Message

It had been a long week. Thom was grateful for Travis’ invitation to cookout Friday night. The charcoal was lit and the steak seasoned. As they waited on the grill, they smoked. Thom shared his progress writing lyrics for his next project. Travis complained about clients and budgets. He launched into a tirade about a software update which torpedoed his workflow when JR, Travis’ cat, hopped onto Thom’s shoulders. Thom rubbed his ears and the cat began to purr. He tried to pay attention to Travis’ monologue, his were always colorful and eloquent, but JR’s purring had grown rather loud. Additionally, the cat’s body heat seemed to increase too and Thom had begun to sweat. He was about to coax the cat off his shoulder when a reverberating voice cut through the night, “THOM.” Both of them jumped. JR clung to Thom's shoulder like a limpet. A bright silhouette materialized before them, shaped like a person with a cat also on their shoulder. The apparition appeared tangible, but at the same time like a transparency laid over a scene in which it did not belong. “THOM, IT IS I,” said the ghostly form. Thom blinked, “Hi.” Travis pulled from his cigarette and as he exhaled said, “What’s up, buddy.” The silhouette looked toward Travis and said, “TRAVIS. IT IS GOOD TO SEE A LONG DEPARTED FREIND. BUT,” it turned to Thom again, “I HAVE AN URGENT MESSAGE.” Thom drew on his own cigarette, “Okay.”

“IN FOUR HUNDRED AND TW–"

“Hold on. Who are you?”

“I AM YOU FROM ONE OF A MULTITUDE OF REALITIES.”

“Interesting. How did you get here?”

“FELINES ARE INTIMATELY ENTANGLED WITH THEIR OTHER LIVES. I HAVE EXPLOITED THIS BOND.”

“Huh.”

“IN LITTLE MORE THAN A YEAR’S TIME, YOU WILL BE OFFERED A BROWNIE. DO NOT EAT IT. IT WAS MY GREATEST REGRE–“

The silhouette vanished. Thom and Travis are left with an afterimage burned into their sight. JR ceases purring, jumps down to the deck, and disappears into the night. 

Travis relights his cigarette, “That was something.”

“Yep,” said Thom.

“Should of asked how I died.”

“Definitely.”

“I guess you’ll have to watch what you eat for awhile.”

“I think I already ate that brownie.”

“Whoa. Really? What happened?”

“I rather not talk about it.”