The Hunt of the Grimalkin (Erresuma Book 1) by Dani Swanson (read aloud books txt) 📕

a blur of green. The forest thinned the farther they ran, trees becoming further spread apart.

Meow stopped unexpectedly at a break in the trees and sat nonchalantly licking his paws as she caught up to him. She huffed and wheezed as she slowed to where the little orange cat waited. She could feel her heartbeat pounding in her temples and her chest. “Why?” she panted. “Why gasp did you gasp run gasp like that!?” Meow just rubbed against her leg and started to walk out of the woods.

The sun had started to set in earnest now and the sky was a watercolor painting of oranges and pinks that melted into dark blue. She could see the moon rising into the sky. She saw a rickety, thatched roof cabin standing in the center of the clearing.  The flowers and grass were overgrown around a broken stone wall that encircled the cabin. The small building was dark and looked as though it hadn’t seen a visitor in some time. Meow, however, seemed to be comfortable there as if the place was familiar to him.

Cautiously, she walked towards the structure. What if there is someone there? she thought, becoming hopeful. What if they know where we are? Then she started to think of the feeling she had in the forest, and was a little frightened. What if they are not friendly?

Chapter Two

 

She approached the rundown cabin and lightly rapped on the door. “Hello? Is someone in there?” she politely said in between knocks. “Hello?” The little building remained dark and there was nothing stirring inside. Meow scratched at the door as she was knocking.

“Meow,” he said as he nudged the door with his head.

“Do you think I should try to go in?” she questioned out loud, encouraged by the cat’s behavior. Her hand trembled as she reached for the latch. It was stiff as she turned it but it was unlocked and the door slowly creaked open as she pushed it with her finger tips. “Hello?” she said in a small voice as she stepped inside.

The inside was quaint, however, it was obvious that no one had visited this place in a long while. A thin layer of dust and cobwebs covered the furniture and some sticks had fallen from the roof onto the stone floor. There were some candles on the table and a box of matches. She lit a few candles and then carried one around the room to see what she could find. There were various dishes, and pots on the shelves around the fireplace, near an old pump sink. In one corner a small bed with a little nightstand and a dresser created a sleeping area. There was a bookshelf by the door and a stuffed blue chair with dingy, gold buttons on the back. It was a nice little cabin that looked to be well cared for at one time.

The sun outside was almost gone below the trees and the warm temps left with the light. “I guess this is where we will be for the night,” she said to the little orange cat. His eyes glowed in the candle light as he started to purr. She couldn’t help but wonder why a little cabin was here in the middle of nowhere, and why someone would just leave all of their stuff here.

She found a small stack of wood by the fireplace and started a fire, which lit the walls of the little cabin. She drew the curtains over the couple of little windows. She noticed she had left the door open, and that her little furry friend was gone. She immediately felt anxious, as the only interaction she had was with that cat, and now he was nowhere to be seen. She went out on the porch and noticed that the curtains blocked the bright light of the fireplace. She peered out into the darkness. The chill of the night air blew across her face as her gaze raked the forest edge. As the wind blew a shiver ran down her spine and she lightly shuddered as she wrapped her arms around her waist for warmth.

All at once, the sounds of her surroundings were muted – no rustle of the wind, no crickets. She felt sad and alone. She started to turn towards the door to go back in when she saw two yellow eyes glowing in the dark, moving towards her at a rapid rate. The large shadowy figure was mammoth and flowing as if gliding through the air. She gasped, spun on her heels into the cabin, slamming the door shut behind her.

She sat against the door, holding the latch as she held her breath, trying to not make a sound. What is happening? She thought as she felt her heart beat harder and harder in her chest. She jumped when she heard a light scratching on the door. She sat there for a moment and started to breathe again. Scratch. Scratch. Scratch. She swallowed hard, her shoulders shook with fear. The room seemed to be getting darker and she held her breath again.

Scratch.

      Scratch.

Scratch.

“Meow?” came the sweet sound from the other side of the door. She let out a slow breath. The room started to come back into focus. She stood and opened the door slowly to see the adorable little orange cat, with a fish that was bigger than his own body. Meow had gone to catch them dinner. She stuck her head out of the door and looked into the darkness. There was no sign of the big creature she had seen running through the dark. The breeze was back to rustling everything outside and the crickets were chirping in the dark.

There they sat in the overstuffed blue chair with the dingy gold buttons. Her feet were kicked up on a small ottoman and the little orange cat sat on her lap purring,