Legend of the Lucky Cat

“There has to be something in here that can help!” Mallory thought to herself while looking at the items showcased at the Lucky Lantern. This tiny local shop, known for its occult offerings, sold mystical items like crystals, tokens, and charms. The store was always empty and the stagnant air made it feel stiflingly hot, especially in the midst of summer.

“Hello?” Mallory chimed out, without an answer. The tokens and charms looked dusty, as if they had been left unattended for ages, bearing no signs of human touch. Oddly enough, cats swarmed the store, a chorus of meows accompanying their collective stare.

At last, the shopkeeper emerged from behind the counter. “Excuse me,” she called to the elderly woman. “I’m looking for something to help with…well…” Mallory laughed awkwardly. She wasn’t sure how pathetic she was about to sound. She wasn’t usually superstitious, but thought it couldn’t hurt to try.

“Hold on, dear! The spirits have a message for me!” The elderly woman lowered her glasses and held her hand up high, frightening Mallory. Confused, she clenched her body as the woman gestured. “What a shame - twenty years old with no prospects of a boyfriend at all…So you’re here seeking love?”

Embarrassed, Mallory blushed and confirmed, “Y-yes…but how did you know?”

“Isn’t it obvious? The spirits told me.” The elderly woman grinned. “Don’t worry, I have just the thing for you…” She sifted under the counter and presented a giant pink cat statue. “You require the assistance of the Maneki-Neko.”

Bewildered, Mallory questioned, “The Who?”

The shop owner adjusted her glasses and sighed. “Some people refer to this as the lucky cat or the cat of fortune. Since you are in dire need, I can sell you this for a deal: one hundred and fifty dollars.”

Disappointed, Mallory realized she was about to get scammed. “Thanks anyway…” she slumped forward and dragged her feet towards the exit. It didn’t surprise her that she’d wasted her time.

“Wait!” The old woman grabbed her by the wrist. “Take this with you.” She handed her a small, pink Maneki Neko phone charm. “Free of charge,” she smiled. “Try growing your hair long too. You have such a pretty face with the haircut of a boy.”

“T-thank you!” She bowed to the woman and exited the store. “How did she get over to me so fast?” She looked at the time and realized she was going to be late for her next class and sprinted off.

It was a sweltering summer day, and the run made her arrive to class completely drenched in sweat. Summer classes were the best because there weren’t many other students there. She sat by the window, trying to cool off while fiddling with the charm the shop owner gave her.

She made a loop and hooked it onto her phone. “It’s cute,” she muttered under her breath.

“What’s cute?” Amon took a seat next to her. He picked the one day she was all gross to sit by her.

Mallory shot up, scared she smelled. “It’s nothing!”

He spotted the lucky cat on her phone and gave her a look. “Luck is double sided you know. Funny thing is, most lucky symbols can also bring bad luck…Wake me up when class is over.”

Amon closed his eyes and dozed off before class even began. His presence was a distraction to Mallory, drawing her attention away from everything else. After all, he was a strikingly handsome young man.

His long black hair framed his face, emphasizing his tan skin and the golden brown of his eyes. It was weird, but every so often his eyes seemed to shimmer with a strange, golden light.

Mallory often wondered what motivated him to attend class. If he wasn’t asleep, his eyes would wander, utterly distracted by everything around him. She would either catch him looking out into the distance, or find him focused on something that wasn’t there. She figured that since he was so attractive he had to have some kind of flaw.

She had known Amon for a long time. They weren’t childhood friends, but rather two acquaintances with a long history who also went to the same college. Though she’d known him for so long she knew she didn’t really know anything about him.

She continued to study his face, and it reminded her of the faces of the sleek cats at the Lucky Lantern. The softness of his curved lips balanced his sharp cheekbones. His smirk held more secrets than any words could ever express.

He suddenly opened one eye and asked her, “What are you looking at?”

Surprised, Mallory quickly glanced away.

“N-nothing!”

She was mortified to have been caught gawking. She sighed, adding that to the ever-growing list of reasons for her single status.

🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛

With some free time after class, she sought the cool shade at the campus’s edge to relax before her next lesson. As she climbed a tree, she recalled that her tomboyish side wasn’t exactly coveted in the dating scene. As an athlete and explorer, she had a life filled with the usual physical scars and toil, a reflection of her boyish manner. 

It’s not that she never attempted to embrace her feminine side. It felt contrived and awkward, as if she was struggling to maintain a facade. A sigh escaped her as she swung her leg off the branch, the silent air a stark contrast to the noisy thoughts of being single forever.

“I can’t let that be my fate,” she whimpered, hoping the universe would hear.

Between the branches below, she suddenly noticed Amon pacing around the building’s outer perimeter, his movements suggesting he was searching for something. He stopped, his fingers grazing the rough brick as he felt along the back wall.

“What’s he doing?” Mallory whispered aloud, sneaking looks from behind the leaves. The rhythmic patting continued, and then a circular flash of light began to shimmer and grow on the wall. She blinked, questioning her own vision.

As the portal shimmered into existence, Amon surveyed his surroundings, making sure no one was watching before stepping through. The vibrant opening dissolved into a softly illuminated design as he fully submerged into the portal. Mallory hurried down the tree and raced toward the dying light.

She placed her hands on the cool, rough stone of the wall, mimicking his movements. Before she gave up, the light flashed again momentarily re-opening the portal, beckoning her to follow the path inside.

With a meek step, she entered a world that felt entirely unfamiliar, unlike anything she had known or seen before. The afternoon sky, once bright, rapidly gave way to the star-speckled canvas of the night sky.

The black sky was lit with the vibrant hues of phosphorescent flowers that filled the fields. Her eyes glistened with the colors of the highlighted space as she wandered. She reached out for the petals, which left a glowing pollen stain on her fingertips.

“How pretty,” she gasped, stunned by the surroundings. “What is this place?” She continued to mutter to herself as she knelt down towards the flowers.

Entranced by the vibrant colors around her she continued to survey the area, unaware of her surroundings. Suddenly a massive cold glob of slime landed on her shoulder.

“Ew!…what is that?!” Afraid, Mallory spun around in a dizzying manner, but the space behind her was empty. She tried to wipe the clear, sticky substance from her skin, swatting at its strange texture. “Is this saliva?”

Little did she know, her exit would be as swift as her entry into this world. She was swallowed whole, the unseen creature’s formless mass enveloping her instantly. She felt herself plunge into a shadowy abyss as her lungs filled with the cold, suffocating liquid. In the dark, enclosed space, Mallory struggled, the muffled sounds of her fight echoing, until she succumbed to drowning. Fading away, her last conscious moment was the bitter realization: “I never experienced my first kiss.”

“What’d you do to her?! Bastard!” With a glowing aura and golden eyes, Amon quickly ran towards the creature. With a lunging jump, he pierced the beast’s underbelly, its acidic, sticky fluid spewing out Mallory’s limp form. Unnaturally still her body rested, lips stained an ominous deep blue, and her chest completely devoid of any movement.

Amon moved quickly, pressing his ear to her chest, but the only sound he could hear was silence where a beating heart should have been. He panicked in the sudden silence, the certainty of her death washing over him. “Dammit,” he sucked his teeth.

He bit down on his thumb, and the coppery tang of blood filled his mouth as it streaked from the wound. Amon used the blood to paint the eye of Ra on her forehead, and he gently lifted her lifeless body. He moved her to a sitting position, breathed deeply, then kissed her. As he exhaled his life force into her soul, he felt his lifespan diminish with a heavy sigh.

With a slow, deliberate effort, Mallory’s eyes opened, and she felt herself come back to life. As her blurred vision cleared, she could make out Amon’s golden eyes and felt the lingering pressure of his lips on hers.

She gasped violently, pushing him back as a fit of ragged coughs wracked her. The wet, acrid slime from the creature’s belly clung to her hair as she pushed it back. “Did I just die?!” Her heart raced and her cheeks burned aggressively as she brushed her fingertips against her lips. “And did you just kiss me?!”