Don't Feed the Rat!

by Annie Appleton

  ‘I don’t know why, but I just feel uncomfortable about it.’ I smoothed out the fur on my chest. ‘Cecil is going to get us all into trouble. I just know it.’

  Vinnie shrugged. ‘I do agree that what Cecil did to Mad Maggie last night was a bit stupid and inconsiderate, but in the bright light of day it all seems rather harmless.’

  ‘Harmless and funny,’ Pete said. He snickered and pointed at Eddy. ‘The way you were caught up in that dress. Hilarious.’ Eddy glared at Pete, who had already turned back to his fat ball and didn’t notice.

  A two-legged walked by the allotment on the path. I craned my neck to see who it was and caught a quick glimpse of Mad Maggie’s head. She was in a hurry.

  ‘Where do you think Mad Maggie is going?’ I said. ‘Let’s follow her.’

  ‘Do we really have to?’ Vinnie said. ‘Just let her be.’

  I hopped from one leg to the other. ‘I want to find out what’s she’s doing. Hurry!’

  With a sigh Vinnie agreed and we all ran after Mad Maggie, who was taking big strides down the hill. She was by herself this time. No dog in sight. Close to the bottom of the hill, Mad Maggie entered an allotment.

  We followed her and hid behind a watering can. It was tall enough to hide Eddy’s tail.

  ‘If I’m not mistaken this allotment belongs to a female two-legged who likes to flirt with everyone,’ Vinnie said, his ears forward and alert. I couldn’t help but smile. For a rat who didn’t want to know what Mad Maggie was doing, he seemed eager enough to find out. Vinnie was just as big a gossip as the rest of us.

  Flirty was looking up from her weeding as Mad Maggie approached. ‘Is there something I can do for you?’ she said.

  Mad Maggie looked down at her, hands on her hips. ‘You’re the boss of the allotments now. You’d better start implementing an anti-rat plan.’

  I looked at Vinnie. ‘You see? She’s bad, I knew it.’ I pulled my left ear.

  Flirty smiled and got up. ‘Isn’t that a bit rash? I have never heard of any rats on the allotments.’

  ‘You’re lying. Godric told me that he told you that the rats stole all his seed potatoes.’ Mad Maggie waved a finger in Flirty’s face. ‘So don’t tell me you don’t know about the rat problem.’

  Flirty sighed and pulled off her gardening gloves. ‘Even so, a few rats won’t harm us. Rats will always be around.’

  ‘Hear, hear,’ I said. I liked Flirty. She was smart.

  ‘I’ll tell you what those harmless rats did last night. They stole my dress and played around with it in the trees.’

  Flirty stared at Mad Maggie for a second, then chuckled. ‘You want me to believe that? Rats aren’t able to do that that sort of thing.’

  Mad Maggie stamped her foot. ‘But they did! And weird creatures crawled out of it. I’m never going to wear that dress again!’

  Pete giggled and looked at Eddy. ‘Weird creatures...’

  Eddy tried to ignore Pete. Even Vinnie smiled.

  ‘You’re talking nonsense now, my dear,’ Flirty said. She patted Mad Maggie on her arm. ‘Maybe you should go home and get some rest.’

  Mad Maggie snatched her arm away. ‘If you don’t help me, I will think of something myself.’ She turned around and strode towards us. We scattered.

  ‘Godric would have believed me!’ she shouted over her shoulder at Flirty. We watched Mad Maggie’s retreating form. What was she going to do?

  Pete walked up ahead of us, sniffing in the grass here and there, looking for snails. Eddy hopped along beside him.

  ‘You still don’t think that Mad Maggie is a threat?’ I said, looking at Vinnie.

  He shook his head. ‘To be honest, no.’

  ‘But you heard what she just said to Flirty.’

  ‘Empty threats. What else can she do?’

  ‘I was thinking traps and poison.’

  Vinnie stopped. ‘Do you really think she would go that far?’

  ‘I certainly hope not.’ We continued walking up the hill in silence, catching up with Pete and Eddy.

  All of a sudden Cecil popped out of an allotment. He grinned, but not in a friendly way.

  ‘I told you I have a new friend,’ he said. He flicked his tail and an enormous cat appeared from behind the bramble hedge. My heart raced. It was the same creature I saw before and it was even larger up close. I quickly spun round my axis once and pulled my right ear twice.

  Cecil smirked.

  The cat stepped closer, bushy tail held aloft. Its yellow eyes bore down on us. I still wasn’t sure if it was a real cat, or if Cecil had managed to summon ratlore creatures. That was a scary thought.

  ‘This is Moe, the Maine Coon,’ Cecil said. ‘He’s here to help me enforce my power over all rats on the hill.’ He pawed the cat’s long grey-white fur.

  Pete took a step forward and sniffed the cat’s front paws. ‘Main koon? What’s that?’ He looked up and studied the cat’s face. ‘It just looks like an overgrown cat to me.’

  Moe stepped up to Pete and towered over him, one paw in the air, ready to strike. His lips drawn up in a snarl, yellow eyes flashing. Vinnie and I jumped forward and together we dragged Pete out of harm’s way by his hind legs.

  Moe looked down on us past his nose and sniffed the air.

  ‘I am a Maine Coon,’ he said in a deep voice. ‘I am a superior breed of cat. Faster, stronger and bigger than those mangy little cats on this hill.’

  Cecil nodded and he sidled up to me, chest all puffed out. ‘You better keep that in mind when you’re thwarting me next time. Moe will crush you all in a heartbeat.’

  He turned on his heel and walked back on to the allotment. Moe followed, but not before he had swiped Pete with his tail, sending him off balance. While Pete scrambled up, the huge cat threw a glance over his shoulder and licked his lips at us.

  ‘So, we now have a crazy two-legged and a monstrous cat on our tails,’ I said. ‘Not good.’

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  It was lunchtime. Like every weekday lunchtime, teenagers from Milbury Secondary School descended on Woolaston Road to buy snacks and hang around in the car park.

  Emily watched them through the window of Posh Nosh. Aunt Peggy was helping a customer, but for the rest it was still quiet in the shop.

  A gaggle of teenage girls walked by. Emily heard them talking through the open door of the shop.

  ‘I bought these at that little boutique on Coney Street on Saturday.’ The girl pulled her hair behind her ears to show off her earrings.

  ‘Oh, they’re so cute.’ Her friends trouped around her for a closer look. One girl remained behind. It was Marlee. She just stood behind her friends, arms crossed, looking sullen.

  One girl with long brown hair looked over her shoulder at Marlee. She whispered something to the other girls and they now all faced Marlee.

  ‘You know who I saw wearing similar earrings the other day?’ the brown haired girl said. ‘That Wilcrick woman on the allotments.’

  Marlee turned a bright red. She looked down at the ground, pretending not to see the girls’ sly smiles.

  Now the girl with the earrings stepped up to Marlee. ‘I saw your father on the allotments the other day. He seemed very interested in the scenery there.’ All the girls giggled.

  Marlee glared at the girl, eyes flashing. ‘You know nothing, so shut up.’

  Another girl now turned to Marlee. ‘My mother saw your father on the allotments with that Wilcrick woman. Everyone knows what she’s like...’

  ‘Stop it! It’s not true.’ Marlee balled her fists and stamped her foot on the pavement. The girls laughed in Marlee’s face and walked on. She watched them go, her shoulders slumped.

  Emily felt like running out of the shop and giving her a hug. How horrible girls could be towards each other. Nothing seemed to have changed since she was sixteen. Without realising, Emily pulled her left sleeve down, making sure the scars on her arm weren’t visible. Yet, the girls were right about Marlee’s father of course. He was meeting up with
Georgie in her shed. Then to Emily’s horror she saw Priscilla walking up to Marlee, her face set like thunder.

  ‘Let me tell you it’s no use spying on your father,’ she said to the girl. ‘He likes the attention of older women, so he’s never going to change.’

  Marlee stood rooted to the spot and stared up at Priscilla. Tears sprang to her eyes. Priscilla walked on and into Posh Nosh.

  ‘Why did you do that to Marlee?’ Emily said. ‘She was hurt enough already!’

  Priscilla looked Emily up and down. ‘Does your aunt know you carry your rats with you everywhere you go?’

  ‘Of course I don’t take them to the shop.’ Emily felt her pulse quicken. ‘How old do you think I am?’

  Priscilla raised her eyebrows and sniffed. ‘Do you want me to believe that?’ She nodded at the girls moving off in the distance. ‘They were already giving Marlee a hard time. What is one more remark?’

  Emily couldn’t believe her ears and shook her head. ‘You’re mean.’

  Priscilla smirked. ‘I’ve heard that Marlee’s father is not the only one who visits Georgie’s shed. Apparently our resident vole expert does so as well.’

  Emily turned red. ‘That’s not true. Wilbur would never do something like that.’ She fiddled with the display of chocolate bars on the counter. ‘Besides, he’s much younger than Georgie.’

  Priscilla smirked some more. ‘And you hope you have a chance with him?’ She shook her head in mock pity. ‘Tut, tut, tut. That will never happen, girly.’

  Mrs Jefferson came in the shop and shot a curious glance at Emily and Priscilla. Emily rolled her eyes. Why did this busybody have to come in the shop at this moment?

  Priscilla leant closer to Emily. ‘I’ve seen you hang about with Jacob Hicks a lot. What is it you’re looking for?’ Emily glanced round at Mrs Jefferson, but Aunt Peggy was helping her.

  Pricilla continued. ‘Wasn’t your daddy around enough when you were little and now you want a proper father figure?’ She jutted her chin at Emily. ‘Then you’re on the wrong track. Jacob is not much of anything. Never was and never will be. A nobody with a stupid obsession about a boy who disappeared forty years ago.’

  Emily’s blood boiled. She pressed her nails into the palm of her hand. The pain stopped her from exploding. She was not going to cause a scene in front of one of the Jeffersons. Luckily the woman paid up and left the shop, but not without a quick backward glance at Emily and Priscilla.

  ‘How dare you talk like that,’ Emily said, her teeth clenched. ‘You know nothing about my relationship with my father. And Jacob is a very clever man.’

  Peggy materialised next to Emily. ‘I think Priscilla was just leaving, weren’t you?’

  Priscilla stalked off. At the door she turned around and pointed at Emily. ‘I think you should find out more about your family’s secret before giving your allegiance to the weird professor.’ Then she was gone.

  Peggy sighed deeply. ‘I really don’t like that woman.’

  ‘What did she mean about my family’s secret?’

  Peggy smoothed out her apron. ‘I wouldn’t know.’ She walked to the kitchen. ‘I’d better check on the soup.’

  Emily watched her go. What was going on?

  ‘I’m very sorry, but Mr Fairclough is not available right now.’ Rupert’s receptionist stood up and looked at Jacob, her jaw set.

  ‘But I really need to speak to him!’ Jacob slammed the eviction notice on the desk. ‘He’s threatened to evict my mother. She’s never hurt a fly in her life!’ Jacob was aware he was raising his voice at this woman, but couldn’t seem to stop himself. Why couldn’t she understand his situation? ‘I only need two minutes to sort it out!’

  ‘The only thing I can do for you is make an appointment for later in the week.’

  ‘Later in the week!’ Jacob was shouting now. He looked wildly about him. ‘Which door is it, huh?’ He walked into the corridor. ‘Where is his office?!’ He turned to the woman, who was now standing beside her desk. ‘Tell me!’

  A door opened and the two burly men who were at his mother’s door appeared. ‘I think you should come with us now, sir,’ one of the men said. He grabbed Jacob by the arm, but Jacob shook him off.

  ‘I’m not leaving until I speak to Rupert!’ He sat down on the floor and crossed his arms. A tiny little voice in the back of his head said that he should stop behaving like a five-year-old and that this wasn’t helping. He ignored it.

  ‘You leave us no choice, sir.’ The two men now each grabbed hold of one of Jacob’s arms and dragged him upright.

  ‘I want to see Rupert,’ Jacob said. ‘Please, I need to see him.’

  Without a word the two men escorted Jacob into the elevator, still holding a firm grip on his arms. In no time they arrived at ground level, where without much ceremony Jacob was dumped on the pavement in front of the building.

  Rubbing his arms, Jacob looked daggers at the two men, who kept a wary eye on him from behind the glass sliding doors. ‘I’ve never been treated like this in my life! I will remain here until Rupert shows his ugly face.’

  Jacob paced up and down the pavement, not caring that people gave him funny glances. A woman with a pram crossed to the other side of the street to avoid him.

  After about ten minutes a police car pulled up at the kerb. Two policemen stepped out. They squared their shoulders and with their hands on their utility belts walked over to Jacob.

  ‘Is anything the matter, sir?’

  Jacob didn’t have eyes for the policemen, as at that moment Rupert walked out through the sliding doors. He pushed past the policemen and all but pounced on Rupert. ‘How dare you threaten my mother!’

  Rupert looked at Jacob and smiled. ‘If it isn’t the weird professor. I heard you threatened to break down my door.’

  Jacob’s blood boiled. How he wanted to punch this arrogant man in the face. Instead he pointed a finger right at Rupert’s nose. ‘You’d better stay away from my mother in the future.’

  ‘Or what? You’re going to hurt me?’

  The policemen stepped forward, but Rupert stopped them with a wave of his hand.

  ‘My mother has done nothing wrong. She’s just an old woman,’ Jacob said. ‘I rather think this has something to do with your building plans for Milbury Hill.’

  Rupert’s eyes turned cold. ‘I will leave your mother alone, as long as you stop looking into the building plans.’

  Jacob said nothing. He couldn’t believe this man would actually evict an old woman from her home, just to build some houses.

  Rupert continued. ‘If you keep looking into the plans, your mother will be out of her house by the end of the week.’

  ‘My mother has been the perfect tenant for sixty years. You can’t just throw her out on the street.’

  Rupert shrugged. ‘The choice is yours. Mind your own business and nothing will happen to your mother.’

  Rupert pushed past Jacob and stepped into a Mercedes parked in a private space. He drove off without even a backward glance at Jacob.

  All Jacob could do was stare after the car as it disappeared around the corner. How could someone be so ruthless?

  One of the policemen stepped up to Jacob, but Jacob started walking. They didn’t try to stop him.

  Rupert might have won this round, but this was not the last time Rupert had heard of Jacob. That much he could swear.

  * * *

  Paddy

  Vinnie and I were hanging about in the sun in front Vinnie’s digs for a change. Even though there was the noise of the traffic, there were fewer rats at the bottom of the hill, and I needed some peace and quiet for a bit. It was nice here at Vinnie’s digs. Things had gone quiet, as the old two-legged, who used to own it, didn’t seem to be around any more.

  The appearance of Moe had shaken me quite a bit. ‘Do you think Moe could be a ratlore creature we’d never heard of?’ I said.

  Vinnie opened one lazy eye. ‘Ratlore creature?’ He sat up and studied my face.

&nb
sp; ‘You do know that Moe is just an overgrown cat, don’t you? A cat who is bored out of his skull and for some reason hangs about with Cecil.’

  ‘Exactly,’ I said. ‘You don’t find it strange that a cat would hang about with Cecil?’

  ‘Well...’ Vinnie pondered my words. ‘I do admit that there is an air of strangeness about that, but I’m sure that there is a good explanation. In any case there’s nothing spooky going on, like a ratlore creature coming alive.’

  He settled down again and closed his eyes. ‘Let’s take a nap.’

  ‘But besides Moe turning up, nothing has happened for a while,’ I said. ‘Mad Maggie has been quiet since breakfast and Cecil hasn’t done anything since the dress prank, other than showing off Moe.’

  I got up and tried to ignore the pricking in my skull. ‘Something is about to happen.’

  Vinnie rolled his eyes. ‘You’re never satisfied. Why wait for the worst to happen? Just be happy it’s quiet for a while.’ He moved over to his back and scratched his belly. ‘Relax.’

  ‘I can’t.’ I paced up and down for a bit. ‘Don’t you see that this is the calm before the storm?’

  Vinnie flipped back over and watched me. Two sparrows suddenly flew up from a bush. I pointed at them. ‘See those birds? That’s an absolute sign something bad is going to happen.’

  Vinnie snorted. ‘What, now you can read omens as well? Rubbish! Just take a nap and be quiet.’ He lay down and closed his eyes.

  I glared at him. There were times I could chase him off the hill, all the way back to Hull.

  I walked around the allotment that was Vinnie’s home. There was a gap in the fence. I peeked out on to the path and saw Cecil and Moe walk by on the other side. Silently I watched them. Cecil kept talking to Moe, who looked aloof and bored. They disappeared around the corner. Something was up with that cat, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

  Slowly I made my way back to Vinnie’s digs. I plonked down next to Vinnie, but kept both eyes open. A blackbird picked a worm from the soil and flew off with it. I would remain vigilant.