Winner Chosen!

[Resin]

Happy Valentines Day to you as well, Lainey. And to everyone else.(:

[Resin]

This ends tomorrow unless someone asks for an extension!

[hamsterball]

"

[hamsterball]

The Murderer (730 words)

"Cameron, time to come down and eat breakfast!" Cameron heard his mom's voice faintly and immediately woke up witch was pretty odd for him. "Umm uh yea mom be down in a sec", he said, "coming!" He walked quickly down the stairs following the scent of bacon and eggs. He sat down at the table and started eating right away. "So how do you like it?" his mom said with a perky voice.
"It's pretty good mo-" He stopped. He felt heavy breathing on his neck and immediately he got chills everywhere. He looked behind his quickly, but all he saw was his living room "Cameron, you okay?" his mom asked. "Uhh yea I'm fine...." He said with a shaky voice. "Well go upstairs and get ready for school the bus should be here any minute." Cameron rushed upstairs and got ready. He was still shaken from the breathing on his neck he felt when he was eating. As he was getting ready he was thinking of what it could be, but he knew he should not worry about that and get ready for school. After he got all ready, he ran downstairs with his backpack and rushed out the door. "Bye mom!" He yelled from the other side of the door. As he was entering the bus, he nearly fell out of the bus when he felt that heavy breathing again. Then he started getting even more scared when he heard faint voices calling his name. "Cameron.... Cameron..." Those voices kept repeating and repeating for behind him. Repeatedly he was looking being him to see if it was one of his friends but they weren't talking. He felt so relived when the bus arrived to his school. He ran out of the bus with joy. But the terror didn't end there. He found a note in his locker that said, "My mission is to kill you, have fun getting killed tonight!" He yelled as loud as he can. By the time he was done yelling everyone was staring. Then he yelled. "I HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE!" He ran out of the school as fast as he can. When he ran across the street, he looked to his left and saw a huge, truck coming his way. That was the last thing he ever saw. Now, lets describe the man who was driving the truck. He was a big man, with a white beard and he was wearing a plaid sweater. Police records state he was fleeing the country because he murdered his wife. The big man also sent death threats. He sent threats to kids, adults, and everyone in-between. The police man at the local police station happened to be Cameron's dad, John. John did more research on the big man, witch his named happened to be Bill. In the records it said he was a 47 year old male, who is originally from New York and wanted in 29 different states and 90 different cities. Then he contacted the guy who was chasing Bill, and asked, "Mike, Mike, come in Mike, are you still chasing are subject, Bill?" "Yes, yes I am." Seconds after Mike said that he got another call that said, "OH MY GOD THERE IS A DEAD BODY IN THE ROAD INFRONT OF THE SCHOOL!" John got really nervous when Mike said that. John got into the car and raced to the school. He parked in front of the school and saw the lifeless body from far away. he hopped out of the car and ran to the body. He couldn't believe what he saw. His dead son, right in front of him. His eyes started burning. Before he started bursting into tears, he took one last glance at his son and saw a note on him. He took the not of his sons hand with rubber gloves and read the note. The note said, "My mission is to kill you... Have fun getting killed tonight!" John was is shock. He felt like he was gonna vomit. Before he was, he hopped in his car and drove away. He couldn't concentrate from seeing the site of seeing his dead son. he got a little bit unsteady on the wheel. He really couldn't concentrate now. He fainted right there. And his car got hit by.... Bill. The murderer who murdered John's son, and John himself.

The End C:

[Resin]

[lainey_lane03]

Friendly Bump ^.^

[GizmoTheDragon]

So this ends today? Okay. ^-^ I'll finish mine and have it up as soon as I can!

[Resin]

It ends tomorrow unless someone needs more time. (:

[GizmoTheDragon]

All right, here's my entry. Sorry if it's a bit too long. It's 6648 words. (I also hope you don't mind that I altered your phrase a bit. If you don't like it, it's fine. I can change it back to its original form or move it to some other point in the story, but I think it fits best how it is.)

-----

The barn was musty and dank from the storm, which had left the raindrops that still shimmied down from the eaves, but the hay loft was quite the opposite that April morning. The hay was dry underneath the protective wings of the roof and the air was heated by the warm, fuzzy feline bodies that were just starting to awake from their slumber.

Nestled in a nest of her own was a small white cat, her snowy colored flank still rising and falling in the steady rhythm of sleep. She slowly drifted into the waking world, blinking open her amber-green eyes, and stood up to stretch the sleep from her limbs.

"Well it's about time you're awake." said a voice right behind her. She turned around to see her sister, a white cat much like her, except a bit taller and with gleaming green eyes.

"Good morning to you too, Lily." she said, her whiskers twitching slightly in amusement. She sat down and started giving herself a quick groom. "So, are we going hunting?' she asked between licks.

"You bet." she said cheerfully. "I've already invited Patch to come with us. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all." She plucked a piece of straw from her fur and stood up. "We're leaving now?"

"Of course! Come on, Lotus!" Lily chirruped as she bounded out of the hay loft. Lotus followed, leaping down the portal into the main entrance of the barn. She landed in a pile of loose straw with a soft whumph, and was instantly buried up to her neck in the itchy stuff. She dug herself out of the pile and saw that cats were already clearing out of the main room, and for good reason. The Farmer was already ambling his way toward the barn. Lily and Lotus high-tailed it out of the door before he could reach it. Farmer didn't like cats getting in the way of his work, and his favorite form of communicating his irritation was through a swing of his steel-toed boot.

Outside, the sky was still plagued with silvery gray clouds that blotted out the early morning sun. Across the lawn, Lotus picked Patch out of a group of cats simply lounging around in the grass. His orange, black, and white splotches by far made him one of the most distinctive looking cats she'd ever met. Lily spotted him at the same time.

"Hey, Patch!" Lily called out. "Come on! We've got hunting to do!"

The multi-colored tom stood up and trotted over to them. "Hi, Lily. Hi, Lotus." he said. "Are we headed for the woods?”

Lily dipped her head. “Yep. Now, let’s go! We’re burning daylight!”

At that, the three friends headed down the driveway to the road, which stretched across the ground like a winding concrete snake basking in the heat of the sun. Lotus put a tentative paw on the stone, feeling for the tell-tale rumble of an oncoming truck. All was still.

“Feels safe to me.” she said before making a dash toward the weeds on the other side. The others followed her.

Once they were all there, Lily lead the way across the well trimmed lawn of the neighbor’s house. Lotus followed, trying not to slip on the dew slicked grass. She lifted her head up to taste the air, which was wet with thick, clinging mist. As she picked her way across the yard, she couldn’t help but notice the not-so-quieted meows coming from the copse of pine trees marking the border between the lawn and the forest.

Lily’s ears perked, as if she’d heard them too, and she was quick to steer the group around the copse, but as they passed it was hard not to overhear what the voices were saying.

“Cashmere, come on. Don’t leave yet.”

Lotus’s stomach coiled in knots when she heard his voice. It was one she knew so well. Too well.

“Sorry, big guy, but I have to. Edith would be worried sick if she knew I was outside before breakfast.”

“Edith? Who cares what that old grandma thinks? Stay with me.”

“I care, Thorn.” There was a soft purr. “Now, cheer up. I’ll see you this afternoon, all right?”

Lily dropped back a few steps so she walked side by side with her sister. “Positively revolting, aren’t they? Cashmere and Thorn, I mean.” she whispered, her eyes glimmering with humor.

Lotus just looked down at her paws vacantly and nodded. She glanced back toward the clearing to see a glimpse of what was going on through the thick boughs of the pine trees. She saw as the two nuzzled each other one last time before the cream colored she cat departed, the bell on her collar jingling delicately with every step she took. She saw Thorn watching her walk away with a hollow look in his eyes, like every step between them was a blow to the heart.

Lotus squeezed her eyes shut, knowing that she’d give anything to be in Cashmere’s position.

“Hey, Thorn!” Patch called out, snapping Lotus from her thoughts. The colorful tom poked his head into the pine copse. “How about you reconnect with your inner killer and come hunting with us?”

Lotus could see something change in Thorn’s eyes as he shifted from lover cat to normal cat. He turned toward them. “Hey, Patch. Sure, I’ll come.” He picked his paw across the pine needles and toward the rest of them. “So. . . How much of that did you guys hear?”

“Oh, only enough to make me want to vomit.” Lily quipped, her whiskered twitching.

“Nice to see you too, Lily.” he said, touching noses with her in greeting.

“H-hi, Thorn.” Lotus fumbled over the greeting, cursing herself in her head as the clumsy words left her mouth.

The pale ginger tom took a few steps toward her to touch noses with her as well, and for a few moments Lotus felt like the happiest girl in the world. “Hi, Lotus.”

Lotus couldn’t bring herself to think anything, let alone say it. She couldn’t string together a coherent thought until they parted and the group headed off deeper into the woods, and even then she could still feel the phantom touch where his nose had brushed hers.

The hunt went on nearly the entire day, as they caught prey and gorged themselves until they could hardly move, only to work it all off on the long walk back home. The sun was already hanging low in the sky, hovering just over the tree tops as if they were holding it up above the horizon.

The group of friends trotted under the trees, passing under the shadows that grew longer by the minute. Lily and Patch were leading the way back, and Lotus and Thorn trailed behind them, walking side by side.

“You know, we should do this more often.” said Thorn as they headed past the pine copse that marked their closeness to home.

“Yeah. To heck with overfed barn mice! The wild ones have more muscle than fat on their bones.” Lily remarked.

“You’re right. We should hunt in the woods more often.” Lotus agreed, not looking him in the face. She knew that if she did she’d lose her ability to speak, again. Regardless, she relished the feeling of being next to him. Feeling like she’d swallowed a piece of the sun and it was warming her from the inside out, making her glow with its life and energy.

Before they could say anything else, they stepped out into the lawn, which was nearly as wet as it had been when they’re crossed it in the morning. Suddenly, high pitched wail ripped through the air.

“Thorn! Where have you been?”

Lotus sensed Thorn tense beside her as the lithe form of Cashmere bounded toward them, accompanied by the frantic tinkling of the bell around her neck.

Lotus barely had time to sidestep before Cashmere launched herself at Thorn, burying her face in his fur. “Where were you?” she wailed. “You said you were going to be here this afternoon and you didn’t show! I waited for hours! I was worried sick!”

His tail came up to brush her shoulder. “It’s alright, Cashmere. We were just hunting. We lost track of time.”

Cashmere stiffened at this, and turned on the nearest member of the party she could find, Lotus. “You!” she snarled. “So you’re the reason he lost track of time! Because he had to be out hunting with you!”

Lotus’s amber eyes widened, and she backed away a few stumbling steps, taken completely aback by the girl’s blatant anger. “What? Wait- I mean- it’s not like-”

Her blue eyes turned to ice. “Stop blubbering on like a halfwit, and let me tell you something, honey! You are nothing! You’re a short, ugly, fat piece of kitten fluff and if you try to come between me and my Thorn again I will rip your fur off of your body!”

Lotus stood there in baffled bewilderment, her eyes darting from Cashmere’s icy blue ones to Thorn’s forest green ones and back to Cashmere’s again, trying to sort everything in her mind. Trying to make sense of the poison laced words that struck to her core, trying to decipher this situation, and why it was her fault, and resisting the urge not to wail out loud as her heart was ripped into shreds.

In the end, she ran, not across the springy grass on the lawn, back toward home, but further into the grasp of the tree’s shadows, into the woods. Her paws flew over the muddy forest floor blindly, leaping over fallen trees and darting around dead stumps, with the world passing by in a blur of dark greens and browns.

Her thoughts flew around in her mind, beating against the inside of her skull like caged birds. Why me? Why’d she go after me? Why does she love Thorn? Why can’t I love Thorn? How’d he end up with a witch like her? Why is this happening to me? Do I really deserve this? What have I ever done to her? I’ve never done anything to her! Why did she lash out at me? Why does it hurt so much!?

It was until she tripped over a jutting tree root and floundered around on the ground trying to regain her footing that she realized how exhausted she was. Her lungs burned for air, her muscles were heavy with lethargy, and the sudden withdrawal of the adrenaline in her blood made her feel withered and empty.

She looked up from her paws and saw the slight gleam of the fading sunlight on water. In front of her was a pool. In fact, it wasn’t much of a pool, it was more like a puddle, probably excess water from the storm the night before. What it was exactly didn’t matter to Lotus, she simply crawled forward and lapped up a few mouthfuls. The freshness of the cool rainwater on her tongue was enough to clear her mind a little bit, at least to point where she could think with some degree of clarity. It was good. She needed to think. A lot.

She stared down at the blank surface of the water and pondered a bit, pondering why she felt like she was torn in half, and what Thorn had to do with it. Thorn. He never seemed to leave her thoughts anymore. She didn’t know how she’d gone from practically ignoring him to feeling like butterflies were trapped in her stomach every time she saw him. To heck with butterflies in her stomach! It was more like hummingbirds! Strange things happen though, and strange things happened to end up with Lotus feeling like she was being ripped in half by someone who hardly acknowledged her presence.

Lotus shook her head. He wasn’t just someone who hardly knew she existed. He was sweet and kind and strong and charming, everything that Cashmere wasn’t. She flinched at the thought of her. Cashmere. How could someone so horrible end up with someone so good. Why were things so unfair?

Lotus was about to cry out loud when a voice sounded behind her. “Hey, sis. You ran pretty far, you know.”

She didn’t turn to look at her. “Hi, Lily.” she said flatly. “How are things back at the ranch?”

“I wouldn’t know. I just came running after you.” she padded over and settled down next to Lotus. “I figured you could use a bit of cheering up. You looked pretty upset when you made your dramatic exit.”

“The joking isn’t helping, Lily.”

Her sister looked down at her paws sheepishly. “Sorry.” she said. “I just hope you’re not taking this to heart.”

“What? That Thorn’s catty little mate decided to blame me for her relationship problems? Nope, hasn’t affected me at all.” Lotus said dryly.

“Liar.” Lily said, glancing at Lotus before looking at the surface of the puddle. “Anyway, don’t listen to her. She’s not really upset with you, she’s just mad because things didn’t go her way.”

“Really? She went out of her way to get to me.”

“She just wanted someone to blame, and you were closest in her line of fire.” Lily shook her head. “Just don’t listen to her, okay? It isn’t even worth it. She‘s just so naturally bitter that she doesn‘t even take was she says to heart, so why should you?”

Lotus heaved out a sigh. “It’s not only that, it’s just-” she cut herself off as she figured out a way to say it. “It’s just- things so are unfair!”

“Unfair how?”

“Unfair because Thorn ends up with a heartless house cat. Unfair because she lashed out at me when I’ve never done anything to her. Unfair because-”

“Unfair because you like Thorn and you hate seeing her with him?”

Lotus glared at her sister. “How did you know?”

“Because I know you.” she said. There was a long pause before Lily pushed herself up onto her paws. “Well, it’s probably about time we headed back. Some sleep sounds about good right now. What do you think?”

“You go ahead.” Lotus said, staring at the emptiness of the puddle. “I need a bit of time to think, I guess. I’ll meet you later.”

Lily appeared to hesitate for a moment. “Alright.” she said finally, giving her sister a friendly nuzzle. “See you later.”

“See you.”

Lotus listened to the sound of her sister’s paw steps receding into the distance before she came back to herself again. Try as she might to remove Cashmere and Thorn from her mind, she couldn’t, and instead ended up thinking about what Cashmere had said about her. Every acidic word exploded into the forefront of her mind with a horrible vengeance.

“You are nothing! You’re a short, ugly, fat piece of kitten fluff.”

Lotus peered down at her reflection, searching for any ugly truth in her words. She was short, there was no denying that. Ugly? She peered down at her reflection, at the strange blockiness of her face. For a moment, she envied Cashmere’s face, the elegant, triangular form and her bright blue eyes. Lotus didn’t have bright blue eyes, her eyes were a muddled, amber-green color, and they were too small for her face, just making it look fatter. Fat. Was she fat? She had to be. She wasn’t skinny. She wasn’t tall and slim like Cashmere or lithe and shapely like Lily.

Lotus blinked sadly at her reflection. No wonder Thorn doesn’t want anything to do with me.

“Looking at your reflection, huh?”

Lotus jumped, whipping her head toward the sound of the strange rasp. She located the source of the sound, a strange cat weaving her way through the bushes on the other side of the puddle. She came to a stop directly across from Lotus, who didn’t know what exactly to say. It was an elderly she cat with bushy brown tabby fur and strange, amber-orange eyes.

“Sorry if I startled you, dear.” she said in her raspy voice. “I just come here to think a lot, and it’s unusual for me to see other cats around these woods at this time of night.”

“Oh.” Lotus said. “Not to be too direct, but what’s wrong with your voice?”

“Oh, that.” she said. “It’s just a cough that’s been plaguing me a while. Once you get old, dear, these little bouts of cold stay with you longer than they should. But it’s nothing I won’t get over.”

Lotus nodded her head. “Well, I’m Lotus.”

“Kiasu.” she replied, studying Lotus for a spell. “So, what’s a young cat like you doing out here at this hour? Shouldn’t you be at home?”

Lotus tried to avoid her strange gaze. “Nothing.” she said. “Just. . . Thinking.”

The older cat wrapped her tail delicately over her paws. “Really, dear? Forgive me for intruding, but I just thought you looked a bit distraught.”

“I-I guess I am.” Lotus finally looked up at her and was entranced by her eccentric eyes, becoming trapped in her gaze like a fly in a spider’s web. Before she realized what she was doing, Lotus retold the entire story down to its deepest detail.

It wasn’t until the last syllable of the last word left her mouth that was able to look away from her. There was a silent spell as Lotus stared down at her paws and Kiasu seemed to stare off into empty space.

The older cat was the one to break the silence. “Lotus, would I be mistaken in saying that you don’t like who you are?”

Lotus sighed, feeling conflicted. “I like who I am- sometimes, at least. But- I don’t know. I just wish I was different. I wish I was pretty and likable and not shy. I hate being shy.”

Kiasu gave her a lingering stare. “Is that you wish for?’ she asked.

Lotus dipped her head. “Yes. It is.”

“What would you give to make it true?” Kiasu said, not breaking her stare.

“Anything.” her voice cracked. “I’d give anything to be like that.”

A shiver crawled up Lotus’s spine. Kiasu’s orange eyes perturbed her, and she felt like the cat could see right into her soul just with a passing glance. Lotus finally squeezed her eyes shut, trying to escape the feeling of being read like an open book.

“Well, Lotus. With that kind of commitment, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if your wish came true, at least in some fashion.”

Lotus still refused to open her eyes, feeling comforted in the bliss of her blindness. It took her a few moments to realize how ridiculous this was: refusing to look a stranger in the eye because she found her appearance unpleasant. It was incredibly rude! Had her distress addled her brain? She braced herself to look into her odd eyes again, opened her eyes, and then- the queerest thing of all- there were none.

The old she cat was gone, like she’d disappeared in the breeze. Lotus felt like icy talons were squeezing her heart, making her feel small and afraid. That was all she needed to convince her to head back to the barn, at a full sprint.

---

“Hey! Who in God’s name are you?”

The young she cat jolted awake at the sound of Lily’s vehement hiss in her ear, and was hit by a wave of utter bafflement. She squinted down at her black paws. “What do you mean-” Wait? Black paws? Lotus at every square inch of herself that she could just to makes rue it was true. Her fur was onyx black, darker than a raven’s feathers.

Lotus scoured her mind for anything to say, but when wakes up and their sister doesn’t know who they are, what is there to say? Lay claim to her old identity? Lily would laugh. Instead she said. “Who are you?”

Lily’s green eyes were cold. “I asked you first, Blackie.”

“Blackie, how creative.” Lotus said snidely, the retort coming off of her tongue as smoothly as could be.

Lily snorted. “Look, I didn’t strike up a conversation with you because I thought you’d be pleasant company, I’m just trying to find out where my sister is, and you’re sleeping in her usual spot. Have you seen her? Her name‘s Lotus.”

Lotus sat up. “How was I supposed to know?” she asked. “I came in here late last night because I was looking for somewhere to stay, and here I am.” Her words came so much easier than they used to, and the next lie was the easiest that she’d ever told. “I’ve never head of anyone named Lotus either.”

Lily looked deflated. “Really? Oh. . .” she trailed off. “Well, see you later, who ever you are.” At that, Lily turned around and headed toward the exit of the loft.

Lotus looked at her self again, as if she’d look away and it would all disappear. She really looked different though, and perhaps in more ways than one. Is my fur the only thing that looks different? she wondered.

Intent on finding out, she headed out of the loft and high-tailed it to the first puddle she saw in the driveway. Her eyes widened when she saw her reflection in full. She was different. Her fur wasn’t short and scruffy anymore, it was dark and black and sleek. Her face was narrow and angular, and her fluffy ears were perfect triangles. Then there were her eyes, which were blue, sky blue.

She felt a glow of pride in herself. She didn’t know how it had happened, but it had happened. She’d changed. She didn’t feel the same either. She felt bright and lively and confident, like she could go up to anyone and talk to them without being laughed at. It was the greatest feeling in the world, and she had to try it out.

She sashayed down the driveway, waving her plumed tail in the air as she passed groups of cats who chattered with each other in the grass. As she walked by, she heard a voice call out behind her.

“Hey! I haven’t seen you around before!”

She whirled around and found herself face to face with one of the biggest toms in the barn, Mars. His dark brown tabby coat was pulled taut over his bulging muscles, and he towered over her even at her new, taller height. Following him were several of his friends, who Thorn would have been among, at one time.

Her whiskered twitched. “Yeah, I didn’t think so.” she said, looking him strait in the eye. “I’m new around these parts, in case you couldn’t tell.”

“Well, who are you?”

Crap. She scoured her mind for an answer. She’d never thought of what to call herself now that she wasn’t Lotus. Well, she was Lotus. Just a confident, pretty, charming form of Lotus.

“Glade.” she replied. “That’s my name.” Her whiskered twitched at the sound of it on her tongue. Glade. It was elegant, chic, and rolled off of the tongue. “Now, what’s yours?”

“Mars.” he said.

Glade nodded, tilting her head a bit. “And your friends?”

“Oh, them.” he took a moment to introduce them, pointing to them each in turn. “Meet Edge, Ashes, and West.” There was a pause. “I really wouldn’t mind getting to know you a bit, Glade. Would you be interested in a tour? I know this place better than anyone, I guarantee it.”

Her stomach twisted at the thought of ‘getting to know’ him. Mars wasn’t the kind of guy to just ‘get to know’ people. She opened her mouth to say no- then she heard it, the voice.

Don’t say no.

Glade froze. It wasn’t a real voice, only something in her head, right? What was it, some sort of conscience? Why shouldn’t she say no? She didn’t want to be anywhere near Mars, but, at the same time, she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of satisfaction. Mars wouldn’t have even looked her way before. Now, she drew attention to herself without trying.

Say yes.

There it was again. The voice. Why should I? I want to be with Thorn, not Mars!

Mars will help us get to Thorn.

Glade thought it over. The voice- or conscience, whatever it happened to be - was right. Get to know Mars, then get to know Thorn easier. It was logic, really. She looked up Mars. “Sure thing.” she said. “Lead the way.”

Mars told his followers to scram, seeming like he couldn’t believe his luck. Then her turned back to Glade, his amber eyes lingering on her. “So, where do you want to start?” he asked.

“Oh, wherever.” she said, waving her tail behind her. “You are the tour guide, after all.”

After that, things went relatively monotonously, with Glade being shown places that’s she’d known about her entire life, but she feigned enough interest to look like she was really an outsider. After the tour of the barn and the rest of the farmland, it was late in the evening. The sky dimmed into gentle twilight, and the first star had started to twinkle in the sky.

The two had come to a stop at the end of the driveway, hovering between the mailbox and the road. Mars turned toward her. “Hey, Glade. You want to take a glimpse at the forest? There isn’t much over there, some trees and the neighbor’s house, but it wouldn’t hurt to kill some time before dinner, would it?”

Go wandering around in the dark with Mars? No, no, no, no, no, no. No thank you. . .

Go on, Glade. Go with him.

A growl gathered in Glade’s throat. Her phantom conscience was back, and offering more advice that conflicted with her moral compass. Not surprising.

Why should I? I’ve already befriended Mars, and I’m lucky to have gotten away with just that. Why push my luck?

Just how stupid are you? We’re going across the street! Right into Cashmere’s territory! Odds are, Thorn is over there too! We’ll probably run into him.

Glade huffed out loud. The voice was right, again. Was this the price of being gorgeous? Having a conscience that always had snarky remarks? Well, at least it gave sound advice, or at least more thought through advice than Glade had.

“Sure, I’ll go with you.” Glade said, her whiskers twitching mischievously.

Mars’s eyes seemed to glow as they made their way across the vacant street. Soon enough, they were tracking across the lawn, which had finally dried off, leaving the grass lush and springy with the newfound life of spring.

“So, this is the neighbor’s house, whatever her name is. The just an old lady human, not really anyone noteworthy. A housecat lives with her though, her name’s Cashmere. She and my one bud, Thorn, are seeing each other now, I guess.” he shook his head. “Oh, right, I forgot, you don’t know Thorn.”

Glade shook her head in indifference. “Nope. I definitely don’t.” she said. There was a silent spell that Glade didn’t think to diffuse until they were passing through the pine grove at the edge of the forest. She tilted her head. “So, why are we really over here?” she asked, looking up at him..

Mars halted in his steps, forcing Glade to stop beside him. They were silent for a moment, with the only thing lingering in the air between them being an inch of space and the tang of pine in the air. “I think you know why.” he whispered, closing the gap between them.

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. This is it. I’m done. This wasn’t part of the deal. The deal was getting closer to Mars so then closer to Thorn. Not this close. Never this close.

Glade, give it up.

What do you mean ‘give it up’?

Stop fighting him. Take this opportunity. You might never have it again.

What opportunity? To become the next girl in Mars’s long list of wannabe loves?

You wanted to get close to him, didn’t you? This is as close as it gets, hon.

Glade closed her eyes. The voice is right. She thought to herself. She leaned in closer to him, succumbing to blind instinct as her senses became overwhelmed by the scent of pine in the air.

---

She woke up the next morning in a soft bed of pine needles, with the warm weight of Mars next to her, and she didn’t know quite how to explain what had happened, or why. The entire time the two were walking back toward the barn, glade tried to explain it to herself. I was delusional. I was insane. I wasn’t aware of what I was really- Oh, of course I was aware! I didn’t mean to! I don’t really like Mars that much! Why did I do that? Why-

You’re over thinking this.

The voice. It was back. Well, it’s pleasant to hear you in my head again. Glade thought sarcastically.

Glade, trust me. It’s all for the best. Now Mars trusts you, or at least as much as Mars can trust someone. You and Thorn will meet up now for sure. All you have to do is keep up this act until Thorn falls for us and then we’re as good as gold.

But what if I don’t want to keep up the act? I don’t love Mars!

I never said you did. Just act like it. Do you want to be with Thorn or not?

Well. . . Yes. It’s all I want!

Then just listen to me. I’ll get us through this. Trust me.

I trust you.

“Glade? Glaaaaaaaaaade? You in there?”

Glade shook her head. “Yeah, I’m fine. Sorry, I was just out of it.” she apologized. She glanced up at him, but he didn’t seem to be buying it. She leaned closer to him. “What? Do you expect me to be focused when I keep thinking about you?”

Way to go, honey. Lay on the flattery.

Shut up.

It worked though, he pressed up against her as they walked across the vacant road. “Oh, you’re a sweet thing, really.” he said. “A bit dry and bitter, but sweet, when you want to be.”

Glade purred at him, though secretly she imagined cuffing him over the side of the head with unsheathed claws. Before she could put any action behind the thought, they reached the main room of the barn, which was still teeming with cats since it was too early for the farmer to be out. Sitting beside a bale of hay, chatting over some mice were Mars’s friends: Edge, Ashes, West, and Thorn.

Thorn. Glade immediately felt happier as soon as she saw him. She sat down between him and Mars, who had started talking to them.

“Hey, guys. How’s the morning?”

West wrapped a black-and-white tail around his paws. “Alright for us, I guess.” he said.

Edge gave Mars a snide look. “But you are your little lady seem to be having a great morning, if I do say so.”

Glade pretended to inch closer to Mars, who replied. “Don’t have to be so bitter, Edge. It’s not my fault the only thing you can seem to attract is fleas.”

Edge’s claws slid out, like he was ready to hook one of Mars’s eyes and yank it out, but Thorn spoke up. “So, who is your friend, Mars? I don’t think I’ve met her.” he said calmly.

“Oh, yeah. You didn’t get to meet her, Thorn. You were off with that tramp, Cow’s Ear.” Mars remarked.

“Cashmere, genius. And she’s not a tramp.” Thorn said, but he looked at Glade as if to say. But I’m pretty sure she is.

“Hello, Thorn.” Glade leaned over and touched his nose in greeting. “I’m Glade. You know, Mars sure has told me a lot about you.”

Thorn glanced over at Mars. “Has he really?”

Glade retreated to Mars’s side, nodding her head. Mars was quick to change the subject. “All right. Any of you guys want to come hunting with me?” he asked

It ended up with Edge, Ashes, and West volunteering to hunt with Mars, as long as Glade didn’t come along. Glade frowned at her paws, pretending to be put out by this.

“But I really wanted to go hunting.” she said, looking up at Mars with sad eyes.

Mars nuzzled her gently. “I just need a bit of time with my buds, okay? I’ll bring you back some prey, I promise.” he said.

Glade glanced up at him. “Okay.” she conceded, though inside she was jumping up and down with glee.

Before he left, he whispered. “Hey, don’t be too sad. I’m all yours tonight.”

It took every ounce of her willpower to keep from shuddering.

She watched as the four toms walked out of the barn, down the driveway, and into the forest. Once they were gone, she looked over toward Thorn. “So, will you come hunting with me?” she asked him.

He looked at her with a slightly incredulous look. “I can’t. I have to meet with Cashmere at noon.”

Glade sighed. “But noon is hours away. Besides, I’d go on my own, but I don’t know the area at all. I’d get lost!”

After a while more of this debate, he gave in. “Fine. I’ll come with you.” he said.

Glade’s life went on like this for a few moons. She’d spent every moment that she could with Thorn, for any reason at all. He appeared to trust her, at least to some extent, and Mars didn’t suspect a thing. He was always doing something during the day, hunting with his little followers or who-knows-what. As long as Glade spent her nights with him, Mars couldn’t care less what she did during the day. Despite this, Glade managed to live with some degree of hope, hope that Thorn would soon open his eyes and realize how right they were for each other. Then she’d be able to give up on Mars for good, and actually be happy.

Then one day, the plan ripped apart at its seams.

That day it was practically summer. The trees had sprouted wide, brilliant green leaves, and the temperature was rocketing upward by the second. Glade and Thorn walked back from another hunt, heading in the direction of the yard.

“You know, we should really hang out more often.” Glade said casually.

Thorn tilted his head in confusion. “Really? We already hang out with each other every day, you know. I almost spend more time with you than I do with Cashmere.” he said.

“Oh.” Glade said, not knowing how else to reply.

Oh? That’s the best thing you can say right now? It’s time, Glade! Make your move! Tell him to leave that witch!

Glade almost groaned. The voice. It had been forever since she’d heard it, since it had come to ‘advise’ her. She hated it, yet relied on it. If it weren’t for the voice, she wouldn’t be this close to Thorn. Then again, if it weren’t for the voice, she wouldn’t be stuck with Mars either. The advice of the voice was a double edged sword. It helped her in one way, but then hurt her in another.

Tell him to leave her? But he’s so happy with her! Just look at him!

GLADE! Have you lost your mind? You hate Cashmere! How can you let Thorn waste his love on someone like her?

Glade chewed on that for a while. How could she let Thorn stay with Cashmere?

Because I know how it feels to try to love someone you aren’t meant for. It’s what you forced me into with Mars, and I’m not going to force Thorn into it with me.

Glade, you’ve gone mad! You could have everything you’ve ever wanted if you reached out and grabbed it. That’s why I’m here, because if I don’t force you to act, no one else will.

Before Glade could reply to the voice, they emerged into the yard, and there was a loud cry to greet them. “Oh my stars! Thorn! Where have you been?”

Cashmere was making a dash across the lawn, which was littered which freshly trimmed grass clippings. Glade barely dodged the young she cat’s lunge as she barreled toward her lover.

The scene was hauntingly familiar, and Glade was overwhelmed by a serious wave of de ja vu.

“It’s all right, Cashmere.” he said to her. “We were just hunting, and I lost track of time.”

At that, Cashmere whirled around, her dangerous eyes locking onto Glade. “You! You’re the reason he lost track of time, aren’t you! You-”

“Don’t waste your time on me, Cashmere.” Glade snarled, and it felt like the voice was speaking with her as she said. “You are nothing! You’re a hideous, twiggy, fragile bag of bones and if you so much as breath another word in my direction I will rip out your throat!”

Cashmere’s eyes met mine, and I saw something in them that I’d never seen before. Sadness. Hurt. I’d done that to her. I had hurt her, and I relished every moment of it. She uttered not another word, instead, she turned tail and ran, back toward the house that she lived in, as quickly as her legs could carry her.

“Glade. . .”

She turned to look him in the eyes, which were flooded with disappointment and anger, intermingled with each other in a way that made Glade feel like she was breaking in half.

“Thorn. . .”

It was too little, too late. Thorn took off after Cashmere, calling her name over and over, like he’d lose her if he didn’t. Glade was alone, on the neat trimmed lawn, breathing in the smell of fresh cut grass, and trying not to fall apart.

To try to soothe her whirling mind, she headed back into the woods, but she kept on thinking. She broke into a sprint, hoping the exertion of her body would draw her away from her dark mood. It failed bitterly.

Why is this happening to me? Why is it every time I get close to something it flees away from my grasp? Why me?

Because you’re weak.

Glade stopped dead in her tracks, finding herself by a puddle she thoughts he recognized from a memory many moons old. She knelt down at stared at the placid surface. Placid. The last word she would use to describe herself was placid.

I’m not weak! Just because I don’t enjoy seeing people suffer doesn’t mean I’m weak.

You don’t enjoy suffering? What about Cashmere? You absolutely savored Cashmere’s suffering.

Glade’s claws slid out in anger. She did enjoy it, didn’t she relived the moment again, and the pride that she’d felt in hurting Cashmere, and in knowing that she felt pain because of her. Glade’s stomach coiled into knots, like an agitated snake as she remembered her first encounter with Cashmere, the one that ended with Glade being insulted.

And in nearly the exact same words.

She glared at her reflection, at her jet black fur and clear blue eyes. I hate what I am. I’m horrible

You’re beautiful.

I’m wretched.

You’re confident

I’m everything I despise.

You’re everything you ever wanted to be.

Glade looked down at her reflection, seeing herself for what she had really become. She had went from flawed, happy, but flawed, to beautiful and damaged. She’d given up everything, her sister, her friends, her dignity, and for what? For beauty? For perfection? She hadn’t solved anything. She had taken everything she hated about her self and traded it for everything she hated in someone else.

She looked down at the reflection of what she had become.

I am a monster.

[Resin]

Since no one requested an extension, Gizmo's entry will be the last one accepted. No further entries will be allowed.

My guest judge and I will read the eligible stories and choose a winner within the next few days. As soon as a decision is reached, I'll let everyone know. (:

Thank you again to everyone that entered.