Chapter 2: Chapter One
Athene
A repeated cycle, a broken pocket watch, a letter unopened, and a conundrum that continues to grow heavier each day. I shifted my position and stared at the ceiling. Despite the fact that my heart is in pieces, I gathered my remaining strength to open my windows.
The cool breeze of the morning greeted me with glee but I wasn't in the mood to smile back. I guess the weather will understand.
"Good morning Athene."
I stared at Cleo who was slowly stretched his body as he started to move towards me.
"It's breakfast time, hooman." He said as he playfully bit my pajama.
"Cleo can you please minimize your meowing, it's still four in the morning." He rolled on his belly and suddenly stopped near my desk.
"Sorry hooman, you know I am pretty excited for breakfast." He said as he began to lick his fur on his belly.
"You're always excited about food, Cleo," I said as I stood up and began to tidy up my bed.
If someone saw me talking to cats people might think I am a weirdo while others will think I'm an ailurophile. For most parts, it actually works but some would just definitely ask me sometimes how was I able to understand cat language?
"Hooman, you're noodles are already cooked, get out of the bathroom now."
Cleo meowed softly while he waited outside the bathroom door.
"Yes, Mr. Cleo," I said as I got out of the bathroom.
"And do something about the smell." He meowed as I went to the sink to wash my hands for the second time.
I have always been like this since I was little; my family discovered that like Pa, I also have a gift for talking to animals.
(Phone rings)
"Hello, Ma? Yeah, I'm preparing my breakfast now. What? Oh sorry, that was Cleo." I continued to answer our usual yes and no while tossing the pancakes on the pan.
"Ma, I'm fine thank you for asking. How are you Ma?" I asked while I was busy decorating Cleo's pancakes with a small version of him in maple syrup.
"I'm okay love; I just miss your Pa." Ma replied trying to sound cheerful when she nearly croaked upon mentioning Pa in our conversation.
"Ma, I'll pay you a visit over the weekend and we will go to the lake where we would usually swim and have a picnic."
I heard Ma giggled while I was eating my noodles.
"What are you having for breakfast, love?" I nearly choked upon hearing her question.
My tongue was scalding thanks to my panic mode from Ma's surprise question.
"Love, you're not eating noodles again right?"
Absentmindedly, I nodded my head real fast as I placed my spoon on top of my hot bowl of chicken noodles.
"No Ma, I'm not eating noodles. I'm having fruits, umm a healthy fruit smoothie and French toast for breakfast."
It's a lie; I couldn't gather up the courage to tell her that I was short on a budget because of the books I bought last week.
"Okay, I'll be sending you another box of fruits and vegetables so that you can have something organic to eat."
I guess the sacrifice was worth it.
"Love, please take care of yourself, okay?" Ma said while trying to control herself from crying on the phone again.
"Yes, Ma I will take care of myself. You should also take care of your health too."
Pa's words suddenly echoed in my mind again and the memory of him on his hospital bed. The staccato noises from the machine that supports his breathing. It was the first time I saw Ma cried, but after that, we slowly adjusted ourselves and stayed positive that Pa will be okay.
"Take care of your Ma," Pa said as he struggled to talk because of the machine that supports his breathing.
"I will be okay, smile Tinny. I will tell your Mom and Dad that you're an amazing lady." He said as he held my hand.
"Hey Pa, the doctors will cure you. You'll get better soon." I whispered to his ear.
A smile formed on his cracked lips as he placed the broken pocket watch on my hands.
"This is yours now, take care of it."
I stared at the fallen soldier on my hand and remembered how I used to ask him to tell me stories about how he got the pocket watch when I was a kid.
"Promise me you won't cry." He said as he breathed softly.
"I'll try Pa," I told him as I kissed his forehead.
The steady hum of the photocopier buzzed through my ears as I went out of our pantry while holding a cup of coffee.
"Athene, can you please help me with the designs for the proposal?" Bernard my co-worker, told me as I passed by his cubicle.
"Yeah sure, bring it here I'll check out the design," I told him as I took a sip from my coffee.
"Nice watch you got there." He said as he pointed at the pocket watch that hung on my neck.
"Is that a locket, dear?" Lulu asked as she moved away from her computer screen to take a look.
"Oh, it's a pocket watch. My grandfather gave it to me."
Her round blue eyes glowed in excitement as she began to examine it with curiosity.
"Oh, your grandfather has a unique taste for fine things. Is it still working?" she asked as she lifted her cup from my hand and took a sip.
"Nope, it was broken. He gave it to my Mom before when she and Dad got married."
The light from her face suddenly vanished and was replaced with grief and concern.
"Oh right." She said as she took another sip of her coffee.
"Do you want to hang out on the weekends? Philip is coming home."
Lulu had been my friend since we were kids and she knew that I actually have a major crush on her twin brother, Philip who is now a university professor in the U.K.
"Ooh, now that's tempting but I have to decline. I'm promised Ma I would pay her a visit over the weekend."
Lulu clicked her tongue and took another sip from her coffee.
"Now that's sad but on the other side it's also good to check on your Ma, maybe I can persuade my brother to pay you a visit to your farm."
I saw the mischief in Lulu's eyes when she mentioned her brother in our conversation.
"You know, Ma would also appreciate it if you also visit her. She's been asking lately about you."
She smiled widely and slowly placed her cup on top of her desk.
"I think that would be nice."
I dug into my pocket when my phone began to vibrate.
"It's the creep," I said as I opened the message sent via an unknown number.
"What does it say this time?" Lulu asked.
"'BE CAREFUL' that's what it says," I said as I rolled my eyes.
"You got a concerned creep sending you warnings. I don't know if it's romantic or scary."
Lulu has a point, the messages started weeks later after Pa passed away. It was creepy and somehow mysterious but in a good way.
"So are you still going to visit your Ma at the weekend?" She asked while staring at me.
"Yeah, I will," I told her as I sat on my chair.
Whoever the sender was always foreshadowed what's going to happen to me. My phone vibrated once more and another message arrived. My heart began to race upon reading the second message.
'SOMEBODY WILL TRY TO HURT YOUR MA.'
I did actually thought of reporting the creep to the authorities but every message that this person was sending to me was all warnings but I am not sure if the person wishes me ill-luck or wants to protect me. Another message came from the unknown sender.
'HEAD HOME EARLY, THE NIGHT WILL BE STALKING YOU IF YOU DON'T.'
Okay? Am I supposed to take this literally or figuratively? Isn't this a bit too extreme?
"Hey, Tinny are you okay? You looked pale." Lulu remarked as she touched my forehead.
"Yeah, I'm okay," I said as I placed my phone inside my back.
"Maybe I should head home early tonight and eat something home-cooked aside from noodles."
Lulu only nodded and suddenly beamed.
"How about I stay at your place tonight and cook dinner for the three of us?"
What I like about Lulu is that she knew and understood that Cleo is part of my world and that I understand him.
"Yeah, that would be a great idea."
I guess there is nothing wrong if I follow the creep's advice like what I always did.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone