Chapter 5 THE CAT IN THE BAG

"You may have escaped death when I had you killed on the streets, but this time, you have no chances. Especially that your guardian angel seemed to have abandoned you."

"I don't need anyone to save me, Riley. Hell, I don't even need a guardia-"

"Kill her," Riley said, smiling before he turned his back on me.

Riley's men fired their rifles at me. Out of nowhere, a cat jumped on my lap that made me scream as it spread its huge white wings to cover me. The supernatural bullets didn't seem to get through the umbrella-like wings as they fired. In a blink of an eye, the cat's wings shined with a blinding light and exploded like a bomb, making the demons burn; with the exception of Riley-of course-who vanished into thin air.

I stared into the cat's eyes with its towering wings.

"Gideon?! Seriously? A cat?"

"Meow," it replied.

***

"Where have you been, you idiot? I was so close to-"

"Profanity! Let me remind you that the moment you opened your eyes, you shooed me away!"

"You were that cat?!" I gasped. "How disgusting! Did you really have to lick my face? Ugh!"

"Why not? I'm a cat!' he replied.

Walking on the side of the street, I could see people looking at me, laughing and whispering. I glared at them without realizing that "Could you please change your vessel? No wonder why people are looking at me like I'm some sort of crazy," I said, looking at our reflection in one of the store's glass windows.

"The boy is gone, Micca. I can't find him."

'What do you mean you can't find him?"

"Oh, come on. Which part is it that you don't understand? I can't find him!" Gideon raised his voice.

"Wait a minute! Why are you so mad at me?"

"Because you're a traitor!"

"Excuse me? What did I do?"

"Meow." He walked ahead of me.

"Hey, stop making a fool of me. You've gotta tell me what's wrong with you because I don't know!' I said, emphasizing the last three words.

"Meow."

"Fu-Ugh! Barachiel!" I yelled at the top of my lungs with my hands and eyes up to the sky.

"Are you okay?" a stranger asked.

I looked at the stranger as an awkward silence took over. "Yeah, I'm okay. I'm just . . . mad at my pet." I bent down to pick up Gideon, pressed him against my chest, and caressed his fur. "We gotta go home now, Kitty."

Gideon hissed.

"Bye," I said.

The stranger gave a fake smile before walking his way.

***

I laid lazily on the bed while Gideon sat on a chair by the window. He was looking at whatever it was, and I knew for certain there was absolutely nothing beautiful to enjoy down below but an alley filled with dumpsters.

"Spill the beans, Giddy. What did I do wrong?"

"Are you sure you don't remember, Micca?" Gideon finally answered.

"I don't remember any, believe-"

"You traded me for a deal! You made a deal with Riley to turn back time and save Daniel. You betrayed me."

"Daniel? Who is he? I . . . traded you?" I scoffed. "For what?"

"Stop asking me if you don't remember anything. You wouldn't even understand!"

I stood up and faced Gideon, who physically was a cat, crossing my arms. "Then let me remember everything! Help me remember, Gideon, so I could finally lay your confused soul to rest!"

"Meow."

I grabbed and lifted him in the air. He scratched my face, making me scream in pain and dropped him.

Knock! Knock!

I walked towards the door and stood without opening it.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Amber, I heard you screaming so I came here to drop by and remind you that your rent is only for single occupancy. You have to pay double if your boyfriend is going to live with you," the landlady said.

I could only imagine the look on her face seething with anger. All she cared for was money. Opening the door with Gideon in my arms, I said. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Jones. It's only me and my cat. Come, see for yourself."

Mrs. Jones looked around then to my forehead.

"You're bleeding. Cat scratches and bites are something you shouldn't ignore."

'Yeah, thanks," I said before closing the door.

Suddenly, one of Riley's demons smashed the glass window and got inside my room. The broken pieces scattered and left a cut in my face. Gideon jumped from my hold and hid under the bed.

"What the-" I muttered.

I extended my arms towards my pistol lying on the bed, making it fly in my direction. I caught it with a grip and fired at him. The demon disappeared and reappeared before me. I was faster than him, of course, and I hit his head with the gun.

The demon fell on the floor and vanished again.

"You coward! Show yourself and stop pestering my life!" I screamed.

The door opened, and I facepalmed. "Oh sh*t," I muttered as my weapon turned back into an angel's feather.

Mrs. Jones looked at my bleeding face and around the room. Her eyes landed on the floor, to the broken window, and to the cat hiding under the bed. She hurriedly walked towards the bed and grabbed Gideon.

"Mrs. Jones, I am so sorry. My cat is just upset. I promise to put him in the cage," I said, walking after the landlady. I followed her to the basement with Gideon in her hands, crying and pleading.

"Mrs. Jones, I am so sorry. Please . . ."

She put a leash around Gideon's neck before putting him in a suspicious cage with a strange symbol marked on it. I was alarmed when Gideon surprisingly became weak, and it didn't take long for me to realize what was happening.

"Release him," I said, pointing my pistol at Mrs. Jones. Her eyes turned black as she grinned.

"Go ahead, kill this human," Mrs. Jones said, obviously possessed by a demon.

She grabbed my hand holding the pistol and aimed it against her forehead. "You can't do it, can you? You're an angel. You are forbidden to kill, or else, you'll be thrown into the depths of hell." She laughed devilishly.

"I'm already in hell," I said and pulled the trigger before blood splattered in my face.