4 Cairo - A Risk (1/2)
There was a long, eerie silence after I finished speaking. A silence that morphed all types of quiet into one uneventful pause. This silence seemed to take all the noise out of the tavern, and replace it with the sounds of beating hearts and shallow breaths.
That's how I came to realize, I have said too much.
”Cairo…” Rina whispered beneath her breath, smiling. ”I don't have the right to stop you from wherever it is you plan to go, but I'd like for you to stay for a little while longer.” She said as if there was more to staying than just a free room and nighttime meals.
I continued looking down on the table, unresponsive. I always thought about my actions. How would they affect the future? Would it be in my best interest to do this? What would I achieve by following this path?
Those were the questions I was always trying to find the answers to. Questions I hated the most, and the questions I would always get helped with.
It was Mooks. Mooks would always help me decide which path to take. Sometimes I felt like I was following him instead of him following me. It might sound foolish, but he's never been wrong about the direction I should take. So, I only prayed his undefeated streak wouldn't end here.
”PWWHHHHFFTTT” I whistled, loudly this time. If I was trying to impress anyone with my whistling skills, I would have succeeded. Instead, I ended up waking Cartuja again.
The front doors instantly swung open, and the white fury beast made his entrance from the dark outdoors. His eyes radiated fear onto anyone they crossed paths with. His paws creaked and cracked the wooden floorboards beneath him. His jaw opened it's deadly bite like a great white shark, and his nose could smell the uncooked meat from the back room like a starving lion.
”Hello everyone!” Mooks smiled and waved his right paw to Rina and Cartuja.
Cartuja thought he was dreaming, so he just yawned and walked upstairs. Rina however, remained still as a rock. She wasn't sure if she was afraid or confused, but the stir of those emotions hindered her ability to produce any sort of movement.
”Uhm, Cairo?” She leaned in close to my ear, quiet like a tiger approaching it's prey. ”Is that a friend of yours?”
Mooks wasn't my friend, nor was he someone I would give my life to. However, he was my companion. A companion I traveled with. Nothing more, nothing less.
I nodded, and Mooks hopped up onto the barstool next to mine.
Immediately, Rina backed up against the countless shelves of glasses and aged wine behind her. The sight of Mooks so close must have startled her, but his welcoming smile eventually brought her closer. However, she remained her guard.
Rina made an awkward gesture as if she were waving, but it looked painful to watch. ”Uhm.. Hi there…”
Mooks stretched out his paw, keeping his hungry smile in check. ”Hello! My name is Mooks! This is Cairo!” He looked over at me as if she didn't already know that was my name. ”We come in peace, friendly human!”
Rina slowly reached her arm forward, shaking Mooks's dirty paw with a twisted expression on her face. ”Well it's very nice to meet you. Mooks.” Her tone of voice changed into more of a playful one. That's when I saw her eyeing me down as if that's how I should have introduced myself six months ago.
Rina plopped her hands on her hip, dramatically and with a sassy demeanor. ”You never told me you had such a lovely friend.” She directed her words toward me, but I remained silent.