Geneva was starting to get colder but it was still warmer than where Lev lived. The concrete jungle was thick and cars could be seen moving everywhere.
Kaz was living in a 15-floored condominium with his new parents. Inside was filled with things that Kaz never saw in his entire life. The living room had a flat widescreen T.V., soft cushioned sofa and a woolly carpet. The kitchen was filled with utensils and on the shelves were countless canned foods. Inside the refrigerator were eggs, vegetables, meats and other unknown spices that Kaz never knew. There were three rooms in that place: Master room, where the married couple slept, Kaz's room, and the guest room.
Inside Kaz's room, there was a computer, a laptop, a king-sized bed, a small study table and a wooden bookshelf that was filled with books. Kaz was awestruck.
He pointed at the computer and asked, "What is that 'thingy'?"
Paul laughed and replied, "That 'thingy' is a computer. A gaming computer, I might say."
He went over and turned the computer on. Colorful lights glowed on the keyboard, mouse, and the CPU.
"I've already downloaded popular online games here. There are also offline games that you might enjoy," Paul said.
"Wooooow," Kaz was overjoyed. He quickly jogged over the computer and sat on the chair. His happy face reflected on the monitor's loading screen.
"Here let me teach you. This is a keyboard while this small thing is a mouse," Paul pointed.
.....
After several hours later, Kaz had fully familiarized himself with the computer. It shocked Paul on how fast Kaz learned.
"He's a quick learner," Paul whispered to Honey.
They were both happy that they adopted a genius boy in the orphanage. It was like a one in a million chance of finding someone, almost comparable to finding a gem in the rough.
Kaz turned his chair towards them and asked, "When can we visit Lev?"
"But we just dropped him last night at his new home, dear," Honey replied with a tender voice.
"I haven't said my goodbye to him, though," Kaz quietly said while his eyes darted to the ground.
Honey looked at Paul while suggesting, "How about this Saturday?"
Paul unwillingly nodded in answer.
"Really?!" Kaz jumped in his chair in delight.
"Yes. But we will only visit him once a month," Paul informed him.
Kaz exaggeratedly nodded. "That's okay for me."
Saturday was two days away and it made Kaz thrilled to visit Lev again. Paul was still afraid that Lev might somehow pass unto them his bad luck so he decided to let Kaz visit him only once a month.
"I should bring him a gift!" Kaz thought out loud.
Honey giggled and proposed, "How about a wristwatch?"
"A wristwatch? That sounds great!" Kaz answered.
"Let's go shopping tomorrow," Honey excitedly said while gently clapping.
Kaz was delighted. He was the type that if someone talked with him for the first time, they would easily perceive him as a happy-go-lucky boy from the way he talked. His positive vibes made others comfortable around him, and not to mention his intelligence that he got from being studious in his earlier years. Kaz was destined to be successful in life.
The new family did everything they could ever wish for. They watched movies together. They went to a picnic and played catch. They shared embarrassing moments in their life. They taught Kaz how to cook. They went shopping together. They even lay on the rooftop of the building and watched the stars twinkle in the cloudless sky. It was the perfect family one could ever wish for. This was more than he ever could think of. The day he was adopted was the best moment in his life.
I wish Lev was having this much fun as I do... I wish her new mother gives him the love that he deserves... I wish his insecure life would change... Kaz looked at the night sky as he wished on the white blinking stars.
Lev's life changed alright. But not the way how Kaz wished. Instead, it changed for the worse.
Kaz was unable to sleep with all the excitement. Days passed with all the activities the family did together, and the next day was the day where they will visit Lev.
.....
Lev didn't enter the house that night. He sat on the bench as he waited for Lola. He could clearly see the changes in Lola's face when she came home. Her face had almost no flesh, as though beneath the skin was straight her skull. Her eyes were bulging out and her lips were dry and cracked. Her hair was a total mess as if she just got up from her bed making her hair a total bedhead.
Lev saw Lola carrying a book, the same book that he saw her reading in the Library. Its cover was old and black. The pages of the book were barely holding on to the hinge, and on the paper, it could be seen that it had been exposed to the cold and hot weather, wet and dry season, making it tattered and worn out.
Lev saw the darkness behind her, taking form that of a human-like figure. White dot eyes could be seen on its weird head-shaped that was towering above Lola's head and her body was almost covered with the shadow, making her look like a witch with shadow armor.
Lola entered the porch with a hunchback position, as though she was carrying the shadow behind her back, she stood on the front of the front door, reached out on the doorknob, and twisted it. Inside the house was already lit, the furniture was fixed on their proper position, and no speck of dust could be seen on the floor. Lola was just standing there, scanning everything, but the shadow that was hovering above her turned its head towards Lev, freaking him out. Lev was observing everything on the side of his eyes, he dared not to directly look at it because he didn't want to risk being touched by it. The scene that he saw on the Vale of Före made him realize that if the shadow touched a person, the person would feel negative emotions for no reason. It was only based on his short observation.
The shadow turned his head away and Lola proceeded to enter the house and closed the door behind her. Inside, the opening and closing of the door could be heard.
"Her situation is getting worse day by day," Lev judged.
He lay down on the bench and looked up the sky through the window-screen. Lev contemplated everything that happened in his life and said:
"I was born into this world with this cursed hair. I have no family. My friend was separated from me. I was reluctantly adopted by a couple and left me with a dreadful lady. And now, the cat ran away. How unlucky," Lev sighed.
"Well good things happened in your life too, right?" A tiny cat-like voice said.
Lev was shocked. He looked down and what he saw was a white cat was sitting and looking at him. It was the same cat that ran away.
"You— Did you just speak?" Lev said in disbelief. He jumped on his lying position and sat straight.
"Indeed. Hello, Lev," The cat smiled, revealing his two canines.
"Uhm— Hi..." Lev replied. The way the cat smiled made it both awkward and funny to look at.
"Sorry for the surprise and everything. I never knew that you could see them too."
"See 'them'?" Lev emphasized.
"Yes. The dark shadows."
"Why is a cat talking? I must be dreaming," Lev facepalmed and shook his head.
"Nope. Not likely," The cat laughed, making it weird for such an animal to do such a gesture. "Dreams are sweet and they involve unicorns, rainbows, and big ca—"
"Yes. I know what dreams are," Lev interjected. "And I think a talking cat fits in that category."
"I'm not just a normal cat, Lev. My name is Glib," his blue eyes blinked. He stood up and forewarned Lev, "Don't be surprised at what I'm going to do. Although it will be a total shock for you, try your best not to be surprised."
His body became a little bit bigger, about 12 inches, the fur around his body took form and transformed into a silver cloak with gold linings embroidered in it with a hood on the back. The cape had mystery symbols written in it and it reached down below its knee. He stood like a human but its body was like more that of a cat. His legs and neck were covered in white hair making it look like pants and a scarf, and on the forearms reaching down to its paw-like hands was covered with white hair too, making it look like he was wearing gloves reaching up to his forearms. His face also had white hairs, and on his forehead was like a one-letter symbol engraved in the skin. He had cat-like ears, a wide smile, and starry, blue eyes. He had a straight nose and a little bit pointed on the end of it. Lev never saw such a creature before. It was neither a cat nor a human, it was both: a humanoid cat.
"What are you?" Lev asked. He could not comprehend the creature that was standing on its two legs.