The Boy And His Cat
The Boy And His Cat
The Boy And His Cat
By
Donald Harry Roberts
1
He was a runaway, a practiced runaway with several attempts to his credit between the ages of six and eleven. The last attempt had been successful thanks to the woman who had rescued him from a boys reformatory. She took him in and treated him fairly enough, but he could never abide being ‘in the care of anyone, not even a kindly woman like Mrs Raven. What surprised him was, when he did run away, she made no effort to bring him back or have him returned. She did not even report that he had gone off.
He left behind everything except the backpack he had assembled for the very occasion of his departure. There was everything he needed to survive, ‘comfortably,’ on the city streets. And during one of his previous escapes he had fallen under the wing of a fine old man who taught him a prosperous art, “Tis the fine art of picking pockets, requires one to know which pockets are best for the picking and how to discover them. His mentor and he were delighted at the ease in which he learned this most ancient of skills and before long his revenue, even giving the old man a quarter of the share was most lucrative. But what was most important was, he had never been caught or suspected, a point which can be accredited to a very close and strange friend whom I shall introduce to you shortly.
His name, his street name is Alleycat. At the time of this story he was 13 years of age, midway through that treacherous landscape of life between boy and manhood.
As told, he is a thief, mostly a pickpocket and he is very, very good at it. Some would say he has a magical touch in his fingers, which could be true considering he has never been caught, not even close.
Some months ago, he lost one of his only two friends, his mentor who died one cold winter’s night from nothing more nasty than old age in the comfort of a hospital bed with Alleycat and Alleycat’s other friend at his side.
Alleycat’s other friend was a curious sort that, to you and I would seem impossible, but you and I are not him and he himself is very, very special, a point that his last foster ‘mother had recognized and let him runaway at last free to pursue his life as it would and should turn out.
Alleycat had met his second friend during the months of his third escape attempt. It was also the time when he transformed from an apprentice pick pocket to a master of the art for this second friend quickly became a consort who quite expertly created some very imaginative distractions while Alleycat emptied a victims pockets clean, vanishing into the shadows and alleyways before the victim even realized he had been cleaned out and not set a glance on the thief.
There was always an outcry mere minutes later when the victim discovered his empty pocket, but mere minutes might just as well have been forever because by then the ‘Culprit’ was long gone and unidentified.
2
Alleycat’s second friend now his only and best friend was a cat, a black cat so black it seem at times to have a deep blue ting to the fur. It eyes were blue, ever changing from sky blue to midnight blue and on occasion so blue they seemed black with tiny sparkling blue star glinting and glimmering in them. And if you are thinking this could only be a magical cat or possibly a witch’s familiar or, a witch, you would be close to being accurate on all counts.
The cat’s name was simple and cleanly definitive. “Blackcat.” A name she answered to readily and would respond as no other cat might.
“It has been a good day Blackcat. We have plenty to eat and a bit more to add to our booty for leaner times.” Said Alleycat.
“With a slight purr in her voice Blackcat talked back, “Your skills grow better each day Alleycat. Soon, very soon they shall be put to better use, with me at your side.”
“What better use can there be than to enjoy a life of elegant sufficiency on these mean streets? And what better thing can I do than share my rewards with those some that are desperate and with good skills to survive other than begging for morsels?” Alleycat replied.
As you might have gathered from his part of the conversation, Alleycat was in crude rude borrowed terms, a bit of a Robin Hood. You may have caught on as well that Blackcat could talk, though not that her word came out in a Creole fashion of an English nature with a soft French overtone.
“Soon, my young friend, we shall travel from here to yon, beyond the Crossing Place into another city, a Queendom City named Yar.”
“I think this is going a little far out.” Replied Alleycat.
“Having a talking cat as your best friend and thieving consort is already over the top in this make up of reality.” Blackcat reminded.
“When?” Alleycat asked, a little cautiously, quickly adding, “And when could I expect to return?”
Blackcat purred warmly. “Your time away will go unnoticed because here you will be gone for only the time it takes to put one foot in front of the other whilst in Yar a day, a week, months or even years may roll by.”
“The old man use to say to me quite often and in answer to some question I had. “Everything can change one way then back again when you put one foot in front of the other.” I always thought he said it because he could not answer my question.” Alleycat revealed.
Blackcat yowled, which was her catish way of laughing. She said, “That old man was very special and though he never said it was his name he told you tales of grand adventures beyond the Crossing Place where there be a thousand times infinity worlds to explore. His name was Buckman MacBane and if you have not yet, though it has been a fortnight since his passing you should explore his Digs which he bequeathed to you and all its contents. He left you something very special.”
“I have not returned to that place since he was gone because it will bring me only sadness. My world, my life is empty without him.” Replied Alleycat.
“You must. Today. I will go with you.” Blackcat instructed with a commanding force.
“Ah. Very well, but it will give me no pleasure to take what was his. He treasured those few belongings he possessed.” Said Alleycat with a hint of resistance.
“Possessions he wanted you to have. He was your mentor and he chose you for good reason that one day you will understand.” Explained the cat. “Now come. Claim your inheritance and your lot.”
3
The alleyway was between two red brick buildings that had stood there for a hundred years or more and though well maintained and still in use, showed their age. It was but three metres wide but some twenty long and closed off, a blind alley they are called.
At the end of it was a hut made of such materials that it was quite dry inside and offered protection against the elements of all seasons. Its roof was peaked and troughed and the water that ran off the tin covering went into a barrel inside set up high off the floor. There was a pipe from the barrel to a sink with a garden hose tap on it.
There was a bed and a rocking chair, a table with two straight back wooden chairs a small propane heater, fed by a tank that was mounted on a platform fitted to the roof, a propane cook stove, book shelves along one wall, pots and pans hanging on the other wall with a shelf filled
with dried and canned goods. The hut seemed much bigger on the inside than it appeared on the outside.
On two hooks above there was a walking stick crowned with a plain silver ball and a foot made of rubber with a retractable ice hook. There was a nail beside the head of the walking stick from which hung a ring on a leather necklace. Of all the things there Blackcat pointed out these last two items. Put the ring on your finger and from this day on be in the habit of carrying or walking with the stick where ever you go.”
“How did he live here for so long without be kicked out. Didn’t the people who owned these building object?” Alleycat asked and I am sure you are smart enough to know the answer to the enigma so I will leave it to you. Blackcat simply replied, the owner tolerated him as the owner now will tolerate you. I might say here that the bottom floors of both buildings were a mission for men and the other for women. The top floor was for families.
“So, what now?” Alleycat asked warily.
“So now this is where you live.” Answered Blackcat and so shall I. Buck had his Dragon and you have me and ahead of us awaits many adventures but if ever we are called upon, we must answer if Yar is in need.”
Alleycat was a little reluctant at first but after a night or two sleeping comfortably in the bed and having means to make his own breakfast and someplace to shelter in inclement weather that was his own, he settled in. And Blackcat arranged her own bed in the rocking chair.
In time Alleycat learned that the quarter of the revenue he gave to the old man went directly to the missions. He decided then that three quarters should be so donated and there was always plenty left over to tend to his own needs with a little ‘rainy day extras’ on hand.
And now I can hear you thinking, how could you tell a story with a thief as the hero. All I can say is keep reading. Maybe somewhere along the line you will come to understand.
4
Alleycat took to walking everywhere with the walking stick or could it be said, he never went anywhere without it nor without Blackcat at his side. He also took to wearing a gray coloured hoodie with the hood up, denim coveralls with a blue and black long sleeved checkered shirt and a kind of shoe once called desert boots which you may know are durable and easy to care for.
On many an occasion he found himself, quite unsolicitedly putting one foot in front of the other and instead of the city sidewalk his foot step would touch down on a version of the Crossing Place, which could be anything from a bridge to a meadow or a desert or anything else that could manifest itself as a Crossing place. Once he even found himself walking on clouds and on the far side there was wild country filled with animals of the most strange, weird, and curious nature, most of which he had no name, but learned all their names while he was there. Then putting one foot in front of the other he came back to exactly where he was except one step ahead.
Sometimes he would go on wild and wicked adventures, to save a town, a village, and yes once even to save a damsel in distress and at other times he simply explored the scape, but always he
would record his wanderings in journals and place the journals on the bookshelves alongside those of his benefactor. And Blackcat was always at his side.
And then he was fifteen when one day there was a tapping on his door. When he went to see who it was, he was absolutely delighted. It was Mrs Raven.
He of course invited her in and when she entered and saw the cat she smiled warmly and said, “Hello Cat. I have missed your visits.”
Alleycat said in complete surprise, “You know each other.”
“Indeed, we do, very well.” Blackcat replied and then she stood on her back legs and in a shimmer of yellow and green and blue and white light transformed into a very old looking woman who could only be described as a Haggish woman.
Alleycat nearly fell over, but there is more, Mrs. Raven and Cat were almost identical. Alleycat said in an awe bent voice, Sisters. Twins.” And then the two woman changed, one back to being a black cat and the other a very black Raven.
Said the Raven to the Cat, “My sister. The time is on us and the boy. There is rumour in the Etherwind that he has returned with a vengeance. He has with him an army of trolls and gargoyles and foul ogres. But they are not attacking Yar. They are building a fortress of iron, black iron. If he is not stopped Yar could be doomed. And, dear sister, he has built another Time Machine though its sand has not begun to flow.”
“Who is ‘He’?” asked Alleycat.
“Gafrinker The Magician.” Mrs. Raven Cawed.
5
“In his journals the old man said Gafrinker is a sorcerer, not legitimately but he has possession of a sorcerer’s Cast Book and the Green Eye that allows him to read it.”
“What he has, and his methods are not what we will have to concern ourselves with.” Replied Mrs. Raven. “Your task is in a way singular but above all the most important. You must steal the Green Eye. With it he can read the book and with the spells he has chosen he has control of a horde of minions, not inherently evil but coerced to evil with promises of loads of whatever their hearts desire.”
“But if he has already bound them to him with spells what good would it be to steal this Green Eye?” Alleycat asked.
“Spells must be maintained boy. You cannot cast them then expect them to go on forever. Some need to be rebuilt every day, some could last for weeks but all will fail if not attended to. If the spells fail Gafrinker will lose his hold over his minions and realize he will never fulfil his promises. They will realize he does not have what they desire and that when they have completed their task, he will cast a final spell on them. He will destroy them all. But not until he has
begun draining the life essence from Yar, which is all he wants. To live forever, to create a place where things live and die and feed him his eternity.
“Then I should steal both the Eye and the book so he can never use it again.” Replied Alleycat.
“A lofty goal but you are right. To remove both from his possession would put an end to his treachery, but first the eye. He carries it on his person at all times, where ever he goes.” Said Blackcat.
“Thus, is the reason I was taught the art of picking pockets. You want me to pick the eye from his pocket.” Alleycat said laughing loud.
And the cat and the raven nodded, “Yes.”
Alleycat smiled, reached out, and took up his walking stick and when he put one foot in front of the other his next step landed on the Crossing Place from here to yon.
It was a bridge of Onyx that spanned a river gorge and when his next step landed, he was upon a road, paved as any road might be, the South road travelling north into the city of Yar. And at his side was Blackcat treading along quietly, watchfully.
“So here we are. Now where shall we begin?” Said Alleycat.
“As all adventures begin in Yar. We gain audience with the Queens and announce our presence and intentions.” Answered Blackcat.
Alleycat nodded and took the first step into an adventure that would unfold at its own pleasure.
“In his youthful wisdom, having some insight about the past Alleycat said, “This Gafrinker fellow will not be so easily foiled this time. He may anticipate our arrival.”
“True, but he will be expecting someone else. Not a boy thief.”
6
The four Queens studied the boy for a long time, then they examined the cat for another long time.
“What are you.” Asked Queen Fire, looking at Alleycat.
“I don’t understand the question Ma’am.” Said he.
“That is a cat.” Queen Fire pointed at Blackcat. “You are human I think, but none as such that I have ever seen.”
“Hey. I got it. She has never seen a young man. Everyone here is an adult and time does not flow here. It stands still. Nor would she understand if an old person stood before her.”
Alleycat considered this for a moment. Then he smiled and said. “What I am is of small concern Queen Fire, accept that I am your friend and have come to help the Queens of Yar.”
“Help us. What help do you think we need?” Queen Air interjected haughtily.
“Why, have you not heard. A sorcerer has come to besiege Yar City. This very moment it is said, he is building a fortress not two miles south of here.”
“We Know all about it. That is, our messengers have sent us news that someone has built a tent city where you say a fortress is. They claim they are from a far off land that was decimated by some horrible man and his dragon.”
“They lie and have deceived your Highnesses. The leader of this rabble is a magician called Gafrinker, but you may know him by another name. Badmash the Sorcerer.” Alleycat tried explaining.
“We have never heard of either. The leader of these people has a clear name. He is called Goodman and someone with such a name must thus be good.” Argued Queen Air.
“It pointless kid. The Queens don’t have a clue what is going on. I think we will be on our own.” Said Blackcat.
“I think you are right.” Alleycat agreed then addressed the Queens again.
“Pardon us your Highnesses. It seems we are mistaken in our assessment of your guests. Maybe we have received miss information.”
“Well, we all make a mistake now and then and this one of yours has done no harm so we shall let it go. You may enjoy the freedom of our city as welcomed guests.” Said Queen Water, then all four Queens stood and exited the audience hall.
When they were gone and Alleycat and Blackcat were leaving the palace Alleycat said quietly. “I was not aware people in such places as leaders could be so empty headed.”
“They are not. They simply have no concept of anything but a world endless and without strife. They cannot imagine anyone would do them harm and they have no memory, as Buck MacBane said of what Gafrinker tried to do to them before, or of the man himself because when the time machine was broken everything went back to the way it was before the machine was built.” Said Blackcat.
“We learned something though.” Said Alleycat. “Gafrinker and his horde have not begun building the fortress and are living out of tents. I wonder why we did not see them when we arrived?”
“We will go now and have a look.” Blackcat suggested.
“It will be dark soon. Maybe we can visit and spy and escape without being seen. Then we can assess what to do next.”
And so that is what they did, but not all went as they planned, for when they reached the tent city there were guards watching for them. It seemed the queens sent a message to Goodman that a small man and a cat had been inquiring about him and made some terrible accusations.
7
It seemed at first to go well. They crept through the shadows around the circles of lamp light illuminating the corridors between the tents that served as well laid out streets. There were no sentries except at certain tents which were larger and probably the abodes of commanders and leaders.
Around several camp fires trolls gathered and sang trollish songs that were gravelly, tuneless things about cave dwelling and ancient ancestors who turned to stone in the light of the sun.
Then he spied gargoyles perched on pole stands like parrots and it was then that Alleycat realized there were sentries. The Gargoyles. He realized it too late for as he came around a tent two swooped down on him and lifted him into the air.
“We have caught an intruder.” They cried out and before he could do anything he was shoved in to large tent, roughly.
As he rolled Alleycat thought about using his walking stick for he had sensed its dragon magic as soon as they had arrived in Yar. But when he stopped rolling and was able to get his feet, he stood there two very big eyes bulged out, staring at him viciously, and attached to the eyes was a very, very fat man.
“I assume you are the short man who visited the queens earlier today.” A bubbly gurgling voice said in an accusing tone.
“And I assume you are fat old Gafrinker the magician.” Alleycat shot back.
“You sound just like another dreambuster I once knew. Are you related to him? His name is Buck MacBane.
“I have no relatives by that name. In fact, I have no relatives at all.” Alleycat answered fiercely.
“Well, that is good. No one will notice you missing when I suck out your life essence.” Gafrinker’s bubbly words came with a sinister over tone.
Alleycat laughed. “You have much too much confidence in yourself Fat Man. I may call you Fat Man yes, since it fits so well.” Alleycat teased.
Gafrinker’s red splotchy cheeks began to glow like little lights and his brow pinched and the corners of his mouth curved down. It was a frown, though too comical looking to take seriously. It was just what Alleycat wanted, but he was cautious not too push to far.
Thoroughly he searched Gafrinker’s pockets with the keen, practiced eye of a pick pocket, looking for a bulge that might be pickable, but he saw nothing of the sort.
“You test my patience boy. I could just kill you now and be done with you. I will have plenty of people to feed me with life essence once my new machine is ready. And this time I have a spell of protection if that damnable walking stick should be about again.”
Alleycat thought about the walking stick tethered to his backpack in a cotton sheath, like someone might carry a sword. He was glad at that moment it had not been noticed. In that same moment he pondered what Blackcat was working on to get him out of this mess if he couldn’t get out of it on his own.
“And what did happen to you cat?” He considered anxiously.
8
When the gargoyles swooped down from their perches Blackcat realized there would be little she could do to stop them from snatching Alleycat off his feet. It was well that they had not noticed her, and she was able to sleek silently out of harm’s way. But she followed them to where they wrangled their load mercilessly into a large square pavilion that looked a lot like a big top circus tent.
She scurried to the back. There was a huge, bulking silhouette against the tent wall, that looked a little like buddha statue from behind, only fatter. Of course, it could only be the shadow of one creature. Blackcat shuddered at the thought. She had met the owner of the shadow once before.
Not only was he fat, but he smelled, that unbathed smell humans get when it’s been ages since they cleansed their skin.
She listened until Gafrinker said, “Take this welp to a tent and put four guards on him. If he tries to escape you are under orders to skewer him with your tails.” She guessed he was talking to gargoyles who have long tails with very sharp spear heads at the tips.
“Well, this is hopeful.” She purred, though was uncertain what good she could make of it with four gargoyles perched around the tent.
Gargoyles see well in the night but in the day, it is reverse to the human eye. They are also a little dozy since they are essentially nocturnal creatures and do not wake easily.
Blackcat waited out the night, well-hidden and watching every little movement. She even snagged a mouse that came too close but decided not to eat it. Instead she whispered in its ear and let it go. Mice can be handy friends in a pinch and this little fellow, like many creatures in Yar had the power of speech. At the right time he had a chore to do and promised to be ready when the call came.
When sunrise came and the Gargoyles relented their post as the trollish guards took over, Blackcat slipped like a shadow into Alleycats tent.
Alleycat was already awake and searching his back pack for piece of honey cake, which he always carried as emergency food on an adventure.
Whispering he said, “I am glad to see you well Blackcat. I was afraid the gargoyles might have got you and done something terrible.”
“I am quicker and cleverer than a gargoyle but thank you for your concern. Now let us discuss how you are going to get the Green Eye.”
“I already took a step in that direction. I could see nothing in his pockets that might be shaped like and eye. No bulges I mean, and he carried no purse.” Alleycat described.
“I think you have taken the idea of the eye too literally.” Blackcat replied amusedly. “The eye is a monocle with a silver frame and silver link chain fob.”
“Well, that can be very easy or very difficult to pick, depending on how it is attached to the button or button hole.” Alleycat pondered, saying it in a whisper.
“There’ll be some magic at work as well I suspect.” The cat added.
Alleycat thought about it all for a moment then said enlightenedly.
“I have it. I think it would be easier, though not easy to steal the book. It will be guarded but with my walking stick I can get around that problem. All we have to do is find out where he is keeping it. Then we can hold it ransom. The eye for the book, but we take both away.”
Suddenly the door of the tent opened.
9
Nothing came in. “It was the wind.” Said Alleycat after waiting a minute to assess the disturbance.
“Not likely my boy.” Blackcat countered. “When the eyes are deceived the nose is a handy thing, especially a cat’s nose. Something came in with that wind, but I suggest we continue our planning despite the intrusion.”
Blackcat suddenly became distracted and her blue eyes glinted. It was joy. Then for a long time she seemed to be listening. Several times she purred and smiled if you can imagine a cat smiling.
Finally, she said to Alleycat. “It is best we go straight for the Green Eye. We will never get our hands on the book. If we try a spell will be released and many will die in Yar.”
Alleycat looked around the tent trying to detect something to show who was there, but after a few minutes he said, “Then I must get very close to Gafrinker and there must be a very explosive distraction. And it must happen very quickly so he has no time to react when he sees the walking stick, for I will most certainly need it if there is magic protecting the Green Eye.”
Another gust of wind disturbed the door and Blackcat purred, “Bye.”
“Who was it?” Alleycat asked.
Blackcat smiled and said, “A ghost.” But would not elaborate.
Alleycat shrugged his shoulders. Cats are secretive creatures, even ones you might be close to and they have secrets that are sometimes better to be kept. Still he said, “Maybe the ghost can
steal the eye better than I can.” It was a mistake. Blackcat hissed angrily but did nothing more and a minute later she apologized but would say no more.
“I must go and have a word with a mousey friend.” She announced.
“A cat with a mouse for a friend. Now that is something to ponder.” Alleycat replied humorously.
“A whole swarm of mice I hope.” Blackcat said then was gone in a blink.
Alleycat sat there pondering his situation and wonder how he would ever escape.