Cat's Eye Soup for the Human Soul

I have never had a real friend before, I guess that's why I spent most of my childhood inside of the library. It was there that I first learned my love for books. No matter what I went through in life be it the bullies at school, the teachers saying that I “wasn't applying myself enough”, or my parents who just frankly didn't care one way or another that I was around with a good book could I could take all of that negativity, and lose it in a magnificent story.

It wasn't just the books that drew me there though. It was the smell, the quiet, the steady ticking of the clock on the far wall behind the check out desk, and as of recently the kind smile from the lady who sat at that same desk day after day. I had been coming to the public library ever since I was able to check out my own books, and ten years later I have pretty well memorized every square inch of the place. Even though there was so much to love about coming here... well to put it bluntly the scenery had become dull. That is until I walked through the door one evening to be greeted the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

“Hello, how are you?” She asked me to which I replied with an awkward nod, and a few incoherent mumbles as I quickly strode on by shaking from head to toe. Had I been as brave as the characters I had read about I would have walked right up to her, and swept her off of her feet. Sadly, however, I have never been a brave person. The school bullies never got their “comeupins”, I never got the girl, and mostly I never let myself go beyond what I had become comfortable with in life.

“Today is going to be different,” I would tell myself every day. I would plan about how I would approach the desk, politely introduce myself, and with all confidence ask her out on a date with me. It seems that plans have a way of not coming out the way they are intended, for every day for weeks I would come into the library, fearfully walk by the check out counter, and try not to show eye contact with the green eyed brunette whose name I eventually learned was Amber.

Early one Saturday morning I woke up with the intentions of starting out my day on the right foot, quite literally. I had read somewhere that if you wake up with positive thoughts, a smile, and belief of everything is going to go great by starting on the right foot, then your whole life could change. I figured why not give it a try? I mean the worst that could happen would be me starting to become a timid loner for the rest of my life. What ever would come of my social life?

“Hey, Daryl, why are you rushing off so fast?” My mom yelled as I had sped down stairs, and began to open the front door.

“Just to the library, mom. I have a paper to write for school,” I replied a bit annoyed.

“You spend too much damned time at that library,” dad called gruffly from the living room. I peeked in to see him in his recliner still in his white tee shirt, and boxers watching reruns on the T.V.

“That's how it is in college, dad,” I called back.

“In my day we didn't need college we put on a pair of work boots, and a hard hat, and went out to make something of ourselves,” he complained as he stood up to walk over to me. He had a cigar in one hand, and a small glass of ice, and some sort of brown liquid to which I could only assume was alcoholic in the other. It didn't matter what it was to dad as long as it could get him drunk.

“Well, things are different now. You have to have something more than just a diploma to get a job now a days,” I said as I slowly creaked the door open.

“Yea, well thank god you got in to that community college a few miles off. There ain't no way in hell we could have afforded the tuition at these bigger schools. If you ask me schooling is all a money racket,” he snapped back. Upon realizing the commercial break was over he slowly sat back down to finish his show. Well, at least that conversation was easy to end.

“Don't listen to him, you go, and do what you've got to do,” mom said as she came over to me, and gave me a hug. The gesture threw me off guard because since I was probably ten that woman had only hugged me a handful of times. It also made me suspicious because out of those times I could count over half were done with ulterior motives. Usually it was to impress her friends, or recently since I have been making my own money with side jobs it was for cigarettes, or wine.

“I'll be back later mom,” I said as I pulled her off of me, and took a step through the door.

“Oh, honey, would you please pick up mamma a carton of smokes on your way home?” There it was. I let out a sigh as I turned my back to her, and as the breath escaped my mouth I heard the words “sure, I'll be back soon,” escape with it.

My parents never asked why I didn't have books, or paper, or anything. It's not like they even cared to be honest. I'm glad, however, of it because I just really didn't want to get in the conversation of what my true plan was for the day. You see I had found something that I knew was going to make everything different. Of all things it came in the form of an old book. I had made my daily visit to the library, and was just strolling around the isles looking for something interesting to read when far off in the most isolated corner of the building I came upon this leather bound book looking as though it had seen a few centuries.

The pages were still intact, and readable, also the binding of the book was flawless. The pages were written in mostly black ink, however diagrams, and pictures were in some sort of red stain I did not believe was ink at all. The front of the book had no markings, and in fact there was no title, nor author written anywhere. This book was just setting there in the library with nothing to identify it at all, and so naturally I was very curious. Upon reading it I found that it was not just a book, but what is known in certain circles as a grimoire.

“How did this get here?” I asked myself, and decided to take it home for further inspection. After a few days of reading I found a spell that promised to give the person casting it a new outlook on life. The name of the spell was called Cat's Eye Soup. Such a strange name, however, coming from a witches spell book it wasn't the strangest. All it took was going to a few different stores before I was able to gather most of the ingredients it demanded, but the one ingredient that couldn't be bought at least around here was the left eye of a black cat. It was very disheartening, and not that easy to obtain the final piece of the recipe, but in a small vial tucked in my left pants pocket was the outcome of my endeavors. All I had to do was drink it, but I hadn't gotten up the courage to do so just yet.

When I reached the steps of the library my heart was pounding in my chest. I began to sweat nervously as I ascended the steps, and reached to open the glass door.

“Calm down,” I said to myself before I let the door close again. I stood outside for a few minutes to regain control of my senses. I hadn't tried this potion on anything, and therefore I had no idea if it worked at all. I wasn't a very superstitious man, and the idea of ghosts, and witches never really interested me at all. Of coarse there was no such thing as magic in my mind. I really didn't know why I felt so compelled to do this spell in the first place, however, there I was standing just outside of the one place I considered to be my home away from home, thinking about my secret love, and fumbling around a vial of who knows what in my pocket.

If it hadn't have been for me finding this book, and making this potion I would surely not be here making the plans that I had. No way would I have been as daring as I had felt on my way here with out it, however, now that I had arrived fear swept over me once more.

“Suck it up Daryl, you can do this,” I urged myself on. After a few deep breaths, and making sure there was no one else around I took the vial out of my pocket, popped the cork lid off of the top, and quickly drunk the decay smelling, fowl tasting liquid as fast as I could. As it touched the back of my throat I dropped the vial, shattering it to pieces on the concrete step. I reached over for the hand rail, and leaned myself to where if I was going to throw up it would be in the bushes below. I could feel the liquid as it made its way down my throat, and to my stomach where it churned, and gurgled in a way to make me feel as though I was going to lose my lunch from 5 days ago.

I managed to calm myself, and fight off the feeling of nausea with deep breaths, and thoughts of anything other than what I had just drank. The smell was still upon my breath, and quickly I popped three peppermints that I had brought in anticipation of just that problem. After allowing the cool burn of the candy fill my mouth, and nostrils, and slowing my breathing down to a normal pace I decided it was time that I made my way inside.

As soon as I had entered the doorway I saw her... Amber. She was setting gracefully at her post behind the check out desk looking beautiful as ever. As I looked at her I felt the urge to go, and talk to her. I was merely a few feet from the desk when she looked up at me, and my heart began to melt at the sight of her deep green eyes that made her gaze hypnotizing. I stopped at the desk as she looked at me, and smiled to which I smiled back, and opened my mouth to talk. The words, however were not there. I was unable to speak, and it wasn't because of nerves this time. I was sure that the spell had began to work due to the overwhelming confidence that I had been feeling. No, something was wrong for I was unable to make any sounds at all.

“Hello, can I help you?” she asked me seeming concerned, but I could not reply back. I began to panic, my breathing became erratic, I was waving my hands around trying to tell her that something was wrong. “Sir, it's okay, do I need to call you an ambulance?” She stood up, and came around the desk to place both hands on my shoulders. Her touch was soothing, and as soon as I felt her hands on me my fear went away. It sent chills down my spine, and all I could do was look into her eyes.

“It's okay, why don't we go outside for some air,” she suggested as she motioned for another worker to take her spot behind the desk. She then led me back out of the library, and down the steps. “Let's walk for a little bit maybe it will help.”

We walked around the building towards the back where there weren't as many pedestrians coming, and going. I had imagined being alone with her, but not in a situation such as this. I started to have other sensations come over me, ones that started out as a warmth going through my body, and slowly started turning to a dull pain. Amber kept hold of my hand the whole way, and I could feel that she had no intentions of letting me go. The pain grew until I felt as though I couldn't walk any further, and so I motioned for her to stop by a set of dumpsters that were placed just by the back wall of the library. My vision became blurry, and I was feeling disoriented enough to where it made me double over. Amber quickly put one hand on my chest, and the other on my back to balance me as I slowly crouched down to my knees.

It was then that I could feel the warmth of her breath as she leaned over to whisper in my right ear. “Cat's Eye Soup is to give a new perspective on life. That perspective is of what we witches call a familiar.” She was the witch! I was scared beyond description, and wanted to get away as far as I could, however I could not move, and slowly felt myself changing. The first thing that I noticed was my arms had grown thick, black fur, and my hands had turned to paws with long claws. It was to my horror, however, that I noticed flicking the back of my legs was a long, black tail that had ripped its way through the back of my pants. Soon after everything went dark, and I lost consciousness.

When I awoke I found myself inside of a strange house, laying on an old couch that seemed to have been built in the fifties. Around me was other furniture, and carpets looking as though they were from that same era. On the walls were shelves of nick knack, and pictures of people I had never met. There was a coffee table that separated the couch I was on from a matching chair across from it. I couldn't help, but notice that in this room everything seemed to be much larger than it should have been.

It wasn't long that I started hearing noises of glasses clanging together, and people talking in another room close by.

“Oh, Amber, we've simply got to meet your new guest,” I could hear the faint sound of an older woman talking in the other room.

“In due time, here, help me carry this, and you all follow me,” I heard Amber reply. As the foot steps approached I saw four older women looking as though they were in their seventies or so walk in to the living room. One was carrying a tray with a teapot while another was carrying cups. The giant women stared at me with wide eyes, and excited expressions upon their faces.

“How did you come across this one?” One of the women asked happily.

“It was rather easy, it just took a little patience, and a kind smile,” came Amber's voice, but instead it came from the older woman who was holding the tray, and teapot. She laughed, and gently sat the tray down on the coffee table before walking over to the couch, and setting down beside of me. She then took one hand, and scooped me up, and sat me on her lap before I could protest about any of it. I started to run, but was quickly calmed down by the gentle stroking of her hand on my head, and back.

“There now, Daryl, you will come to like your new home. Don't worry my pet, I will take care of you,” she said soothingly. “A witch needs a familiar, a servant, or friend, however you would like to think of it to help carry out their deeds in secret. Usually they come in the form of a cat, but can be pretty well any animal. You see what most people do not realize, however, is that the familiar must have been at one time human. This gives the animal more qualities than that of just any normal household pet.”

I sat, and listened to the four women talk continuously over past conquests, and magic spells the rest of the day, and here I am with the woman of my dreams. Unfortunately my dream had to be a nightmare.