The Woman and the Cat
by Marcel PrevostGenre: Suspense
Setting:
Format of Original Source: Short Story
Recommended Adaptation Length:
Candidate for Adaptation? Promising
EXCERPT:
I tried to reason with myself, to convince myself that there was nothing really inexplicable in all of this, and I ridiculed myself for being afraid both of a woman and of a harmless cat. In truth, at the end of all my reasoning, I found that I was not so much afraid of the animal alone or of the woman alone, but rather of a sort of quality which existed in my fancy and inspired me with a fear of something that was incorporeal–fear of a manifestation of my own spirit, fear of a vague thought, which is, indeed, the very worst of fears.
“I began to be mentally disturbed. After long evenings spent in confidential and very unconventional chats with Linda, in which little by little my feelings took on the color of love, I passed long days of secret torment, such as incipient maniacs must experience. Gradually a resolve began to grow up in my mind, a desire that became more and more importunate in demanding a solution of this unceasing and tormenting doubt; and the more I cared for Linda, the more it seemed absolutely necessary to push this resolve to its fulfilment. I decided to kill the cat.
COMMENTS:
What is the supernatural relationship between a cat who visits in the night, and a magnificent/mysterious woman? The story is short (4 pages), so that by the time we know the answer to this question, the story is over. Plenty of mood/brooding along the way, however, so it might make for a short spooky one-act.
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