Paradox

• Samiksha Mali, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2013

He’s a pretty smart cat, Andrea,” Jack said.
He sat in front of Paradox shooting a laser pointer at his paws. My cat simply stared at him.
“Yeah, he doesn’t do anything he doesn’t want to do,” I yelled from the kitchen. I could see Paradox’s tail shifting back and forth like a lazy snake.
Jack shifted on the couch so I could see his moccasin covered foot. “How long have you had him?” He asked.
“Not long,” I said while stirring the noodles. “I got him from a shelter just down the street from here. He looked so lonely.”
“He just keeps staring at me,” Jack’s voice broke.
“Yeah,” I laughed, “he does that.”
With the noodles almost done I turned to the meat sauce. A couple of bubbles rose up. I immediately turned off the stove top, don’t want to over cook anything like last time. Jack would never let me hear the end of it, exclaiming at every party, ‘it was almost inedible’!
“You know, Andrea, I half expect him to jump up and bite off my entire head!” Jack’s flair for the dramatic only paled in comparison to his love of wine.
So, I placed a glass of Merlot on the table in front of him and he immediately forgot his fears.
“Don’t be ridiculous, Jack. Paradox is just a bit odd, that’s all,” I said simply. The big comfy chair next to the fire always belonged to me. I sat cross legged in it like a little kid and gripped my wine between my hands.
“And I just know how much you like things that are odd,” Jack responded. He twisted a little in his seat on the couch giving me a flirtatious flair.
“I guess that’s why I like you so much,” I giggled.
The tea kettle went off, spoiling our moment.
“Why on earth are you making tea?” Jack asked. His little eyebrows knitted together when he was confused. I found it adorable.
“It’s for the sauce. I mix in a tad bit of english breakfast to give it a kick,” I said as I ran to turn off the kettle.
“English breakfast in spaghetti sauce?” He chuckled to himself, “you’re a bit odd too, you know.”
“Yes. I know! See, I like myself, too,” I smiled to myself as I poured the boiling water over the tea bag.
“Oh, hello there Paradox, I didn’t see you move!” Jack started talking to the cat. Right on time too. About thirty minutes into every meal we have Jack begins to treat the cat like it’s a human. Once he even got a little high chair for Paradox to join us for brunch.
“We’ve got about ten minutes ‘till dinner.”

Just then Paradox bit Jack’s head completely off. I ran back into the living room after I heard him scream. A headless man sat on my couch. Blood was everywhere. Paradox sat under the coffee table, a bit of ear poking out of his mouth.