Chapter 4
Able Apparitions
"You know what I think?"
Ellie was quite sure she didn't care a single bit about what Corinne was thinking. She was still angry that her "friend" had yet to confirm whether or not Humphries had accepted her songs. When the woman had appeared, uninvited on her doorstep, Ellie had assumed she brought news of the fortunate kind.
Excited and nonplussed, Ellie had ushered her in. She fixed up her very expensive Dragonfruit tea and offered up a plate of scones her sister had sent her from London. After Corinne had polished off three of the five delicacies and two steaming cups of tea while jabbering on about nothing of importance she asked Ellie what was what.
Ellie, not wanting to be rude, decided to give the woman a quick update and then wait for news.
"I got a cat." She had said curtly, nodding over her shoulder. The cat, as per usual, was seated on the window sill staring off into the cloud spattered sky. Corinne had glanced at the cat and managed a wry grin.
"Never liked cats." She had sniffed. "Allergic."
Well, too bad. Ellie thought. When she had first met Corinne, Ellie was fascinated. Corinne was the picture of a folk princess. Her dark hair was always strung up in intricate braids, the glasses that rested on the tip of her thin nose looked as "in" as anything, and she always pranced about rooms with the commanding ease of an arch angel. Ellie had soon found out that what she had mistaken for grounded grace was merely an act of prideful proportions. Corinne loved only herself and only handed out favors to boost her flowering ego.
"What else?" Corinne had asked, gnawing on a cranberry almond scone. "I haven't seen you in weeks, dear. Surely there's more to tell than a cat."
Elli shifted uncomfortably in her chair. There was more to tell. She was just anxious to tell it.
"Well..." Ellie had started.
"Well? Well, what?"
"There is something strange about this apartment." She had said, realizing how silly she must have sounded.
"Something strange?" Corinne had repeated.
"Yes," Ellie had said. "I don't know. I think I might be going a bit crazy. At first I thought I was just misplacing things but...I never misplace things. Yesterday, I could have sworn I put the kettle on. I even heard the whistle, but when I went to poor myself some hot water for my tea well...the water was ice cold, even colder than it was when it came out of the tap."
Corinne leaned her elbows on the table, her chin in her hands.
"The day before that, I lost my notebook," Ellie continued. "I know I placed it on the island in the kitchen, but I found it later on the coffee table, I left it there and when I came looking for it again it had gone! I didn't find until hours later and then it was hiding under my bed. I never moved it. Why would I place it under my bed?"
Ellie felt the heat rise in her cheeks. She was getting flushed and she knew it.
"Last night the door bell kept ringing. Every twenty minutes or so. I couldn't understand it so I tore it off the wall, but then I could have sworn I heard it after that! And then, this morning. I was making myself some breakfast, just chopping up some strawberries for my cereal and Corinne, I the knife in my hand just slipped away. I mean it floated! Right out of my hand and into the sink. I watched it. Floating along like a hummingbird."
Ellie's hands flew into the air imitating the flight of the knife.
"I must be going crazy." She said, running a hand through her unwashed tangles of hair.
It was at this point that Corinne had relaxed into her chair and said:
"You know what I think?"
Ellie sighed. "What do you think, Corrine?"
Corinne leaned forward, beckoning Ellie with her spindly hand. Ellie, wary and annoyed, leaned forward as well, if only hesitantly.
Drawing her hand to her mouth, Corinne hissed in a whisper:
"I think you have a ghost in the house."
As the women huddled over the table and discards of baked goods and tea, Loki sat by the window; a wide grin spreading across his face.
If only she knew...
His powers were indeed returning. Nights and days of basking in Ellie's outpouring of warmth and life were treating him well.
What better way to test the lengths of my limitations? He thought. She's a perfect little plaything...
It was true Loki had turned the hapless human into his personal guinea pig. She was too sweet for her own good, Ellie. Of course she could be sarcastic and catty with others like this insufferable Corinne, but Ellie had a long way to go. Loki considered his tortorous pranks to be...good for the lasses character.
With the simplest of tricks he had begun to unravel her tightly wound sanity. A swish of his tail could move objects, turn them invisible, make them disappear completely. A flick of his ear could ignite any sound he chose. A wink of his eye could do so much more. At first he had done it as only a means to test his powers. But it very quickly turned into an enjoyable game: How quickly could he bring her to anger, to frustration.
It was a pleasant sight to behold. When she succumbed to frustration, Ellie would twirl strands on autumn hair around her finger and pace back and forth trying desperately to deny her growing rages. Poor, pitiful, thing...Loki would think. When her aggravation reached delightfully dangerous levels she would pout and groan with all the adorable airs of a child deceived. A squeak like that of a cornered mouse would escape her lips. Music to Loki's ears. He played her strings like an artful expert.
"A ghost?" Ellie repeated. "Oh Corinne, please-"
"And what else could it be?" Corinne almost shouted. "All signs point to an apparition, Ellie."
Ellie leaned back in her chair. It was so ridiculous she wanted to laugh out loud.
Maybe its the lack of sleep. She thought, ruefully.
Ellie did not want to believe there was a ghost in her house, but she didn't want to think she was losing her mind either.
"I know this psychic," Corinne was saying. "Delilah Prim. We'll call her up and she'll have that ghoul out of here in a-"
"I don't need a psychic, Corinne." Ellie said, waving off the very notion.
What if there was a ghost? Ellie thought. A ghost here? Why would it take it three months to start showing up and messing around?
"Fine, fine," Corinne said. "Anyway, I didn't come here to chat about ghosts and cats."
Ellie perked up. Finally, finally (!) Corinne would speak up.
"I talked to Roy the other day." Corinne said, taking as much time as ever. She sipped at her tea as she picked at her thumbnail. "He's doing quite well. I mean, you know, his voice is like...what did the agent say? John Mayer meets Paul McCartney? I mean, I don't know what that means but, they are names, yes?"
Ellie's foot began to tap impatiently against the wooden floor below her. Just say it, will you? Say it!
As vapid and silly as Corinne was, Ellie could not read her facial expressions or spot any sliver of an answer in her words. It was driving Ellie to madness. Madness, it seemed was her only friend as of late.
"Oh but listen to me, going on like this..." Corinne said, snorted in spite of herself. "Anyway, Roy was looking at your songs and three other packets but, well,"
Corinne paused again and Ellie realized she had shuffled to the edge of her seat; her heart still as stone in her chest.
"Well, he loved your songs Ellie, I mean he wouldn't even listen to the other packets. He said you got the feeling of him. I don't know what that means..."
Ellie had stopped hearing Corinne. He loved my songs. Loved them? Is this. Does that mean?
"So I'm in?" Ellie asked in a whisper.
Corinne glanced at Ellie over the rim of her indigo frames. "You are in, Ellie."
Ellie could hardly contain the will to jump out of her chair. "I'm in!"
She realized she must look an absolute fool, but she smiled and chattered on anyway.
"Goodness! I'm in. But does it mean? Do I meet with him? I still needed to flesh out that fourth track, I mean it was long enough but I could make it longer, I had about four possible verses and I only used three so-"
"Calm yourself, hon'" Corinne said, a knowing grin on her pale face. "Let me explain."
Ellie didn't even mind the patronizing tone anymore. She fell back into her seat, glowing with anticipation.
"What happens now..." Corinne said. "Is you meet with Roy. Is this coming Saturday alright? He wants to talk to you, see if you two click. If you do, we'll sign contacts and you'll be in the recording studio. This meeting is important, Ellie. You have to catch his eye. I don't know where he wants to rendezvous, but when I get the call I'll let you know..."
Ellie just nodded, not quite sure what to say. Corinne rose from her seat and grabbed her hemp made purse off of the chairs back.
"You keep in touch, alright?" Corinne said, "I have to tell some unfortunate girls that they lost out to an up and coming nobody."
Ellie's smiled thinned only slightly. It wasn't a compliment, that she knew. But who cared? She was in and three others were out. That was all that mattered.
Shaking Corinne's hand at the door, Ellie managed to dodge a hug and walked Corinne down the stairs and out to her car. As the woman drove off and out of the gravel drive way Ellie watched her go.
I'm in! I am in!
With a hop, skip, and a jump, Ellie had flown up the stairs riding a cloud of joy. The cloud, puffy and brilliant was popped by another inconvenience. Her door was shut. Shut and locked tight.
"Oh, Damn!" She cried. I could've sworn I left it open! I did. I remember.
The memory was vivid in her mind, as fresh as the scones Corinne had devoured. She had pulled the door open for Corinne and left it open.
She tugged at the knob again. Nothing. Gripping it with both hands she rattled it with all the strength she could muster. With a shout of exasperation she left it go, her hands flying in the air. She huffed, shaking her head from side to side, trying to find her misplaced composure.
"This is..." She muttered. She spun around, her back meeting the rusty wooden door. Sliding down to the ground, she considered her options. She could go and wake Clovis to get the extra key...
It's already nine thirty...She thought. I don't want her to be cross with me. She always, always is in bed by nine. I can't climb the wall to crawl through the window...Even if I could the window is locked. I could try bashing the door in.
Ellie wasn't confident she had the strength to do it. She didn't want to raise such a ruckus as to wake her landlord and neighbor. And she certainly didn't have the money to replace a smashed-in door.
The more she thought, the direr her situation became. What was she to do? She bit down gently on her index finger, an old habit she was never able to kick. If only mother could see me now...
It was then an idea struck her. She hated it, the idea. But was it so ridiculous of her to try?
She breathed a deep, labored sigh. Rising to her knees and then to her feet she pivoted to face the door. Clenching her fingers into a fist she held her arm high above her. 1, 2, 3...erm..4, 5.
She rapped her fist against the door. Six times.
"Erm...Is there a-a ghost in there?" She called out, holding her face close to the door.
Nothing. Not a call or a shriek, not and sound or a creak.
"I would really like to be let inside!" she said, a bit louder.
I must look a fool...She thought, beginning to feel silly.
She knocked again but only once. "Please?"
Ellie shut her eyes tight, listening for any sound or sign. There!
Either her infinite imagination was playing a terrible trick on her or she had really heard a faint click. Her eyes fluttered open and she stared down at the innocent looking door knob. Slowly, she drew her hand down and wrapped her fingers around the knob.
Without thinking she turned it. Sure enough the door slid open with an ominous groan.
Ellie stood in her doorway, not sure if she should even consider entering. She bit her lip, peeking her head in and glancing around the studio. Everything seemed to be in place. Harrison was glancing curiously at her from her bed, his large head cocked to one side, his tail in full motion. The cat, only stared at her. He hadn't moved from the window sill.
The door opened. Was it really locked? Of course it was. So...
"There is a ghost in my house?" She said aloud, depressed by the mere thought of it. So she was believing in ghosts now? How much more pathetic could she possibly become?
Don't be silly, Ellie. She thought. Ghosts do not exist...
She stepped inside, pushing the door shut behind her.
"Best not to focus on that now." She said aloud. "I'm in!"
The sense of joy and surprise flooded back into her system. She shuffled over to her bed, hopping onto it.
"I'm in, Harrison!" She yelped, wrapping her arms around the dog and trapping him in a bear-like hug. Harrison, not understanding, but picking up of his mistress' elevated mood, rubbed his forehead lovingly against hers. She giggled and scratched the tender spot on the back his ear. He let out a bark, intent on joining her in her celebration.
"No, Harrison, hush!" Ellie commanded, trying to not laugh. "No barking, remember?"
Harrison huffed, looking bashful. Ellie just smiled and continued petting him. She glanced over her shoulder at the cat, who was staring them down with a look of boredom.
"You here that, priss?" she called, "I'm in!"
Loki couldn't care less about the girls triumph.
In you say? He thought, eyes sparkling mischievously. You are only "in" because I was kind enough to open the door. That's what you get for laughing at me...
As the winter moon rose to its peak in the night sky, Loki the cat rose from his place in the thick folds of Ellie's blankets. His strength had been improving faster than her could have expected.
He no longer needed to inhabit such a small body. He hopped off of the bed and drifted towards the center of the room, the only spot that was bathed in the alabaster light of night's guardian orb.
With a blink of his eyes, a twitch of his ears, and a flick of his tail, the creature that was feline became much more. Loki stood tall, stretching his tired muscles from neck to forearm, from finger to toe. This was his true form, the god of mischief had returned.
His lips pale and pink stretched into wide set grin. Although he could walk freely in his own form, he was still far from realizing his glorious old self. He needed some more time. But he would be damned if he had to stay trapped for one more day in the small, inadequate house.
He had a plan, one that he could hardly wait to enact. He glanced down at the human girl. She was lost in sleep and small smile playing at the corners of her lips.
Stepping closer, he brushed aside a lock of hair, his finger lingering on her rosy skin.
"Don't worry little Ellie," He whispered aloud. "I need you still. I will be back to play soon."
As his figure began to vanish, a chill ran through Ellie. She shivered in her sleep, the smile disappearing, her brow furrowing. Loki's grin widened.
"Very soon."
Well, I know how much we all love cat Loki, but he's saying goodbye (for now). But we all love Loki-Loki just as much if not more, yes?
As for the technical questions about CatLoki, I'll say this. I planned for Loki to be a cat in form, but not in body. I don't know if that really makes sense...it is 1 in the morning. Basically he seems to be a cat, but he can do whatever pleases him. Whether it be eating fruit or talking (he never chooses to), Loki is capable of doing many things a cat cannot, while still appearing as a mere cat. Does that help clarify?
As always thank you for reading and thank you so much for your very sweet and very encouraging reviews! They were so wonderful this time around I decided to update straight away!
Even though cat Loki is gone, I hope you all keep reading and reviewing!
The real fun is only just about to begin ;o)
Thanks!