Time Traveler

This is for The Art Prompt Writing Contest #9
https://steemit.com/contest/@gmuxx/htym9-art-prompt-writing-contest-8

Based on this whimsical and beautiful rendering by @azbeen

Milk spills across the floor, puddling between the tiles as Charlie exclaims, "Lucy! Where have you been!?" His cat, Lucy (short for Lucifer) had been missing for days. A warm wave filled his belly as he took Lucy into his arms. Purring like clockwork, she nestled her head against his shirt, leaving a trail of fur.

Just then the door tapped loud and harsh, and they both jumped, "Ouch!" shouted Charlie as Lucy stung her way down to the white puddle. Charlie creaked the door open and peered through the slit of light. It was only a salesmen.

"Good morning, sir!" said the gentleman, "Might I have a moment?" Charlie opened the door wide, exhaling patience.

"There she is!" cried the man as he peered past Charlie.
"Oh, that's my cat, Lucy," explained Charlie at the man's odd recognition, "Was she with you?"

"She was indeed," said the man, "and she forgot this." He held out a watch and explained, "It goes with her new collar."

Charlie took the watch in his hand and glanced back at Lucy again, "Her new," he began. It was true. Lucy was wearing a strange new collar with a timepiece. He wasn't sure what to say to...where had the man gone? Charlie stepped outside and looked around, but the salesman was nowhere in sight.

He closed the door, still holding the watch and knelt down to Lucy who had happily cleaned up the milk. Charlie lifted the empty cup and turned to set it down in the- What in the world!?

A beach stretched out across where the kitchen used to be as Lucy brushed against Charlie's leg. Seagulls flew overhead, and a warm breeze danced with Charlie's hair. He had dropped his cup in the sand, "How did we get here?" Charlie asked, and he sat down bewildered as Lucy crawled into his lap.

It had to be a dream. Rubbing the watch-face with his thumb, Charlie stared at each timepiece carefully. He noticed that the watches each told a different time. Not knowing what else to do, he began to fiddle with Lucy's collar.

WHOOSH!

The beach became a tropical forest. Parrots laughed in the trees where the seagulls used to be crying. Lucy lept and scratched all over Charlie's shoulders, "Ouch!" cried Charlie, and as he reached for Lucy, he noticed a dark body prowling only feet away. He tightened his grip on the watch still in his hand and WHOOSH!

It was dark. Sweating and catching his breath, Charlie held Lucy tight in his arms. If this was a dream, perhaps he could make it change. Inhaling deeply, he began to imagine that Lucy was big and strong and that he needn't be afraid. He drank in his mouth and felt butterflies rising in his stomach. He held Lucy's fur and leaned into her and then they were moving.

Lightning zapped in Charlie's bones as he held onto Lucy and felt a thrill!