Learning to Love Time Loops Without Going Insane

“Hello, I’m Bug, what’s your name?” Bug asked the small scraggly cat she had found scavenging the dumpster earlier in the day. She had been bored waiting for Ethel to get home from shopping and managed to get the doors open to get outside, but without either a key or thumbs she was now stuck.

The cat purred weakly, gently rubbing against Bug’s leg. “Are you okay little cat, you don’t seem very strong.” Bug had noticed on a closer inspection that the cat was covered in fleas and was incredibly thin. “I think I’m just going to wait here with you and keep you warm until Ethel gets home. She will know what to do. Don’t worry she loves animals.” Bug curled up on the ground around the emaciated cat, protecting them from the cold. They stayed like that for a few hours.

“Bug, where are you girl? Bark twice if you can hear me.” Bug barked twice in response. She then saw Ethel walking down the alley to her.

“Ethel over here, my new friend needs help. She’s very small, and she has fleas. I’m worried about her.”

Ethel walked up to both of them. “Let me see her.” Ethel bent over and picked up the cat and looked her over. “Let’s get her inside and give her a bath.” It took them nearly a year of the loop to nurse the cat back to full health, but between the two of them they managed it. Bug’s new friend, who she named Trashcat, slept warmly and happily in the apartment with them for the rest of the loop.