Kidnapped - Pt.2

When I came to, I found myself lying in a basket in the sitting room.  My head was heavy and I felt quite sick in the stomach.  As I recollected what had happened, I dragged myself up ... I had to escape.  I crept to the window but it was heavily bolted with bars across the window panes.  I saw that it was early morning - I had actually spent a night at the old lady's house.  Then I heard a noise at the door - the old lady was coming - I jumped back into the basket and pretended I was asleep.

"Good morning, dear," she said.  "Come have your breakfast."  She put before me a plate filled with some reddish stuff.  "It's your favourite raw chicken liver," she said.  Chicken liver!  She scooped up a piece and forced it into my mouth.  It tasted so horrible I almost choked. Whoever this Emma was, she certainly had strange taste!

Just then the phone rang.  The old lady got up and went to answer it.  I quickly spit out the disgusting bit of liver into a nearby flower pot.  Afraid that she might force me to eat some more, I also threw the remaining pieces of liver into the pot.  When she finished her conversation and came back, I moved my mouth like I was chewing something.

"Good girl," she said, looking happily at the empty plate.  I closed my eyes and pretended to fall asleep.

The old lady got up and left the room, promising to be back soon.  As soon as she was gone, I sat up and racked my brain.  How was I to escape ... the telephone!  Of course!  I jumped up to the table where it was placed - I could try to call the Fire Department! With trembling paws, I dialed 999 ... a man's voice at the other end answered.

"Help!" I cried.  "I have been kidnapped ... I don't know the address but it's an old lady ... she thinks I'm some cat called Emma ... help..!"

"Alright, keep calm," said the voice at the other end.  Then the line went dead.  I replaced the receiver with shaking paws - how could they tell where I was?  I didn't even know where I was ... I ran back to the basket as I could hear the old lady coming back and again pretended I was asleep.

All was quiet for a while.  Then I heard heavy knocking at the front door.  The old lady got up and went to answer it.  I could clearly hear the conversation that went on ...

"Good morning, Aunty.  Now where's the fire this time?"  It was a fireman!  He had traced my call to the old lady's house.  He entered the sitting room and looked around. 

"Fire?  What fire?"  I heard the old lady say.

The fireman chuckled, then said, "Looks like you've got one of those dirty stray cats here again, Aunty. How many times I have told you not to keep dirty old cats?  They will make you sick.  I shall take this one with me."  With that, he picked me up, gave Aunty a kiss and walked quickly out of the room.

"Wait, wait ..." I could hear the old lady shrieking.

The fireman put me in his truck and drove quickly off.  He looked at me and laughed.

"Don't be so afraid, cat," he said.  "She means you no harm.  It's just that ever since her own little cat died, she missed it so much that she has been picking up other people's cats and taking them home with her. This isn't the first time, other cat owners have been calling me off and on.  That's why when you rang, I knew exactly where to find you. I must say you look exactly like Emma - no wonder she wouldn't let you go.  Poor old lady, she is pretty lonely, I guess."

"Yes," I said, now feeling rather sorry for the old lady.  "Can't you find her a cat, perhaps from the RSPCA?"

The fireman laughed.  "I tried that but they all ran away, they couldn't stand the chicken liver she gave them!"

"Yeah, I know what you mean," I said as a shudder went up my spine.

I was soon back at the temple and was met by a worried Head Nun.

Well, I had a long story to tell ... chicken liver?  She'll never believe it!