“Because they're my friends, like 
I told you,” Darryl said, and that was 
all he had to say about that.          
     That's when we arrived at our     
house. We all got out and headed in-   
side. I wanted to talk to the Cat      
first.                                 
     Beth hung back, and Darryl let    
everybody in.                          
     “I'll be just a minute hon. I     
promise,” I told her.                  
     She nodded and went in after      
everyone else.                         
     After I heard the door click shut,
I said, “Before, I let you in my house.
I want to know, here and now, why you  
called me an asshole this morning.”    
     The Cat looked at me for a second 
before answering, “Have you ever been  
threatened with being strapped to a    
* table, conscious and aware, while your   
insides are ripped out of you one by   
one? Have you ever had that problem?   
Have you?”                             
     I hesitated, remembering a lot of 
my fantasies, and like a mind reader   
the Cat said, “You've fantasized about 
it though. Haven't you? Yeah, I can    
tell.”                                 
     “Do you know about what I...”     
     “Yes, I do. It's in the public    
records, and maybe I should be the one 
asking you, if it’s safe for me to go  
in there with you.”                    
     She had a good point.             
     “I've changed,” was all I could   
think to say.                          
     “I know that Crim,” she said and  
came over to rub the top of her head   
against my hand. “I was worried about  
the mice, and couldn’t leave without   
telling Amy, but then everything went  
crazy.                                 



CHAPTER 14: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31st
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