A black and white blur jumped out of the duffle bag on the oak table, flying past Florence’s head. Something thudded behind her. She wheeled around. But she found a cat with black and white fur patterns standing on all fours on top of Yuze, staring at Florence. Yuze’s head rested on Florence’s leather briefcase.

With one hand, Stella opened her toolbox at the corner of the main room, glancing at the commotion. The guitar on her back slumped as she dropped Feno’s phone.

“What’re you looking at,” the cat said in a deep bloke voice. “There’s nothing special here.”

Florence blinked. But the cat still stood there in front of her. She slapped her face.

“Great, how did my pleb always bring someone new from the lunatic asylum.” The cat slammed his paw on his face. “Unbelievable.”

“I am going insane,” Florence said. Her jaw dropped open.

“Aye, you’re going mad. I’m totally your imagination.”

An eerie silence rang in the air.

“Cat,” Yuze said. “Not imagination.”

“Pardon me, what did you say?” Florence asked.

“That cat is… I mean, it can talk.” Stella reached her hand inside the toolbox. The tools clattered as she searched for the right one.

Florence rubbed her eyes. However, the cat was still there and straightened his back.

“I’m Sam the Great,” the cat said. He stood up with his hind legs. “I’ve sailed across the seven seas in search of the greatest treasure of catnip.”

“Not again,” Yuze said.

“Shut your mouth, pleb.”

“Whatever.”

Florence raised one of her eyebrows, staring at Sam.

Sam pointed his paw at Florence. “Now, bow down to me, you pleb,” he said. “Do as I say, as I’m the greatest therapist known to all the kittens.”

“Pardon me?” Florence raised her eyebrows. “You are a talking cat.”

Sam extended his claws, cupping his mouth. “Unbelievable, you’re one of those plebs?”

“Me?”

“Aye, of course, it is you.”

“What did I do?”

“Everything you did as I’m Sam the Great.”

Yuze tugged at Sam’s tail.

Sam hissed, leaping high into the air. He flipped, landing on the floor with his paws.

“Chess player,” Yuze said.

“Aye, also that as well.” Sam wagged his tail. “You’ve done a good and bad job, pleb.”

Pressure built up in Florence’s chest. Her throat constricted, stopping any air passage from all the insanities that happened to hallucinate a talking cat. Her mind could no longer process this. She grinned. Her lips shook. One of her eyes widened, but the other squinted.

“What’s up with that face you’re making, pleb?” Sam asked, sinking his teeth into Florence’s dress.

Florence laughed.

“Here we go again,” Sam said. “She doesn’t know anything about the Great Massacre of my kind or even the greatest treasure known on this planet.”

Stella grabbed the guitar strapped to her back and plucked the strings, making a jazz-like tone.

Florence shook her body, relieving the pressure building in her chest. “Why is Stella suddenly playing?”

Sam hissed. “Don’t you dare interpret her, pleb,” he said.

“You do realize I have a name.”

“What about it, pleb? In the end, you’re still a pleb.”

The metal door with an electrical warning sign creaked open. Aisling hopped into the room, skipping across the floor. She leaped at Sam, embracing him in her arms, pushing Florence’s aside.

Florence fell on her bottom with a thud.

Sam growled, extending his claws. His pupils dilated.

“Who’s this kinda dumb cutie over here,” Aisling said. She patted Sam’s head.

“Get your hands off of me,” Sam said. He dug his claw into Aisling’s forearm. “You already know who I am, pleb.”

Aisling screamed, letting go of Sam.

Sam growled, revealing his sharp teeth. “You shall better know your place, pleb,” he said.

Florence lowered herself. Her knees rested on the stone-cold floor.

Jack walked through the doorway from the other room, massaging his lower back. “What’s with all this fuss?” he asked. “Stella, Feno’s phone ain’t fixed yet. Isn’t it right?”

Stella yelped, jumping up to her feet. Her body shook, ruffling her blouse and skirt. She nodded, cuddling her guitar.

Florence rubbed her face. “Why even bother with that broken phone?”

“Does it look like we could buy a new one?” Jack scratched the side of his television head.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

“Well… I mean, it’s literally broken in half,” Stella said. “But I won’t… I mean… I’ll be able to fix it.”

“You would be unable to fix it.” Florence slumped her shoulders.

“You don’t want to know what happens if it wasn’t repaired,” Jack said.

Florence shook her head.

Jack leaned against the oak table. “Fair enough, there ain’t any way Feno’s phone could be fixed.”

“How about we get back on topic?” Florence asked. “If you do not have any sugary drinks, is there any medical equipment sitting around here?”

“What does it look like?”

“I guess that is a no.”

“Exactly.”

Sam sniffed Florence’s leather briefcase, purring out loud. He rolled onto his back, scratching the air like a wild lunatic.

“Not again,” Jack said.

“Catnips,” Sam said. “Do you’ve catnips?”

Florence cupped her mouth. How could Sam act like this? Of course, Florence’s leather only contained a scissor. It’s not like she would carry such a herb around.

“I’m sorry on Sam’s behalf,” Jack said.

Sam got back up onto his paws, scratching the floor. “Where’s the catnip?”

Stella continued playing her guitar. “Don’t worry. Sam is like that most of the time,” she said, with each word synching the plucking of guitar strings.

Yuze stared blankly at the ceiling. “Trees. Too many.”

Aisling clicked her fingers. “I just remembered something. Jack, do I need to pick up your daughter?”

“It’ll be great. But did you ask Feno about it,” Jack said.

Aisling shrugged. “Yup, she did. She just took me outside to talk about that.” She tilted her head, brushing her hair.

Florence raised her hand.

“Go ahead, feel free to say what you want, Florence,” Jack said.

“Pardon me, could you just go yourself?” Florence asked.

Jack lowered his television head, avoiding any eye contact.

“If he could. He would have done it already,” Aisling said. “Plus, this would be simple for Players. But not so much for most NPCs.”

“I do not get it.” Florence raised her eyebrow.

“Well, things might be a bit complicated. It would be nice if all of you could go,” Jack said.

Sam stretched his body, yawning. “Where’s the catnip, pleb?”

Silence rang through the main room as everyone turned their attention to Sam. But immediately, Sam curled up into a ball and closed his eyes.

“By the way, you’re gonna be coming with us,” Aisling said. She winked and poked Florence on the side.

“I did not agree to lend a hand,” Florence said. “Unless this is related to me returning home, which I could tell it does not.”

Jack rubbed his lower back. “Please, help me,” he said. “For my daughter.” He grabbed Florence on the shoulder, shaking her. His nails clawed deep into Florence’s skin.

Florence winced.

“I’ll tell you how to get home. I promise.” Aisling said. She stepped in between Florence and Jack, forcing them apart. But Jack wouldn’t let go.

“Pardon me, could you not at least release me first, Jack?” Florence asked.

Jack slumped his shoulders, releasing his grip on Florence. But it only reminded Florence of those soldiers begging to see their injured comrades. From the thought of it, the stench of chlorine burning the skin filled Florence’s nostrils. The wheezing ringed in her ear. Even if the soldier’s friend survived… certain stuff couldn’t be healed. If only Florence could have done more, then none of this horrible fate would have happened to the soldier’s friend.

Florence took a deep breath. “My apologies; I have changed my mind,” she said. “I guess I will help you.”

A glimmer shone on the screen of Jack’s television head. He jumped towards Florence, hugging and squeezing her chest.

“Need… air,” Florence said.

Jack let go of Florence, gently pushing her away.

“Good, that’s nice,” Aisling said. “I’m gonna be honest; I knew you would say that, Florence.”

“So it will be Aisling, maybe Stella, and me going to Jack’s daughter if I am correct,” Florence said.

“Well, Yuze could kinda come, but…”

Everyone turned back at Yuze, who was lying flat on the floor. None of her limbs moved. She snored, sleeping with a smirk plastered on her plain face.

Aisling placed her palm on the side of her hip. “Let’s not wake her up.”

“I guess you are right,” Florence said. “Well, we are gonna be leaving now.”

The plucking notes of a guitar stopped. Stella fidgeted her hair, facing away from everyone. “But… I mean, I don’t want to go yet.”

Aisling ambled in a dancing step towards Stella’s side, kneeling down next to Stella.

“You can do it,” Aisling said. She embraced and leaned closer to Stella. “Even if you ever feel a bit jittery, remember to inhale and exhale slowly.”

“I can’t… I mean, it’s hard,” Stella said.

Florence glanced around the main room, eyeing the duffle bag on the oak table. She walked with a fumbling step and grabbed the duffle bag, giving it to Stella.

“Why?” Stella asked.

“Cover your head with it,” Florence said. “If you feel the urge to hide from others.”

Sam hissed. “Hey, what’re you doing with my bed?”

Stella stuffed her head into the duffle bag, covering her face. “This is… I mean, it feels a lot like my bedroom.”

“What kind of bedroom do you even sleep in?” Florence blinked, raising her eyebrows.

“Aye, it was indeed this small,” Sam said. “By the way, I won’t be coming at all.”

“He is a cat, after all,” Aisling said. She leaned close to Yuze, holding her hands.

Aisling stood up, releasing her grip on Yuze. Florence and Aisling guided Stella out of the main room and into the tunnel. The crushed rocks clattered beneath them with the dim lights flickering on the ceiling. The pipes above their heads still ringed the faint screeches of those bodies drowning in sewage water.

A moment later, they finally exited the tunnel, climbing to the platform. They went over or under the turnstiles and then hiked up the staircase. Once they reached the top, a sea breeze rustled their hair. Waves crashed against the seawall, sending sprinkles of droplets splashing on them. The pink humanoid android opened the fence door, glimmering under the sun. However, those steel beam clusters had been moved somewhere else.

Aisling ambled through the opened fence door, tugging Stella along. “This is gonna be fun.”

“Where is Jack’s daughter?” Florence asked. She inhaled fresh salty air into her lungs, following behind Aisling.

“Evening cram school,” Aisling said.

“Cram school?”

“You gotta be kidding me. Have you not heard of it?”

“Absolutely not, at least from where I was born.”

“In a nutshell, they are specialized schools that train students to achieve specific goals for their Wellor System examination.”

“This sounds brutal.”

“You could just ask Stella about it.”

Stella yelped, pulling at her duffle bag.

Florence, Aisling, and Stella walked through the street with skyscrapers of steel beams and glass panels towering over them. Red flickering signs on each side of the building warn about the dangers in District Nine.

It took them a while to arrive at a skyscraper identical to the rest.

“Are we here?” Florence asked.

“Don’t… I mean, I can’t see.” Stella pointed at herself with a duffle bag covering her head. “So don’t ask me.”

“Yup, we’re here,” Aisling said.

Aisling stepped closer to the glass door, which automatically slid open. She tugged Florence and Stella into a hall inside the building.

A crowd of students with droopy eyelids packed the hall. Their postures portrayed weariness that seeped deep into the bone. They smiled, lacking the youthful glimmer in their eyes. Florence, Aisling, and Stella walked past several students slogging sluggishly across the marble floor. Those students wore blue and white sailor uniforms like those worn during the Great War, but none resembled Jack.

Aisling stopped Florence and Stella in their tracks. In front of them, a female student slept on a bench, her brown hair partially covering her pale face.

“What is the problem, Aisling?” Florence asked.

“Wake up, Renee,” Aisling said. She poked at the sleeping female on the forehead.