The Cat

A woman desperately tries to sleep while her cat has other plans

FADE IN

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

The room, faintly lit by city light outside, is quiet save for the low vibrations of a fan. 

A clock glows on a night stand, 3:16 AM.  The stand and fairly everything else in the room, is tidy. The only thing slightly disheveled is the bed where she is sleeping. 

Above her a window reveals light splashes of rain, it grows harder, thudding against the glass like rocks. Below, she stirs, quickly slipping back to REM and the rain stops as suddenly as it started. 

The thudding continues. This time accompanied with a clear scratch. It’s coming from the other side of the bedroom door.

It’s not the rain. 

EXT. HALLWAY BEHIND DOOR - NIGHT

The hallway is entirely dark save a narrow stream of light peaking from a small window at the end of the hall. Small shadows of what look to be cat legs appear in the light. The cat stands up against the door and scratches with one paw. 

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

The blankets on the bed ruffle more and more with each scratch. They come flying up and she swings her feet over the side of the bed, steadying herself on the night stand. 

The clock now showing 3:21 AM. 

Steady, she grabs a pillow and shuffles to the door where the sound continues. 

Flinging open the door, a small black cat skitters away out of sight. 

Propping the pillow against the frame, she closes the door. 

Ha!

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

The clock on the night stand now reads 4:57. Sound asleep, she hugs her blankets tight around her face. 

The scratching begins. 

Quietly, at first. 

She peaks one eye open and waits. Nothing. She sinks back to sleep. 

Louder, the scratching again. 

Irritated, she flings the blankets off again, feet hitting the floor with an audible thump. Instead of a pillow, she reaches around the night stand and grabs a water spray bottle. 

Stomping towards the door, she flings it open once again. This time the cat doesn’t run away. He sits, staring at her. She spritz’s some water into the air and a light mist falls over his black fur. 

He does a half back flip and flees again. 

Sighing, she turns and goes through back to bed. Door closing behind her.  

It’s dark. 

A low rumble can be heard. 

INT. BEDROOM - NIGHT

The clock reads 5:18. The scratching begins, louder than before. 

Her eyes pop open, a groan erupts into her pillow. Jumping to her feet she nearly knocks the night stand over. Rushing to the door, she wrenches it, jams bulging. 

She opens her mouth and erupts in a confused sleepy jabber. The cat peers up at her, not flinching. The yelling tapers off and she sighs. 

MARIE

(Exasperated)

What, what do you want?? 

The cat locks eyes with her. For a moment they are both still. 

All at once the cat’s face morphs into a grotesque parody of itself. K9s jutting out to fangs, ears growing taller and more pointed, the whole cat begins to grow taller. 

Her face drops and her eyes start to twitch. Just as a small scream bubbles up from her throat. 

The cat, a full 3 feet taller than her, lurches forwards and chomps down, devouring her whole. 

FADE OUT