Smudge the Stolen Kitten

by Holly Webb

  “Olivia, it’s way past your bedtime!” Mum put an arm round her shoulders. “He’ll be fine. He’s used to the Rescue Centre. I’m sure our kitchen’s much nicer than that pen he was in.”

  Olivia nodded. “Yes, but he doesn’t know our house yet, and he doesn’t understand what’s happening. What if he thinks we’re never coming back?”

  “Come on. You’re not sleeping in the kitchen with him, Livvy.”

  Olivia sighed and looked back sadly as Mum shooed her out. The light from the hallway gleamed in the kitten’s huge eyes. He looked sad too.

  Upstairs, Olivia got ready for bed. But she couldn’t stop thinking about Smudge, alone in the dark kitchen. Perhaps she should just go and check on him?

  Ben was lying on his bed reading, and he glanced up as Olivia went past. “Mum’ll hear if you sneak downstairs, Olivia. She always catches me.”

  Olivia leaned round his bedroom door. “How did you know what I was doing?” she hissed. “I might just have been going to the loo!”

  Ben shrugged. “I could tell by the way you were looking at the stairs.” He frowned. “Hey, is that Smudge making that noise?”

  From downstairs came a faint but pitiful wailing, along with a scratching sound. The noise of kitten claws scrabbling at a kitchen door.

  Olivia hung over the banisters, listening to the sad little howls.

  Eventually Mum came out of the living room, frowning. “I hope he’s all right,” she said over her shoulder to Dad. “Oh, Olivia. Is he keeping you awake?”

  “Can’t we let him come upstairs?” Olivia pleaded. “He sounds so lonely.”

  Mum sighed and glanced at Dad.

  Dad shrugged. “Well, he is house-trained.”

  “Thank you!” Olivia smiled with delight, and ran down the stairs to open the kitchen door.

  Smudge shot out, and she gathered him into her arms, cuddling him against her pyjamas. “Don’t worry, Smudge,” she whispered. “I’ll look after you.” She carried him upstairs, and put him down gently on her bed.

  Smudge looked around interestedly, and padded up and down Olivia’s duvet, inspecting it carefully. Olivia tried not to laugh. He looked so serious. Then he marched over to her pillow, curled himself up in the hollow between the pillow and the duvet, and went to sleep.

  Chapter Three

  Smudge had only been there a few days, but Olivia’s house was definitely his home now. He had explored every possible hole and hiding place, and got stuck in several of them. But Olivia or Ben or their parents were always there to rescue him. Except for today. Dad was at work, Olivia and Ben had gone to school that morning, and as it was Thursday their mum had to go into school to work too. Smudge was all on his own for the first time, and he didn’t like it. He wandered around the house, his tail twitching. He’d already been into every room that was open, and he knew that no one was there, but he kept hoping that maybe if he looked again he would find somebody.

  He padded back into the kitchen, and sniffed hopefully at the door. Olivia and Ben had taken him out into the garden when they got home from school yesterday. It had been his first taste of the outside world, and his ears flickered back and forth as he remembered watching the birds, and chasing after the little jingly ball that Olivia had rolled along the patio.

  There it was, in the corner by the kitchen cupboards. Smudge trotted over and patted the ball with one paw. It rolled along, the little bell jingling, and he pounced on it. The ball slid along the polished tiles, and so did Smudge, rolling over on to his back, wriggling and clawing at it. But then the ball slid away from his paws and stopped against the kitchen table leg, and it wasn’t as much fun any more.

  Grumpily, Smudge lay there on his back, licking his paws. He’d already had quite a long sleep in the recycling box on the kitchen counter. (Ben had emptied it that morning, and it was just the right size for Smudge to feel cosy in, much better than his basket.) Now he wanted someone to play with.

  Perhaps by the time he got upstairs, Olivia would be back in her bedroom? He trotted through to the hallway and started to struggle up the stairs.

  He was big enough to climb them, but it was an effort, and he had to scrabble and heave himself up each step. He sat down for a little while at the top of the stairs, his sides heaving, and then he crept along the landing and nosed his way round Olivia’s door.

  She wasn’t there. The room was empty.

  Smudge crept under Olivia’s bed. He picked his way between two tottering piles of books, and pounced on the flex of Olivia’s hair-dryer. Then, yawning, he snuggled himself inside her gym bag. He liked small spaces, and climbing the stairs had worn him out. When he woke up, surely they would all be back?

  “I can’t believe it’s only lunchtime,” Olivia muttered, checking her watch for the hundredth time.

  “Are you missing Smudge?” Lucie grinned at her.

  Olivia nodded. “It’s the first time we’ve left him alone all day. I really hope he’s OK. He nearly climbed out of the living-room window yesterday. I caught him just as he was sticking his head out.”

  “He still isn’t allowed out then? Isn’t he old enough?”

  “He’s ten weeks, so he could go outside, but Debbie said it’s best if we wait until we’ve had him a bit longer before letting him out on his own. It already feels like he’s been with us for ages, though. He isn’t shy or nervous at all.” Then she shook her head. “Except for yesterday, when we took Smudge into the garden with us, and Ben got him with his water pistol. He said it was an accident, but I don’t know…”

  Lucie sighed. “I’m so jealous. I love Tiger, but he’s really old and just sleeps all day. Can I come and see Smudge soon?” she asked hopefully.

  Olivia nodded. She was desperate to show off how gorgeous Smudge was. “Do you want to come to tea tomorrow? Mum’s doing playground duty, we could go and ask her.”

  They ran over to Olivia’s mum, who was turning the end of a skipping rope for a bunch of year one girls. “Mum, can Lucie come to tea tomorrow? She really wants to see Smudge.”

  Mum frowned. “Oh, not Friday, Lucie, sorry. Ben’s already invited Rob. I’ll ask your mum about popping over at the weekend,” she suggested, and Lucie nodded, looking pleased, but Olivia was frowning.

  “Rob’s coming? To tea? Mum, does he have to? Ben always plays up when Rob’s round, they’ll be awful! They might upset Smudge!”

  “I’m sure they won’t, Olivia. Oh dear! Up you get, Sinead!” One of the year ones had tripped over the rope, and Mum went to pick her up.

  Olivia sighed, and glanced at Lucie. “I bet they will. You know what Ben’s like. And with Rob there he’s three times as bad. I’ll just have to keep Smudge with me the whole time.”

  “Smudge! Where are you, puss?” As soon as Olivia got home from school, she dropped her bag, pulled off her coat, and dashed upstairs to search for him. Maybe he was having a sleep on her bed? As she pushed her bedroom door wide open, there was a little mew and Smudge wriggled out from under her bed. A pile of books toppled over as he shot out and scrambled into her lap. Olivia giggled. “Mum’s right, I really do need to tidy up, especially if you’re going to go exploring under there. Those books nearly squashed your tail!” She settled down to do her homework with Smudge purring on her knee. When she’d finished she carried him downstairs, and wandered into the kitchen to talk to Mum. Ben was out in the garden building a den in the apple tree.

  “Mum, does Rob have to come to tea tomorrow?”

  Mum looked up from the saucepan she was stirring. “Well, yes. It’s all arranged. What’s the matter, Livvy?”

  Olivia shrugged. “I don’t want him to…” she whispered. “He does stupid stuff, and he makes Ben do stupid stuff too. They always get into trouble.”

  Mum sighed. “I know they’re a bit naughty. But Rob is Ben’s best friend. Can’t you just stay out of their way tomorrow, love?”

  “But what if they upset Smudge? Can I take him up to my room tomorrow to keep him out of their
way too?”

  Mum looked at her seriously for a moment, and shook her head. “Olivia, Ben wants to show Smudge off to Rob. I know you really love Smudge, and he’s taken to you so well, but he’s not just yours, sweetheart. He’s Ben’s kitten as well.”

  Olivia nodded miserably. She knew Mum was right, but it didn’t help. Smudge felt like he was her kitten, and she didn’t want the boys anywhere near him.

  “Hello, Smudge!” Olivia’s dad walked in, and tickled the kitten under the chin.

  Then Ben flung open the kitchen door, and stomped muddy footprints across the floor. “Is it dinnertime yet?”

  “Shoes off!” Mum grabbed him. “And then it is, yes.”

  Olivia rolled her eyes at Mum. “You see?” she muttered. She let Smudge down to the floor and went to help pass the bowls of pasta round.

  “What?” Ben asked, as he hopped around taking off his trainers.

  Olivia folded her arms. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea for you to have Rob over tomorrow. Not when we’ve only had Smudge for three days. Rob’ll probably get Smudge to … to climb trees or something. You always do stupid things with him! Like that time you dug a tunnel and pulled up all Dad’s daffodil bulbs!”

  Ben shook his head. “That so isn’t fair! For a start, we didn’t know they were there! And anyway, Rob loves cats. He’s been asking his mum and dad for one for ages. He can’t wait to meet Smudge.”

  “Oh…” Olivia muttered.

  “Actually, where is Smudge?” Mum asked.

  Olivia looked down, expecting to see him by her feet, hoping to be fed. But he wasn’t there.

  “I don’t know.” Olivia went to look in the hallway, but then there was a worried little meow from somewhere on the other side of the kitchen.

  Mum frowned. “Where on earth is he?”

  The meowing got louder.

  “I think he’s behind the cooker!” Ben said suddenly.

  “But it’s still hot from cooking dinner!” Mum cried.

  Olivia dashed over to the cooker. “Smudge, come out of there!”

  But Smudge only mewed louder.

  “He’s stuck,” Olivia muttered, crouching down and trying to reach behind the cooker. “Ow, and it’s hot. I can’t get to him. I think he got trapped and now he can’t turn round!”

  Dad shook his head. “What is it with that kitten? The smaller the space, the more he likes it. I’ll have to pull it out a bit.”

  He dragged the cooker out from the wall, and Smudge darted out and ran to Olivia. He was trembling, and covered in dust balls – he looked even furrier than usual.

  Mum shook her head. “I don’t think Smudge needs the boys to get him into trouble, Olivia. He can manage it perfectly well on his own!”

  Chapter Four

  After school on Friday, Olivia ran into the house ahead of Rob and Ben, looking for Smudge.

  The little grey kitten slipped round the living-room door, mewing excitedly, and purred as she picked him up. Olivia stroked him lovingly, and then took a step back as Rob came over to her. She was used to Rob racing around the playground with Ben, chasing people and getting into trouble. She wasn’t sure he knew how to be careful with a kitten.

  “Hey! He’s really cute!”

  Olivia nodded slowly.

  “Can I stroke him? Will he mind?” Even Rob’s voice was gentler than usual.

  “Um, OK…” Olivia looked on anxiously, but Rob tickled Smudge behind the ears – his favourite place, and Smudge purred and wriggled so that Olivia had to hand him over, letting him fasten his claws in Rob’s school sweater.

  “He likes you!” Ben commented. “Come on, bring him up to my room.” He grabbed Smudge’s favourite jingly ball and a squeaky mouse.

  “But…” Olivia watched as the boys thundered up the stairs, taking Smudge with them. She started to run after them, but Mum called her back. “Leave them on their own, Olivia.”

  “But they’ve taken Smudge up there. What are they going to do with him?”

  Mum laughed. “Just play with him, like you do! Rob seems to really like him. Come on, Livvy. Come and make some chocolate-chip cookies with me, we can have them after tea.”

  Olivia sighed. She supposed Mum was right. Maybe she was just feeling jealous because Smudge seemed to like Rob.

  They were in the middle of cutting out the biscuits, when Ben and Rob and Smudge came down to watch TV. Olivia looked at Smudge carefully, but he seemed to be all right. The boys hadn’t trimmed his whiskers, or painted him blue, or done any of the other stupid things she’d been imagining.

  A little later, Ben came into the kitchen. “Are the cookies ready yet? They smell fantastic.”

  “The first trayful are nearly done, but they’re for after tea, Ben! We’re having fish fingers. And I can see you stealing the chocolate!” Mum waved a spoon at him, as Ben popped a handful of choc drops into his mouth, grinning.

  “Where’s Smudge?” Olivia asked anxiously.

  “Sitting on the sofa with Rob – calm down, Olivia! He’s fine. Rob thinks he’s great.”

  Olivia stared out of the kitchen door, hoping Smudge might come in to see her. But he stayed with Rob.

  Smudge yawned, and stretched out his paws. Rob was stroking him very nicely, but he wanted to go and see what Olivia was doing. He hadn’t seen her all day, and he wanted her to play with him. And he was hungry. There were food smells coming from the kitchen, good fishy smells, he thought. He stood up sleepily, getting ready to jump off Rob’s lap.

  Rob looked down. “Where are you going, Smudge?” He tickled him under the chin and Smudge purred. Maybe he wouldn’t go just yet.

  “Ben’s so lucky,” Rob murmured gently. “I wish I had a kitten like you.” He sighed, and picked up his school bag from the floor, rooting around in it.

  Smudge peered over, and stuck his nose in. It smelled good.

  Rob laughed. “I’m just looking for my Polos, but I don’t think they’re good for cats. Oh, I bet I know what you can smell. My leftover ham sandwich.” He laughed again as Smudge stuck his whole head in the bag. “Where are you going?”

  Smudge could smell the delicious ham at the bottom of the bag, and he wriggled all the way in.

  “Hey, Ben’s going to think I’m taking you home.” Rob grinned. But then his smile faded a little. Smudge popped his head out of the bag, licking round his jaws hopefully. “There isn’t any more, Smudge, sorry.”

  The little kitten yawned widely, and ducked back into the bag, curling up at the bottom and closing his eyes.

  Rob shook his head. “I can’t believe you’re asleep in my school bag.” He stared at Smudge thoughtfully and sighed. “I really could take you home…”

  “Mrs Williams…”

  “Oh, hello, Rob. Do you want to help with the cookies?”

  Rob was standing by the kitchen door, looking shifty. “Um. No. I have to go home. Um, I feel sick.”

  “Oh dear!” Olivia’s mum put down the tray of biscuits, and hurried over to him.

  Ben and Olivia stared at Rob in surprise. “You don’t look ill,” Ben said.

  “Has it just suddenly come over you?” Olivia’s mum asked. “Are you hot?”

  Rob backed away from her, and nodded. “Yes. And I feel really sick. Please can I ring my mum?”

  “Of course.” She handed him the phone. “You poor thing.”

  Rob took the phone out into the hallway, and they could hear him explaining urgently to his mum.

  “He does sound very upset, poor Rob,” Olivia’s mum said anxiously.

  “He was fine ten minutes ago,” Ben muttered.

  Olivia frowned. “I bet he’s broken something. And he doesn’t want to get into trouble. Did he mess anything up in your room?”

  “Don’t be silly, Olivia. The boys have just been watching TV. How could he have broken anything?” Mum glared at her crossly. “You mustn’t be mean.”

  “She’s coming.” Rob stood at the kitchen door, holding out the phone to Olivia�
�s mum.

  Rob’s mum arrived a few minutes later, and Olivia’s mum chatted to her, while Rob lurked impatiently by the door. “I’m really sorry. I don’t think it’s anything he’s eaten – we hadn’t even had tea.”

  Rob’s mum shook her head. “It’s probably just something going round – I only hope he hasn’t given it to Ben and Olivia. At least he’s got the weekend to recover. Anyway, I’d better get him home. Thank you for having him!”

  Rob darted into the living room and came out carrying his school bag. He was holding it against his tummy, hunching over, and his mum looked at him worriedly. “Oh dear, you do look as though you might be sick. Come on, let’s get you home.” She led him down the path to the car.

  Mum closed the door and hurried into the kitchen. “I’d forgotten about the fish fingers with all of that going on; I’m afraid they might be a bit crispy…”

  “Can Smudge have one of Rob’s ones?” Olivia asked. “I bet he’d love a fish finger.” Then she jumped up suddenly. “Where is Smudge?” she asked, her voice a little panicky. “I haven’t seen him in ages. Rob was cuddling him in the living room.”

  “Perhaps Rob shut the living-room door?” Mum suggested, as she served up tea. “He’s probably stuck in there.”

  But the living-room door was open and there was no Smudge on the sofa, or hiding behind it to leap out at Olivia as she searched around. She darted upstairs to look in her room.

  “Smudge! Smudge! Mum, he’s not in there, and I’ve checked upstairs, and I can’t find him anywhere!” Olivia ran back into the kitchen.

  Ben was sitting at the table eating a huge pile of fish fingers – his and Rob’s. “He’ll be under your bed or something. I’ll come and help you look.” But Smudge wasn’t in either of their rooms, and he hadn’t climbed into the bath and got stuck. He wasn’t in the airing cupboard on the towels either.