The studio. It already became a home for some workers. It became home to Jay. And if this bulky building was the second home for all the employees, it was a true home for Jay. He didn't like going back to his apartment. What ordinary people call "their sweet home" evoked Handle unpleasant memories. He often stayed in the studio for the night and went home often only if Harry was dragging him there.
Also, Jay had no family. His brothers, the last members of the family, died a few years ago. Jay didn't want family anymore. The family was as nasty to him as his home.
The only friend of Jay was Harry Calen. They've been friends since childhood. Harry remained with him even after Handle lost his eye.
Now was one of those September nights, when Jay sat in his office and quietly drawn. Around the office was burning a single candle. Handle didn't want to make Will nervous.
Accountant sometimes worked overtime, sometimes stayed in the studio with Jay. At this time Handle tried to distract Nolen: he took him to the break room and together they drank tea and talked about everything what only possible. And Will was grateful to Jay for this.
But today Jay was alone. Usually when he was tired of sitting in the office, Handle took a candle and went to walk around the empty studio. However, the first time Jay had locked himself in the office, and sat immersed in his thoughts, until he fell asleep. It was frightening, the atmosphere was scary, but Handle over time was accustomed to it.
And now Handle was alone. Hands already tired for the day, and Jay decided that he can go for a walk. One last look at his drawings of Charlie, Handle took the candle and walked out of his office.
When Jay turned away from the paper on the table, Charlie's eyes seemed to come alive. And they followed the door closing behind Jay, after which the drawing returned to its original state.
Usually Handle liked to walk around the toy factory. It was one of the most friendly places in the studio. Jay always thought that toys are very friendly. He even had his own corner in the factory. When Handle had very nervous day he was coming to this corner and laying down on the big toy of Charlie, and Jeff tried to make him laugh, to defuse the situation. Rinad even sometimes made toys specifically for Jay. Handle, of course, resisted, but when Jeff was tired of it, he was shoving a toy in his hands and sent him back to work.
But Rinad never made toy of Diana for Handle. Jay's still the fear of wolves and all who look like them(including dogs). Harry suggested adding this toon. "For a change". Handle had to agree.
But now Jay was going in the opposite direction. There was someone else at the factory last night besides him. He didn't want to risk today. So he decided to go to the warehouse. There were a lot of projectors, and sometimes it felt like they were watching. Handle didn't like it, but he thought it would be more comfortable today.
When Jay came to the warehouse, he felt even worse. This situation only increased the feeling that he was not alone.
But now Handle was very frightened. He thought he heard footsteps. Footsteps from the hallway he just came from. Jay quickly put out the candle, put it on the floor and rushed to the place where he could hide. Fortunately, the warehouse was very spacious and dark. There were a lot of boxes and projectors.
Handle was hiding in a dark place from which was visible the entrance to the room, and Jay, in fact, was invisible there.
When the man took his place, in the room entered something. It was impossible to discern, but it can be seen that it had growth almost 7 ft. Almost a ft more than Handle.
When Jay used to the dark, he could a little to see his stalker. It was a huge cat. Apparently, black and white. His ears twitched, trying to catch any rustle. Long tail tossed from side to the side. And eyes with purple a protein and yellow-orange pupil squinted, trying to see something in the dark. Or someone.
When the cat got tired of it, he spoke. His voice scared Jay. "Come on, Jay, come out! I'm not going to hurt you! I'm your friend!", the creature said loudly. The cat had a hoarse voice. Handle gathered all his courage, only to ask, " Who are you?". Cat, having heard voice, purred and went to Jay. "Me? I'm Charlie! Come on, Jay, come on, out! Or do you like to play hide and seek, m?", the cat tried to soften his voice, but it still remained hoarse.
Jay, realizing that Charlie goes to him, groped a small object and threw it to distract the creature. The subject fell near Handle, but enough to distract the cat.
Charlie approached the place where the object fell. The man already wanted to run away, thinking that he can away from the creature and lock hisself into the first room he'll find. But then the long tail got grabbed Jay and dragged him to the cat, which was five feet away from the place where was hiding Jay. "I found you, Jay!", happily and still hoarsely exclaimed Charlie, "How glad I am to see you!".
But Handle was really scared. "You said you are not going to hurt me!", the man tried to get out, but then the creature removed its tail, and Jay fell to the floor. "And I'm not going to!", the cat looked right in the Handle's eye, smiled broadly, showing sharp teeth the same color as the its pupils. The man didn't even have time to react when Charlie attacked him.
Jay woke up in the morning. He was sitting at the desk in his office. There were no scratches on him. He was only slightly stained with ink. Handle didn't remember how he found himself in his office. The sun's rays were already making their way through the window that was behind the man. He yawned, stretched, looked in front of him and froze. He saw his shadow. His shadow in the form of a cat that smiled and looked right at him.
I hope very much that I translated everything correctly. And also I hope that you like this fanfic.
