The Open Door
sleeping bags, and
pillows, so it would be much warmer and more comfortable.”
    “It’s not safe in there!”
    “It’s just a couple of cats. You’re letting
my past experiences and the dark freak you out. A couple of cats
were able to access the house and make it their home—they probably
eat the mice.”
    “Sure . . . a cat that just happens to look
identical to your cat, Whiskers, and who also scratches at the top
of the stairwell just like Whiskers. That doesn’t scare you, even a
little?”
    “It was a little weird, but a twenty
something year old cat wouldn’t look that healthy—the cat in the
house is no more than five years, so again, it’s impossible.”
    “We’re here to try and recreate a scenario so
you can record a horse head from hell, and you think a Whiskers
homecoming is impossible?”
    “It’s different. The head is something from
the spiritual realm, the cat is a physical thing—not the same.”
    “The curtains! They just moved! Cody
screamed, pointing at the front window.
    Scott looked at the window, but the curtains
remained perfectly still.
    “You’re seeing things, calm down.”
    “No! They moved! Keep watching!” Cody
insisted.
    Watching, waiting, for what seemed like
several minutes— the curtains finally fluttered.
    “See? I’m right! There’s something
there!”
    “Yep, you’re right. It’s a cat. That’s all
that’s inside—cats.”
    “Whoa!” Cody screamed again, causing Scott’s
ears to ring.
    Whiskers, or a cat that looked like Whiskers,
jumped up and landed on the ledge inside the main window. Staring
at them with its intense green eyes, it almost seemed inviting.
    “It’s probably lonely and in need of food,
that’s all.” Scott said, annoyed.
    “It’s hungry all right. It’s staring at me
like a giant bowl of Kibbles and Bits!”
    “A fifteen to twenty pound cat is going to
eat you?” He said, laughing hysterically. Scott needed a good laugh
and Cody had just reminded him why he decided to bring him
along.
    They had both had dozed off, and Scott was
the first to wake from the bitter cold. Looking at the time on his
cell phone, he was shocked to see that it was already midnight.
    Scott glanced over at the main window of the
house. His eyesight was still slightly blurred, so it took a moment
to focus. The cat was gone.
    “Wake up!” He said, as he nudged Cody’s
shoulder.
    Half awake, Cody attempted to respond, “Wha .
. . Hmmm? Tired—Go away.”
    “Seriously, we need to do something. It’s
freezing out here.”
    A sound erupted from Cody’s direction that
resembled an underwater explosion.
    “That should warm you up!” Cody said,
laughing hysterically to the point where he had tears building up
in his eyes.
    “That’s rancid! Just for that, you’re
sleeping outside . . . alone!”
    His reply only added fuel to the fire that
originally ignited his laughter. Cody’s laugh quickly turned into a
wheezing sound, which soon led to Cody coughing and gagging as he
tried to catch his breath.
    “I’m sorry man. That nut mix I ate earlier
had a profound impact on my gaseous state.” Cody replied as he
continued to chuckle, like some evil clown tormenting a child.
    Cody would sometimes say things that didn’t
necessarily make sense, but would have a twisted ring to it. He
would do this to elicit a response from his victim, and the more
agitated and serious the victim became; the funnier Cody thought it
was. Most of the time—and tonight being one of those times—Cody
would be the only one laughing.
    “Alright man! Let’s do this like Thelma and
Louise. We’ll grab our stuff, and run for the house holding hands!”
Cody chuckled, again trying to amuse himself.
    “Seriously? You want to go for it?”
    “Yeah. It’s too cold out here. If we stick to
the upstairs, and barricade the bedroom door once inside, we’ll be
fine till morning.”
    Cody actually displayed some semblance of
sincerity, so Scott took him seriously.
    “Who needs a

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