Right now.” I can’t keep the shock from showing on my face. He has nowhere to go? What does that mean? Besides the obvious.
“Sure. Yes, you can stay on the couch.”
“Thanks.” Ryan lets out a relieved breath. We get out of the truck and head inside. Instantly I remember Darklily as I flip on the downstairs lights. I fight back a wave of anxiety. Without thinking it through I decide to tell him.
“Ryan can I tell you something unbelievable?” Ryan grunts a yes then sits on the couch. I do too. Putting a foot between us.
“This is going to sound crazy.” He shrugs and gazes at me intently. “I was in the woods some time ago and this cat spoke to me,” I rush the last words out.
Ryan’s face remains carefully neutral. I decide to rush through without giving a bunch of details. I’m leaving tomorrow anyway; at least someone will know I’m gone.
“She told me that her world is in trouble and she’s been searching for the person who can help. Darklily, the cat from the woods, is convinced I’m the one to help them—her. Tomorrow she’s taking me there—to her planet. I’m going to help her,” I say trying to convince myself more than him.
Ryan’s brow furrows with indecision. “You were in the woods and a cat started talking to you.” Ryan looks to me for conformation. I nod. “She’s taking you where exactly?”
“Somewhere called Pandorma. Look I know I sound crazy, but I’m telling the truth.” I close my eyes. It’d be just perfect if she were to be gone now when I need her to be here to prove that I’m not crazy.
“She should be upstairs right now. Stay here.”
I run up the stairs and stand in the doorway. I flip on the light switch and whisper, “Dark, can you come downstairs for a minute. Pretty please?”
I walk over to the mass of sleek black fur attached to a body almost too long to fit on my bed. Dark’s head is below the pillow next to mine, her head twisted upside-down. Her eyes are closed, her breathing feather light. I take in the sheer size of this cat and awe works its way around me—no matter how many times I’ve seen her. I’m guessing she’s about the size of a tiger but she’s not one. Again I find myself questioning whether or not Pandorma is really another planet. Everything inside me defiantly says no, but Darklily herself could be proof, because there’s not a cat on Earth that looks like her.
“You have a nice room.”
I spin around. I hadn’t even heard him come up the stairs. Ryan stands in the doorway, eyes roving around my room. My room is nothing magnificent.
My bed is in the back corner and has a dark blue and white moon-and-hearts comforter set. Four shelves creating a sort of stepladder down the wall are my bookshelf. A long plaster white dresser is next to my bed on the other side. My Gourami’s tank is at the far end.
The carpet is dark blue, the curtains covering the large window a thick white. A nice ceiling fan hangs in the middle, lighting up my room with a soft white glow.
“Can I come in?”
“Yes. If you don’t freak out.”
Ryan gives me a puzzled look. I lean down to Darklily and whisper her name into her ear. Dark paws her ear but doesn’t wake. I whisper again, adding, “get up.” This time she blinks up at me. I scoot to the side so she can see Ryan. Darklily doesn’t move so she stares at Ryan through upside-down eyes.
“Ryan, Darklily. Darklily, Ryan.” They just stare at each other until Dark stands and shakes.
“Is this who you went skating on the ice with?” She sits down, the bed creaking and folding beneath her weight.
“Yep.”
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Ryan says in shock. Relieved, I gesture for him to come closer. He does, cautiously. Ryan stares Darklily up and down. She towers over us.
“Well at least he isn’t screaming.”
Embarrassment burns inside me. “He wasn’t jumped. I was.” Dark purrs.
“This is . . . incredible. She’s real?” Ryan stutters.
“Yes, she is
“Sure. Yes, you can stay on the couch.”
“Thanks.” Ryan lets out a relieved breath. We get out of the truck and head inside. Instantly I remember Darklily as I flip on the downstairs lights. I fight back a wave of anxiety. Without thinking it through I decide to tell him.
“Ryan can I tell you something unbelievable?” Ryan grunts a yes then sits on the couch. I do too. Putting a foot between us.
“This is going to sound crazy.” He shrugs and gazes at me intently. “I was in the woods some time ago and this cat spoke to me,” I rush the last words out.
Ryan’s face remains carefully neutral. I decide to rush through without giving a bunch of details. I’m leaving tomorrow anyway; at least someone will know I’m gone.
“She told me that her world is in trouble and she’s been searching for the person who can help. Darklily, the cat from the woods, is convinced I’m the one to help them—her. Tomorrow she’s taking me there—to her planet. I’m going to help her,” I say trying to convince myself more than him.
Ryan’s brow furrows with indecision. “You were in the woods and a cat started talking to you.” Ryan looks to me for conformation. I nod. “She’s taking you where exactly?”
“Somewhere called Pandorma. Look I know I sound crazy, but I’m telling the truth.” I close my eyes. It’d be just perfect if she were to be gone now when I need her to be here to prove that I’m not crazy.
“She should be upstairs right now. Stay here.”
I run up the stairs and stand in the doorway. I flip on the light switch and whisper, “Dark, can you come downstairs for a minute. Pretty please?”
I walk over to the mass of sleek black fur attached to a body almost too long to fit on my bed. Dark’s head is below the pillow next to mine, her head twisted upside-down. Her eyes are closed, her breathing feather light. I take in the sheer size of this cat and awe works its way around me—no matter how many times I’ve seen her. I’m guessing she’s about the size of a tiger but she’s not one. Again I find myself questioning whether or not Pandorma is really another planet. Everything inside me defiantly says no, but Darklily herself could be proof, because there’s not a cat on Earth that looks like her.
“You have a nice room.”
I spin around. I hadn’t even heard him come up the stairs. Ryan stands in the doorway, eyes roving around my room. My room is nothing magnificent.
My bed is in the back corner and has a dark blue and white moon-and-hearts comforter set. Four shelves creating a sort of stepladder down the wall are my bookshelf. A long plaster white dresser is next to my bed on the other side. My Gourami’s tank is at the far end.
The carpet is dark blue, the curtains covering the large window a thick white. A nice ceiling fan hangs in the middle, lighting up my room with a soft white glow.
“Can I come in?”
“Yes. If you don’t freak out.”
Ryan gives me a puzzled look. I lean down to Darklily and whisper her name into her ear. Dark paws her ear but doesn’t wake. I whisper again, adding, “get up.” This time she blinks up at me. I scoot to the side so she can see Ryan. Darklily doesn’t move so she stares at Ryan through upside-down eyes.
“Ryan, Darklily. Darklily, Ryan.” They just stare at each other until Dark stands and shakes.
“Is this who you went skating on the ice with?” She sits down, the bed creaking and folding beneath her weight.
“Yep.”
“You’ve got to be kidding,” Ryan says in shock. Relieved, I gesture for him to come closer. He does, cautiously. Ryan stares Darklily up and down. She towers over us.
“Well at least he isn’t screaming.”
Embarrassment burns inside me. “He wasn’t jumped. I was.” Dark purrs.
“This is . . . incredible. She’s real?” Ryan stutters.
“Yes, she is
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