cat has quick four legs. It can run beside me without any trouble.
“Notebook…. I left it. *wheeze* Maybe in the cabin or to the *wheeze* van. I don’t know…..*wheeze* I can’t remember…. I must find it. Kenneth… *wheeze* Kenneth is in there….”
“Stop! Stop! Listen to me first!” The cat got in the front and block me. Hence I was force to stop running. My sickly lungs cannot bear the sudden stretch of my body. Making me wheeze painfully through my mouth with cold air, as it stab my throat in its chilly mist, I despaired.
How foolish me. How could I forget it? How could I leave it behind? It was the only thing I have left of Kenneth. Our memories are engraved in its papers. Stretch limitless in the tip of my pencil.
“First, don’t panic. I’ll let my servants find it for you. Second, there are some more pressing matters you need to attend.”
My mouth hang wide open. The cat….. The cat is floating in front of me. If it wasn’t for me feeling desolated, I would have run in opposite direction when I saw its paw floating.
“Your ‘influence’ of the strings is way past its prescribed limit. If you direct ‘command’ into it, I’m afraid you will suffer the backlash of it.”
“Ha?”
If it’s possible for cats to snap their paws like how people snap their fingers, I would have eaten the snow in my feet. But I don’t think I can do that at this moment. I just watch a cat speak to me, float in front of me, now it made a gesture as if its snapping its paws. What’s even more unbelievable is the sound it produces…. It resembles human fingers.
“Wait, let me explain this to you.” Out of nowhere, strings floated and hovered around the white cat.
“The power to control the strings is called ‘influence’. This influence is like a battery that will run out of power if you don’t feed it more energy.”
My eyebrows shot up. Cats know what battery is.
“And this energy you will use to fill the ‘influence’ is called ‘tasks’. I think you know what certain ‘tasks’ are we talking here right?”
Tasks…. My mind space out. Remembering how Adeline manage to escape doing these troublesome ‘tasks’ by taking the forbidden road of offering blood of the Vermillion family instead of fulfilling tasks.
“I know.” I nodded my head.
“Good. Right now, you’re on a shortage of your ‘influence’ resources. You’ve used too much of your ‘influence these past few days. We need a refill. Now go, if you walk through this path you will meet two people tied by their pinkies with the red string of fate. Help them discover their feelings for each other.”
The cat got behind me and push me gently to the narrow alley with blinking street light. There are people on the sidestreet. Mostly going home to their families. Cars drove by, honking at the dogs who cross the streets.
I rubbed my eyes, worried if they will see the deep scarlet and think of me as a witch. But the cat reassured me they can’t see it.
After walking for a few minutes, the cat suddenly grab my clothes and force me to halt. It was a coffee shop. The name says, ‘Luke’s Tea and Coffee Shop’, the smell of cakes and pastries entered my lungs.
Across the glass walls, I can see one man in the counter. He look like he’s in his mid twenties. His black hair lay flatly in his head. The hair lines crisscrossed in his forehead. Making him look younger and youthful. He is handsome. And every part of his face is delicate.
Even his build is delicate. The line of his lean body from not so broad shoulders to his small waist make him look even more fragile than a woman.
“Look at his pinky.” the cat ordered me after noticing my line of sight. At the man’s pinky, there’s a red string tied latched on it. And it was connected… to someone who is also inside the cafe.
There are three customers inside. A woman in mid fourties whose busy talking to someone in the phone. A man in his sixties drinking his cup of tea with slightly trembling hands. And a man whose also in mid twenties looking straight at the man in the counter. As if he’s going to lavish him.
I narrowed my eyes. The strings on their pinkies match each other.
“This is your first task.” the cat announces. Before I know it, the cat has made itself comfortable in my arms. Snuggling in my chest, as if looking for warmth.
“If only the locket is here and the notebook. You would have completed this task in one night.” The cat deliberately sigh, while I still have my eyes focused on the display, full of delicacies and sweets.
“Why?” I can feel my stomach grumbling.
“Do you remember the locket has a girl and a boy figure inside? Those two figures will tell you how much points of ‘intimacy’ the two fated people have. When one of it is full, then the confession of love will commence -”
“But you want me to match two men together. How can that locket be used?”
“Ugh, have you been listening to me? Do I have to explain myself further?” The white cat said irritably.“Basically, the locket itself will be used as the measurement for ‘intimacy’ the two fated people has. Now look, you see that man there? He has a perfect score of 30 points. That’s the highest intimacy point. But look at the man at the counter, he has 0. Now, what you need to do is add intimacy points to the man on the counter to balance the amount of intimacy both parties have. When level 30 is achieved on both sides, the confession and happy ever after will take place.”Strangely, I’ve been hearing this nonsense from a talking cat for a while now. I should be running. Yet, right now, I’m strangely calm. I understood what the cat is trying to say. I swallowed the lump in my throat and begin to make plans on how I can match the two.“How will I increase points for the man
I work as a matchmaker. Ever since I was a child, I can see strings, strings that connect us to other people. Strings can take a variety of colors and can change at any time, depending on your feelings towards other people. When you like a person and they become your friends, the string that connects you both is white. When you start to feel dislike, irritated, annoyed, betrayed, jealous, envy, lust, hurt or other negative emotions, the color starts to change. From white, it eventually converts its color to black. In other words, strings change their colors because what you feel for others changes. You might be asking, red strings are for the one true love, right? The right term for it is 'fated partner' or 'predestined partner' but can never be called 'one true love'. People's hearts can change you know. Red can turn into black. Just like how a couple who loves each other, but after a few ye
ALICE I flipped through the pages. The pencil in my hand snapped as my grip on it tighten. I did not bother getting myself another one. I can still draw using what's left of this five inch pencil. This flimsy little thing... is already enough. Just like hislingering image in my brain...is enough to draw his sketch. I sat, sprawled across the lush green bermuda grass.For three hours I worked on his portrait. And at last, his face took the exact replica of how he looks like.My fingers lingered at his bright playful eyes. As if touching could bring me the warmth he used to gave me. I held my sketch book over the sun, smiling approvingly at my masterpiece. Even in drawings, he's still beautiful.The look in his eyes radiates warmth and full of life. Just the right match for his cheery dimpled smile.I held
ALICE It was unusually hot. My skin perspired in sweat. I want to look up above, see if there's any clouds that could cover the scorching sun. But I can't. Not right now. Strangers other than the groundkeeper is here. I don't like strangers. Especially if they're surrounded with black patched strings. Either they hate their life and had too much pity for themselves or they're congested by uncontainable rage they can't see anyone as pleasant or likeable. The way they throw doubtful stares at me like the rest of the people who came by tell me it's the latter. I couldn't care any less. Except for the groundkeeper who took care of me, all these strangers will come and go and move on with their lives. Forgetting any detail they thought up about me. At the corner of the tomb made of limestone, the white cat emerge and approach the basket warily.
ALICE Different colors of strings came out from the red book, swirling, tangling, forming a loop around me. As if it wants to tie me around its knotted threads. “What is this?” Black white and red burst out like fireworks. I’ve never seen strings this much without people. Thrice when I was in crowds, I saw many. But most are black. None are white. Some have red. In their pinky, in their hearts. Black strings ruled over hearts. Humans are full of hatred. They can lie straight in their faces, in their smiles, but they can never lie through the string. I don’t know why strings reveal themselves to me. I don’t like people in the first place. Seeing their feelings laid bare makes me hate them more. I waited till the outburst died down
ALICE "I don't want revenge. It's a waste of time." I said and resume my place in my kneeling spot. I'm thinking of leaving but I have nowhere to go. Except here. He is my home. This is where I belong to. This is where I'll die. [And you think kneeling there is not a waste of time?] "He is my world. So my time solely belongs to him." A distortion in the air and he sprouts at my side. Glaring at me. [So you'll throw your life? Just like that?] I opened the book and scan through the pages. At first, it was all blank. My drawings completely wiped out. I started seeing red. Rage surge inside me like blazing fire. But it stops... then recedes to oblivion when Kenneth's face appeared. I pursed my lips in relief. I ran my finger at his image. Black inky hair, electric blue eyes. My drawings doesn't have the lush of colors he always
ALICE My sight started to shatter. Images bombarded me in full blast. Strings shot up in every direction. Like numerous colorful birds on their glorious flight. I can hear excited whispers. Of a woman, floating, hovering, embracing me with welcome arms.I can’t tell what she’s saying. Only a low distorted words of ‘thank you my Mistress’ is what my ears picked up. I’m still kneeling in the soft pile of grass. A bit mushy from the rain, pebbles scraping at my knees. I hear soft enchants. A foreign language I’ve never heard before. But some part of my brain oddly pin the words as familiar. Like a distant lullaby someone sang to me. Long long time ago. I find it strange. Not upsetting. Just strange. The more I listened, the more my strength drained my muscles lifeless. I’ve heard these enchants before. Someone whisper them to my ears in my sleep. Soothing, palliative, a set of w
ALICE This is the first time I actually look around the graveyard. The sight of raised tombs made with marble in hues of white, black and greys filled my eyes with fathomless pain. This sight is a reminder. Of what I lost. Because of my foolishness, I lost him. And he is my everything. Now, I have nothing left. The emptiness gnawing in my chest is bottling up inside I’m scared it might choke the life out of me one day. The fear of not knowing anything, or whether I can go on with life without him is so suffocating I don’t know if crying or screaming or laughing through the madness will solve anything at all. Sometimes I just wish everything will end. For me. End this pain. End this loneliness. I wanna be with him so bad, I did all that I could to take away my life. But it’s useless. I’m still here. I still wake up in the morning. Left alone and existing without direction.