Fluffee was born a stray cat but learned how to survive .
A few blocks from the docks stood the overcrowded Flats .
Fluffee knew about an old lady who lived alone and decided to put her best paw forward and push her way inside to a warm existence .
The groceries arrived there every Monday morning at ten.
Once the deliveryman had rang the doorbell Fluffee sprung into action.
When the old lady opened the door Fluffee began to meow, purr, roll over and softly brush up against her legs, then the cat said. .
“Why hello there Fluffee’s the name and I’m a tame house trained cat. I like you lady. Can I stay here?“
The old lady ran her fingers through the cats fur and said,
“Hello little puss. Come inside and I’ll get you a drink.”
Fluffee replied,
“Now that’s what I call cool. I mean you’re so sweet. You don’t mind if I just hang around here for a while.”
The old lady said.
“ Oh you are the cutest thing I ever saw. Make yourself at home puss.
Now where are my hearing aids, its time for the news.”
Fluffee replied,
“Cool. I’ll just wait here on the warm rug. So what’s cooking? I like fish but anything with a meaty flavour will do. Kidney would be nice . I’ll be happy with chicken or some warm milk in a bowl , I’ll leave it up to you lady .“
The old lady sat an bowl of water in front of the cat .
Fluffee was stunned and stood there looking into the water .
“So like , what’s this ?”
The old lady searched around for her hearing aids . When she found them she sat down in front of the TV .
Suddenly she began to talk to the man on TV who was reading the news .
“Hello is anybody in there . I think you should tell the people exactly what’s going on . This world is in a bad way and no one wants to admit it . “
She said .
The cat sat there and never muttered a word .\
The old lady continued ,
“If you think that I’m going to sit here and listen to all that rubbish , well you’ve another thing coming . So you better shut up . “
Fluffee soon realised all was not well with the old lady .
“Hey l don’t want to alarm you lady but there’s nobody living in there, except for circuits and transistors .“
The old lady continued .
“The problem with the world today is people like you . Its all bad news .“
Fluffee had enough of the six o’clock news decided to go and check out the rest of the flat . In the kitchen a small mouse scurried across the floor but didn’t get far . Fearless Fluffee pounced on the rodent before it could escape .
With one paw on the mouses tail and another held in the air , the mouse squealed out in fear .
“Squeak ,Ok cat , make it quick . “
The cat purred and replied ,
“Don’t panic my little furry friend . I’m not a killer . “
Then she lifted her paw from the mouses tail .
The mouse sat back and said ,
.
“Squeak, ah so you’re not descended from the African tiger or some Siberian wild cat then?”
The cat replied ..
“Meow . No , I’m glad to say . So you’re can chill out ok . ”
“Hey cat squeak . What’s your name ?”
Said the mouse .
“Meow , well it’s Fluffee .“
The mouse looked up into the cats big green eyes and said .
“Well squeak , it’s nice to meet you Fluffy “
The cat replied .
“That’s Fluffee ! with a double E and not a Y .“
“Sorry Fluffee .”
Said the mouse who called out his small family with a few high pitched squeals .
“Hey listen everyone . This is Fluffee with a double E and she’s just moved in and we are going to make her welcome .“
All the little mice went over and made various gestures to Fluffee .
One member of the mouse family said ,
“Cool so what are you , Savannah stray or a lost domestic .“
“I’m an import . Five generations free .and proud to be owned by none “
“So squeak , you’re not a hunter ?”
“ Purr , well if I were you would you lot still be here . ?”
“Right ?”
Said one
“Squeak ,Yeah , true . So true .”
Said another .
“What do you think of old Maggie ?”
Said one of the mice .
“She’s a little on the gone side of life , but still hanging on . “So does she hear me when I talk ?”
Fluffee asked .
The old lady called out from the living room .
“Where are you puss . Look what I have here. “
Fluffee returned to the living room and the old lady placed a bowl of water on the floor .
“There you are puss . For a thirsty hungry cat.”
Said the old lady .
After a week or two the kitten was fed up .
Fluffee was getting sick of the four concrete walls and an old woman who had almost lost her marbles .
The kitten wanted adventure and excitement in life .
After a month the kitten was getting into a rut . It had begun to talk to itself and the constant bowls of water had not encouraged any affection towards
Maggie . So one Monday ,when the grocery delivery arrived at the door, the kitten bolted out like a white tornado , down the stairs and back out into the back alleys of the city .
“Freedom .“
Said Fluffee who began to work the bins in the back alley .
Suddenly the cat ran straight into a rat that sat there on the top of a stack of garbage, picking through the scraps . .
“Well screech , hello there cat . How’s things ?”
said the rat .
“Meow , well things are better, now that I’ve escaped . Purr ”
Fluffee replied .
The rat queried ,
“Screech , from where . Squeal , The pound or shelter ?”
“No I’ve run away from a crazy old lady who never talks to me .“
The kitten replied .
“Where are you going ?”
Asked the rat .
“I haven’t worked that out yet “
Said the kitten .
“What’s your name ?”
“Fuffee . What’s yours ?”
“Squeal , they call me , King Rat “
Came the reply .
“Meow , who made you King ?”
The kitten asked .
“Well I did of course . Screech , when all other rats can’t survive I’ll be the one left . Squeal . Me King Rat . The survivor, see Screech ?”
““Cool . .‘
The cat replied .
“That’s right . Squeal . I’ll be the one left when the others aren’t around .
I will survive .That’s why I’m King Rat . I’m always a step ahead and smarter that the average rat .”
Said the rat that seemed slightly psychotic with his response .
He sniffed among some scraps from discarded take away meals.
The cat could smell a rat and was getting inquisitive .
“Hey , meow King Rat . What do you think about this city ?”
“You mean this doomed city and its people .
Came the reply .
“Yeah , meow . We are the breed right . We are the authority on the street .Isn’t that the way it is ?”
The cat said .
“I like the way you talk Fluffee .”
King Rat said .
“Freedom to scrounge and be accepted for who you are .”
That why I like this city .
Said the cat .
The rat jumped up on a garbage bin and squealed ..
“So what do you think of the people in this city ?”
“People . I use them like you ,right ?”
Said Fluffee .
The rat screeched and did a back flip and landed right in front of Fluffee .
“Well, that’s s right and their days are numbered . I’ve got a plan and its all going down tonight We all have to be smart to survive these days”
“ So wha’s happening King Rat ?.“
The cat asked y .
“A revolution if you want to know . Are you interested in joining us ?”
Fluffee had to keep cool . He realised something bad was afoot and wanted to get on the Rats good side .
“I’ve been in a few revolutions in my time you know .“
Fluffee said .
“Oh really . Tell me more cat .“
Said King Rat.
“Purr , well where I come from I’m a legend . Meow , they call me , purr ,
Big Chief Cool Cat . Meow and I’ve kept every human scalp of all those victims who got in my way ..”
“Squeal , Now that’s what I’m talking about . Screech “
Said King Rat .
“No mercy King Rat ?”
Fluffee said .
“Screech , well now exactly where do you come from Big Chief ?”
The rat asked .
“Meow , I come from Nine lives Island . The only place on earth where cats have ruled over people “
Fluffee replied .
The rat was impressed and said
“So the island is ruled by cats ?’”
“Yes meow , and tell you what if you are thinking about taking over maybe you should come visit my Island and see what we’ve done .“
“I’m listening cat . Go on ,tell me more . “
The rat listened as Fluffee told this fantastic story of how the cats raided every home and building until nothing was left . Envious of the cats victory and eagre to have one of his own , King rat said ,
“Can you help us with our revolution ?”
Fluffee was now in control of the situation and replied .
“There’s something you need to do . Tell all of your rat army they should come and see Nine Lives Island . . The ship leaves tonight at midnight from the low dock . If you want to come back and see the Cat Kingdom I’ll be waiting by the mooring ropes . “
King Rat replied .
“Follow me .I want you to meet some of the breed .”
The cat followed the rat down into an underground sewer system .
Then there they all were . The entire breed of city rodents and they weren’t as pretty sight . It wasn’t a party mood there either . The rat gathering were a serious crowd with some heavy dudes standing in the ranks ..
All there squealed and screeched as King Rat addressed the gathering .
“ Ok listen up everyone . I need you to meet someone .”“
King Rat called Fluffee over and squealed .
“This is Big Chief Cool Cat . I want you to hear her out ?”
Fluffee started to talk .
“Where I come we took over from the human kind . We cats all took up strategic places . If you are serious about this revolution then come tonight and see for yourselves what we cats have done on Nine Lives Island . The ship leaves after midnight and take it from me . You won’t be disappointed “
A thunderous applause echoed around the sewers .
It was put to a vote and the motion to jump on the ship was carried .
King Rat spoke aloud ,
“Ok then , this is just the beginning for Ratkind . We are going to rule .“
A loud applause followed but Fluffee knew that this would be an end not a beginning to their wicked plan .
That night before the rats came Fluffee and a few furry friends from the tenement flats began to gnaw and had chew through parts of the. Ropes that kept the ship tied to the dockside .
Later that night when huge numbers of rats began to scurry along the mooring ropes to board the ship all the ropes snapped and most of the Rat Army tumbled down into the water and were drowned .
King Rat was one of the last rats left .
Fluffee looked down into the water and shouted .
“To survive , you’ve got to be smarter that the average Rat .Isn’t that right ?”
King Rat struggled and squealed and slowly went under the water .
Fluffee returned back to the safety of the alleyways that had become his home .
The End
By Paul McCann
