"A cat?" Alice laughed softly, a sound I had never heard from her before. "Of course she's a cat. A wonderful one, at that."

I forced a smile, patting the old woman's hand gently. "Yes, of course. How silly of me… What happened to Dinah?"

I immediately regretted asking this, as Alice broke into a fit of screaming, thrashing about wildly. "Dinah! What did you do to my Dinah?" Tears streamed in rivers down her face.

"Miss Pleasance, we didn't do anything to your cat." Doctor Carson stated gruffly, turning to me and saying, "Go see if any of the hypnotists have an opening."

"Hypnotists?..." I hesitated, but after seeing the stern look on the doctor's face, I nodded, and backed out of the room. "Yes, sir. Right away."

I rushed through the halls, until I came to the treatment ward. Two men in white coats were leaning against the wall, chatting amiably. One of them, bald except for a long grey beard turned to face me, asking, "Can I help you?"

"Yes, Doctor Carson would like your help with a patient." I turned quickly on my heel, beginning back towards Alice's room. "This way, please."

The doctor sighed, but followed after me, muttering to himself. When we arrived back where Carson was sitting in silence with an obviously-sedated Alice, he coughed to announce his presence.

"Doctor Griffith, thank you for coming." Carson nodded in greeting, motioning him over to Alice's bed. "Miss Pleasance is going into hysterics over her cat. Dinah." The last word was said in a whisper as to not set of Alice again.

"A cat…" Doctor Griffith nodded, and then looked over his shoulder at me pointedly.

Carson followed his gaze, and frowned. "Nurse Ethel, kindly leave the room. Shut the door after you."

I opened my mouth to protest, but glanced at the old, matronly woman sitting helpless on the bed. I offered her a sad smile, and left. I wanted her to get help, and if this was how they chose to do it….

I slumped against the wall, waiting for one of the doctors to emerge. I could hear through the door the sound of Griffith's voice, questioning Alice. It took me a moment to realize that the girl's voice I heard speaking back was in fact Alice. She seemed carefree, and young.

After what seemed like hours, Doctors Carson and Griffith walked out of the room, talking, not noticing my presence.

"I never would have expected this…" Carson shook his head slowly. "The death of her cat? Almost everyone has lost a pet… Why would it cause such problems with her?"

Griffith stroked his beard, and shrugged his shoulders. "You heard her… The woman is delusional. All that talk of rabbits with watches, and smiling cats, and pigs dressed up as babies!" I blinked in confusion. "She personified the animals… They replaced her family, after the fire. It's such a shame when someone loses all of their relatives at such a young age…" The two walked off, still discussing the case, leaving me sitting in stunned silence.

I had a lot of fun writing this story, and I hope you had just as much fun reading it. Please review!