Bored Kitty

Sphinxes are cool, but they're really high maintenance.

Day 10: “I want to play a game.” — Saw (2004)

I woke up in a dim room; what I could make out of my surroundings was confusing. I could tell there was some sort of a mural of a desert landscape on the walls, sand gritted beneath my feet as I shifted my weight.

Was that a metal door on the other side of the room? There were no other visible entries on any of the walls. As I looked up I saw a man looking back at me from the other side of the grate.

A blurry recollection returned to me. I'd been in a night club. The black lights and strobe lights made the bar a warmly lit reprieve from the thumping and grinding.

I hadn't sat very long when the youngish bar tender came over to me. A cocktail was already in his hand. The green olive looked like it was staring at me as if I'd personally stabbed it with the frilly toothpick that kept it in the murky depths of the glass.

He set the drink in front of me. "From the gentleman two seats down," he told me.

I smiled and toasted my benefactor before taking some polite sips. Next thing I knew, the edges of reality blurred then faded away.

Now I was staring back at the guy who had done god knows what while I was out. "What the hell, man?" I screamed. "Is this your kinky ancient Egypt sex dungeon? Just take me home and I won't call the cops."

Drink guy just shook his head and pushed a lever. With a whir, the metal door slid open. What walked through it was somehow worse than I'd expected. A cat the size of a lion, wings folded against its body and with the breasts and face of a woman padded towards me.

"Oh goody!" The thing said. "Daddy brought me home some dinner time entertainment! I was getting so bored, not having a live presence in here."

I looked around again. I don't know why I hoped to find a giant steak or cubed venison. There wasn't any. This wasn't looking good. If I kept the critter talking maybe I could plan an escape.

"What are you even?" I asked.

"Talkative, thats good," it said. "I am a Sphinx. Daddy rescued me from a Gipley's Believe It or Rot shows. He brought me here and named me Fukyna. It's usually an animal carcass for breakfast or lunch. Daddy only lets me have live entertainment for dinner occasionally. Now what shall we play?"

It padded around me, its tail swishing as it walked. I turned trying to keep it in my line of sight.

"Oh I know!" It purred. "Two truths and a lie. I always love that one. I'll tell you three things and you guess which one's a lie."

Did I have a choice? Maybe if I won it wouldn't eat me. "Okay fine, lay it on me."

The face smiled. I didn't like how sharp and long its incisors were. "One, I am from Egypt. Two I enjoy the song 'Night on Bald Mountain'. Three, I play fair."

I thought about what it said. I had no idea what the hell a Sphinx was, let alone where they came from. I did hope it played fair. "Number Two?"

Fukyna just giggled and got ready to pounce.