Re: abe/cat
[...] Literal. I don't know how or why, but my natural form is a fish. It was only while I was traveling that I found someone who could help me turn into a human. [...] Why are you splintered? It seems like so many of you live here.
I will. [...] The carnival while Eddie was in charge was mostly about him, so a change in ownership might be good for all of us. I will help out the best I can.
As you know, there's a part of the book where the creature made friends with a blind man. I experienced the same thing with my adoptive father. The difference was that once he realized I was a fishman, he wasn't afraid of me.