It was absurd, everyone would think like that. This cat... A not-so-normal-one after all. It's eyes and legs already screams that but then it suddenly can do stuff like that too? Well, right now! Jeff might as well poop inside his pants considering his facial expression.
A hand trembling a tad bit with a tin grasped, now lay forward as Jeff showed the tin to The Thing in front. Quietly, as they looked at each other with a rather intense stare from the other side, with its eyes. Pure black eyes akin to darkness staring dagger at Jeff. It was also unmoving and stayed in place, just in front of the entrance to the alley Jeff was heading to.
...Dead silence welcomed them both, it's hella tense and awkward for Jeff and here he was thinking, this thing in front of him maybe already decided that it gonna eat him.
YEAH, I REALLY WANT OUT OF THIS...
A sharp thought he screamed internally. Yeah, of course he did that, he's not insane enough to trigger anything from this thing in front of him by screaming loudly out loud instead of within his thought only and considering this thing really just did some crazy batsh*t... Like, just as suddenly, The Thing having turbo of a legs and zoomed in front of him with it. Anyone would have lost their sh*t seeing that.
"....."
"....."
...But, Jeff was still calm despite The Thing in front of him continued to stare at him for 24 to freaking 7, I meant 24/7. This thing just love staring or what? Been staring like Jeff owe something to it?!
Anyways, it's not good for Jeff. It's really unpredictable.
...C'mon, just meow at least so I can know you really wanted to play again...
Gulp.
Jeff behind his mask, with a stiff expression as he thought; internally and gulped to himself.
...If it wouldn't for his disastrous throw that he did, this could be much of a different outcome... Okay, he's gotta be blamed too for wasting his sweet time watching The Thing act and stuff.
Ah, yes of course! Back to Jeff, they're still having their intense staredown; with Jeff looking at The Thing through his mask; thought to be for a long time they been at this. Although, it's actually not even that long.
...And then, finally!
"Meow..."
The Thing meowed... And with that, Jeff just straight-up taken that as a yes. Like, he can't understand this thing; and it's not even a real cat.
"...Okay, so you wanted to play again..."
Now, with Jeff knowing how his throw was like; it was disastrous, atrocious and you name it. It's unbelievable too, he was kinda good playing baseball! One-of-a-kind batter! Was he a good pitcher too? NAH!
...Dang, I never was good pitcher... But, I was that good of a batter...
Internally as he thought to himself and now with a hand motioned to his back as he taken hold of something; strapped to his back in a harness was a wooden bat. Pulling it out of the harness, slowly he brought it toward the front and with his other hand grasping the tin...
Well, he's gonna do what you might be thinking he gonna do. To blast the absolute heck of the tin outta from this planet.
With himself looking where the The Thing was at; it was just in front of him back then but now it was behind him blocking Jeff to escape this place through the alley.
Sigh.
...I can't fumble this. I really can't...
He sighed, and just like in front from where The Thing was previously at, the back of this alley they're at; very much also had long way ahead that stretched far away to God-forsaken nobody knows where, probably just to another alley.
...And he, Jeff gonna send this tin that way!
With the creature that had the form of a cat staring at Jeff, and he who was standing still but then moved a little as he adjusted his posture in a way to execute what he was about to do now, lowering his shoulders a bit, the bat once in front—now was brought to the side as he grasped it tightly.
...With sight still locked to each other, Jeff who exhaled and inhaled... At this very somber alley... The Thing didn't do sh*t too. Staring all they wanted apparently, and Jeff prefer it that way...
...Now, feeling calm in a situation deemed to be so outrageous... Jeff with an expression that was normal yet stiff, with something albeit to a determination laced within it... No, it was indeed a determination!
Yeah, that's right! He was ready!
Now for the last time! As he inhaled deep! And exhaled...!
Here goes nothing...!
Internally as he thought and then without wasting a beat, he followed it up with saying...!
"Kitty, catch this!"
...The Thing just watched and stared at whatever things; Jeff had been up to... And there, it also saw Jeff...
As he with the tin on his left hand, in which he had thrown upwards closely, albeit just a little. And with that, without missing a beat, moved his free left hand to take hold the bat grasped tightly together with his right hand.
...As if the world lay still.
With a leg planted strongly forward and with the other just a little behind the body... As the tin, with no resistance, started its fall to the ground, exactly as expected...
But...
He ain't gonna let that happen. In the middle of it, with both his hands grasping the bat, downwards swing that gradually arced upward was already in motion. Leg strongly planted, hip rotated to allow more power to be generated... And with all that.
Eyes in front; focused and determined. With the tin still in the air, he did it.
*THOCK*
The tin didn't manage to do what it was supposed to... As a force to be reckoned with from a bat hit perfectly on it; slightly bending the tin and just with more than enough power for it to be propelled, and hurled forward! It spuns as it travelled across and even passing by The Thing...
Wow, the distance it travelled for was pretty decent; it's pretty far and Jeff can't help but be amazed by it...
...Wait, hold up! That ain't even the most important matter. Will this thing be distracted and goes for the tin for the second time?!
Still in his striking position, posture remained the same as he watched the tin goes by and finally landing a pretty decent distance away from them; he finally darts back to what this was all about.
Gulp.
His attention now back to The Thing in front of him... Which was still staring at him... He gulped as he watched intently for any kind of reaction from the creature before him... Apart from staring at him.
Finally...
Just like earlier... The tin he had batted away... Had the creature turning around slowly and moved toward its whereabouts... The distance like been said was pretty far.
"....."
Jeff who was looking at The Thing, as it moved away to the deeper part of the alley, where the tin had gone off, and after The Thing had made more distance between them the further it goes. It's finally time...
...Okay, I gotta go sneakily...
With the creature now further there, Jeff make his move sneakily as he moved not to make much of noise; only on his toes as he crept forward which was literally sneakily moving... The alley he was headed to was not that far off, the only reason why he can't go into it was because The Thing being situated there after it chased Jeff like crazy.
Now, with nothing blocking the path... Jeff now was at the very front entrance to the alley. Nothing much, after that.
Looking at The Thing again, as it also still looking for the tin...
What now? Well, of course. He gonna move sneakily again...
Nah, he just straight-up broke into a sprinting mode—the moment he arrived at the entrance.
"Hahaha...! I'm outta here!"
A bat gripped to his right hand as he ran into the alley he just entered, he was finally escaping from this place; also leaving whatever that thing was!
Half-way through the alley, still sprinting as he also brought his bat, trying to put it back in place where the harness behind his back was located and after certain tries he finally managed to put it in place...
Now, without nothing else hindering him from sprinting away, he keep on running turning left as he exited another alley...
And in the midst of that, looking behind him from now and then; if by chance! The Thing might just be following him!
"...It's not following! Thank god!"
And thankfully, it didn't followed him, probably still looking for the dang tin back there... How glad he was.
But that would be too soon...
A sound can be heard... Footsteps. A lot of it. Or was it because of how fast it was going?
No way...
Internally, Jeff thought to himself, since he entered the alley earlier and been running for awhile, he didn't even see it nor do he hear anything. But...
How come am I hearing freaking steps behind me?!
Apart from his running sound as he ran and stepped on this very alley he was currently at. He can't be hearing anything else but somehow he heard it...
As he was about to turn to enter another backstreet whilst looking behind him, to where he came from before entering this alley... He see it...
A silhouette, of something; as it also entered the alley he was previously at, and with him now entering another alley, For a moment before, an edge of wall—cut off his line of sight to where he was looking... At the very far.
...With its black fur adorned to its body, the legs in which looked abnormally long and as if they're moving independently, on the wall and on the ground too... Like a spider. With its 4 long legs it moved with a purpose.
Its eyes... Was pure darkness itself, as it also already faced and looked in front... That's right... It was looking at where Jeff was...
Somehow, despite it being far...
...The Thing had came to chase him down as it looked Jeff straight in the eyes. They made eye contact.
...And it ended as quickly as it started, a wall was now in front of his vision... Jeff who still wore a mask over his face... Was apparently sweating buckets.
"HELL NAH...! WHY YOU GOTTA FOLLOW ME...!"
Screaming out loud, and at the same time, still keeping his pace manageable... No, he need to go beyond that, now filled with more adrenaline laced with fear... He can't help but go faster.
Gah...! C'mon why so much alleys and freaking turn here?!
Internally he lamented, as his eyes darts everywhere looking for the right course of path out from this place! ...And at the same time! The sound of something behind him was growing louder and stronger.
He was hearing crashing sound now and then so it's obviously that thing! It's probably going too fast that it just crashed to trash cans or rubbish, garbage and just about everything! Because he keep on hearing those sound!
"DANG...! IT REALLY WANTED TO EAT ME?!"
Jeff just focused on running and looking forward; not even once that he looked behind him ever again and earlier was the last time! Like, what's the point of looking behind?! He can hear it chasing him loud and clear! The Thing also somehow was getting closer every time!
"Sh*t, another alle—! Ah, dang! I almost fell!"
...As he turned to another alley, just as suddenly—he skidded because somehow it was kinda wet around here?! And at the same time; almost tripping over nothing in which also breaking his momentum albeit not much since it doesn't stop Jeff from running but made him slower instead! And that wasn't good at all...!
...And with his sight in front as he was also closer to the wall, with his right hand was on the wall to push him moving forward from that brief clumsiness...
"...! No way...! Is that the pole light?!"
Just at the very far from where Jeff was, he can see it! A pole light that was illuminating its surrounding... And even giving away light into the alley but just at the very entrance...
Now, now, now the alley he was at, looked cleaner than the ones from earlier that Jeff had passed by, entered and exited from. It's given because he ain't deep into the gutters of them backstreets anymore!
And that also meant he can save himself from The Thing that was chasing him like crazy! But hold on?!
"...?! Why the sound?! WHAT...!?"
Jeff, now who was back to running although a tad bit slower than before... Still picking up speed as he slowly and gradually gaining it back... And that, does sound bad. Why?
...He heard it now more closer... He entered this alley not that long ago, and that brief clumsiness of his made him lose some speed; but he still was running trying to reach where the pole light was at.
As he was trying to find a way out, he was also trying to get away from something too. And that something... was also in the same alley as him now.
*KRASH*
A silhouette coming into the alley from behind Jeff and where he came from before this, it entered as fast as it can, crashing into a trash can at the same time. With the trash can being crashed into by it, it's content was spilled as it tipped over onto the ground...
Jeff who heard it, the crashing sound from it. Had turned his head looking behind, although it cannot be seen through his mask. He was surely putting up his worst facial expression ever! Like, 'I need to poop so bad' kind of face was wore over his face!
And there he saw as he ran with gaining speed...
It was...
The Thing looking at Jeff, its black fur that looked clear without any blemishes or dirtiness now had those covered to it... All that crashing from back then to now had made it like that...
"YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME...! If persistent had taken a form it's gotta be this thing...!"
...The Thing that had been chasing Jeff, was not-looking-so pristine anymore. Its fur was dirty and stuff like that... But, it wouldn't cared about that right?
Oh, wait it actually cared...
"Huh...? The hell was that thing doing...? Ah, dang! That ain't important I need to get outta from here...!"
...The Thing was looking at its own body... Was it concerned by the state of its fur? Maybe...? And albeit that too doesn't last as long.
Because just as suddenly, it focused and stared back in front to where Jeff was... Its legs moved, twitching and with its legs working at the same time, it stepped on the content of the littered trash can. And it moved.
Although, at first he was slow-walking then just running and then just straight up zoomed right after, taking big steps with its comically long legs... The distance that It covered was scary.
"PLEASE...! IM ALMOST OUT PLEASE...!"
Jeff now running with full-speed ahead was hella exhausted already as he begged to get outta from this place...
But... hold up?!
"WHAT...?! WAIT...! HOW COME I DIDNT THINK OF THIS?! THE THING STILL GONNA CHASE ME EVEN IF IM OUTTA HERE RIGHT?!"
He didn't think about this, since this thing was not supposed to be chasing him!!! And now, Jeff somehow had led this creature all the way here?! It's not his fault! It's the dang world itself trying to screw with him right?!
Dang it! Dang it! Dang it! What do I do...?! I really can't let this thing come outta from this alley too! It's hella dangerous...!
Thinking so, as he—at the same time looked behind and seeing The Thing, still being far away but it wouldn't matter much since it will reach Jeff for not long, considering that crazy yet ridiculous speed it was going.
And Jeff who was finally at where he wanted to be but not completely as he gradually and slowly with his running turned into that of a light jogs instead, as he stopped just closely but still inside the alley...
And now... The pole light in front yet outside was illuminating its surrounding, looking at the light directly hurt his eyes... He winced but that wasn't important...
"...."
...Here he was standing at the very edge of this alley and all he needed to do was take a step forward and boom! He will be outside on the pedestrian walk instead! And officially out of the alley... But, he can't do that yet...
"...Damn it... Wait am I doing? Am I just dumb? Nothing work and here I'm bringing something like this out... Hahh..."
Frustrated at himself as he lamented in the midst of it... Shaking his head slowly, as he then turned his body behind...
His own shadow stretched out into the alley because of the pole light's doing...
And there he also saw that fast approaching creature coming to where he was at.
With a hand motioned to his back as he took hold of something, the bat was once again pulled out from its harness and now had been grasped tightly within his right hand...
Just like always, when he wanted to calm himself down, with air inhaled as he also exhaled through his esophagus...
it helped him kinda. Now, somewhat with a calm vigor.
Oh, it was also here already.
...The Thing who had arrived not long after... As it stayed not close but just where the light from the pole doesn't reach...
It stared at Jeff yet again... With he also returning the favor...
He himself was feeling hella exhausted, body feeling sore and what time was it? Yeah it's hella late too! He even got school tomorrow...
...And now he somehow gonna fight this thing?!
"...I'm sorry for what I'm about to do...""
With the bat grasped tighter within his hand, he already made his mind... With everything he did not working, and now! He will be fighting against this thing... And he doesn't want that to happens... But, look at this! It's happening!
Dang it... I really don't want to do this even if I had too... It's a cat! Even thought it's not one at the same time! Gahh...! I don't know!
In his thought internally as he lamented that beating up animals was in all way; wrong as heck! But this was not a cat? It's something that mimicked cat or was it actually a cat but mutated by nobody knows how?!
The more he think, his brain gonna be fried at this point!
"I'm really sorry! I rather beat up some thugs rather than do this but...! I had to...!"
Saying so, as the bat was moved to the front of him ready for whatever come hurled at him!
Staredown between Jeff and The Thing intensified!!! As Jeff resolved himself with whatever he's gonna be doing...!
Anything to protect people right?! It's what vigilantes do right?!
He thought as he was still in hesitant despite being resolved... But hesitant doesn't meant he will not do it...
"...C'mon! I'm ready for anything you throw at me! Charge me?! I'm gonna bust your head! You gonna throw your poop at me?! I'm gonna parry it away! Bring it on...!"
...Only one of them will make it through this ordeal! And who could it be between these two?!
And finally...!
Whilst still staring at each other the one that made the first move was The Thing...! But, hold on! Why... Why was it moving backwards into the alley...?!
"...?"
The Thing instead of charging ahead was going backwards? Slowly, but still staring at Jeff... And here the boy himself was... Well, flabbergasted.
"What...?"
The Thing didn't stop, and Jeff only watched as it went further from where it was before, until finally.
It entered the alley where it came from back.
...What's up with that?
A thought conjured within him and apparently still in the state of pure shock and confusion by what just happened... Jeff was already down to fight against The Thing... But, then it just straight up dipped away, leaving Jeff by himself with his weapon drawn unused, in this very alley.
It's a moment of silence indeed.
Jeff who felt his legs quivering then succumbed, as he slowly fell on his backside, and at the same time just laid on the ground within the alley... With his upper body outside... And the lower part, still in the alley...
Well what can he do now? It turned out better than expected.
"Man, I really though I'm gonna get eaten..."
And with that, Jeff only laid as he looked upwards toward the sky, to where the moon was, he watched it whilst being basked in the soft illumination of the moon directed to him as he also finally relaxed his body, at last...
His not-so-normal patrol finally came to an end.