Page 80 - NyghtVision Magazine Volume 3 #2

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ABOVE: Slot machines are everywhere in Las Vegas. This one greets people as soon as they get off
an arriving flight, while at the same time, tempts those leaving to try their luck one more time.

he moment I’d brought my suitcase thinking. What I want is to get into the kitchen
down last night, Thoth knew I was and brew a pot of tea. For me, thinking comes
leaving—and he was upset. Upset after caffeine.
T enough to bolt from the sleeping It occurs to me, however, that Thoth tends
bag when the alarm went off earlier this morn- to hide in one of the heating ducts, the one that
ing and disappear. has no cover. It’s warm there, and given the
“Come over here,” I said, trying to find the fact that the house is cool (well, if you call 55°
line between sounding sympathetic and rea- cool), he resides in the duct during the day,
sonably indignant. staying put until I get home and he can claim
There was a time when I would have pon- my lap. In his world, my lap belongs to him
dered how my cat companion knew I was and it doesn’t matter what I think I am going
leaving, but now I regard such intellectual to do, as soon as I sit down to get to work, he
pursuits as vain and pointless, rather like wor- demands access.
rying about the number of places to which one I called out again, but as usual, he did not
should carry pi when calculating the circum- answer. Instead, he whined—a sound that I
ference of a circle. After all, Thoth isn’t human; had never heard before. It was… sad. Well,
he shouldn’t be intelligent enough to know the more than sad actually, for the sound he ut-
meaning of objects in the human world. But tered was something deeper and more pro-
somehow he does. And, given that the time is found than sadness alone. It was the cry of,
just after 6:00 AM, I haven’t the patience to “Please don’t leave me here alone. If you love
deal with his attitude, nor am I interested in me you can’t do this to me.”

80 | the vegas chronicles, part 1