Day 155: 11 April 2026

 Short Story -- Part One: The Players

Catjeet was curled up inside a large silver cup that was being housed in the most secure vault in the kingdom.

He is grey with darker stripes and a lean body. He has a long thin tail. And the most intelligent green eyes.

You might be wondering if the vault is so secure how a cat managed to get in? Or how long he’s been in there? Or perhaps you’ve decided that the vault isn’t as secure as it seems to think it is?

But the fact of the matter is, there are very few places, if any, that are off limits to Catjeet.

He felt content surrounded by treasures: paintings, gold, jewellery, some important documents.

And this is why he found it so inconvenient when he heard three voices outside of the vault and they seemed to be talking about using explosives.

‘Catjeet’s peace is ruined,’ he grumbled to himself. He always spoke about himself in third person. No one knows why.

BANG! A small explosion and the door swung open.

‘Well, I don’t hear any sirens,’ said the first voice in a loud whisper.

‘But an explosion, even a small one… someone must have heard and will come to investigate,’ argued another in a whisper.

‘Either way, we probably don’t have much time, so let’s get what we need and leave,’ said a third voice practically.

And in walked three beings who all appeared to be human. The practical one, a tall red head with a pack on his back led the way. The other two continued bickering like siblings and followed along with the occasional elbowing, until they realised both the size of the vault (think of it a bit like a museum where they were just in the foyer) and the treasures it held.

‘We’ll never find it!’ the girl wailed exasperated.

‘Especially not if alarms were triggered,’ the boy who seemed like her brother said gloomily.

Catjeet didn’t move from his perch, he simply spoke, ‘Catjeet can help you find whatever it is. For a price.’

‘Catjeet?’

‘What’s a Catjeet?’

Catjeet lazily slipped out of the cup and walked over.

‘It’s a cat!’ the girl exclaimed.

‘And it talks!’ added her possibly brother.

The leader rolled his eyes at them and turned to Catjeet, ‘Why would you help us? You don’t even know what we’re looking for.’

Catjeet smiled fiendishly. ‘Perhaps,’ he purred, ‘Catjeet is just bored and will find the chaos entertaining.’