The Black Rose

It is always quiet at the temple on New Year's eve. The nuns don't bother much about it as they regard Chinese New Year to be more important and auspicious.

Ning, my old friend had been to the Long Tails Club again and he was raving about the new dancer there known as "The Black Rose. "

"Da, you should see her dance," raved Ning. "She has the most gorgeous black fur, bright yellow eyes and wears only a black rose round her neck ...ooh la la!" Of course temptation was great but I had promised Head Nun never to step into that club again, so I resisted all Ning's attempts to get me to accompany him.

After Ning left, I felt I needed some fresh air, so decided to sit outside the temple gates and watch the traffic go by. There was a lot of noise with revellers making merry and motorists sounding their horns.

It was then that I saw a movement a few yards from me. It was a black cat and as she moved under the street lamp, I saw it had jet black fur, yellow eyes and a black rose round its neck. I suddenly remembered Ning's description of the new dancer at the club - of course, The Black Rose! Who else could it be? She must be on her way to the club to perform. I was quite thrilled that I should meet her in person and couldn't wait to tell Ning.

She moved closer to me and to my shock, winked at me. Having led a sheltered life with the nuns for so long, I had never before been exposed to the wiles of a female cat and my legs becan to tremble.

"Hi, stranger," she said, in a low husky voice. "Want to buy me a drink?"

I gaped at her, speechless. I wished frantically that Ning was around, he would know how to handle such situations.

"Er ... I don't drink," I stammered, my heart pounding away.

"You don't drink?" she asked, raising her eyebrows and fluttering her long eyelashes. She started to laugh, a cackling sort of laugh that reminded me of a witch. She continued to laugh and then I saw to my horror that her eyes had become bloodshot and saliva dripped from her mouth. She started moving towards me, slowly, menacingly. I sat rooted to the spot, my hair standing on end. Something told me to run, but my legs would not budge. Crazy thoughts ran through my brain, could she be a vampire, a werewolf, a witch ...

Just as I thought I was done for, Head Nun appeared from nowhere, brandishing a broom. "Shoo! Shoo! Go away, leave him alone!" The Black Rose turned round, taken by surprise and snarled at her before disappearing into the night.

Head Nun scooped me up in her arms and carried me back to the temple. Once safely inside, she put me in my basket and wagged her finger at me, saying: "You naughty cat! What did I tell you about going out alone at night!"

"I'm sorry, Head Nun," I mumbled, still terrified. "But how did you know where I was?"

"The Lord Buddha protects all who love Him. He sent me."

"He did? REALLY" I asked, wide-eyed.

Nun smiled, told me to go to bed and went to her room.

It was sometime before I could fall asleep. Visions of a black face, yellow eyes and a black rose kept looming before my eyes.

The last thought I had before I fell asleep was to warn Ning not to have anything to do with The Black Rose - whoever or whatever she was.

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