Author S. K. Nicholas

As the spirit of X separated from her body, the animals closed in. Such a thing as they were about to attempt had never before been done—not on a human anyhow. George, however, had performed the act on one of his brothers several years earlier. The brother in question, Bertie, had been hit by a Read more

In awe of the strange sights illuminating their eyes, the animals surrounded X— both the flesh and bone version of her sprawled out before them on the bathroom floor and the ethereal images that bore her face which were dancing in the air above. Those shapes; they were at once the meaning of life and the Read more

Not moving a muscle or whisker, George the tortoiseshell held his breath as if he’d been caught in the act of something shameful. After all, technically speaking he was trespassing. Under normal circumstances, he would’ve been on the prowl after catching the scent of some freshly cooked chicken, or perhaps looking for someplace new to Read more

Lifting her head off the floor, she felt the warm trickle of blood running down her pale face. Her hair was matted with the stuff. Clenching her fists, she pushed herself up and winced as her brain rocked back and forth in her skull. She wasn’t aware of the cat that had come in through Read more

As X remained on the floor of her apartment, a cat from next door was climbing the drainpipe on the outside wall. It was a nimble thing— a tortoiseshell named George of which the other neighbouring cats held in high regard. Clamouring upwards, he lifted himself onto the windowsill before looking down on those below. Read more

Hanging onto the curtains with both hands, she felt her legs turn to jelly, and although she did her best to stay upright, sure enough, she soon fell down. With fresh sunlight washing over her body, she curled into a ball, and there on the floor she sobbed. She sobbed until there came wave after Read more