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From the early morning air the sound of an angry scream permeated her concious self. She smiled. It was a cat. A lover's spat or a clash of wills? Hard to say, the sound was gone almost as soon as it reached her ears. She thought of her cat. (never one to wander at night.) Those large green eyes, gentle throaty purr. The feel of her soft warm coat. Her grey and white markings, the make-up of a soft cream liner that emphasised her eyes. She was indeed her beloved pet. They took solace from one another. Both respectful of each others needs.

Her mind turned (as minds do). She remembered the headlines and "top" story of the previous evenings late night news. A woman had been found dead. In her own home. The police naturally, were looking for witnesses. The perpetrator had forced entry into the home and gone to the living room where a woman named Sarah was. They surmised he had the intention of rape. The deed had gone horribly wrong. A gruesome death of the woman had ensued. She conjured up her own vision of the events. She remembered thinking "how awful". But as it had happened several hundred miles away dismissed the story once told. ( As we all tend to do , unless something of that nature happens in our own areas.) She shivered. It was cold. No , that wouldn't have caused her to wake up as she did. Besides she had gone on to watch something else. She couldn't remember what it was. But the news of the violent death had not stayed with her.

She was upstairs again. Beyond wondering how that had happened, she made her way to the toilet, to relieve her rather full bladder. (The coffee. ) Strange, her beloved cat usually played escort to her wanderings . she was no where in sight. Probably still snuggled up on the bed. "Clever girl" she thought. Cats always know the best place to be. She made her way to her bedroom. Yes - there she was on the end of the bed. The cat however was not asleep. She was crouched, staring. Those beautiful green eyes seeing all, hardly blinking. Silent . Odd. No side - long glance. No anticipatory purr. Silence.

For the first time she looked at her bed. She saw herself. A semblance of herself. Nightie drawn up over her hips. Bed clothes in disarray.......
a look of abject horror on what was usually an "open"smiling face............. she "was" no more.

Headline's the next day read:

"Second woman found dead. Victim found raped.
Anyone hearing or seeing anything suspicious............................"