Now, where did those two cats go? We looked around and Kathy spotted them running around the lawn. Oh well, at least they are having some fun, I said. They came back in a few minutes, Muffin jumped on me and Mr. Cat jumped on Kathy. I noticed Mr. Cat looking quizzically at Kathy for a moment, but then Muffin started talking. Meow, meow!=We have news, we heard 3 guys talking while we run around. Meow!=Yes, this important, they not geologists from California! Meow, meow.=That right, say they look for something give them big money. So I guess the race is on, we have to find what they are looking for, before they do. They have an advantage since they have already been looking for awhile and we are just starting. Plus they might know what to look for, added Kathy. True, I said, so we need to look faster.

But you look as though you need to relax a bit more before we begin. Yes, said Kathy, maybe a short nap right here would be a good idea. Okay, I said, I’ll go get Muffin’s backpack on her and get ready for our search. Both cats came with me and we again searched our room but nothing was found. Meow.=Something different about human Kathy. What’s that?, I asked. Meow.=Her eyes not same color now, were blue, now they brown. I stopped for a moment and looked at Mr. Cat. Meow.=But she same human, just eyes different. That’s odd, I said, I know Kathy’s eyes are blue and not fake. But this woman looks exactly like Kathy and I know she doesn’t have a sister or cousin that’s a woman. She only has her mom and two brothers, no other family.

I look out the window, Kathy is still napping in that lounge chair at the beach. We need to check her room, I said. Off we went. In the lobby I told Mr. Cat to stay by the main doors, which were open, and watch Kathy. If she started to come back or went somewhere else he was to come and tell me right away. And don’t follow her, I said. Meow.=I stay right here and watch. And if someone closes the doors then come and tell me right away as well. Meow.=Okay, you count on me. Muffin and I went directly to Kathy’s room and started to look around. We couldn’t find anything that was odd, until, hmm, these contact lenses would change her brown eyes to blue. But how could this woman look so much like Kathy? And why? This doesn’t make sense at all.

I look out the window again, Kathy is gone. Why didn’t Mr. Cat come and tell me? I tell Muffin to stay here while I go check. Meow, meow.=I be ready for anything. Good girl, and off I went. I couldn’t see Mr. Cat anywhere, or Kathy. And the 3 guys were gone now too. I went outside, it was getting cloudy, the forecast did mention storms for later tonight. I went to the beach and looked up and down, but no one was in sight. This is not good, it means trouble I’m sure. It’s starting to get windy as I walk back to the hotel. I notice the doors are now closed, likely Clara did that. I get back, but the doors are not just closed, they’re locked! I bang on the door but no one comes. I’m glad that I have my backpack with me, and my lock picking tools. I had the doors open quickly. All the lights were off so it was getting dark inside. I call for Clara but no answer.

I run back to Kathy’s room, the door is open and Muffin is gone. I call for her and Mr. Cat, but no answer. I tried turning on some lights. Nothing. Guess the electricity is off for some reason. That’s great, and with a storm coming too. Then I noticed that everything on the dresser was gone. I checked the drawers, empty. The closet was empty. What is going on here? I check Clara’s room, it has been cleared out too. I go up to our room but all of our stuff is still there. I check the room where the 3 guys were staying. It’s a nice large room, but here too everything is gone. Now this is really weird. But where are my cats? I have to find them…the freezer! I run down to the kitchen, but they were not there. I looked out back, Clara’s car was gone, but the hotel van was still here and that’s the vehicle that Kathy always uses, she doesn’t have one of her own. But where did everyone go? They couldn’t all leave in Clara’s little car. So what happened to them all? What is going on here? I return to the lobby, it’s getting darker all the time, and I’m being watched, I know it.

To Be Continued.

©2020 Steve McLeod.