Meet me at Midnight

“Sunset,” the soft voice echoed through the night.

“Midnight, is that you?”

The speckled mauve and sepia feline looked into the darkness where the flashes of white of Midnight’s chest, hair, and paws revealed his location, otherwise the black tabby completely blended into the night.

Well, with the only other exception, his frosty, icy blue eyes.

“I was surprised to get your message, it’s been a while. I miss seeing you around the church..” Sunset felt his voice was a higher-pitch from the excitement of seeing Midnight again. He had to maintain composure, he had trained himself to not acknowledge the other tomcat around his peers, but being alone in the night back in familiar grounds brought back so many good memories of their time together.

The darker feline didn’t have the same spirit, however. “I know, I wish I could say that was going to change, but…”

Sunset sighed, watching Midnight’s head dip as his words taper off, saying to his childhood friend, “You said this was important, Midnight, and I’m fearing the worst. I know you’ve felt pushed away for so long, Midnight, but I’m telling you that this church isn’t like our old home. You don’t have to be an outcast here.”

“That’s not it, Sunset. There’s more.” Midnight said with an unusual seriousness to his tone. “I’ve discovered horrible things about the angels and church. Corruption, secrets, lies, all the things we’re taught to avoid, that place is littered with it. They’re a disgrace to their name, and I…found the angels might have more to do with…” Midnight turned to the ruins of his and Sunset’s old home, “This destruction than we could have ever thought. I’m leaving, Sunset.”

The rosy brown feline swallowed nervously, he felt his paws beginning to shake under the ash covered ground. It felt warm and hot under his paws, like the day it did when they were attacked, but he couldn’t tell if it was because of the memories, or if it was his anxiety, or anger that was making him feel like he was burning up.

“What!? I can’t believe you!” Sunset started out loud, but growled under his breath, “I…I don’t even know what to say.” He stepped back, putting distance between himself and Midnight. He said he was fearing the worst, but nothing prepared him for this. “First off, the accusation, but then leaving? You have been cold with me Midnight, but you could have talked to me before you escalated to accusing the church of this. I’ve overlooked your studying of demons, I’ve warned you it was taboo, even going to the Fire Sector for your education, I’ve wondered if it was connected. I’ve never given you reason to not trust me, but this is too much.”

“No, Sunset, you need to listen to me. There’s more to it; don’t disregard me so soon. I did that research because I needed to…I needed to find answers, I needed to know why this happened to us, and the answers are worse than I could have ever thought. I needed to tell you, but…I also wanted to offer you to come with me and escape.” The feline came forward, as though he was going to reach out for Sunset.

“What!?” Sunset took another step further away from his former friend. It was like an invisible wall had come up between them, as Midnight started to step forward again, but seemed frozen in place midstep.

“Please, it took so much for me to tell you, but I have evidence Sunset. I have evidence of their involvement. The truth is so much darker than either of us could have ever thought. Just let me tell you—”

“No! I’m disgusted with you, Midnight! Do not fill my mind with your slander! You are a shame to our village and to Starlight, and I will not allow you to project all of the evil inside of yourself onto us! You are not part of us!” Sunset slammed his paw down, his eyes burning with anger.

Midnight had no idea how much he meant it, but he knew that Sunset coming with him was absolutely not an option, now.