by Holly Webb
“Could he have got out somehow?” Ben asked when they came back downstairs.
Mum frowned. “I’m sure all the windows were shut. After he nearly got out yesterday I was a bit worried he might try that again.”
Olivia nodded. “I checked all the windows this morning, before we went to school.”
Mum sighed. “Smudge must be hiding somewhere, like he always does. He’ll pop out at us in a minute, I’m sure.”
Olivia turned to Ben, her hands on her hips. “Did you and Rob let him outside?”
Ben stared at her, wide-eyed. “He was just watching TV with us, Olivia. We didn’t even go out, so how’s it our fault suddenly?”
“I bet that’s why Rob wanted to go home.” Olivia sat down on a chair as her knees suddenly felt shaky. “He was scared he was going to get into trouble. You let him out. I can’t believe you’d do that!” she yelled.
“Olivia!” Mum warned. “You’re just jumping to conclusions.”
“We didn’t let him out!” Ben stood up angrily. “How many times do I have to say it?” He stomped out of the kitchen, muttering. “I’m going to look for him upstairs. He must be here somewhere.”
Olivia slumped on her chair, feeling tears welling up in her eyes. However much Ben denied it, she was sure the boys had let Smudge get out – either by accident, or as part of some stupid game. Smudge was so little! He’d only been outside once, and he’d had her and Ben there to make sure he didn’t escape from the garden, or get himself stuck somewhere. Just thinking of all the places where he might hurt himself made her feel sick.
Chapter Five
Smudge woke up, and was surprised to find that everything was dark, and the bag was bumping around. The little kitten swayed from side to side, mewing with fright. Where was Olivia? Why was he stuck in here? He needed Olivia to let him out!
“Hey, ssshhh. I’m going to get you out of there.”
The bag opened, and Smudge could see Rob peering inside. He gave a soft little mew. This wasn’t right. He had thought that Olivia would come and find him. He cowered back against the bottom of the bag, and hissed as Rob tried to open it up a bit more. The boy had been kind before, stroking and cuddling him, and feeding him sandwiches, but now Smudge was confused, and he wanted Olivia.
“Hey, Smudge. Don’t you want to get out? Come and see my bedroom,” Rob said, gently reaching in to pick up the kitten.
Smudge spat crossly as a warning, and when Rob didn’t take his hand away, he clawed at it, hard.
“Ow!” Rob sat back, sucking at the bleeding scratch. Then he sighed. “OK. I suppose I’d scratch if I got shut up in a bag and bounced around all over the place. Maybe I’d better get you something else to eat.” He smiled at Smudge. “You liked that ham sandwich, didn’t you?”
Smudge saw him stand up.
“I’ll go and see what’s in the fridge, but I might be a while. Mum still thinks I’m sick, so I’ll have to wait till she’s not looking. Back soon. Here, you can play with this ball, it’s got spikes, look! That’d be fun, wouldn’t it? See you in a minute, Smudge.”
The bedroom door clicked, and Smudge waited, his heart thumping. Had the boy gone? Was it safe to come out?
Slowly, cautiously, he wriggled out of the bag.
“I can’t find him anywhere.” Ben was standing in the doorway, and his voice had changed. He wasn’t angry any more, he sounded frightened.
“I told you so!” Olivia swiped a hand across her eyes. “You must have opened a window, or let him out of the kitchen door, or something!”
“We didn’t! You and Mum were in the kitchen the whole time, how could we let him out of here?”
“Ben’s right, Olivia, you’re not being fair.”
“Even if Ben didn’t let him out, his stupid friend did!” Olivia sobbed. “And now Smudge is lost!”
“I didn’t let him out, I promise I didn’t, and Rob didn’t either. He would have said if something had happened.” Ben’s voice was shaking now.
“Both of you calm down. Olivia, try and stop crying, sweetheart, it’s only making you feel worse. Come on. We’ll all do another proper search round the house. Look at yesterday, when Smudge got himself stuck behind the oven! He’s around somewhere, I’m sure of it.”
Olivia shook her head. “Then why can’t we hear him? If he was here and stuck, he’d be meowing, Mum. Wouldn’t he?”
Mum got up. “Maybe you’re right. If Smudge was shut in somewhere, we’d hear him. We’d better go and check outside. Maybe there’s a window open that we’ve missed.”
“I told you!” Olivia wailed. “Rob let him out, he must have done.”
Even Ben was looking less certain now. “Rob wouldn’t just let him out – I told him Smudge wasn’t allowed outside on his own yet…”
They hurried out into the garden, calling and calling, but apart from next-door’s cat, Lily, who looked very curiously at them, the garden was empty. It was starting to get dark, and cold. Olivia shivered, thinking of Smudge outside in the chilly wind.
“What about the garden shed?” Mum suggested, trying to think of places a kitten might find interesting. “Could he have squeezed himself in there somehow?”
The shed door was tightly shut, but they checked anyway. And under the patio furniture, and behind the pile of flower pots, and even up the cherry tree.
Smudge was nowhere to be found.
“You two stay here, I’ll just go and ask Sally next door if she’s seen him,” Mum said. “Why don’t you go and have another look inside?”
“I’m sorry I said you let him out,” Olivia muttered, as they peered behind the sofa. “I know you wouldn’t really.”
“Do you think he’ll be all right?” Ben asked miserably. “I just don’t see where he can be!”
Olivia stood up again, and went to check behind the curtains, but then she stopped. “Rob forgot his lunchbox,” she said slowly, pointing at a Star Wars lunchbox down by the side of the sofa. “And a load of his books, look. His reading record and everything…”
Ben frowned. “Why would he take all that stuff out of his bag?”
“His bag… He was carrying it in a funny way.” Olivia stared at Ben, her eyes wide. “Ben, he didn’t let Smudge out, he stole him! Rob put Smudge in his school bag and took him home!”
“Don’t be stupid,” Ben said, but he was chewing his thumbnail worriedly. “He wouldn’t…What’s he going to do, hide Smudge in his room? I know he really wanted a pet, but he wouldn’t steal our cat…”
“I bet you he did,” Olivia told him grimly. She heard the sound of the key in the lock, and rushed out into the hallway. “Mum! We think we know where Smudge is!”
Chapter Six
Smudge gazed around the room. He had no idea where he was, but he knew this wasn’t home and he wanted to get away. His ears were laid back, listening for footsteps. But no one was coming. He had to get out and find Olivia. He shook his head, feeling dazed from bumping around in the bag. His nose was still full of the smell of ham sandwich, and the musty scent of the inside of the bag, but there was something else…
The window was open! Smudge’s eyes widened a little.
Rob’s bed was pushed up against the wall. If he could jump on to that, it was only a little climb to the windowsill. But the bed was very high up. Much higher than the steps on the stairs he’d struggled with. Smudge glanced anxiously round at the door. He was sure the boy would be back soon. He had to be quick. With a huge effort, he ran at the bed, hooking his claws into the duvet cover and scrabbling upwards furiously. From the top of the bed it didn’t look such a small climb to the windowsill after all, but Rob had nice long curtains. Smudge raced up them, his heart hammering, leaving a pattern of little hooked loops all the way up. And then he scrambled up on to the windowsill.
He peered out of the open window, his nose twitching, trying to see where to go next. But below him was only a straight wall down to the garden. Smudge teetered on the edge of the window, his tail flicking an
xiously back and forth. He had to get out, and this was the only way. He edged a little further, on to the outside windowsill. He could see all the way along the garden, and he was sure that if he could get down there, he could find his way back to Olivia somehow. But it was a long way to jump… He paced up and down, mewing pitifully. He was cold, out there on the windowsill. The sky was darkening, and there was a chill wind ruffling his fur. It shook the branches of the tree in the corner of the garden, and they kept tapping against the wall and scraping the windowsill.
Smudge crouched on the windowsill, shivering, and watching the twigs brushing against the wall. It was the only way down, but the branches were like thin little fingers. He had never climbed a tree, and certainly never climbed down one.
Suddenly, Smudge whipped round. He could hear the door handle turning. He had to go now! He sprang on to the nearest branch that looked strong enough to hold him, and mewed with fright as it wobbled and dipped underneath him. He clung on desperately, digging his claws into the bark, and wailed as a gust of wind shook the tree again.
He scrabbled his way along the branch towards the tree trunk, and skidded and bumped down to the fence, where he perched, mewing with fright. It was a very narrow fence, but at least it wasn’t shaking – or not as much as the tree had been.
Smudge teetered, trying to work out which way to jump. Back into the garden? But then the boy might come and find him. So, down the other side of the fence? There was long grass down there that looked soft enough to jump on to. But he had no idea where the alley went, or if it would lead back to Olivia. There were only a few battered-looking garages.
He jumped, bouncing down the side of the fence, and landing in a flurry of paws on the soft grass. Now where should he go?
“Yes, Rob’s here, I’ll just get him, Ben.”
Ben put his hand over the phone receiver and nodded to Olivia and Mum. “He’s coming.”
Olivia sat forward on the sofa, trying to listen, and Ben rolled his eyes and pressed the speakerphone button. Rob’s voice echoed out into the room.
“What is it?” He sounded jumpy and worried.
“Where’s Smudge?” Ben demanded.
“What do you mean?”
“He knows!” Olivia hissed. Rob was trying to sound as though he didn’t understand, but he wasn’t very good at it.
“We found all your stuff. You took him away in your school bag, didn’t you?” Ben said angrily.
“I’m sorry…” Rob muttered finally. “It was all a mistake. Smudge was sniffing around my bag, and then he climbed in and went to sleep. I just wanted to have him for a bit to see what it would be like…”
“You stole him!” Olivia yelled down the phone. “Bring him back now!”
There was silence. Then Rob whispered, “I can’t…”
“What do you mean, you can’t?” Ben asked.
“He’s gone.” Rob sounded almost like he was crying.
“You’ve lost him!” Olivia cried.
“I think he got out of my bedroom window,” Rob gulped. “He must have done. I searched my whole room, and he just wasn’t anywhere. I’m sorry.”
Mum reached out for the phone. “Rob, can you get your mother for me, please.”
Olivia didn’t even hear as her mum and Rob’s tried to sort out what was going on. She was slumped on the sofa, her hands squashed into her eyes to stop herself from crying.
Eventually Mum ended the call, and put one arm round Olivia, and one round Ben.
“It looks like Rob did take Smudge,” she said slowly. “His mum said she couldn’t believe he’d do something so stupid. He hadn’t told her what had happened. She’s really sorry.”
“What are we going to do?” Olivia wailed. “Can we go round to Rob’s house and look for Smudge?”
“Rob’s dad just came home, and he’s going out to look, and ask all the neighbours,” Mum explained. “I don’t think there’s much point in us going over there, it’s almost dark. Rob’s mum said he thinks Smudge must have been gone for about half an hour, he could have got away down the road.”
“But it’s so cold,” Olivia whispered. “Smudge is out there all on his own!”
Chapter Seven
Smudge was still hiding in the long grass, wondering what to do. He was dreadfully hungry. If he was at home, he was sure it would be teatime. A bowl of crunchy biscuits, or perhaps some of the meaty stuff he really liked. The thought of food made him more determined. He had to go home. He crept out of the clump of grass, and looked around the alleyway worriedly. He had no idea if he was close to Olivia’s house or not.
Perhaps he could call for Olivia? But then, he was still very close to the house. What if that boy heard him?
He took a few steps down the alley, his fur prickling. The air felt strange, and it was making him edgy. He carried on, hoping desperately that he would see some sign of Olivia. Wouldn’t she come and look for him? Now he was further away from Rob’s house, he risked mewing hopefully. But no one was around to hear him.
A large raindrop landed suddenly on his nose, and he jumped back in surprise. It was followed by another and another, and in seconds Smudge’s fur was soaked and clinging to him. The rain was followed by a strange eerie flash that seemed to split the dark sky and then a rolling boom of thunder. Smudge shot across the alley to the tumbledown garages, looking for a place to hide. They were all locked up, but he spotted a hole, where a brick had come loose, and squeezed himself inside. There was another crash of thunder. Startled, he jumped back, bumping into a pile of boxes and paint tins, which fell clattering all around him.
Smudge scampered away with a terrified squeak. When he looked back, he saw that a heavy wooden box had fallen right in front of his hole. He was trapped.
He sprang forward, frantically mewing and clawing at the box, but it was far too heavy for him to move.
At last he stopped scrabbling, and sat back, exhausted. He wove his way through the dusty darkness, round the piles of boxes and bikes and all sorts of rubbish that was stored in the garage, hoping to find another hole. But he couldn’t find even the tiniest gap.
Miserably he settled down on a pile of old dust sheets. It was cold, and he was starving, and he wanted to be on Olivia’s lap on the sofa. Sadly, he snuffled himself to sleep.
“Look at the rain,” Olivia whispered, peering out of the living-room window.
Mum came up behind her, and hugged her. “I’m sure he’s tucked himself away somewhere safe. We’ll find him tomorrow.”
“He’s only ever been out in the garden with us.” Olivia turned to look at Mum, her eyes wide and worried. “He’s never been out in the rain! And the thunder’s so scary, he must be terrified.”
“Like you,” Ben muttered from her doorway. But he didn’t seem to be putting much effort into teasing her. He sounded too miserable to bother. He came over to the window, and stared at the rain. “Rob’s dad phoned just now. He’s asked all the neighbours to look out for Smudge, but he had to stop looking and come back inside – he said he couldn’t see anything, it was raining so hard.”
Their dad came in, carrying the phone. “Olivia, it’s Lucie on the phone for you.”
Olivia took the phone reluctantly. She wasn’t sure whether she wanted to talk to Lucie or not. She desperately wanted to tell someone how angry she was with Rob, but at the same time she didn’t want to have to say that Smudge was missing.
“Hi, Olivia! Mum says I can come round to yours tomorrow, if you like. Would that be OK with your mum?”
“I don’t know…” Olivia whispered, her eyes prickling with tears.
“Oh, are you going out?” Lucie’s voice was disappointed. “I was hoping we could play with Smudge. I really want to see him!”
Olivia sniffed, and then sobbed. “He’s gone!”
There was a confused silence on the other end of the line. “You mean, he had to go back to the Rescue Centre?” Lucie said at last.
“No. You know Rob was coming for tea with Ben �
�� he took him.”
“Rob Ford stole your kitten?” Lucie sounded as though she didn’t quite believe it.
Olivia gave a cross little laugh. “I know it sounds stupid, but he really did! He even owned up to it. But then Smudge tried to get away from him and climbed out of his bedroom window, and now we don’t know where he is!”
“What are you going to do?” Lucie whispered in horror.
“We’re going to look for him tomorrow – Mum says it’s too dark to go round there now. But he could be anywhere, Lucie. And it’s a horrible night.”
“Can I come and help you look? I bet my mum will come too. The more people the more chance there is we’ll spot him,” Lucie suggested.
For the first time since she’d realized Smudge was gone, Olivia felt a little bit better. “Would you really help look?”
“Call me tomorrow and let me know when,” Lucie told her firmly. “We’ll find him.”
“OK,” Olivia whispered. “Thanks, Lucie. See you in the morning.” She put the phone back in its cradle. “Lucie’s going to come over and help us look,” she explained to Mum and Dad.
Dad nodded. “That’s nice of her. Look, I think you should go to bed. You’re only sitting here making yourself feel worse. And we want to get up early and go and look for Smudge.”
Olivia nodded, and went up to her room, but she didn’t think she’d be able to get to sleep. And when she did, she was sure she was going to dream about Smudge all night. Smudge lost and all alone, and wondering why she hadn’t come to find him.
She lay in her warm bed, listening to the rain drumming on the roof outside her window, and hoping that Smudge was tucked away somewhere safe. But he could be anywhere, she thought worriedly, turning over, and huddling under her duvet. What if they never found him? What would they say to the people from the Rescue Centre? Debbie had said they would call in the next few days to see how they were getting on, and whether Smudge was settling in. They would have to tell her that they had lost him! Or actually, that a stupid, selfish, idiot boy had stolen him.
