Midnight Eyes ✵ Phan

*3*

The sun had set, leaving a fading mist behind. The cold air warmed by Dan's breath creating clouds of smoke, swirling delicately in the sky.

Dan was rarely happy but there was something peaceful about it, something distracting. It was something so small yet so big that it could almost let Dan forget about his stomach crushing itself and how his head barely let him think. He could almost forget about his blurred vision and his pounding head. Almost.

Dan had fallen too far down to ever just forget about his problems. His life was a problem now and there didn't seem to be a solution.

Maybe it was just Dan's delirium that tricked him into believing that there were no options. There were always options, maybe he had few but that did not mean there were none.

Dan continued down the street at a slow pace only breaking from his thoughts to watch another breath float away to freedom.

He felt cursed. Cats were supposed to be such sacred creatures, worshipped throughout history...and humans, through all their troubles, were the strongest race. The predator to the prey.

Dan was a mix of both but failed to be scared nor strong. He felt a sense of injustice. He blamed himself when it was really others that should take the blame.

Sometimes he wished he had been something else, a bird: beautiful, majestic and free.

Free. Free to fly away from a godforsaken, awful place rather than be stuck in a never-ending loop of misery back on the ground.

Because, no matter what, humans were above you if you were on the ground.

With humans, it didn't matter if you were the target or not, you would somehow gain an injury- mental or physical.

Dan could make a long list as to what was wrong with humans but he tried not to think about it. He had been on the wrong side of injustice and it was too late to turn back time.

The street seemed to expand as he looked down it, he felt like he had been walking for hours when it couldn't have been longer than minutes. His body was weak, unable to move naturally. It felt forced and unnatural as if he a puppet being held by taught strings, dragging him back, willing him not to move.

The apartment on his right lit up, the lights illuminating the shadows concealing him. Dan backed away, fearful of being revealed. He had no ability to hide his tail nor his ears. He wasn't concealed, he was out in the open- and he was scared.

Phil, on the other hand, had just switched the light on, giving up on sleep at the clock struck twelve. Midnight... he would be around. Phil took slow steps towards the door, unlocking it quietly. He sat on the doorstep hoping that a beating wouldn't be on the man's agenda for the night.

He had a twenty-dollar bill in his pocket, ready to hand over. Well, ready wasn't exactly the right word, he was the opposite of ready to see the man who had scarred his body cut by cut.

Then it became clear that the shadow was not tall enough to be a man, maybe a child or a pre-teen. What was that? It had...ears? A tail...it was a Neko. After a minute of concentration, Phil saw it loud and clear.

Nekos were rare and were only talked about in the confines of one's own home, taboo in the outside world. Phil leant forward, squinting, his only light coming from a small window which only seemed to deepen the shadows swirling around him.

The figure turned, facing him. It was like a skeleton. Its bones poked out of its chest, his shirt was torn to pieces and his tail more like a rat's than a cat's.

'Are you okay?' Phil whispered, wanting to get closer but stayed still in fear of it leaving. Phil was fascinated but he was also wary and loving, giving space was his speciality- it seemed to be what led everyone away in the end.

The Neko boy, or at least that was what Phil assumed, simply stared at him, wide-eyed- wide-eyed and fearful. 'It's okay.' Phil quirked his lips up into a half-smile as if to comfort the small looking boy. The Neko shook his head and took a step back. 'Don't be afraid.' Phil put on his best smile and put his hand out as a sign of trust, just as if the boy was simply and only a cat, though he was so much more.

The Neko sighed quietly and took a step forward, his eyes were wide with fear but something deep inside was pleading. His stomach rumbled as if on timing and Phil smiled once again. 'Do you want me to give you some food.' The Nekos ears pricked up and a smile spread across his face which was quickly dismissed by fear once again. He sadly shook his head and tears welled in his eyes which he blinked away.

Phil was confused. Why would this Neko boy not accept food? He was starving, was he not? 'How about you tell me your name.' Phil smiled even wider, if that was possible, and leant back against the uncomfortable stairs.

'D-Dan.' The Neko wheezed as if he hadn't used his voice in weeks, which would be no surprise. Phil smiled. 'I'm Phil.' He cheered but didn't hold his hand out to shake, this boy was too afraid to even accept food when starving, he sure wasn't going to shake his hand. He wondered why had even said his name.

'Are you sure you don't want to come in and have some food? I could even bring it out here if you want...but it is rather cold.' Phil was met with silence and the Neko just staring at him with scared, shocked eyes.

'I'm fine. I'm not hungry.' There was no trace of the truth there, not just his words but the way he said them. He meant the opposite but Phil couldn't object, he would never force someone to do what he wanted. He had gone through that too much himself.

'Ok...I'll see you soon!' He called out as the Neko ran away, or tried to, its legs were barely enough to hold him up. Phil sighed and waited for the man to come. The ten dollar bill still in his back pocket.

word count: 1055

published: 25.01.17