Synopsis of an Untitled Short Story

We meet Cat on the day he develops a phobia of his front door. The sound of an arriving eviction notice startles him and initiates a chain of events that end up with him cowering in the bathtub, a raven haired house guest injured and  the Man angry at the disturbance. 1

We follow the daily life of the cat over the next two weeks as the world provided for him by the Man slowly crumbles while waiting for eviction day.2

Through Cat’s flash backs we learn of the events building to the  Man’s personal disintegration.  Events such as his wife leaving him, his  subsequent failure of a paternity test, his growing addiction to Crystal Meth, the loss of his job, his strange companions, his erratic behavior and of course how all this affects Cat.3

Through Cat’s thoughts and investigations, we learn that the house guest of the first scene is not simply a raven haired woman, but is in fact Death.  She’s been stalking the Man for some time now but only recently made contact with him when his addiction careened out of control, making him more susceptible to her charms.  4

She tells him in no uncertain terms, he is going to die.  He has passed the point of no return.  He cannot escape fate, but he may be able to alter it.  5

Die and perish in the darkness he has wrought with his short mortal life, or take up the mantle of Death.  Become her replacement and experience immortality, for the small price of one portion of his free will.  6

The greatest danger the Man faces at this point is confusing this real opportunity with that of a drug induced hallucination.  If he comes to doubt the experience is real, he’ll die within weeks losing his chance to make amends for the harm he caused himself, those who love him and to escape certain annihilation.7

The Cat makes an unlikely guide through the dark night of the Man’s soul, as he wrestles between choosing to believe he can make a difference and action, or to not believe, not act and to lose his existence.8

The story ends at sunrise on the day of eviction with Cat watching from his balcony perch as the man leaves out the back door, one last time.9