Foo: The Cat in the Midworld

Professor Plutonium had a tough time dealing with the preservation of Chemical X. A Chemical so mutagenic and strong that it can do wonders to primate’s brains, increasing their size to roughly 5 times in a span of 4 days but so deadly toxic to humans and other animals that it can kill them in no time if accidently inhaled. Everything is going wrong since Zoo, the hamster had been brought to home by Plutonium. He seemed really suspicious. Something dark lurked in his eyes waiting to unfold with time. He had a prime interest in observing Plutonium through the glass walled window of his hermetic laboratory from his tiny cage. Foo, the professor's wise cat always suspected Zoo of his devious plan to foil the professor's scientific project. But Foo was a timid, ultra-lazy and introvert. 

Keeping with herself much of the time and so scornful and dubious about the professor's work that the fact that Chemical ‘X’ can aggrandize a primate brain was foolishly inconceivable. Still, she had a belief, probably just a tiny ray of hope, that he might succeed.

One starry night, a strange affair transpired. So strange that it seemed incredulous but largely expected. Zoo was in the laboratory, trickling and dabbling over the test-tubes and strewn pipettes, as if in search of something. Foo, staggering with hunger in midnight, was passing through the hallway which led to the kitchen but luckily catched a glimpse of the window and Zoo's demeanour and was shocked. Chills ran down her body, and in a split second, as if she were Plutonium's assistant, went hurriedly into the laboratory to investigate. Fortunately, she knew he scribed the passcode under the table's mat in case if he forgets because Plutonium was an oddball. “3412” – and there it went to the pro entrance digital padlock. The door slid open. Zoo flinched as the door opened but was unfazed when he realized that it was Foo in the laboratory. He quipped- “Oh! See who is here! A silly meek cat who can’t even climb stairs" and had a good laugh. “Why are you thwarting his work? He worked for years on this and I will not let a rodent punk to simply do that.”

"You old ugly cat! Zoo is a trained hamster and I have been instructed to spoil the professor. Once Zoo is instructed, there's no chance of him laying down his arms”, he replied curtly.

Foo tried to leap and flung over to reach for him but the top was way too high.

“You need to be taught a lesson.” Donning his gas mask over his little face, he wielded the testube(way too heavy for him) containing Chemical X, and hurled it straight on the ground. Chemical X, readily evaporated and in no time, vapours flowed all over the room diffusing fast and subtly. Foo frightened and panting with disorientation, tried to move out but could not stand the strong fumes. Counting her last breath, she blacked out. '‘Where am I?” Everything was dark and Foo was still in the lab but she couldn't feel her body. It was strange. She got up and figured out everything was dim. She jumped out of the cat flap and noticed even weirder things. It was still the starry night with gleaming stars as if they were embedded in complete darkness. The dark sky looked like it resembled death. “ Wait I was dead?” She couldn’t feel her body. It was her soul. Someone loomed and Foo blanched. But to her surprise there were other cats, which resembled like her. Souls. “Who is this? We never saw her!” asked one cat.

“May be a new entrant I guess” replied another. Foo asked “Where am I? Can you please tell me?” “You are in the midworld, the narrow line and a space between the world of the living and the world of dead for providing a immediate elegant explanation for living and death. You are not dead by now but if you won’t do your task or reciprocate, you will be sent to the afterlife.” Well, it was a general rule for all cats to introduce new entrants to the mid world.“How can I go back to my world?” 

“You have to impress the Bastet the Cat God and win from her, the pendant of the third eye or get her blessings to get out of this godforsaken place.” briefed another plump cat named Bob.

“But what can I do to make her impressed? “Its simple! Go do some desultory good deeds by helping living people to let her see good of you but there's a quicker way.”

“Wait, what’s the quicker way?” 

“Win the cat fencing contest to prove your agility and braveness and the prize is the pendant. It’s live in two days.” “ We will get there too.’’

Taken aback by the strangeness of this freaking mid world and even stranger rules of here, she had no option but to train herself for the ultimate face-off of her life, win the contest whatever it takes and to avenge the squeaking, selfish rodent.“If you somehow win the pendant of the third eye, you can go back to the same time when you were dead. You can follow us meanwhile.” “Can you train me?” asked Foo. Bob and his friend Dou smirked, didn’t answer but instead took him to an ugly ghetto of the mid world. They introduced her to Mou, the master of fencing who had only few days left for leaving to the after life because he couldn’t help himself in being a humble guy and was rudest of all. He didn't helped any living people in the given time frame. Mou first defied but then agreed to teach her because of the exaggerated polite request and as he recalled that it was actually his last days here and he had to leave anyway. 

From here, the decisive battle for the return to the living world begun. For an ultra lazy and indolent cat, it was extra difficult to match the skills of a professional cat fencing player, so she chose the slowest discipline. The Epee. But Foo trained and trained harder, she left no stone unturned to make it to the knock-outs. It was Puma, the No.1 cat who tasted defeat first from her hands. Foo found it weird to find such things like fencing in the misword in the first place. She managed to pull it off. Mou was a man of truth and told every tactic to Foo to get her to the top of the table. The battle ground arena, which looked no more than a cricket stadium and a Coliseum , was actually called the area of judgement and salvation. What an odd term! Scores of cat souls assembled to saw the duel between Foo and the “to be decided” cat. It was literally strange that contestants entered unannounced and unknown of each other. The Cat Queen god Bastet was seated over as well.

It was definitely a must-win match for Foo and a great chance to win the pendant of the third eye to ensure her return to the world of living. She entered the arena but was jarred to see Mou on the opponent side. Mou, the same cat who let her honed her skills and trained him to her potential.

A brief honk and the match begun. Foo, completely surprised to see her master as an opponent,

tried hard to attack with her sword but was not able to decode the defence of her master so 

strategic, compelling and complex at the same time.

Sword jolted upright and struck Foo's head from Mou's hand. It was three times consecutive jab. A clear warning that if it struck one more time, Foo would not make it. Foo, on the verge of losing, struggled to make more points, although it was a neck and neck clash. Foo lost the match. It left her broken as if losing something after hard-fought war. She was lying spread-eagled on the ground. But  suddenly something strange happened. Queen God Bastet jolted and started praising. She was impressed by such a splendid performance by both the contestants. Mou held his hand to Foo to support him and an unprecedented announcement was made that both contestants are actually the winners and would be receiving the pendant of the third eye. The cat audience was flabbergasted by the roar. 

Foo and Mou were both sent to the living world with the blessings of the Cat God and the pendant of the third eye at exactly 5 minutes later when they died. It was sheer amazement to see that. Foo reached the lab in no time with magic and quickly accosted the wild, selfish hamster, Zoo who was actually sleeping. Does Killing someone have a soporific effect? Well it seemed true in this case.

Zoo surprised to saw her questioned in apprehension: “Wait, how on earth are you here? You were dead!” but he couldn't expect an answer because in a moment, Foo poached him, killed and and had  a great late night dinner.

Next morning, Professor Plutonium was wondering how the shattered glass pieces were strewn all over the floor while Foo was having a great late morning nap.