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The original was posted on /r/nosleep by /u/snooperhero on 2024-07-26 21:31:38+00:00.

Before we even left, I felt how badly I wanted to stay home with my cat. But instead, I’m now sitting in a hot car with three people, out of which I only knew one properly. Three people I would now spend my whole week with, in a small cottage. The things you do for the one you love, right? Simon and Hannah are Matthew’s best friends and I know that this trip means a lot to him, so I will push through for him.

Matthew grabbed my hand, and I woke up from my daydreaming about the cat, the couch, and the bag of Cheetos. “Feeling okay baby?” His big, brown eyes smiled at me, I smiled and nodded, and he gave me a peck on the cheek. “It shouldn’t be that far now, or what do you say Mrs. Map-reader?”

Simon gave his girlfriend a friendly elbow since she had dosed of. “Helloo, Hannah?” She woke up looking like a question mark. “What? Yes? What’s up, we there yet?” “Well, you should know” Matthew said with his crooked smile. “I thought the deal was that you rode shotgun so you could help Simon with directions. I’m folded double back here!” Hannah scratched her head, stretched her legs, and turned to us. “Are you comfy back there?” She said with a grin.

“Well, how far?” Simon sighed. “It feels like I’ve been driving on this forest road for an hour. We haven’t been past any civilization at all since we left the highway. Are you sure we took the right exit?” “Relaaax” Hannah ensured him. “I will check the GPS and see how much we have left”.

My mind got caught on what Simon said, it had really been a while since we saw some kind of civilization. How much time had passed? I picked up my phone to check the time, 9.47 pm. When we left, Hannah said that according to the GPS we would arrive at 8.30, something felt of. How could we have gone over an hour longer than planned, without anyone noticing?

I leaned my head against the window and watched the trees passing by. The evening sun sparkled between the trees, reminding me of streetlights on a rainy night. Shades of yellow and orange. A hint of blue light in the distance, maybe we’re getting close to the ocean?

I started thinking of the cat again. The cat, the couch, and the Cheetos. I know that Matthew’s sister will take good care of her, but she will eat my Cheetos. I felt that I had to try and get in a better mood, trying to think about the good time we were going to have.

Hannah had told u show the cottage was located on a beautiful, oceanside cliff and how the closest neighbor was far away. Matthew was happy about the privacy, because for him it meant that he could blast music without disturbing anyone. Simon had brought his little barbeque, and his cooler was full of burgers and beers.

But I still couldn’t get myself in a better mood. I still want to go home to my cat. Matthew grabs my hand again, and I snap back to reality.

I look at him and notice how his eyes are different. “Feeling okay baby?” He asks me again, but he looks different now. Is he scared, worried? I watch him closely before I slowly answer “Yees…” but my voices fades.

I hope his sister won’t hurt the cat, what if she hates cats? No, I don’t think so. Since it is Matthew’s cat as well, if she had hated cats, he would never leave our girl with her. This week will go by fast, then we will be back home with our beloved kitty again.

For a second, I forget about Matthew’s worried face, and when I turn to look forward, I see a familiar face in the rear-view mirror. But it isn’t Simon with his happy, sneaky look that I see, but my dad. He has that worried look that he gets as he is deep in his thoughts about something. I turn to the passenger seat, where my mom sits. She is quiet and completely still, staring straight ahead.

I start to get confused, and as the cogs in my brain turn, I turn over to Matthew again. He sees my confusion and gives me a warm smile. He tries not to look worried, but I see it. I also see tears forming in his big, brown eyes. “it’s okay” he says. “You will be okay”.

At this point I’m really confused, and I’m starting to get annoyed. Why would he say that? We’re going on vacation; it was his idea to go to the stupid cottage in the first place? I’m only on this trip for his damn sake. He doesn’t have a reason to be upset.

I pull my hand away and turn to the window again. The streetlights are getting brighter, the rain subsides. The blue light is getting stronger but is still a bit further away. The car stops by a bright light. Are we finally there? It looks familiar, like I’ve been here before. Maybe because Hannah showed us pictures.

I look up at the light, something is written there. My eyes are adjusting to the brightness, and I squint them to read what it says.

” Psychiatric Emergency”

I want to go home to my cat.