The Last Free Cat Read Online Free PDF Page A

Kris.
    â€œAll the pictures of …” I began. “I don’t like to talk about it.”
    â€œBecause you’ve never seen it,” replied Kris. “Because you know nothing about it.”
    â€œI’ve read about it,” I said.
    â€œYeah, on the slaveweb!” laughed Kris. “Owned by James Viafara, head of the Viafara Corporation, the same people that own the cats!”
    I paused. Kris always made me think, but I still couldn’t accept that millions of people would believe a lie. James Viafara may have been rich and powerful, but he was also known to be generous and trustworthy, a man who’d raised billions for Africa. Anyway, there were scientific papers about HN51, documentaries on the telly, politicians making speeches …
    â€œThey wouldn’t just make it all up,” I said.
    â€œDo you know anyone who’s died of cat flu?” asked Kris.
    â€œNo …” I began, “but that’s because cats are controlled.”
    â€œJade,” said Kris. “You’re not going to die.”
    This I did want to believe, and Kris said it with such certainty the heat in my forehead seemed to ebb away a little.
    â€œBut the doctor wanted me tested,” I said.
    Kris’s face dropped. “You went to the doctor?” he gasped.
    â€œI was scared!” I protested.
    â€œWhat did you tell him?” asked Kris.
    â€œI just said I was feeling sick,” I began. “I thought he’d give me a blood test … then he saw these.” I showed Kris the scratches on my hand. “Feela did it this morning,” I explained.
    â€œDid you tell him that?” asked Kris.
    â€œCourse I didn’t!” I protested. “But I think he guessed.”
    â€œJade, you idiot!” barked Kris.
    â€œDon’t call me that!” I snapped.
    â€œIt’s notifiable!” cried Kris.
    â€œYes, I know that!” I replied.
    Kris slapped a hand to his forehead. “Why didn’t you just ask me first?” he railed.
    I saw red. “Who do you think you are?” I cried. “I don’t answer to you! You don’t own me! And I’ll tell you this—if it had been up to me, you wouldn’t have a key to my house in a million years!”
    I stormed off in a fit of anger and confusion. I was angry at Kris for his arrogance, but I was more angry at myself for my stupidity. All the more so when I arrived home, opened the front door, and saw Feela happily running down the stairs.
    â€œPanic over,” said Mum. “Must have just been an upset tummy.”
    I dropped into the nearest chair. The adrenaline drained away like water down a plughole, and suddenly I felt utterly exhausted. What a fool I’d been!
    After a while, Feela joined me. She leapt silently on to my lap and stood on my leg, facing away, like a miniature lion. I stroked her supple little back and, as was her habit, she turned her head, blinking, expecting more affection. I don’t know how long we stayed there, me stroking, her purring, but it really was as if we had become part of one another. I know she was only an animal, acting on instinct, but she had come to know me, and our relationship was real. Even if she didn’t consciously intend to give me happiness, I felt such peace in her company that it made me yearn for all life to be like this.

Chapter Seven
    I must have fallen asleep on the sofa. The next thing I knew, there was a thunderous crash which ripped me awake with a thudding heart.
    Men. There were men in the house.
    Too late to act. The door to the front room smashed open, and they were in there with me—terrifying helmeted figures, lots of them, stun-stems in their hands. A single shout of “There!” and one yanked me off the sofa while the others tore it away from the wall. Then they started on the rest of the furniture.
    In the midst of this nightmare Mum appeared. Immediately her hand went to her heart.