So sorry for the long break. I had to take time off of writing to pack and move. But now I'm back and that won't happen again! This chapter serves as more of an introduction of my OC. But cat-Loki is making his mark, too!
Chapter 2
Kerosene Eyes
Elizabeth Crane had never considered herself to be a "cat person."
Her mother had thought so. "We're cat people, darling." That was what she had said when her second born asked for a puppy.
I'm not cat people. Five and three-quarters old Ellie had thought at the time.
It was now, Sixteen and one half years later did she return to the thought.
I am so not cat people.
The cat she had picked up the evening before had been staring at her. From the time she had awoken in the early morning hours until now, noon, its green eyes had yet to leave her.
"You're creepy." Ellie said aloud, pointing her spoon at the creature. The cat, perched on the ledge of her couch, offered no response. It only blinked.
What Ellie wanted to do was enjoy her breakfast-lunch in relevant peace, occasionally tossing a flake to Harrison. But...Those eyes.
This was the sort of cat that caused Ellie to cringe at the label "cat people." He was a stern cat, it was easy to tell. As she went about her morning routine, the cat had not moved. Stiff as the wooden boards that built the walls of her home, the cat sat.
It was unnerving. Ellie had a suspicion that the cat was angry with her. The stare wasn't one of boredom, sadness, or tiredness. It was just...angry.
Not having a speck of cat food in her pantry, she had offered the cat a small bowl of Harrison's food. The cat, seemingly suspicious, had dipped its nose to the bowl and then, with visible spite, stuck it back in the air. Now the cat was eying her bowl with sparkling hunger swimming in its emerald eyes.
Today was a Sunday, a day Ellie had planned to spend walking along the flowery hillsides just outside of town. Instead she was tapped inside by the unanticipated torrential rain.
Harrison, her large and loud Kuvasz, was bested by water. He could take down a coyote, hike a mountain at her side, but he absolutely refused to go out in the rain.
Currently, her companion was still nestled in the folds of Ellie's lavender sheets, taking advantage of their warmth. Ellie wished to join him, but she had woken early an odd feeling pulsing through her veins.
That odd feeling was failure. Failure had been haunting her day and night.
So what do I do? Ellie thought, caught up in another wave of sweet self-pity. I pick up a green eyed, black cat. Not exactly the picture of good fortune.
Swallowing up the last bite of her cereal, Ellie pulled herself out of the chair and turned to dump the bowl into the sink. Running her hands under the warming water, she momentarily forgot about the gaze that was still fixed upon her.
Rolling her head to the left she frowned. Her calendar hung innocently on the wall. The month of June was clear, save for the large red circle surrounding the 13th. Today was the 11th.
A low, despairing groan escaped her lips. Two days. Only two days.
She had been lucky to stumble across the potential job offer. After packing up her car and leaving her family's comfortable home on the east coast, Ellie had driven across the country just to get away.
Lady fate stepped in and introduced her to Corinne Daily who in turn introduced her to Roy Humphries. Humphries was a musician. A damn good guitar player with a floaty voice. The only thing he lacked was the words to carry his licks and tones.
Corrine, a close friend of the folk singer, had convinced the man to read Ellie's work. After a quick phone call a deal had been set up. Roy would send her five new tracks he had recorded. If she could provide lyrics to each of the tunes, then Roy would partner with her.
It was a job she sorely needed. However, she now only had two days to complete the package of songs and she was stuck on that last song.
The loss of words was new to her and it was keeping her up nights and days. She had been taking to the hills searching desperately for inspiration.
Looking for inspiration, anything, and I find...
Spinning around she eyed the cat. Sure enough, it's shocking green eyes were still glaring into her. Ellie stopped the flow of water and shuffled over to the chair closest to the couch. Falling into she twisted her torso, crossed her arms and rested them on the chairs sturdy wooden back.
Her face was now only inches from the feline's. Smokey eyes met lime eyes. It had not even flinched at her quick approach or uncomfortable proximity.
The two were lost in a battle of stares. Ellie had to admit, she was fascinated by the creature.
This cat was nothing like her joyful, jumpy Harrison. The dog's black eyes were always dripping with laughter. Never was the canine down or angry.
The cat on the other hand...
It's eyes were chilly as icicles, there was anger in those eyes. Deep, electrifying anger.
Anger and something...else... Ellie thought, her eyes beginning to strain under the intensity. It took time, seemingly hours, for Ellie to identify what that something was. As the sound of the rain begin to howl louder and louder, she realized what it was.
"Pain," she said aloud at the realization. The cats large ear twitched at the sound of her voice.
"Someone must've wronged you, little guy." Ellie whispered, thoughtfully. She reached out her hand, intending to give the cat a comforting pat. Instead she was met with a snarl and a claw digging into the skin on the back of her hand.
Loki scoffed, licking his paw. What could she possibly know of true pain. Pathetic mortal...She would die before even beginning to understand...
Ellie sucked in her breath, pulling her wounded hand to her chest. Harrison, who had been watching the odd exchange, flew off of the bed, growling. Ellie had to use all of her strength and both arms to hold back the large pup.
"Hush, Harri!" She scolded. "It's alright."
The dog ceased his defensive howls, but a low growl still rumbled in his chest.
Ellie glanced up at the cat, who had risen onto all fours, lips curled back dangerously.
That look...Ellie could not understand it. She was intimidated by a cat. A Cat! Those orbs of green were slashing through her, causing the bile in her stomach to churn...like a toxin.
Yes, like a poison. She thought, the verse she had been struggling with popping into her head.
Those eyes, she wondered. Releasing Harrison, Ellie clamored to find her notebook and a pen. Finding them hiding under yesterdays pile of unread mail, she hurried back to the table in a hurried frenzy. She leaned towards the cat again, not bothered by the possibility of earning another angry scar. The cat seemed alarmed by her rush and tumble but not threatened.
"So big," Ellie mumbled, tapping her pen frantically against the open notebook. "Large and liquid like seeping, swampy ponds."
She snatched the notebook from the table and rested the blank page against her bare knee.
"With all this fever in my mind..." She read aloud, trailing off. She looked into the cats eyes once more. And the words came, bursting from the shadows of doubt in her mind.
"With all this fever in my mind, I could...drown in your kerosene eyes." Ellie muttered, scribbling words onto the yellowed page. "Your just a riddle..."
What in damnation is she muttering on about? Loki thought. Strange little mortal...
Not that he was an expert on the ways of the primitive race. He had only spied on their kind once before: to look upon his brother. While the woman whose wiles had bested the god of thunder had been...skittish like this human, she had not been so...odd.
She had awaken well before the rising of the sun, wandering around the cramped little home muttering words and phrases, fixing herself a steaming drink, and scratching away in a black bound book.
Loki, lost in thought over the perplexities of the mortals, did not realize the girl had toppled onto the couch. He blanched as her came upon the top of his head, mussing his fur. He hissed, but did not manage to land another injury this time around.
"Thanks little priss." Ellie said sweetly, not at all unnerved by his hostility. "You really saved me." She settled into the couch to type out the lyrics to the last song.
Loki snorted, neither caring nor understanding.
A day had passed since his great fall and his powers were still dormant.
How long must I put up with this...ridiculousness?
Four days had come to pass since Loki had been discovered by the human girl.
He had found that his body needed rest. Rest was easy enough to come by. The human girl whose moniker, he had learned, was Ellie, did not expect him to do much else. She was in and out of the small home, one so small he could only call it a room.
When she was gone, Loki would float around the house looking for any means of entertainment. Anything to distract him from the lull, from the fires of despair that were churning in his gut.
From what he could gather, the girl was of the peasant kind. As if the size of her dwelling wasn't enough of a clue. It seemed as though she had no family nor mate to offer her support. Messages left on her line came mostly from a woman named Corinne. To provide herself the necessities of living, Ellie worked some menial job. When she left in the morning she wore the same tired outfit: Black trousers, a white blouse, and a masculine vest. Loki had thought it was an outfit better suited for a man, one whose figure was flatter, less defined. There were still aspects of the mortals culture that he could not fathom.
The monster of a dog, sensing Loki's power, let him be. Whenever Ellie would come home the dog would gravitate towards her. There were times when it felt Loki was within an intrusive distance, it would growl; a pitiful attempt to fend off any possible danger. If Loki had access to his magic, he would have turned the beast into a quivering field mouse by now. It was a loyal creature, clearly protective of its oblivious mistress.
Ellie soon tired of Harrison's edgy attitude. She would scold the creature with obvious annoyance. It added fire to the flaming tension that had begun to stew in the walls of Loki's prison.
Something was causing the girl great distress. She could hardly sit still and had taken to pacing around the house. Whenever her telephone rang, she would rush to it as if her life were at risk. However, it seemed the call she fretted over never came.
One evening, as the sun began to sink and the room was flooded in an orange glow, the phone rang.
Ellie, as always, rushed to it.
"Yes, Hello?"
Loki was lazing on the window sill, his preferred resting place. Rolling his head back he glanced at the girl, not so much interested in the conversation as he was bored.
"Mother." Ellie said, a bite in her voice that Loki had never heard before. After days of observing the girl, he had come to the conclusion that she was of timid nature. She always spoke lightly, seemed frequently panicked, and entirely incapable of nastiness.
Maybe I was quick to judge.
"I'm not coming home." Ellie seethed, she slammed into the kitchen chair. Her posture was stiff as she ran one hand through her auburn tresses.
"I don't care what Catherine thinks." Ellie said. "And I certainly don't care what you think."
Loki's ear perked. Finally something of interest. He always thought humans were at their best when threatened and angry. Such powerful emotions urged them to do the most delightful things. War, violence, murder, it was all so...fun.
"You always say that. Nothing will ever be good enough for you will it...? Don't patronize me! No! F-forget it. I'm hanging up."
With a burst of frustration, Ellie slammed the phone onto the table. Loki left his perch and hopped gracefully onto the table. He wanted to see it, the anger in her eyes. The hapless sighs escaping her lips were music to his ears.
Removing her head from her hands, Ellie stared at him.
"What do you want?" She spat viciously.
Loki felt his skin shudder. He relaxed into a sitting position, thoroughly enjoying her distress.
Ellie groaned. She follows me wherever I go. I will never be able to rid myself of her...
"It's not fair." Ellie said aloud. She reached out a hand, index finger extended and ran it under the cats chin.
Loki's eyes narrowed and a hiss played at his lips.
"Oh hush," Ellie snapped. "I'm not hurting you."
That is not why I object. Loki thought. He shook his small head from side to side in another attempt to deter the girl.
"Fine, fine." Ellie said. She left her chair and wandered over to her bed, where the dog sat watching them. "I'll cuddle with Harrison here."
Please do. Loki thought; glad to be rid of the girl. As Ellie went about shutting of lights and locking windows, Loki settled into the couch to sleep.
Only a few days more...He thought. As his eyes began to droop he could sense a fire burning...
Just under his chin where the human had dared to touch him.
Another short one. I want to make them longer, but I felt like this was a good place to end this one. Thank you for the sweet feedback.
The song lyrics actually belong to The Tallest Man On Earth. From his song "Where Do My Bluebirds Fly?" Check him out!