by Ade Adepitan
“It is big,” Mum agreed. “But so are you. Big-hearted, big-brained, you’re my little big man and you can beat anything.”
I looked at my mum as she spoke. I could tell she knew my confidence was still low.
“Doyin, remember the saying in our language.” She gently put her hands on my shoulders and spoke to me in Yoruba. “Omo mi, O lagbara, ma d’e bi ti mo fe de.”
My son you are strong and you will never give up.
As she spoke I could feel something stir inside me. I recognised it straight away. It was my Cyborg Cat powers. Sleep, good food and Mum’s words had re-energised them. She was right. I could beat this. I wouldn’t give up.
I spent the rest of the day watching television and playing football matches with my Star Wars figures. There were some odd programmes on in the afternoon, and I was just settling down to watch one where people went out and when they came back their houses had been completely redecorated, when the doorbell went.
“Doyin, it’s for you,” shouted Mum.
I was expecting it to be the Parsons Road Gang, but when I got to the door, I saw Salim there, in his really cool wheelchair.
“Hi Salim,” I said, a little surprised.
“Hi Ade,” he said. “Melody told me what happened yesterday, and what you said, so I thought I’d come over and see you.”
“Right, yeah,” I said. “Sorry, come in. Do you want something to drink?”
“Nah, I’m fine,” he said. “In here?”
We sat in the front room chatting about football and watching that TV show for a while until eventually Salim said, “You know, I hated the idea of being in a wheelchair at first. I thought that would be it, the end of everything. I thought I’d never be able to make any friends again and I didn’t think I could be cool or that I’d be able to do anything, but now, it’s different.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, now I don’t even think about it. The chair is just a part of me and if people don’t like it then that’s their problem. It’s like people who have to wear glasses. They’re just there on their face. It’s who they are. It becomes normal for them.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, it’s totally the same thing,” he said. “And also, I can do this.”
As he said that, Salim did a wheelie and spun on the spot so fast that he became a blur. It was literally the coolest thing I’d ever seen.
“Wow,” I said.
“Hey, why don’t you get your wheelchair and I’ll show you how to do it?”
“Nah, mine is nothing like yours,” I said. “I’d just look stupid.”
“You wouldn’t. Go on. I’ve got a basketball in my bag. We could chuck that around if you like, I’ll teach you some moves.”
That did it. Having been cooped up indoors all day, I really wanted to burn off a bit of energy. We headed into the garden and I got the chair out of the shed.
“Here it is,” I said. “Pretty horrible, right?”
“Yeah, I admit it doesn’t look great,” agreed Salim. “But don’t worry, I can sort it.”
Salim brought out some tools and started making adjustments to the chair, talking to himself as he did so.
“So if we just tighten this bit here and take off that bit … Done it. Okay, let’s give it a test run. Get in, Ade.”
So I did.
“Woah!” I yelled. My eyes widened with excitement.
“Steady!” Salim grabbed the back of the chair to stop me from falling out. “I’ve moved the wheels forward, so now if you even blink or lift your head up you’ll do a wheelie.”
Even though the wheelchair still looked brown and ugly, Salim had transformed it into something that was far easier to handle.
I was filled with a mixture of fear and pure joy as I balanced on my back wheels, popping wheelies left, right and centre. At first Salim sat behind me, making sure I didn’t fall backwards, but once I got my confidence, he moved away. It felt great to learn new skills, but that wasn’t all. It felt as though something else was going on. I could sense a connection being made between the chair and my Cyborg Cat powers, as if they were feeding off each other, making me even more powerful.
We spent the next half an hour outside passing the ball to each other and shooting it into a wastepaper bin – we didn’t have a hoop. Then we moved on to more tricks. Salim knew some amazing moves in his wheelchair, and even though mine still wasn’t quite as manoeuvrable as his, I was able to master a couple of them.
“You know, Ade,” said Salim, as we were taking a breather. “For someone who hasn’t been in a chair before, you’re really, really good – you’ve got skills!”
“Course I have,” I said, my jokey cockiness returning. “There’s nothing I can’t do.”
“Yeah right,” said Salim. “But seriously, some of those moves took me weeks to learn. You’ve picked them up in no time at all. I’m really impressed.”
“Thanks. I just wish I didn’t have to do them in something that looks like my Gran Gran’s rocking chair with wheels.”
“Well, why don’t you get one like mine?”
“I don’t think we could afford one like yours. They’re really expensive, aren’t they?”
“I guess so,” said Salim. “I’d have to ask my parents.”
“And then there’s my dad,” I said. “He doesn’t want me to be in a wheelchair at all, so I can’t see him agreeing to spend money on one.”
Before Salim could answer I heard the doorbell ring again. This time it was my Parsons Road mates.
Mum showed them out into the garden and when they saw me in the wheelchair, they seemed to be slightly taken aback.
“Hey, watch this,” I shouted before they could say anything.
I turned the chair round, tipped it forward, then spun round on the front wheels, before rocking back on it and doing a complete 360 degree spin. The gang were impressed.
“Pretty cool, Ade,” said Melody.
“Yeah, amazing,” said Shed.
“Wow!” said Dexter. “Can I have a go?”
We spent the next five minutes in hysterics watching Dexter fall in and out of the chair as he attempted the move I’d just shown them.
“See,” said Salim to me. “You’re a natural.”
I smiled. Maybe it wouldn’t be too bad in a wheelchair after all.
“Hey, Ade,” said Brian. “I almost forgot. We came over to tell you about the new graffiti. Let’s go and see it, I’ll push you.”
“Er, no, Brian,” said Shed. “I’m the pusher, isn’t that right, Ade?”
“Actually, neither of you are,” I said. “I don’t need you to push me. But anyway, my dad will be home soon, and I can’t risk him seeing me in the chair, he’ll get really angry. I don’t think I can come.”
“Can you walk?” said Melody. “It’s not far.”
“I probably could,” I said. “But I’ve only just started to feel a bit better, it might be too much of a strain on my body.”
“Right.” Melody sounded glum.
“Okay,” said Salim suddenly. “Do you think you can make it to the postbox at the end of the road, Ade?”
“Yeah, that should be okay. Why?”
“Meet me there in half an hour,” he replied. “I’ve got an idea.”
10
Staking Out a Spider
YOU can do this. You’re Cyborg Cat.
The postbox was only around the corner, on the next street. It usually took about three minutes to walk there, but today, getting there felt like I might as well be climbing Mount Everest.
I’d told Mum I was going to Shed’s house and she was fine with that because he only lived a few doors away, but the moment the door was shut, I stopped. I hadn’t really done any walking since I’d collapsed. Even though I wasn’t going far, I didn’t know how my legs were going to react. It felt weird not being able to trust my body.
I steeled myself and started walking slowly to the postbox. My body felt heavy and my legs hurt a
little, but it wasn’t too bad. As I turned the corner I spotted Dexter, Brian and Shed waiting for me. Seeing them spurred me on and, as I picked up the pace a little, I could feel my old self returning. A couple of minutes later, I’d made it.
“Hi,” said Dexter. “We’re just waiting for Salim.”
“Oh no, he’s already here,” I said. “But how do you think he got inside?”
“What?!” exclaimed Dexter. “But he’s not –”
“Yeah, course he is,” I said. “That’s what he meant when he said to meet him here.”
“Salim? Salim? Hello? Are you in there?” said Dexter, peering into the narrow opening of the postbox.
The rest of us fell about laughing, especially when Salim’s voice said, “Yes, I’m here, Dexter, but I can’t tell you how I get in and out, it’s a secret. Shut your eyes and count to five and I’ll be there.”
Dexter squeezed his eyes shut and began counting. When he opened them again, Salim was in front of him in his wheelchair.
“Wow!” cried Dexter. “You had the chair in there as well? That’s unbelievable!”
“No, Dexter,” said Salim, who had arrived in a car with his mother. “You’re unbelievable.”
The rest of us were still recovering from laughing, but, as I wiped tears away from my face, I managed to say, “So what’s the plan then, Salim?”
Salim’s mum had walked round to the boot of her car. She opened it and brought out a wheelchair.
This one wasn’t like the chair the doctor had given me at the hospital. It was much more like Salim’s, with sports wheels and bright yellow lightning bolts on the sides.
“Cool,” I said. “Really cool.”
“It’s my spare,” said Salim. “It’s an older model than this one, but it’s not bad. Mum and Dad agreed you can use it, if you like.”
“Really? Wow, that’s amazing. Thank you, Salim,” I said. “Are you sure it’s okay? You really didn’t have to do this.”
His mum smiled at me, and Salim looked slightly embarrassed and said, “It’s all yours, dude, you got this!”
“Go on, get in it,” Brian urged.
I didn’t need to be asked again. As I sat in the chair I sensed my Cyborg Cat powers; they were crackling and fizzing inside me, energised by the chair and its lightning bolts.
“This feels great,” I said stroking the wheels and then running my hands around the rest of the chair. “I love it.”
“Well, what are we waiting for then?” shouted Salim. “Let’s go and see this graffiti.”
He shot off down the road, the others running after him. I took a deep breath and pushed down on the wheels. It felt nothing like my other chair. This one was smooth, and glided across the ground. It responded to my movements with ease, and instantly I felt as if the chair and me were one.
As my speed increased the chair’s metal push rims started to heat up. Looking down I noticed the wheels had started to glow.
Cyborg Cat was back and on a roll.
In no time at all I’d caught up with the others and was zigzagging through them. Then once I was out in front I realised I didn’t know where we were going.
“Where’s this new graffiti, Shed?”
“Follow me,” he replied. “It’s just round here.”
A couple of minutes later we were all staring at a picture of lions, tigers, hyenas and vultures feasting on a human being. It was impossible to see the person’s face, but you could see one of his legs because it was sticking out from the animals crowded around his body. The leg was encased in a metal caliper. Above the scene were the words: GO AT YOUR PERIL
I was looking at the picture sideways on, but I still felt a slight pull towards it, so I turned the chair away completely.
“I’ve had enough of this,” I said angrily. “It’s time to unmask the Night Spider.”
“But how?” said Shed.
“We’ve got to find a way to lure him out into the open,” I said. “Dexter, you came up with the obstacle course plan. Got any ideas?”
Dexter thought for a moment.
“Er … um … well, we could … maybe … what I mean is … perhaps … erm. No.”
“Anyone else?” I asked.
“Yes, I believe I may have the solution,” replied Brian confidently. “If we get rid of the graffiti, the Night Spider might come back and do it again.”
“That’s a great idea,” shouted Shed. “My dad has a sledgehammer. It’ll knock that wall down in no time!”
“You silly sausage,” said Melody. “If we do that, there won’t be a wall for the Night Spider to do the graffiti on again.”
“But if we paint over the graffiti there will be,” shouted Brian. “That was my plan all along.”
“Course it was, Brian,” I said.
“We’ve got some paint in our shed,” said Salim. “And some brushes.”
“Well, what are we waiting for?”
Fifteen minutes later we were furiously covering the graffiti with White Mist Matt Emulsion.
“Now what?” said Melody, when the last of the graffiti had disappeared.
“Now we stake out the wall and wait,” I replied.
Brian and Melody took the first watch. We’d found a hiding place about a hundred metres from the wall behind some bushes and they stationed themselves there. Shed had given them a pair of binoculars, and Dexter had lent us a walkie-talkie. If I got a call I would send a signal to the others from my bedroom window using my torch. Three flashes meant nothing to report, but if I made the shape of a cat, that was action stations and we all had to get to the wall as quickly as possible.
We’d spent the early evening looking for the best spot for the stakeout and gathering supplies. We’d made a plan to ask our parents to let us play out after tea, and whilst I didn’t think there’d be a problem with any of the others, Dad had been in a pretty bad mood since the doctor’s appointment and I needed him to agree.
“Your mum told me you had a temperature today, Doyin,” he said when I asked. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea.”
“But I feel much better now, Dad,” I told him. “And Shed’s got a new West Ham ball. He said we can take penalties against each other with it. Please.”
I knew Dad would like the idea of me playing football; in his mind that meant his son wasn’t disabled. He didn’t agree straight away, though.
“What do you think, Christianah?” he said.
“Weeeellllll,” Mum replied, looking at me through half closed eyes. “Ahh, I think it will be okay. But don’t overdo it and don’t get muddy!”
“And make sure you’re back by half past nine at the very latest!” shouted Dad as I started to head out.
“Thanks, Mum, thanks, Dad,” I said. “See you later.”
Shed was waiting at the front door.
“Come on, Shed, let’s go, you’re never going to score against me,” I shouted really loudly.
Everyone else was there when we got to the wall. Of course, Dexter being Dexter he’d turned up with a plastic pipe filled with Fairy Liquid, out of which he was forever blowing bubbles.
“Why have you got that?” I asked curiously.
Dexter looked around with caution, before whispering loudly, “I would have thought you’d be able to deduce that yourself.”
I had no idea what he was talking about.
“If CC –” he pointed in my direction – “is going to have any chance of catching NS, he will need somebody with brains and an Unbendy mind.”
“Erm, right,” I replied, confused.
Dexter reached out to shake my hand.
“Foams. Sherlock Foams, at your service!” he said as a large bubble emerged from his pipe.
It was classic Dexter and made us all laugh.
The other issue we’d discussed had been food. Shed wanted crisps, but we thought they were a bit noisy. Brian said he’d watched lots of detective programmes and you had to eat doughnuts on a stakeout. Everyone was happy with that, but when I’d asked Mu
m if I could buy some she said all that sweet stuff wouldn’t be good for my teeth. She made some moi moi and fried plaintains for me to take out to share. In fact, she’d made enough for thirty people, but it was delicious, so I felt sure we’d eat it all.
“Your mum is a great cook,” said Dexter, his mouth full of moi moi.
“Hey, that’s for us, you’re on the next watch.” Melody grabbed the bowl from him.
“So what are we going to drink?” asked Brian. “They usually have coffee.”
“Errgh, I hate coffee,” said Shed. “I had it once, it tastes like warm mud.”
“How about lemonade?”
“No way, Dex,” said Brian. “The last time you had lemonade people could hear you burp ten miles away.”
Dexter laughed. “Yeah, that was my best burp ever!”
“Orange juice,” piped up Melody. “That doesn’t make you burp … does it?”
“It makes me burp sometimes,” said Salim.
“Hey, you lot,” I said. “We’re not here to eat and drink.”
“But we’ve got to keep our strength up, Ade,” said Brian.
“I know,” I replied. “But we’ve got enough food and we can drink water. We’re here to catch the Night Spider, remember? We’re not opening a restaurant.”
“He’s right, you know.” Dexter blew another bubble from his pipe.
“Course I’m right,” I said. “So, Shed and Dex will be back in half an hour to take over from Brian and Melody. Then me and Salim will do the shift after that. Okay?”
Everyone nodded.
“Good luck. And remember, we’re the Parsons Road Gang and we always get the bad guy!”
“Actually, Ade, it’s ‘We always stick together’,” Brian corrected me.
“I know that, you sausage,” I said, shaking my head. “See you later. Good luck.”
The first two shifts passed without incident, apart from Shed getting a faceful of jam when he bit into his doughnut and a large dollop went flying up his nose and into his eye. My shift with Salim was pretty quiet too. In fact, all we’d done was eat, which meant our tummies were full and we were feeling very sleepy. It didn’t help that it was getting dark now.