Zooey held tight to Mr.Williamson who clawed madly in her arms, ready to break free. She left the apartment building and walked slowly down the street, too shocked to think. Mr. Williamson soon became agreeable after he sensed there was something wrong with Zooey. He looked up to her with sympathetic eyes, which Zooey knew wouldn’t last very long.

She blindly boarded a bus, not bothering to look where it was headed to. She had the odd feeling of being watched and followed, something she was always keen to. She paid no mind to it and sat far in the back, cuddling the kitten and absently looking out the window at the city blur.

She got off the bus, near Chinatown, somewhere she usually avoided due to tourists and casually strolled, trying to put her mind at ease. From time to time, Zooey would catch a glimpse of bright red out of the corner of her eye, but when she looked, she knew she was just imagining it.

She put Mr. Williamson in her tote bag, and he stuck his head and paws out, looking around.