"I didn't think you were serious!" Salem yelped as I dragged him outside.
"Deadly," I replied. "Commi!"
"Yes?" Commi's voice came from behind me and I whipped around, shoving the cat into her hands. She looked at me in surprise.
"Take your freaky little cat back," I ordered. "I've had enough."
"Salem," Commi chided. "What did you do to make her so riled up?"
"He pooped on my teacher's desk and embarrassed me in front of my teacher, classmates, my mom, and the principal!" I shrieked, waving my arms hysterically.
"It was an accident! I had to poop, and I couldn't hold it in for much longer!" Salem yowled.
"You looked right at me! Besides, you couldn't have gone outside?!" I argued, and Salem grunted. He opened his mouth, but his words were blocked by a whisper of voices.
"My first is in malaria but not in real. My second is in underfeed but not in defender. My third is in enchantress but not in chasten. My fourth is in electrocardiogram but not in meteorological. My fifth is in prenuptial but not in tarpaulin. My sixth is in tarsal but not in slat. My seventh is in ascertainment but not in antimacassar. My eighth is in president but not in serpentine."
"Who..." I whispered, causing Salem to stop talking and stare at me.
"My first is in malaria but not in real. My second is in underfeed but not in defender. My third is in enchantress but not in chasten. My fourth is in electrocardiogram but not in meteorological. My fifth is in prenuptial but not in tarpaulin. My sixth is in tarsal but not in slat. My seventh is in ascertainment but not in antimacassar. My eighth is in president but not in serpentine."
"No... Stop!" I screamed, clutching my head. I was being drowned in voices. Commi reached out to touch me, but I swatted her hand away.
"My first is in malaria but not in real. My second is in underfeed but not in defender. My third is in enchantress but not in chasten. My fourth is in electrocardiogram but not in meteorological. My fifth is in prenuptial but not in tarpaulin. My sixth is in tarsal but not in slat. My seventh is in ascertainment but not in antimacassar. My eighth is in president but not in serpentine."
"No, no, no, go away!" I found myself in a ball, rocking back and forth, tears staining my face. I don't know why this affected me so much. It didn't before. Perhaps because I had figured out what they were saying. Murdered.