Cat: We’ve been friends for a while now, right?

Mouse: You know we have. 

Cat: Good friends.

Mouse: Best friends!

Cat: Best friends. But lately, I’ve been feeling, I don’t know. There are big parts of my life that I don’t really share with you. There’s stuff I wanna talk about, but since we don’t really talk about it, it’s gotten all built up and feels weird.

Mouse: I see that you’re struggling. You know you can tell me anything.

Cat: I know. Ok. Well, I…ha, ha. I’m nervous. I don’t know why this feels like a confession, but, I kill mice. I kill and eat mice and I always have.

Mouse: Ok.

Cat: I don’t do it all the time or anything, just when I need to, you know? I go out, hunt a mouse then eat it. 

Mouse: Ok.

Cat: You know those business trips I go on?

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Mouse: Yeah?

Cat: Usually, I’ll kill and eat a mouse. Kind of like business, ha-ha. I need to do it. Mice are so beautiful–their movements are so fascinating. You know. We talk about our different species all the time.  

Mouse: I’m having trouble processing this. 

Cat: Dammit? Have I scared you? You know I’d never hurt you. Why do we have to go through this again?!

Mouse: We don’t. I know you would never eat me. I know that you’re a good person, even if you do terrible things sometimes.

Cat: I’m glad you know I wouldn’t hurt you. Uh, have I really done terrible things?

Mouse: Yes! Killing mice is wrong.

Cat: It’s really not unnatural for carnivores… I’m a cat! It’s probably normal to eat mice–I don’t know! I feel like you’re judging me.

Mouse: I am judging you. You can tell me anything, but I can’t help how I feel.

Cat: This is so upsetting. You’re looking at me like I’m a monster. Am I a monster or am I just a normal cat?

Mouse: I don’t know!

Cat: Are you scared? Please don’t be scared.

Mouse: I’m not scared of you.

Cat: It’s not like I’ve been, uh, biding my time with you, you know. We’re friends. I like being friends with mice. I like mice, I like being around them–we’ve talked about this. Haven’t I always been perfectly civilized?

Mouse: I feel like you’re trying to gaslight me. I’m not ok with this, and I’m not going to be. 

Cat: What!? This is so upsetting. I can’t believe you’re reacting like this. Wait, sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.

Mouse: I want to…I kind of want to… uh, I don’t know.

Cat: What? 

Mouse: I don’t know! I can’t force myself to talk and I can’t change how I feel. But, um, I do know that I don’t want to be around you right now.

Cat: AAAh! I hate that you’re scared of me!

Mouse: I’m not scared of you! I just need some space.

Cat: Fine. I’ll go away forever. Goddamn it–