I have decided that various things that happened in this last chapter didn’t happen. This little exchange may end up being one of them because I, for one, find it quite creepy that a cat wants a 12 year old to court him. Might just be me, though.
From Chapter 10
“Are you upset because the other children think that you’re seeing a cat?” Cat asked, his grin growing even wider. “Or perhaps you are upset because you would like it to happen and you know it never will. If you were to be courting an animal, I dare say I would be quite the catch. Though I am much nicer when I’m in my fur, you know. This body just doesn’t suit me, but it does the job for now.”
“You really are a cat?” came a small, startled voice from the doorway. Alice turned to look and jumped to see Adrianna back. She moved quickly, shutting the door behind her and keeping the book clasped in both hands as Adrianna walked delicately forward, eyes wade in shock and awe. “You really are?”
Cat’s grinned grew very wide as he saw her, looking quite like it might even extend past the bounds of his face, and his eyes went to Adrianna. He shifted and turned in the bed to look right at her, amused and playful. “Although, if I were to choose, I would much rather have this one courting me. I daresay she is much nicer to look at than you are.”
“Then annoy her,” Alice snapped at him. “And do it somewhere else. I told you to go away.”
“You’re really the Cheshire Cat?” Adrianna asked again, her eyes wide and staring at him carefully. It was as if she were transfixed by his hair and eyes, which Alice supposed would probably be normal if she didn’t know full well the games that he liked to play and knew better than to let him know that anyone was even remotely interested.
Still, while he was staring it was like he was observing her through glass or as if she weren’t actually there, more like a doll than anything else. It was a bit strange to watch, Adrianna fascinated as he was, but neither of them seeming to acknowledge that the other one was real, though honestly for probably very different reasons.
Tags: looking glass, nanowrimo
