Chapter 7:

Cat Claws

Isis entered The Cat Lair and began taking off her shoes. Felix jumped down from the back of the couch to greet her, "Felix, I think I'm in love," she said in a dreamy tone hugging the jacket she was now wearing. Felix rubbed up against her legs, "Oh don't worry Felix. You'll always be my first love," she picked up the cat and kissed him on the forehead.

She took her leg out of one side of her fishnets while hopping on the other leg into the bathroom. She changed into her pajamas to feel more comfortable. She saw the jacket now on the bathroom floor. She picked it up and put it back on. Better go tell Maven how my evening was.

When she was dressed she headed downstairs. And, like always, Maven was quick to greet her, "So how was your night dear?"

Isis sat down on Maven's couch and began blabbering, "It was great," her speech picked up, "I sang karaoke, I met a girl name Max and a boy named," Her speech slowed down to say his name, "Terry… And by the way my last name is Smith. And—"

"Wow there. Slow down," Maven interrupted.

"Oh I'm sorry. Thank you for making me go Maven."

Maven scanned her upper body, "Where'd you get the jacket?"

Isis looked down as if she forgot she was wearing it, "I got it from that boy Terry."

"Well, I can tell that your night was productive."

Isis shook her head agreeing, "Yeah pretty much. I'm pretty tired now. I just thought I would tell you about my night. So I think I'll go back to The Cat Lair now," she stood up to leave Maven's apartment.

"Wait Isis. I forgot to tell you, I bought you some stuff for your apartment. I went ahead and put it all away in your room. Hope you don't mind."

"Oh of course not. Thank you!" she ran to Maven and hugged her tightly, "What would I do with out you?"

Maven patted her back, "You're welcome dear. But no need to thank me. It's my job to take care of you now."

Their hug broke, "Well I'll see you in the morning Maven."

"We'll have breakfast together."

Isis waved goodbye, "Sure," and she shut the door behind her.

Once again Isis found herself back at The Cat Lair. She was getting drossier by the minute. She took off Terry's jacket and threw it on her bed.

She entered her bathroom to brush her teeth before she went to bed. When she opened drawer to retrieve her toothpaste Felix jumped up on the sink counter. He started scratching at the mirror, "Felix, stop that! You're going to ruin the mirror." Isis commanded. The cat stopped scratching and looked at Isis. He tilted his head and then went back to doing it, "Felix!" Isis gave him a little nudge so he jumped down from the sink.

Isis began brushing her teeth. Now Felix had jumped on the toilet and started meowing. He was looking at the mirror and back at Isis and so on. Isis spit out her toothpaste. She was starting to wonder. She put toothbrush and toothpaste away and head for the door. But then she stopped, why is Felix so interested in that mirror?

Isis began tugging on one side of the mirror. Nothing. Then she tugged on the other. The mirror revealed to also be a medicine cabinet. Inside was of course dusty. There were old cosmetics, medicine, lotion, hairspray, etc. But what really caught Isis' eye were ten little sharp metal object. Isis picked one of them up. The object was a metal ring with a sharp metal piece attached. They resembled a claw. The ring was big enough to fit around the tip of Isis' finger. She put one on. For some strange reason, having this on made Isis feel so right. Isis was so tired she was ready to fall over. She decided she would have to inspect these claw like things in the morning. So she picked up the rest and closed the medicine cabinet.

She walked to her bed and put the claws on the night stand. She got under the cover. Felix curled up next to her and she quickly fell asleep.

Isis woke up to the light shake from Maven, "Wake up dear. Aren't we going to have breakfast together?"

Isis lazily responded, "Yeah…"

"Well it's getting late, so wake up deary."

To wake herself up, Isis sat up and rubbed her eyes. Then she remembered the claws from last night, "Can you tell me something?"

"What is it?"

Isis leaned over to the night stand, "What are—?" she felt around on the stand but the metal objects were nowhere to be found, "That's strange. I fond these claw like thingies yesterday, but they're not here anymore."

Maven nervously twiddled with her fingers, "Perhaps you were just dreaming."

Isis scratched her head in bewilderment, "I could have sworn…" she changed the subject thinking that perhaps it was just a dream, "So do you think we could go through those boxes today."

Maven was fast to respond, "Oh no...I…have things to do today."

"Well…okay," Isis was a little disappointed but quickly shook off the feeling, "Just let me do my daily routine and I'll be ready for breakfast."

"Alright," Maven left to go get breakfast ready.

Isis went to the bathroom to tidy up. The first thing she did was check the mirror to make sure it was really a medicine cabinet and that she wasn't just dreaming it. The cabinet was still full and dusty. She looked where the claws lay the night before. In ten tiny sections there was no dust. It couldn't have been a dream…no dust…what the hell's going on? Isis was beyond confusion.