The man stood there, stunned. He couldn’t believe what had just happened. Just a few weeks of missed rent, and now here he was, out on the street, with nothing but his cat and the bag on his back.
“Can you believe this?” he asked the cat.
The cat didn’t answer, instead, it yawned and curled up tighter around his shoulders.
The man sighed, and walked down the street, into the park. He stayed in the great park all day, on a bench, trying to think of what to do. Around lunch time, he bought a hot dog from a cart. He shared it with the sleepy cat.
That night, the man slept on a bench. The cat on his tummy slept between him and the sweater he’d draped over his body.
It was a cold night, but the man managed to sleep somewhat comfortably with his cat. He was woken up by a tapping on his shoulder. Drowsy, and blurry-eyed, he looked up to see a strange woman. SHe was very small. Pointy ears. Wings. Floating. Not a woman. A fairy.
“Am I dreaming?” the man asked, looking up at her. He felt warm under the moonlight.
The fairy smiled, “Not anymore.”
“What’s going on?”
“If you’re sleeping on a bench in this park, then clearly your world has failed you. It’s time for you to be here.” The fairy paused, thinking. “Unless you want to go back, of course.”
The man shook his head, sitting up. He was careful to embrace his cat properly as he moved so that it would stay comfortable.
“Well then, welcome to the realm of fae. Would you like a guide, or would you like to explore on your own?” The fairy appeared excited, and the man knew what answer she was looking for.
“A tour would be nice, though I am still quite tired.” He stood up, holding the cat. The bag, which he’d been using as a pillow, he secured on his back.
“Excellent. Follow me!” The fairy started to fly away.
The park was similar to the one he’d left, but it was different. Brighter. More vibrant. Flowers bloomed under the moonlight. Moths danced with even tinier fairies than the guide. It was beautiful.
The fairy guided the man through the park to the outskirts, where there was an apartment building. It was different from how it looked in his world. It looked like it was carved out of giant, living trees. It was green and alive, with owls and other creatures perched and hovering around.
“You can stay here, and I’ll guide you in the morning.” The fairy flew away, leaving the man to go alone into the building.
When he entered, a line of glowing blue arrows appeared on the ground. The cat climbed out of the man’s arms, and onto his shoulders as he followed the arrows.
The arrows led to a small room with two beds. THey were perfectly sized for one adult man, and one small cat. The room’s decor was blue and purple. There was a small desk and a chair, and a simple wardrobe.
The man felt dirty and out of place in the simple, clean room. He was also too tired to do anything else, so he dropped his bag on the desk and gently placed the cat in the cat bed.
Kicking off his shoes, the man laid down on the bed. Before he fell asleep, he felt a pressure on his stomach as the cat had jumped onto him to curl up and sleep upon his body.
The man awoke. He was a bit disoriented before remembering what had happened. When he remembered, he was worried. Not because he was in a strange new place - but because his cat was gone.
The man stood up, and scanned the room. Luckily, the cat was still there. After a sigh of relief, the man stood up, and walked over to the window which the cat was peering out of.
The man joined the cat, looking out to the city. There were no cars, just pedestrians. The pedestrians would be considered odd by most people. There were creatures of all shapes and sizes. Some could fly. Some walked. Some had horns, some didn’t. They appeared in all the colors of the rainbow. Some resembled animals. Some were animals. It was chaotic, and peaceful.
“What do you think?” the man asked the cat.
The cat didn’t answer. Figures.
A fairy flew towards the window, and tapped on the glass. It was the fairy from before.
She was beckoning them. The man picked up his cat, and it climbed onto his shoulders.
When the man entered the hallway, the ground lit up again with arrows. He followed them, and was led to the entrance. The fairy was waiting for them there.
“Follow me!” she said.
