« Skylar's POV »

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"Chicken!" I shouted for the fifth time, looking around the dark street behind my house. But there wasn't any response. Not even those small meows.

"Oh my God." I whispered, clearly aware of my heart beating wildly.

With the same worried frown, I frantically looked around. I had seen her running behind that man. I had followed. But then Chicken just...disappeared.

"Chicks, please come out." I wasn't surprised when my voice quivered. "Wherever you are. Please, Chicks."

But I didn't see any movement behind the bushes. Or the neighborhood houses. Everything was eerily quiet. Except of the noise from my house behind me.

Pushing my hair away from my face, I tried thinking straight.

Chicken would never runaway from me. Even if she did, she'd always find her way back.

But she wasn't coming back. And that only meant one thing.

That guy took her.

I pretty much ran inside my house after that. The moment I entered the backyard, I saw mom looking around for someone.

"Skylar! Where did you go?" She asked once she saw me. And then her face fell into a frown when she looked at my face. "What happened?"

The mere fact that I just lost my cat hurt so much.

"Mom, I–Chicken ran away." I blurted out. "I tried looking for her but I can't find her."

Her eyebrows shot up in response. "She'd come back."

"No!" I shook my head. "Somebody took her–"

"Oh God, Skylar!" Somebody took hold of my shoulders from behind and turned me around with a laugh. "You missed the fun! Emma literally just fell in the fire."

It was Sloane.

I gulped in response. The lump in my throat felt like it was increasing as the seconds passed by.

My cat was out there somewhere. All alone.

"Come on!" She started pulling my arm towards the bonfire.

I looked at mom who just passed me another confused look. After everything that had happened with Blake, how was I supposed to tell her about that creepy hooded guy?

"Go and enjoy, Skylar." Mom nodded. "I'll try looking around for her. Don't worry."

And then I was pulled away.

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Mom didn't find Chicken. But she'd come back eventually. At least that's what mom kept on telling me. She was so sure about it. And I wasn't.

"I'll ask the neighbors if she doesn't come back till the morning, all right?" She said reassuringly.

I found myself looking out from the big glass window. The whole backyard was dark under the night sky. And I didn't see Chicken anywhere.

"What if she doesn't come back?" I whispered in worry.

Mom closed the fridge with a sigh and looked at me. "Skylar, don't think too much. Cats like running away. But they always come back, okay?"

I didn't reply.

"Why don't you go and have some sleep?" She asked in a tired voice. It was way past midnight by now.

I just nodded in response. She let out another sigh before walking off towards her room. I blinked twice before moving towards the back door and walking out.

Everything was quiet in the backyard. Not even a single noise. Under different circumstances, I wouldn't just come out in my backyard at midnight.

That shit was scary.

But losing my only cat was scarier.

Once again, I looked around the bushes trying to search for anything that could give me a clue as to where Chicken had ran off to. I went back to the bushes at the corner where I had seen that hooded guy. When Chicken had ran after him.

Just as I found nothing, I was about to step back in total defeat when I saw an unmistakable white paper in the dark surroundings.

I felt my heart speeding up.

This was crazy.

Inhaling a deep breath, I pulled out the folded piece of paper from the bushes and stepped back.

Another note.

Looking around, I went back inside my house, locking the back door. This time when I looked at the paper in my hand, I felt the corner of my eyes welling up.

Why was this happening?

I couldn't lose Chicken. What if that hooded guy killed my cat?

Shaking my head slightly, I found myself walking upstairs to my room. I closed the door and sat down on my bed.

Now that I was in my room and Chicken wasn't there, I felt like hyperventilating. I felt short of breath. And this room felt so hot. And my insides felt like they were twisting themselves.

I opened the folded paper with slightly trembling hands.

I heard how cats have 9 lives.

I wonder if that is the truth.

If you don't want me finding out the truth,

then give me back what is mine.

I was dumbstruck at those words until a tear dropped on the paper, smudging the printed words.

Placing the paper beside me, I covered my face with my hands. "Oh God." I whispered, feeling wetness travel down my cheeks.

He would kill Chicken. What if he really did that? What if Chicken died? How was I supposed to go back to Pennsylvania if I didn't find Chicken?

I almost jumped in my position when my phone rang. Not even wiping my tears, I answered the call when I saw who it was.

"Hey–"

"Caden!" I almost shouted, interrupting him. For some reason, I felt relieved that he called. I wanted to tell this to someone. I couldn't have told this to mom. The only person who knew about that hooded guy was Caden.

"What...happened?" He asked slowly, confusion lacing his voice.

I didn't even know where to start. I didn't even know how to form those words. I didn't want them to be real.

"Chicken went away. I can't find her, Caden." I blurted out. "She was just there and then she disappeared."

"What?" He still sounded confused as if he hadn't heard me. "You mean, your cat?"

"Y-Yes." I wasn't surprised when my voice cracked. "I can't find her."

He was silent for a while.

"She must've just lost her way." He said.

"No." I replied. "It...was that same guy who took her."

"What guy?"

"The one who has been sending me letters." I answered. "Who came at my door that day. With the black hood."

"How do you know he was the one who took your cat away?"

I closed my eyes, feeling nauseated. "He was there in the backyard. Chicken followed him. And then she disappeared."

Caden went silent again. Before blowing out a very much frustrated sigh. "You didn't go after him, did you?"

I wish I had. Chicken would be here now.

"No." It came out as a small whisper. But he heard it.

"And you're not hurt?"

"Chicken is gone, Caden." I shook my head with a sniff, pressing my phone closer towards my ear. "What if something happens to her?"

I heard some shuffling on the other end. "Sky, get some sleep."

"Caden–"

"We'll search for your cat tomorrow, okay?" He cut me off.

"No."

"Skylar, he won't kill her. He won't kill your cat."

"How do you know that?" My voice came out above a whisper.

"Because that person is trying to threaten you only. Not harm anyone in the process." He replied. I just kept quiet. "Sleep, okay?"

My eyes traveled to the paper beside me.

Give me back what is mine.

"I don't think I can sleep."

"We'll find her." He spoke softly. "I promise." 

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Xoxo,

Crystal 🌿