I am stupid and I totally know that. I also know if I opened the bathroom door I would die just like in horror movies, but like I said — I am stupid.
I walked to the door and held the doorknob.
I turned to see Damon standing up from the couch. His expression said, "No. Don't do that."
My heart said don't do that. My brain said don't do that. I'm pretty sure I even heard God whisper, "Don't open the door."
…
Fuck this.
I opened the door.
And there it was.
The cat.
Standing.
Like a freaking human.
I think I screamed. Or maybe James screamed. Or maybe it was Damon's soul screaming silently.
Either way — my legs gave up on me and I blacked out.
---
When I woke up, I was on the couch.
James was leaning over me, holding a slice of garlic bread like it was some kind of holy relic.
"Eat. Garlic keeps demons away. Probably works on cats too."
Damon was sitting in the armchair across the room, watching me like I'd just grown a second head. He didn't say a word.
I sat up slowly, trying to convince myself it was just a dream. Just my imagination.
Then I saw it.
The cat.
Sitting at the end of the couch.
Right next to my leg.
Its eyes didn't blink. And I swear… it smiled.
And then, in the voice of an adult woman — calm, polite, and completely wrong for any animal — it said:
"Hello."
I jumped to my feet and stumbled backward, only to trip over the rug and fall right into Damon's lap. Normally, that would be a death sentence. Damon doesn't do hugs. Damon doesn't even do handshakes. But this… this was an emergency.
James was already latched onto Damon's left arm like a toddler with separation anxiety. His garlic bread was gone — either eaten in panic or used as a talisman somewhere.
We were all scared. Even Damon had this look in his eyes — the kind of look that said, "This is bothering me, and nothing bothers me."
The cat calmly licked its paw and stared at us for a full minute. No blinking. No tail twitch. Just… waiting.
The silence was so thick it felt alive.
Then it spoke again.
---
"Hello, humans. I am Erah. A deity… or you could say a guide. You three have been chosen to save this world from upcoming disasters and defeat the demons. I will help you become strong enough to face the enemy. Any questions?"
---
"Huh," I managed to say, like my brain had disconnected my mouth from the rest of me.
"I am Erah. A deity or—"
"No, I heard you the first time," I cut in quickly, because the last thing I wanted was a talking cat repeating itself like some eldritch Siri.
---
"Any other questions?" it asked again.
"Yes," James blurted out. "Did you just— Did you just speak?"
I wanted to strangle him. Out of all the possible questions — the fate of the world, the meaning of life, whether Damon even owns more than one pair of jeans — he picked that.
"So, Erah…" Damon's voice cut through, calm but heavy. "What disasters are you talking about?"
Yes that the genuine question. Well done damon.
Erah's tail swished lazily, like she was bored of existing in our dimension already.
"Disasters you cannot yet comprehend," she said. "Creatures not born of this soil. Skies that will burn. Rivers that will choke. Cities that will vanish."
James whimpered. Damon just kept staring, probably debating whether to kick her out or hear her out. I, on the other hand, was wondering if my coffee had been laced with something this morning.
"And why us?" I asked, because apparently I'm the idiot who talks back to cosmic beings in fur coats.
Her yellow eyes locked on me. "Because you are inconveniently alive and stubborn enough not to die when told."
"That's… the worst recruitment speech ever," James muttered.
Erah ignored him. "The enemy is already moving. Your time to prepare is short. I will train you."
Damon finally spoke again. "Train us how?"
Erah's whiskers twitched. "Survive the night. If you're alive by morning, I'll explain."
My stomach dropped.
James tightened his grip on Damon's arm. I looked toward the window — and immediately regretted it.
It was dark just few minutes ago and now there is orange glowing outside. And then the ground shook. It wasn't a normal earthquake. It felt like something was waking up.