said.
Raspberry?
Before I could try to figure that one out, Bella leaped up from the pillow. She ran into the kitchen and stopped at the space beside the fridge.
She lowered her head and licked her empty food dish. Then she meowed, like she was asking for her dinner.
I turned to Amanda. “How did the cat know where her food dish was?” I asked.
Amanda shook her head. “Beats me. She ran right to it.”
“Maybe she smelled it,” I said.
I pulled a can of cat food out of the cabinet. I opened it, then forked it into the food dish.
The new Bella dug in to it, chomping and slurping as if she hadn’t been fed in days. She made the funniest noises, gulping and coughing as she sucked down the fishy-smelling gunk.
“Wow, she was
starving!”
Amanda declared. “Don’t they feed the cats in Cat Heaven?”
Hearing the name of the store made me shudder. I pictured stealing the cat again. And our narrow escape. I pictured Lou, all red-faced and furious, shaking his fists at us as we roared away on the bus.
I knew I’d have nightmares that night.
Bella licked her food dish till it was sparkling clean. Then she lapped up some water from the water bowl.
Amanda had a big grin on her face. “Look at her, Mickey,” she said. “Look how perfect this cat is.”
I had to agree. She looked a lot like the old Bella. She was about the same size. Her yellow eyes were the same. Her tail was just about the right length.
“She even has the same cute perked-up ears,” I said. “This could work, Amanda. It really could. Maybe you
are
a genius!”
Her grin grew wider. “Told you so.”
I started to bump knuckles with Amanda. But before I could reach her, I saw the cat sway back onto her hind legs.
Bella pulled back her lips, bared her teeth—and let out a shrill screech from deep inside her. Her eyes started to glow bright yellow.
Before I could move, she leaped off the floor. Leaped high into the air.
“Whooooa!” A shocked cry burst from my throat as the cat landed on my chest. I staggered back.
She screeched again. It sounded like a scream in a horror movie.
Her eyes glowed brighter. I saw her teeth … saw her claws poke out from the furry paws.
No time to move. No time to push her away.
The cat swiped her claws down my chest—and slashed the front of my T-shirt in two.
14
“Owwww!”
I let out a howl of pain.
The cat dropped to the floor, landing on all fours. She took off running and disappeared down the hall.
I staggered back against the fridge. I pulled apart my slashed T-shirt and examined my chest.
“Did she cut you?” Amanda demanded. “Are you bleeding?”
“N-no,” I stammered. My voice came out in a choked whisper. “I’m only scratched. She didn’t break the skin.”
Amanda shook her head. “I don’t believe it. She ripped your shirt to
rags.”
“What was
that
about?” I said, trying to pull the two sides of my T-shirt together. My hands were shaking. I couldn’t get over my shock. “One minute she was enjoying her dinner. The next …”
“Nervous, I guess,” Amanda said. “She’s just tense. A new house. New people. It must be very frightening to a cat.”
I took a deep breath and held it. “She—she
attacked
me. Like a wild animal.”
I followed Amanda to the back of the house. I saw the new Bella on the Caplans’ bed. She had curled into a ball on one of the pillows. Her eyes were closed. She seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Right at home.
“Like a wild animal,” I repeated in a whisper.
Amanda tugged my torn shirt hard. “She needs time to get used to everything. It’s a good thing the Caplans won’t be back for a few days. By the time they get home, Bella will be perfectly sweet and normal.”
I gazed at the black cat curled up so comfy on the Caplans’ bed. “Amanda, I sure hope you’re right,” I said. I tugged her arm. “Come on. Let’s get out of here—before she wakes up and attacks again.”
“Mickey, you sure spend a lot of time at the
Elizabeth Amelia Barrington