Part 26 (2/2)

'Hope you havent got cholera, said Thomas.

'Where were you?

'Making sure they didnt come back.

'Oh. Thank you.

'My pleasure.

I began to pick at the knot with stiff, cold fingers.

Thomas s.h.i.+fted uneasily. 'Im not sure ...

'I cant leave whatever it is in there.

'No, of course not, but it could be anything, so be careful.

I wasnt listening. There was no movement at all from the sack and I feared I was too late.

'Theres a hole. Just rip it.

I poked a finger through the hole to make it bigger, grasped the edges, tugged away, and whatever was in there stirred into sudden life.

'Look out, said Thomas, but it was too late.

I fell back onto my bottom with shock. Im not sure what Id been expecting a litter of cute puppies or kittens maybe, but that wasnt what I got. Now I was in real trouble. I had rescued THE CAT FROM h.e.l.l.

It was not happy. It was not happy at all.

It fought its way out of the hole I had made, accompanied by the worst smell of ammonia in the entire world. If it had had two eyes, they would have been blazing with fury. If it had had two ears they would have been laid back against its head as it crouched in full fighting mode, seeking what it might devour. If its fur hadnt been plastered to its skinny body it would have been bristling like a toilet brush on steroids, but despite not having any of that it still managed to give a very strong impression of stark, staring, incandescent rage.

'Jenny, get back, said Thomas from several yards away.

I always feel sorry for wet cats. They look like drowned rats, all their dignity stripped away, leaving them exposed and vulnerable. Not this one however. Vulnerable was not in its vocabulary. Which was rich and varied as it roared and spat its way up and down the musical scale, hurling challenges to the universe and everything in it.

'Jenny, said Thomas, again.

'What are you doing all the way over there?

'Protecting you.

'By post?

' I think you should move quietly away so he doesnt think youre a threat. All he probably wants to do is get away and lick himself clean.

I looked down at my wet hands. There were faint traces of blood. 'I think hes hurt.

There was a slight pause.

'Jenny, the animal is unsafe and probably sick into the bargain. I forbid you to go anywhere near him.

'But I think hes hurt. And he seems to be missing an awful lot of body parts.

'Maybe, but they didnt just drop off in the last few minutes. You saved him, now come away before he attacks you.

I didnt move. The cat and I looked at each other. He got up from battle-crouch and wobbled his way towards me.

'Look out hes attacking.

'What is the matter with you?

'Its filthy and riddled with disease. Cats carry rabies, you know. And bovine TB. And anthrax.

'No they dont.

'I bet you this one does.

'Hes had a tough time, I said, quietly, looking at the scars, the bald patches, the tattered ear. This was not a cat who curled up happily in front of the fire every night. I stretched out a hand.

'Are you insane? You could lose your arm.

I was getting cross with him. Hed comforted Marilyn quickly enough and supported our efforts to steal her. Why not this cat?

'Its not the same thing at all. Now come back home and get out of those wet clothes.

'Good idea, I said, and gently stroked the cat, which produced a strange noise similar to Russells Land Rover when he missed third gear.

'Its purring, I said in delight.

'Its preparing to rip your throat out.

'He likes me. Im going to take him home.

'Jenny, I forbid you ...

That did it. What was the matter with him? Determined to get my own way, I reached out very carefully and said to the cat, 'Im going to pick you up and put you inside my coat and then Ill give you some milk and something to eat.

'What are you doing?

'Well, if I tell him whats happening then he wont be scared. And Im sorry if you dont like it, but Im taking him home.

'Russell wont like it.

'Russell can ...

'Yes?

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