Kitty Castle

I write a bit sometimes I guess

[castleofkitties]

Haunted 36/??

[Çetžak]

They’re not far from the mansion, but the route back is a little longer. Çetžak follows Laž’ar anywhere he goes — until they stop.

“My bus stop’s over there,” they point forward, "the mansion’s that way.” They point to the right now.

Çetžak nods.

“So we’ll have to split here, but we’ll see each other tomorrow.”

He doesn’t want to leave Laž’ar. Not now. Not anytime.

Why should he go back? What’s there to see, when Laž’ar gives him so much more, even during brief moments?

Çetžak nods once more. “Of course.”

Laž’ar smiles brightly. “And on my birthday!”

Çetžak nods yet again. “Naturally.”

“Great! I’ll see you then. Bye!”

Çetžak watches Laž’ar as they wave to him, then turn. They hurry away, not turning again.

Çetžak doesn’t look away once.

He doesn’t want Laž’ar to leave.

Çetžak doesn’t want to leave Laž’ar.

He doesn’t want to.

He doesn’t.

/end of chapter 4

[castleofkitties]

Haunted 35/??

[Laž’ar]

“If you desire to indulge me in such a way, then I can only humbly accept you as my student.”

“This student humbly requests my teacher not to be too harsh on me. I’m not a strategist.”

“I would never be harsh on you, Laž’ar.” 

Laž’ar empties the bottle and drops it into the bin near the bridge.

“I like spending time with you, you know—” 

He turns back to Çetžak who still stands on the bridge. Perhaps it’s a bit foggy and perhaps Laž’ar’s tired, because Çetžak looks hazy to him.

He approaches him as he speaks. “It’s getting a little late. I should go home.”

Çetžak nods. “That sounds good. I will walk you to where we need to part.”

Laž’ar notices Çetžak hasn’t touched the drink. No matter. He bought it without considering what Çetžak might like. He takes the bottle, receiving an apologetic smile from Çetžak in return.

“All right.” Laž’ar smiles. “Let’s go.”

[castleofkitties]

Haunted 34/??

[Laž’ar]

“Which one would you want?”

Çetžak studies them both, then points. “This one.”

Laž’ar hands the pumpkin tea-flavoured drink to him, but Çetžak doesn’t take it. After an awkward moment, Laž’ar places it on the railing next to Çetžak. He now holds a blood-red raspberry-strawberry drink.

He opens it and takes a taste.

Not bad.

He drinks a third of it right away.

Strangely enough, he felt incredibly thirsty since they left the mansion. Maybe he didn’t drink enough while at home?

“So what do you usually do?”

“Read. Play chess with myself.”

“Oh, so that chess game’s yours?”

Çetžak nods. “I rarely have an opponent, so I have grown accustomed to playing by myself. Some of the games take months, because I wait between each move.”

“Teach me sometime. I won’t be great, but it should be better than playing by yourself, right?”

Çetžak smiles again. Moonlight hits him, illuminating him in a way that makes it look like he might disperse into smoke.

That’s a ridiculous thought.

[castleofkitties]

Haunted 33/??

[Laž’ar]

They walk for a little over an hour, and they exit at the other end of the park.

Laž’ar sees a vending machine with a flickering light. It sells drinks and snacks.

“Wait here!”

He goes over to it, and after thinking for a while, he buys a couple of drinks. Bottles in hand, he returns to Çetžak, who studies him as if he’s the most fascinating thing in the world.

Perhaps he’d been too cooped up, and right now someone friendly who doesn’t think his house is haunted is the most fascinating — what does Laž’ar know?

He motions toward a bench. “How about we go sit there for a while?”

“It is cold. Sitting may not be suitable.”

Laž’ar considers this. “There’s a bridge over the pond. Wanna go there then?”

“If you wish to go there, then I will gladly follow.”

Laž’ar shakes his head with a silent laugh, then walks back to the small bridge together with Çetžak.

He holds up the bottles while leaning against the railing.

[castleofkitties]

Haunted 32/??

[Laž’ar]

As he smiles, his eyes turn crescent, his impishness on full display.

“What if I bring you to hell?”

“I would gladly go with you, nonetheless.”

Laž’ar hadn’t expected this response, and he’s stunned for a moment.

He asks tentatively: “What about heaven?”

Çetžak pauses, visibly troubled. “If heaven does not let me in, then I will still follow you, even if it’s forcefully.”

Laž’ar feels there’s something off, but he can’t say what part doesn’t feel strange to hear, so he can’t tell what’s wrong.

Perhaps it’s nothing.

They fall into silence after this, mindlessly walking. It’s decorated by the people living nearby. There are a few pumpkins here, some skulls there. Spiders and webs hang off leafless branches, and someone had hung a skeleton up in one. It almost looks like it hung itself.

Laž’ar is startled when he sees this. The skeleton wears clothes, so at first glance, it doesn’t look like another decoration. But when looking closer at it, and daring to touch it, it’s really just plastic.

It’s then he realises Çetžak’s looking at it intensely. Not with fear but something else.

Whatever it is, it doesn’t concern Laž’ar.

[castleofkitties]

Haunted 31/??

[Laž’ar]

Not too far from the mansion, there’s a park. Because Çetžak told Laž’ar to pick their destination, this is where they go.

He thought of something else first, but the dogs barking changed his mind. If they had to deal with animals like that, finding a more secluded location is better.

The light of the park’s dim and spooky, without many lamp posts. He thought Çetžak would enjoy this since he kept the lights at the mansion dim. Sometimes it’s like the candles are exhausted and wish for a holiday.

So perhaps Çetžak prefers somewhere without the city street lights.

Çetžak looks around. “Is this park new?”

Laž’ar laughs. “If you consider twenty, thirty years new?”

“So not really, then?”

“No.” Laž’ar’s confused. “Haven’t you been here before?”

“I have not explored the area around the mansion. I can get everything I need there.”

“You should get out more.”

Çetžak looks at Laž’ar with a soft — almost fond — expression. “I will go anywhere you bring me.”

This tickles Laž’ar’s mischievous heart. He needs to tease him.

[castleofkitties]

Haunted 30/??

[Çetžak]

Laž’ar hums. “Do you have a curfew?”

Çetžak needed a moment to think. “I do. But there is time left before then. Do you?”

Laž’ar laughs a little. “Technically, I do. But no one’s at home, so I can stay out past then.”

“Why do you live alone?”

Çetžak feels worried. Laž’ar shouldn’t be alone. He deserves people to care for them and serve them like the child of a monarch.

“I don’t. My mother works nights, so she’s not home until early mornings. Nothing stranger than that.”

“I see.”

He’s still not at ease.

The two of them go down the street, side by side. Whenever a dog or cat sees them, they bark, whine, or hiss.

This confuses Laž’ar. “I wonder what’s wrong with them.”

“Perhaps they have things to say,” he glares at a dog, which backs off with a whine, “but no one to understand them.”

Laž’ar looks at Çetžak. “Do you have something to say?”

He can’t bear it when Laž’ar looks so genuinely concerned. “I have many things to say, but few are important.”

“Everything you want to say is important. Even if it isn’t to anyone else, it is to me.”

There’s a mischievous look in Laž’ar’s eyes, and he speaks in a flippant manner, but Çetžak can only see the corners of Laž’ar’s mouth moving up.

He averts his eyes, tacitly accepting Laž’ar’s words.

[castleofkitties]

Haunted 29/??

[Çetžak]

As the sun sinks below the horizon, Çetžak watches Laž’ar open the gate again. He glances back at the mansion.

He hasn’t left the grounds of his home for so very long. He no longer remembers why, but he had no reason to until now. He doesn’t want to confine Laž’ar to the mansion, so stepping outside makes sense. Besides, if he no longer knew why he ought to remain, why would he remain in the first place?

Laž’ar must notice his pause, because they look at him curiously.

“I made sure the lights were off,” he explained. “They are.”

“Oh! That’s good! You use candles a lot, so it could be bad if you left them.”

Çetžak smiles as he steps through the gate and enters the light of the outside. The lamps are blinding, and he raises his hand to shade his eyes.

“These are brighter than candles. Must be annoying going outside in the evening and get blinded every time.”

“I mostly stay at home in the evenings.”

[castleofkitties]

Haunted 28/??

[Laž’ar]

“It is almost All Soul’s Day.”

“All souls…? Oh, yes! Halloween! That’s tomorrow!”

“All Soul’s Day is two days after.”

“I see! I didn’t know that. That’s my birthday, by the way!”

“So you’re born during Allhallowtide.”

“That seems to be the case?” Laž’ar laughs. “Maybe that means I’d attract ghosts if they were real?”

“Perhaps that could be possible. I would not know. It is not part of the religion I followed.”

“Never mind that. Are you doing anything tomorrow? Ret and Khanuk are coming over for a film marathon.”

“I have no plans.”

“Why don’t you come over?”

Çetžak thinks for a moment, then nods. “If Laž’ar will not be bothered by my presence, please do not mind if I do.”

Laž’ar tsks. “Why would I invite you if I’d get bothered?”

Çetžak raises his hand. It’s cold as it brushes against Laž’ar’s cheek. He pats his head, stroking his hair in a friendly manner. “Some would be bothered even if they invite me. Especially if they invite me.”

“That’s silly!”

Çetžak retracts his hand and looks toward the gate. “How about we take a walk today?”

Laž’ar nods. His phone shouldn’t shut down at random then.

[castleofkitties]

Haunted 27/??

[Laž’ar]

Çetžak showed him it’s faster to get to his living ‘quarter’, as he called it.

Sometimes Çetžak speaks a bit oddly. This occasional odd phrase, or that word Laž’ar has never heard a living person say before, but read once or twice in literary class.

But that’s all right! Laž’ar understands him, and he’s understood Çetžak’s parents seem to be pretty rich, so it might be, like, an… upper-upper class thing?

Çetžak doesn’t seem like some rich brat otherwise, so Laž’ar likes him a lot.

“Good evening.”

Laž’ar startles and looks behind him. Çetžak stands a few steps away from the door. Where did he come from?!

“Hi, hello, good evening!” Laž’ar can hear he’s a little breathless from the fright.

“Did I scare you?”

“You sneak up on me like that, of course I get a little surprised! Don’t just tip-toe over to say hello behind me while we’re in the dark.”

Çetžak smiles softly and closes the distance. Somewhere deep in the back of his mind, Laž’ar thinks that he should feel threatened by Çetžak looming over him like this, yet his conscious thought is that Çetžak truly is handsome.

The moonlight makes his pale skin look almost translucent and the entire person otherworldly. That’s one-of-a-kind handsomeness you don’t see every day! Laž’ar’s certain about this.

[castleofkitties]

Haunted 26/??

Chapter 4

[Laž’ar]

For the next few days, Laž’ar returns to the so-called haunted mansion to visit Çetžak every evening.

When he returns today, there’s light shining from a window on the second floor, and he can vaguely make out a silhouette in the window.

He can’t help but smile.

Most of the mansion isn’t in use, but a housekeeper must come a few times a week to keep the place clean. Çetžak’s parents don’t seem to really care, because Laž’ar hasn’t seen even a hint of them.

Having a busy mother who works nights, it’s not like he doesn’t get it can be hard. So, as long as he’s home before something like four in the morning, his mother would never know he wasn’t at home when he was supposed to.

Even if she found out, she wouldn’t really say anything.

He walks through the iron gate with no reservation, but, instead of the main entrance, he walks to a side door. It doesn’t have the lavishness of the main entrance. 

[castleofkitties]

Haunted 25/??

[Khanuk]

“You’re so noisy. You disturb people shouting this way.”

A candle lights up his way, and he’s holding his phone in his other hand.

The phone that wasn’t supposed to work, suddenly lights up, and Khanuk sees a crack that goes nearly straight down the middle. When it vibrates, Laž’ar looks down at his hand and a soft “huh” leaves him.

For some reason this scares Khanuk more than anything else.

“Where… where did you get the candle from?”

“Upstairs. It’s cleaner there. The furniture isn’t covered either.”

Khanuk feels Retnüir tensing up. “Aren’t we trespassing?”

“Really, Retty? Obviously. Let’s just go home.”

“It’s fine,” Laž’ar says and blows out the candle. He lifts the cover off of a side table and places the holder down. “The owners aren’t home, anyway. I don’t think they’ll find out.”

Something sounds very off with this, but Khanuk doesn’t dwell on it. He grabs Laž’ar by the wrist and pulls him along, leaving with long strides.

/end of Chapter 3

[castleofkitties]

Haunted 24/??

[Khanuk]

“Laž’ar!”

Khanuk’s shout echoes through the mansion. Retnüir’s something between furious and frightened, not daring to leave Khanuk’s side, but also unwilling to stay near him.

“Laž—”

“So loud.”

Startled, the two of them look up. They hadn’t seen there’s a balcony shrouded in deep shadows right above the hall where they entered from.

A figure stands there now, looking down at them. Khanuk almost jumps when Retnüir grabs onto him in fright.

The figure walks closer to the railing, their features becoming clearer.

It’s only when the figure’s almost next to it, Khanuk sees it’s none other than their missing Laž’ar. 

“What are you doing there?! Come down now! What are you running off on your own for?”

Retnüir’s voice is a little shaky, but it’s impossible to say if it’s fear or anger. It doesn’t matter. Laž’ar turns to walk down the stairs.

[castleofkitties]

Haunted 23/??

[Çetžak]

Çetžak watches as Laž’ar looks further around the study.  They are very curious, and once they took out their device, but put it back into their bag with a frown almost right away. They touch nothing without explicitly asking for permission. He appreciates the consideration because most things in his study are indeed very old. Not everything is.

Laž’ar, for instance, isn’t old, although they’re not a thing either.

The two of them pass time like this until they hear a grandfather clock in the mansion go off, the nine chimes indicating it’s already getting late.

“Oh…”

Laž’ar looks a little disappointed.

Çetžak’s amused by how frightened they had been before, but how none of that remains now.

“Your friends surely wonder where you went.”

Laž’ar hums in agreement.

“I do not mind if you come by another day. I am always available in the evenings.”

“I suppose I can come by tomorrow then? You shouldn’t be lonely all the time.”

Çetžak smiles. “I will not be able to be lonely if you offer your company. I would not mind if the only one I meet is you for the rest of eternity.”

Laž’ar huffs in playful anger. “You shouldn’t say things like that! It would be boring if you met no one else.”

Çetžak turns to the door without responding. After opening it for Laž’ar to leave, he only says: “Take the light with you. I have more candles I can light if the need arises.”

[castleofkitties]

Haunted 22/??

[Laž’ar]

“You seem like pleasant company. However, I would only be available in the evening.”

“No problem! We got school too, so we can’t do anything during the day, anyway.”

The ghost nods.

“It may be somewhat belated now, but my name is Çetžak, if you do not mind me telling you. May I know yours?”

“Laž’ar. You know ‘elegance’ or ‘elegant’ or something in that ancient language. Ret — the scaredy-cat downstairs — always makes fun of me for not being elegant enough for my name.”

“I am inclined to disagree. I think you have innate charms and elegance, Laž’ar.”

Laž’ar chuckles. “Now you’re just flattering me!”

“Laž’ar.”

“Yeah?”

“I simply felt like saying it. It is quite a nice name. I hope you do not mind.”

Laž’ar huffs a laugh. “Go on, say it again.”

“Laž’ar.”

It sounded like Çetžak tasted the name. As if he tried it out, both familiar and unfamiliar with it.

What an odd guy.

[castleofkitties]

Haunted 21/??

[Laž’ar]

“It is indeed me,” the ghost responds. “I did not order it, though, and do not know the specifics. It was my father’s request when I was fifteen, I believe.”

Laž’ar studies the portrait with great interest. “And how old are you now?”

The ghost’s silent for a moment.

“My last birthday was my seventeenth.”

“Oh! We’re really close in age!” Laž’ar grins. “My sixteenth birthday’s right around the corner. Right after Halloween, really.”

“I was born in summer, apparently.”

Laž’ar frowns momentarily, but doesn’t ask.

“If you have nothing going on in a few days, you can come over when I celebrate my birthday. I don’t mind. Me and some friends will just hang out, so I don’t think they’d mind. Oh…” Laž’ar smiles sheepishly, “…but perhaps you don’t want to spend time with any of us intruders?”

[castleofkitties]

Haunted 20/??

[Laž’ar]

Laž’ar steps into the study.

It has a large collection of books that all look ancient with brown spines. There’s a heavy wooden desk facing away from the view of the garden. Laž’ar can see the centre of the city not that far away, its apartment complexes reaching toward the sky in the last rays of the setting sun.

A chess game in progress is on a small table, but no chairs to sit down on. On the wall above it hangs a small selection of sabres and daggers, many of them of gorgeous designs. He can’t believe they had ever been meant to be used to cut anything.

When he turns to speak to the ghost, he sees a large portrait. It looks straight ahead, above him, into the distant city beyond the hedge.

“Wooooow!” Laž’ar looks between the ghost at the entrance of the study and the portrait next to the oak door. “How much did you spend on this? Is it painted? Did they use paints to make it look old or do you have some ancestor who looks this much alike you?”