by Molly Snow
“How about the closet?” Cathy said.
“All right.” Surla slid open a door and Cathy walked in positioning herself behind a stack of shoe boxes. “Don’t make any noise.”
Pussface had a feeling he was on the right track. He was in the home of a girl named Cathy, whose name he remembered being said the other day by a girl talking on the phone. That girl had mentioned how much Cathy had changed. Also, Cathy was acting very strange when he just saw her.
Cathy’s mom was stretching some yellow gloves over her hands. She poured in the flea bath and ran warm water. This was the moment Pussface would have to endure. He liked his fleas. They were a part of him. In a way, he enjoyed scratching and feeling dirty. In a moment, that freedom would be gone. In fact, he hadn’t had a bath in such a long time, he forgot how it felt.
“Okay, Surla. Come on.” He was lifted off the toilet. Pussface wriggled around, fighting the hold, but stopped suddenly, knowing from experience, it was not worth the fight. Humans are much stronger than cats. He would just have to face his fear: cleanliness.
“Gosh, with the name Surla, you would think you were a girl, wouldn’t you?” She scrubbed his fur around his neck. Muck, dirt, and dandruff was turning the water brown. It felt as if he had lost some weight. I am actually feeling better, he thought.
“You are really dirty.” She refilled the sink. “You aren’t anything like the cat we found a while ago, except for the black fur.” She had just let the cat out of the bag, figuratively speaking. Now Pussface was almost positive Surla was living in the house.
She probably was in that girl Cathy’s body. His fur was the shiniest he had ever seen it. The nice lady began to dry him off with a towel. If only there was a way I could stay here longer so I could see the cat this lady told me about. Then I would know without a doubt.
“Where are my keys?” Cathy’s mom frantically looked all over the kitchen. What she didn’t know was that Pussface had dragged them onto the floor into the living room, to have more time to finish thinking over his strategy of staying longer.
He sat on the coffee table near the keys. His orange eyes stared at the flier of Surla in thought. Aha! He came to a solution. Grabbing the pen that sat next to it with both paws, he attempted to get the cap off. Finally after chewing it to bits, it came loose. Slowly, he changed the address on the paper from 713 Shadyside Street to 718.
Chapter 11
“Are you sure this isn’t your cat?” Cathy’s mom held Pussface in her arms. His fur looked healthier and a red bow was tied around his neck.
The elderly lady looked at the cat, then back at her. “What did you say?” She cupped her ear that had the hearing aid.
“Are you sure this isn’t your cat?” she said again, this time raising her voice.
Pussface looked down at the porch and watched Diamond, the fluffy white cat. She sat licking her fur like usual. He then shifted his body to see Idis’s old house across the street.
“Yes, I am sure. He is not my cat. My cat’s name is Diamond. I have had her for seven years.” The door was then shut.
“Well, I’m sorry, Surla.” She rubbed Pussface under the chin. “The flier says 718 Shadyside Street. Maybe your owner is not only deaf but is going blind, too.”
They descended the steps and went to her car. Pussface looked back at the lady’s cat. When Diamond finally made eye contact, he winked.
“We can’t keep this cat. We have to find it a home,” Surla argued.
“I agree, but I am not going out again today. He’ll just have to stay here for now.” Julie and Pussface sat on the couch, while Surla stood across from them with her arms folded. “Go get Licorice. I want to see how they react to one another.”
“But, she is sleeping.” Surla really didn’t know if she was sleeping or not.
“Go wake her up then.”
Surla reluctantly obeyed. The two cats met eye-to-eye. Pussface finally knew he was right—Surla was living there.
Monday, at school, the only thing Surla could think about was Pussface. She couldn’t trust him at all. They had been cousins for centuries. She knew him too well. In fact, she feared that right at that moment, as she sat in Chemistry, Pussface could escape to go tell Idis where to find her.
“Cathy,” she heard a distant whisper becoming louder. “Cathy…” Someone touched her shoulder. Surla turned to see Todd. No one else was in the room except for them and the teacher, Mrs. Fitzgerald. “The bell rang.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m really out of it today.” Surla grabbed her backpack quickly and smiled dumbly.
As they walked out into the hallway, a whiff of Todd’s cologne drifted to Surla’s nostrils. She had smelled the cool scent all day and enjoyed it very much. A couple times she felt like putting her nose right up to his neck and breathing in deeply.
“You still grounded?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“That’s too bad.” He looked very sincere.
“Yeah,” she said again.
“When do you get off of groundation?”
“Possibly by Friday.”
“That would be perfect! I’m playing against our rival school, Jefferson High. Maybe you can come watch me.”
“Maybe.” Surla’s mouth widened into a smile.
“So, why didn’t you escape and tell Idis when you had the chance?” Surla asked, surprised to see Pussface sitting on the bed next to Cathy.
“I still can.” His skinny body stretched across the covers. “I just figured I would stay a while longer and enjoy the luxuries of this place.”
“All day he has been drinking up my milk and napping on my bed,” Cathy whined. “And he sheds more than any cat I have ever known.” She blew on Pussface, causing fur to fly. “See what I mean?”
“How long are you planning on staying?” Surla secretly hoped it would be long enough to postpone the witch from discovering her hideout.
“Well, I might leave in a couple days or I might leave tomorrow,” he said nonchalantly on purpose, “…or maybe I could go early in the morning before you wake up. I don’t want Idis to get too upset. You know how she is, Surla. If I don’t go back soon, I could get one of her boots thrown to my head.”
“You dirty hairball! Poor excuse for a cat! You are saying that to make me mad.” Surla stuck her face right in front of his. “Remember, Pusface, for the time being, I am bigger than you. Idis can go stuff both her boots right in her mouth, because I don’t give a rat’s tail about her. You are going to stay here as long as I want.”
Pussface extended sharp nails on his right paw. “I think I have a right to leave when I want.”
Surla stepped back, but not from fear. “That’s how I felt the day I ran away from Idis.”
Pussface’s claws retracted. Just then the phone rang. Surla stared at him as she went to answer it from off of Cathy’s bedside dresser. “Hello?” Surla’s tone changed to sweet.
“Hey, Cathy. What’s up?” she heard the male voice say.
“I’m sorry, who is this?”
“How many other guys have your number?” he joked. “This is Craig.”
“Oh, Craig,” she repeated for Cathy to hear.
“Craig?!” Cathy jumped up excitedly. Her tail stood like a candy cane.
“Watch out.” Pussface was making fun. “You’ll jump right out of your fur. Who is this Craig guy anyway?” No one answered him.
“I figured I would give you a call,” Craig continued. “Are you busy?”
“What kind of busy?”
“Too busy to go out and do something with me?”
Cathy is getting asked out on a date! “No I’m not busy,” Surla responded coolly.
“Good… do you wanna grab a milkshake with me? I can pick you up in a half hour.”
“Sure, that would be…” She suddenly remembered Cathy’s mother getting mad at her, punishing her for a week for catching a boy in the house. “Wait. I’m sorry, Craig… I can’t. Tonight is bad. My mom grounded me.”
<
br /> “Oh… Okay.” There was a pause. “What about this Friday? Are you free then?”
“I’m pretty sure.”
“All right then. Don’t get into anymore trouble.” He laughed.
“I won’t, Craig.” She knew it was coming to the end of their conversation.
“See you at school. I’m playing basketball against you tomorrow in P.E.” He sounded ready for more competition.
“I know. I’ve been practicing my skills in the backyard,” Surla kidded.
“I’m ready. See you tomorrow.”
“Okay. Bye.”
Surla hung up, then plopped on the bed next to Cathy. “Didn’t I tell you I would hook him by my cat-like ways?”
“Did he just ask me on a date?!”
“Yep, but it would be even better if you could go yourself.”
“That’s okay. I’m on a roll having you be me.”
Pussface’s tongue curled into an exaggerated yawn. “Lonely souls are lonely because they don’t have enough guts to go out and do things themselves. They don’t interact well. They have poor social skills.”
“What is he talking about?” Cathy asked.
Surla knew he was speaking of the Black Cats’ Curse. Surla didn’t want Cathy to know that part—the part where it only works with lonely souls. “Pussface likes to ramble a lot. He doesn’t make any sense most of the time.” She shot him a mad look for him to stay quiet. She knew it would be a sensitive subject for Cathy to hear.
It was getting late out. Surla was tired and needed her sleep for school the next day. Cathy was overjoyed from Craig’s call and soon was dreaming about being human again and kissing him. Surla made sure Pussface slept on the rug. There wasn’t enough room for the three of them to be on the bed, and even if there was room, she wouldn’t have it any other way. The window next to her was locked tight to be sure the obnoxious cat couldn’t escape.
The next morning, Cathy’s clock radio turned on as an alarm to wake Surla. It was 6:30. She blinked a few times and felt a chilly breeze cross her arms as she still laid at the bottom of the bed. Surla glanced around to find the cold source. The window! It was open! But I made sure it was locked! she remembered. Surla looked for Pussface. She searched around every corner of the bedroom. He wasn’t found. Finally she looked under the bed and woke up Cathy in the process by frantically throwing the covers back and forth.
“What’s wrong?” Cathy asked, alarmed.
“He’s gone. Pussface is gone!”
Chapter 12
Pussface had snuck out and Surla felt there was a slim chance that he wouldn’t tell Idis. I should have tied him to the bed-post! Surla thought while leaving for school.
As the next few days slowly passed, the scare caused by Idis finding out decreased. It was now Friday and Surla’s more ordinary thoughts were taking over.
Since they played a new sport for P.E., basketball, the teams switched around. So, they couldn’t go up against Craig and Travis anymore. Surla and Chrissy now played against Olly Renfro and Dave Healy. They both were wimpy and couldn’t make one basket. They tripped over each other so much, defense was almost not needed at all.
“It’s been an easy week, hasn’t it?” Chrissy said while changing out of her gym clothes.
“Yeah, it has,” Surla said, after putting a tight red shirt over head. She noticed how upbeat Chrissy’s attitude had been since they changed sports from tennis to basketball.
“What are you doing tonight?” Chrissy tied her shoelaces on a locker room bench.
“I think I might be doing something with Craig.”
“What?” she said, disapprovingly. “But tonight there is a really important football game for our school. We’re competing against Jefferson High. How can you miss that?”
“You like football?” Surla was surprised.
“Well, if it has to do with our school. I have a lot of spirit, you know.”
“Oh yeah, Todd plays tonight, doesn’t he?” Surla recalled him asking her to come and watch him play.
“Yes he does. Come on. You should go.” Chrissy was persistent.
“What, go with you?”
“Well, no. But just go. It will be fun.”
“Why does it matter? The only reason I would go is to support Todd. Besides I have a date with Craig tonight.” Surla finished dressing and walked to a nearby mirror to check out how her eye makeup was doing.
“I think Todd likes you,” Chrissy said, while stuffing her dirty clothes into a gym bag.
“Huh?” Surla instantly turned to her. She often wondered if Todd liked Cathy, but wasn’t sure. How could someone be so sure? Was it that obvious to others? “Why do you say that?”
“Cathy, it’s only obvious. He’s always around you, sitting next to you, helping you with your work in the library. I mean, it’s not every day that you see the quarterback helping someone with their studies in the library. Yes, I could just see you two together right now. A perfect couple.”
Could she just be saying this because she doesn’t want Cathy to be with Craig? She kept warning me not to get with him. Or does Todd really like Cathy? “What about Craig?”
“What about him?” she said as if he were her bratty brother. “Craig has a super ego.”
That was the end of their conversation. Surla left for her next class, Chemistry. Everywhere she turned she saw Halloween decorations. Never had she seen so much of the color orange. That reminded Surla of the party that was to be taking place at Revere Park.
“Hey, you earned a B+ on your test,” Todd said as he leaned, looking over Surla’s Chemistry paper.
“Yep, thanks to you.” She smiled. Surla had been concentrating on Todd’s actions, because of what Chrissy said about him liking Cathy. She wondered about each little thing he did. Was it flirting or not flirting? And would it be noticeable to others? When he leaned over, his shoulder touched mine; is this a sign he likes me and wants to be close? Oh, maybe I’m being too analytical.
“As a thanks, how about you come to the game tonight and root for your number one football player?” He smiled.
Is that any normal smile? Would he smile so sweetly to any girl? What about how he said my number one football player? It sounded a little flirtatious.
“Well, Cath? Are you going to go?”
“Sure,” she answered absentmindedly.
“Hurry up!” Cathy jumped onto the bathroom counter, looking at Surla curl her eyelashes in the magnified mirror. “Craig will be here soon.”
“Shhh!” She waved her free hand at Cathy. “Your mom will hear you.”
“Sorry, it’s just that I’m so nervous. It’s my first date, with the hottest guy at school.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Surla placed the curler back into a floral makeup bag and proceeded with some shimmery eye-shadow. “I’ll be ready on time.”
“I hope so.” Cathy took a deep breath to calm herself. She then stared at her human profile. Surla was whisking and applying makeup like she had been practicing her whole life. She stared at the dramatic improvement that was appearing before her eyes. Her features were standing out so natural and pretty, from her rosy lips to her cleanly plucked eyebrows. For just a moment, Cathy believed she looked better than Tiffany.
“Cathy, we can’t do this for much longer.”
“Do what?”
“Stay switched. I think just for another week will be good enough. We can switch back on Halloween night. That way, Idis will be at The Annual Witches’ Ball and we can recover the Spellbook safely. Also I would have gotten Craig by then to be wrapped around your finger in time for you two to go to the Halloween Party together at Revere Park.” Surla zipped the makeup bag and went to Cathy’s room to finish off her wardrobe.
“Just one more week?” Cathy followed her in on little paws. “That seems so soon.”
“Cathy, it’s the best time. Do you want to stay a cat forever?” Surla picked out a pair of white shoes to go with the nice khaki pants and white, silk shirt.<
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“No. I guess that is the best time, but what if Pussface tells Idis before then?”
“I don’t know. We just have to think positive. Idis hasn’t come for us yet. Maybe Pussface didn’t tell her for some reason.”
Cathy leaped over to the windowsill and stared outside. Surla ran her fingers through her hair that was let down for the occasion. Soon headlights were spotted coming down the road from a distance. Cathy’s eyes followed them intensely until the car pulled up into the driveway. It was the red sports car. “He’s here! He’s here! He’s here!” Cathy whispered in excitement.
“Okay, okay.” Surla stood straight. “How do I look?”
“Cathy, I think your date is here!” Julie yelled, followed by the sound of the doorbell.
“Thank you!” Surla called.
“You look great!” Cathy said.
“You mean you look great.” Surla fingered her hair once more before walking to the living room. Cathy followed closely behind.
Craig wore a red polo shirt and black jeans. His hair was the same as usual, brushed with no gel, his bangs split down the middle hanging passed his eyes.
“Hey!” he said, noticing Surla. His car keys jingled in his right hand. “You look nice.”
“I was thinking the same about you.”
“I expect you’ll be back by eleven,” Julie told Surla.
“Mother.” Surla acted embarrassed. “What about eleven-thirty?”
“Well, all right. I guess another half hour does no harm.” She smiled at the two. “I expected him to be that guy who was over the other day.”
“No, Mom. I told you already, Todd was just helping me study.” That reminded Surla once again about the football game. Guilt entered her mind since she accidentally told Todd she would go.
“Okay, we better be on our way then.” Craig opened the door.
“You two have fun!” Mom called out, as they walked to his car. She stood watching until the engine started, then waved good-bye before closing the door.
