MONO ISSUE 1 PDF FLIPBOOK - Flipbook - Page 71
FELIX
by Rosie Cullen
FELIX STARED THROUGH the bay window. The woman was perfectly framed by the
leaded diamond pane. On the phone in animated conversation, she did not notice him,
and he took his time evaluating her.
Ever since her move into the neat end terrace he had been watching. At first sight she
seemed eminently suitable, the right age, a retiree, living on her own. Lots of time spent
on the phone, but not many visitors. He had eyed her putting out washing on the line, a
neat row of sheets, pants and bras.
The garden was largely paved with here-and-there huge pots of plants and wall
climbers. The walk along the top of the wall at the rear was on the outer boundary of his
domain. At night he sloped down and shat in them. Once, when Tom next door was
perched on the dividing wall, Felix didn’t even bother to scratch over his mess—Tom
might hiss all he liked.
The woman reacted by putting down some evil smelling substance to deter him from
entering her garden. The hairs on the back of his neck bristled. Clearly, not of the same
species as the ancient two doors down who left out milk and biscuits with her soft, puss,
puss, puss. Or, the previous occupant, an elderly decrepit who had eventually been
taken away in an ambulance, she had invited him into the house. The house that had
been empty for nearly a year since.
Felix glared through the diamond pane. The woman caught sight of him all at once,
interrupted her call and moved across the room to bang on the window. Fury and
irritation on her face. Felix stiffened and then slunk off. He felt a growing determination
to reclaim his territory.
The next time the new occupant was out in the garden, hanging out her washing Felix
slipped through the kitchen door. First things first. He sprayed against the chintzy sofa,
then made his way up the stairs, whiskers twitching in anticipation. Her bed cover and
pillows were deliciously silky. His claws raked great tears into the fabric and he
imagined yielding flesh stripped and flayed to a raw and bloodied carcass. He purred
with satisfaction. He took pleasure as he skulked the shadows in seeing the woman’s
outrage as she hunted for him through the house. Finally locking the patio doors—in the
mistaken belief that he had already made escape.
That night he stood sentinel as sleep evaded the woman. At last, she slipped into fitful
dreaming. Felix watched her twitch and toss. He padded across the shag pile and leapt
softly up beside her. Her eyelids flickered; some horror lurked behind them. Sure
enough, she let out the thin yelping scream of nightmare and then subsided, letting out
a mewing sound. Felix stretched out his paws and arched over her face. He lowered
himself carefully until the woman was completely smothered. Felix continued to purr
long after the woman’s feeble gasps had subsided.
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