C11 (1/2)

Suddenly, I heard a strange sound.

”Hiss — — Hiss — —”

It was particularly harsh in the dark, enclosed room.

”What is it?” Lina was also shocked awake, ”Is there someone here?”

It was like using a steel wire to cut through metal, or the noise of chalk from a blackboard to scratch through walls. It made people feel uncomfortable all over.

The rain was getting heavier and heavier, the sound of rain, the sound of water leaking, the wind blowing, and I couldn't quite hear where it came from.

”Who?”

No one answered.

I took out a handgun from my luggage. Before deciding to move to California, Shuyue advised me to buy a handgun for self-defense. Although I don't believe that California is so chaotic, I still took the exam to get a handgun certificate.

Outside in the corridor, there was no electricity. The light glass cracked and cracked in the rain, casting a faint light into it.

Lina refused to stay in the apartment and followed me with the candle.

”Is there anyone here?” I shouted.

Except for the sound of the rain, the corridor was silent.

With a flash of lightning, Lina screamed.

”What's wrong?!”

”Over there, there was …” It has a pair of eyes! ”

I looked in the direction Lina pointed at. There was nothing in the darkness on the other side of the corridor.

607, 608, 609... Every apartment was locked. Only the unmarked storage room at the end of the corridor was slightly ajar.

Lina hid behind me, I opened the bolt on the spear and gently pushed it open.

Creak —

Suddenly a shadow darted in at my feet, and I nearly lost my temper.

A little boy in white pajamas was watching me from the corner of the utility room.

”It's okay, it's just a child.”

I heaved a sigh of relief and put away my spear to let Lina in.

By candlelight, I could see the child's face. He was about seven or eight years old, with blond hair and long eyelashes like a doll's under large blue eyes. He was also frightened by us and curled up in the corner, trembling.

”Hey, baby, don't be scared. What's your name?”

Lina squatted down, and lightly comforted the frightened child: ”Why are you here?”

”...” Alpha. ” The child said timidly. His voice was very pleasant to hear.

Alpha pointed to a pile of broken cartons at the back of the storage room, inside them was a litter of newborn little kittens. A stray cat was watching us warily from outside the box. This was the shadow that opened the door. It was a false alarm.

”Someone has closed the door to the storage room. Mommy Miaomiao won't be able to come in.” Alpha

As he spoke, he reached out to touch one of the kittens.

”Heh, darling, don't touch it,” Lina said as she held onto Alpha's small hand. ”If you smell human, Mommy Miaomiao won't recognize that it's her own child.”

”You don't want it?”

Lina hesitated, I know she wasn't willing to say that to a child.

So I said to Alpha, ”Mommy Miaomiao will think that it's here to hurt the other children, to protect its own children, Mommy Cat will bite it to death.”

In fact, it's not just cats. Many animals have the instinct to ”protect” themselves. They recognize their children by their smell, and once one or more of their cubs is contaminated with the smell of other animals, the two ways a mother usually ”protects” her child is by biting the other way or biting the intruder.

Unexpectedly, Alpha lowered his eyes, there were tears flowing from his eyes.

”Alpha doesn't have a mother … Alpha touched Peter, will Peter die? ” Alpha said softly, his eyes full of guilt.

Peter was probably the name he gave to one of the kittens.

”As long as you don't touch it next time. Auntie will take care of kittens with you until they grow up, okay? ” Lina felt that my words were too harsh, and she comforted Alpha softly.

It had to be said that Lina's early childhood education had not been wasted.

”My name is Olina (Lina's English name is the same as Ou Lina's pronunciation), I live at 604. ”If you're afraid of thunder again, come find auntie. Kids can't run around at night.”

Alpha told Lina that he and his grandmother lived at 608. Since Alpha was young, he had always been afraid of thunder. Hearing the stray cat's voice, he sneaked out.

We sent Alpha back to Room 608 and watched him push open the door to enter.

”The sound we heard should also be that of this stray cat. The utility room is locked. The stray cat couldn't get in, so it desperately scratched the door. This kid is really kind. ” Lina said with a smile.

When he got home, the door was gone.

6 February 1988

I had a strange dream last night.