Tyger Lilly

by Lisa Trusiani

  “Want something to eat?” asked Dorian. He led Lilly into the kitchen. Dorian sat at the table and began to cut a slice of bread. “Take my mother’s plate. She’s been too busy talking on the phone to eat.”

  Lilly knew there wasn’t time to answer questions or eat. Tobias was waiting for them to return. But the brown bread crusted with sesame seeds looked delicious and Lilly was hungry. Dorian cut her a slice.

  The chair Lilly yanked from the table made a scratching noise on the scratched-up linoleum floor. She jumped onto the chair, landed on her knees and wolfed down half her bread in two bites. “We don’t have time to eat, Dorian,” Lilly protested while chewing another massive bite. Her next bite finished off the slice. “Uhm, good. Let’s go, Dorian.”

  “Have some soup,” said Dorian.

  “Soup on a day like today?” asked Lilly.

  “It’s cold,” said Dorian.

  “You think 90-something degrees is cold?” Lilly didn’t care how hungry she was. She wasn’t eating soup when it was 90-something degrees.

  “It’s the soup that’s cold,” said Dorian laughing. He handed her a bowl.

  “I never had cold soup before,” said Lilly. “Not cold-on-purpose soup.” She’d had plenty of soup straight from the can that was cold, of course. Lilly ate a spoonful of the soup Mrs. Mynah had made. It was so crispy cool and delicious, she lifted the bowl and slurped it down.

  “Wow, you must be hungry. Want some more?” asked Dorian.

  Lilly liked eating at Dorian’s apartment. His mother told her to come over any time, especially if she was hungry. Lilly didn’t visit every evening but she ate there often enough to feel comfortable in their home. And often enough to know the pet store and alley were out of sight no matter which window she looked through. But Lilly jumped up and looked out the kitchen window in their direction anyway. The fan filled her cotton top with a warm breeze. She felt like a bird, her billowy top flapping.

  “What’s going on, Lilly?” asked Dorian. “You’re acting a little strange.”

  Lilly turned and let the breeze rush up her back. She sprinted to the table and lowered her voice, “I heard Mr. Stinchfield say he’s getting a shipment tonight. Tobias thinks it may be endangered animals. Tobias wants you to come over right away with a couple of flashlights, dark clothes and a tarp.”

  “What are we going to do with them?” asked Dorian.

  “Tobias won’t tell me the plan until you can hear it, too,” whispered Lilly.

  Dorian frowned. “What am I going to tell my mother? I could tell her I’m going over to your house for a while. But what if it takes all night? Help me think of an excuse.”

  I’m not good at that,” said Lilly. Even though her mother seemed to be getting better, she still wasn’t on top of parenting the way Dorian’s mother was. Lilly could walk out without her mother knowing she was gone. In fact, right now her mother didn’t know she was gone.

  Lilly and Dorian sat at the table wondering how to handle Dorian’s mother when she walked in and solved the problem. “Hi, Lilly. I see you had a bite to eat,” she began.

  “I could have eaten the whole loaf in one bite,” said Lilly. “That was good bread!”

  “I’m glad you liked it,” said Mrs. Mynah. “You can always have more. By the way, do you have plans tonight, Lilly?”

  Lilly pressed her lips together. She didn’t want to lie but she knew she couldn’t tell the truth either. And she wasn’t sure what she would say if she opened her mouth.

  “No?” said Mrs. Mynah without waiting for an answer. “Well, I was hoping the two of you could spend the evening together, if you don’t mind. I’m going to be busy tonight.” Mrs. Mynah hesitated then continued, “I have to help with a delivery. I think it would be best if you stayed here tonight, both of you.”

  It wasn’t like Mrs. Mynah to sound so mysterious but Lilly didn’t have time to wonder. “We need to go to my house first,” said Lilly. Before Mrs. Mynah could ask why, Lilly hurried on, “to feed Tobias and everyone else. Then we can come back here.”

  “Sounds perfect,” said Mrs. Mynah.

  Mrs. Mynah handed Dorian a key. “You know not to let anyone in, right?”

  “Of course, Mom,” said Dorian heading for the door. “Come on, Lilly.”

  “But…” Lilly wanted to say they were forgetting a few items. Instead she called goodbye to Mrs. Mynah and closed the door behind them. She followed Dorian who went racing down the stairs.

  “What about the ‘tools’ Tobias needs?” asked Lilly.

  “The flashlight and stuff?” said Dorian. “I hope we can find them at your house, Lilly. If I look for them here my Mom will start asking questions. Do you know how lucky we are my Mom is busy tonight? She’s always home at night. I can’t wait to find out what Tobias’ plan is.”

  But when they reached Lilly’s room, they saw everyone but Tobias. Janie, Lady, Gwendolyn, Zelda and Razz Ma Tazz rushed at Lilly and Dorian the moment their feet touched the ground. Lilly looked at Lady who hopped madly from one webbed foot to the other. “That’s strange. Lady should be on the egg.”

  Zelda pounded her front paws against the dresser. Janie raced in circles chattering as loudly as a guinea pig can chatter. Gwendolyn ran hissing to Lilly with the speed of an iguana being chased by a snake. Then she ran hissing to Dorian to Janie to the fish bucket to the egg and back to Lilly. Adding to the chaos was Razz Ma Tazz belting out explosive cries.

  “What’s going on?” laughed Dorian.

  “I don’t know,” yelled Lilly trying to be heard above the noise. “Tobias always tells me what they’re saying.”

  “Where is Tobias?” asked Dorian.

  “Tobias!” shouted Lilly. Tobias wasn’t in his usual bedroom haunts: the top of the closet or the chandelier. “Where would he go?” asked Lilly.

  Dorian, suddenly serious, asked, “Do you think he went to the alley by himself, Lilly?”

  “I hope not. That could be dangerous. I’ll check the backyard. Sometimes Tobias flies to the top of the topiaries to keep watch. He says every family needs a watchbird.” Lilly went to the window.

  Lilly was about to call for Tobias, when she spotted a piece of cloth on the windowsill. It was the pouch Tobias wore on a string around his neck.

  “What is it, Lilly?” asked Dorian when he saw her worried expression. The room grew silent. Janie, Lady, Gwendolyn, Razz Ma Tazz and even the baby guinea pigs stopped their noisemaking. They stood stock-still reading Lilly’s face as she picked up the pouch.

  “Now I know what they’re trying to tell us,” Lilly said softly.

  “What?” asked Dorian.

  “Tobias wouldn’t leave this unless,” she stopped. Lilly held the pouch for Dorian to see. “He’s worn this day and night since the time he ate the Bowku seed and began to talk.”

  “What are you saying, Lilly?”

  “I’m saying something terrible has happened to Tobias!”

  Chapter 35

  Lilly stared at the cotton pouch in her hand. Tobias had worn it day and night. It was so much a part of him that Lilly had stopped wondering what was inside. Besides, Tobias warned her not to look. But now the pouch was no longer a part of Tobias, and it was no longer closed.

  Lilly tugged. The pouch opened slowly like a yawn. Inside, a small, dark brown seed lay in the center. Lilly closed her eyes and smelled a sweet pomegranate scent. She heard a soft hum. “A Bowku seed,” said Lilly in a hushed voice. “This is the reason Tobias can talk.” Lilly looked at Janie and the others who looked back with curious stares.

  Lilly continued to whisper, “If we give the seed to one of them, maybe they can tell us what happened to Tobias.”

  “Good idea,” said Dorian. “But which one?”

  Lilly’s eyebrows knit together. “I don’t know,” she murmured. “Razz Ma Tazz exaggerates and likes to talk about himself.”

  “Janie?” asked Dorian.

  “Poor Janie is a bit confused,” whispered Lilly. “And she might
ask us to vote.”

  “I trust Old Granddaddy,” said Dorian, “but he couldn’t have seen what happened from inside that bucket. Have you ever seen Gwendolyn eat a seed?”

  Lilly shook her head. “We’d have to attach it to a bug. Let’s give it to Lady,” said Lilly bending to give it to her.

  “Wait!” interrupted Dorian. “Lady is a duck who thinks she’s a chicken. She must be more confused than Janie.” Lilly hesitated.

  On the tip of Lilly’s finger was the seed, there for all to see, and they all did see it. More to the point, they all wanted it. The contents of Tobias’ pouch had been a secret but the reason Tobias could talk had not. Everyone knew a humming, pomegranate-scented seed gave Tobias his unusual ability. Now that it was in front of them they didn’t hesitate to act.

  Razz Ma Tazz lunged at Lilly full throttle. Lady flew at Lilly in a very unladylike way and landed on Razz Ma Tazz, receiving a mouthful of tail feathers instead of the seed. Janie and her babies scurried up the curtains and pelted themselves against Lilly. Gwendolyn ran up Lilly’s leg while Zelda took a hop that would make even a kangaroo proud and kicked Lilly full in the stomach. None of the animals managed to consume the seed but together they knocked Lilly to the ground.

  “Are you all right?” asked Dorian as he helped her up.

  “The seed!” cried Lilly. “It’s gone.” The animals raced around noses deep in the carpet hoping to be the first to the seed. Dorian searched, too. “We’ll never find it,” wailed Lilly. “It’ll look like every other spec on this dirty dog carpeting.”

  “Oh, stop complaining,” said a voice from below.

  “Did you say that, Dorian?” asked Lilly.

  “No but I heard it.”

  Everyone grew quiet and listened.

  “I can’t move any faster. I have an injured tail,” said the voice at once cranky and squeaky.

  “It sounds like it’s coming from outside,” said Dorian. He and Lilly climbed through the window and crouched in the yard hoping to hear more.

  “I’m not weak, my good wife. I’m injured and I’d like some sympathy. It’s not every day a giant foot steps on my tail, you know.” The voice was now cranky, squeaky and whiny.

  Lilly saw Dorian’s tail dart into the grass and reappear wrapped around a mouse.

  “Unhand me! Put me down!” shouted the mouse in his small but hysterical voice. “What are you? The face of a boy? The tail of a monkey?” The field mouse clutched his own tail to his chest and yelped, “You don’t eat mouse, do you?”

  “I won’t eat you if you tell us what we want to know,” said Dorian. “Did you eat a small seed just now?”

  “What if I did?” said the mouse indignantly. “The only crime is that I didn’t share it with my wife.” The mouse lowered his voice, “And now that you’ve announced it, my wife is sure to make me pay.”

  “I’m sorry, Roxanne!” shouted the mouse.

  “Ask about Tobias,” said Lilly anxiously.

  “Do you know the parrot who lives in this house?” asked Dorian.

  “We’re passing acquaintances. He passes by without eating me so I’m happy to be his acquaintance. I saw him with a friend. And now I must go,” said the mouse.

  Lilly reached for Dorian’s tail. She moved it to give herself a better view of the mouse. “What’s your name?” she asked when she could see his face.

  The mouse relaxed when he saw Lilly’s face. “My wife calls me ‘Chowder-Head,’ but my friends call me Simon.”

  “Well, Simon,” said Lilly, “Tobias is my oldest and dearest friend. Please tell us everything you can remember. Did Tobias leave with someone? Why do you think he was with a friend?”

  “It just seemed so,” explained Simon. “The man climbed in through the window same as the rest of you. When he climbed out, he held Tobias under his arm and said, “Relax Tobias, Ol’ Buddy, Ol’ Pal.” Then the stupid oaf stepped on my tail. It hurt so much I didn’t see stars, I saw the aurora borealis!” Simon held up his bent tail.

  Lilly stared at Simon without seeing him, and her eyes filled with tears, “Tobias was kidnapped!”

  With a grave expression, Dorian spoke to the mouse, “We can put you down now, except one last question. Did you see what the man looked like?”

  “He was regular-looking. Nothing special,” said Simon quickly. The moment Dorian’s tail released him, Simon sprinted towards the edge of the house. Lilly stood up. Who would kidnap Tobias? Where would a kidnapper take him? As Lilly watched the small mouse run away, she suddenly remembered a habit Goodie had.

  Every day, Goodie thanked each and every kindergartener for returning his or her lunch tray. When Lilly asked why, Goodie said, “Where would the world be without the little guy?”

  Lilly turned toward the mouse as he disappeared through a hole in the house. “Thank you for helping, Simon,” she shouted. “I’m sorry about your tail.”

  She heard a muffled squeak. Lilly looked at the mouse hole. Simon’s nose and whiskers popped out from under the house. “The other man was rather funny-looking if you ask me.”

  “The other man?” asked Lilly.

  “Yes, he waited in the walkway next to the house.”

  “What was funny about the way he looked?” asked Dorian.

  “He had more fur over his eyes than on top of his head,” said the mouse.

  “Fur?” asked Lilly.

  “Do you mean eyebrows?” said Dorian. “All humans have eyebrows.”

  “Not like this,” said the mouse. “This human had only one line of fur above both eyes.” With that, Simon disappeared for the last time.

  “There’s only one person around here with one eyebrow,” said Dorian.

  “Yes,” said Lilly angrily. “Mr. Stinchfield.”

  “We have to get Tobias back!” screamed Lilly. She and Dorian raced down the dark walkway and up the street toward the center of town without a flashlight, dark clothes, a tarp – or a plan.

  Chapter 36

  As Lilly and Dorian sprinted up the street toward the center of town, Dorian glanced over at the Garden Center. He noticed the shades were drawn in their apartment above the store. That meant his mother wasn’t home yet. She always pulled down the shades right before she left. Drawn shades meant something else to Dorian, too. He and Lilly wouldn’t be able to turn to his mother for help if there was trouble tonight.

  “Stop running, Lilly,” said Dorian.

  “Why?” asked Lilly still running. “Are you out of breath?”

  “No, but people are looking at us.” Lilly slowed. They walked swiftly uptown smiling as they passed people who were mostly on their way to the bandstand for a summer concert. Lilly was a more familiar face in town since helping out at the pet store. And everyone knew about the boy with the tail. In fact, some people shopped at the Garden Center simply to see Dorian’s tail. It was a novelty.

  Dorian crossed the street. “Let’s go to the Silent Bird Restaurant,” he said. Lilly followed. It was a good idea. They could see the pet store from there. As they approached, they heard Mr. Joe screeching from his outdoor cage. They saw Ernie march out of the restaurant. He waved a dishtowel in the air and pleaded with Mr. Joe. “Stop the racket, Mr. Joe! You’ll drive our customers away!”

  The large, white cockatiel paid no attention. He squawked emphatically without a break. He climbed up and down the bars of his cage stopping only to bang his head. No wonder the sidewalk tables were empty.

  Ernie picked up a chair and dropped it. “Vacant! Lilly, Dorian, look at this beautiful night – the breeze so nice after the day so hot, the moon so full…”

  “Squaaawk!”

  “… And a bird so noisy!” Ernie turned on his heels and marched back into the restaurant wailing, “Quiet down, Mr. Joe or we will not be the Silent Bird Restaurant any more. We’ll be the Ear-Popping, Head-Splitting, Turned Up So Loud You Can’t Hear Yourself Think, Leather-Lunged, Loudmouth, Rootin’ Tootin’, Ziggy Bird Restaurant!”

  Lilly had never seen
Ernie so upset or Mr. Joe so wound up. She went over to Mr. Joe’s cage. The bird leaped wildly from one side of the cage to the other, “What’s going on, Mr. Joe?” whispered Lilly. She didn’t expect an answer since, unlike Tobias, Mr. Joe had never spoken to her.

  Mr. Joe released the wire cage from his beak. “Tobias,” he croaked. Lilly barely heard or understood his words as again he spoke in a croaking whisper, “Tobias taken.”

  “Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Joe,” stammered a surprised Lilly. “Can you tell me anything else? Who took him?”