Timmy in Trouble

Chapter Eight

Timmy lay on his cushion silently, only occasionally giving a sad little whine. Jess had been so cross, crosser than anyone had ever been with him before. She’d called him a bad dog, and lots of other horrible things. Even Katie had said he was naughty. He’d never heard her sound upset like that. And the worst thing was, they were right. He had been naughty.

The kitchen door clicked open gently, and Katie came in, wearing her pyjamas. Timmy looked up at her sadly. Was she still angry with him?

“Oh, Timmy. I’m sorry we shouted. You didn’t know, did you? But Misty’s really upset, Timmy, and Jess is furious.” Katie sighed. “I thought you and Misty would learn to get along, but it just isn’t happening.” She stroked his ears gently, and Timmy laid his nose on her knee, gazing apologetically at her.

Katie looked guiltily round at the kitchen door, and then scooped him up in her arms. “Come on. We’re both too miserable to be on our own. Mum and Dad have gone to bed, so I’m going to sneak you up to my room. We’ve got to be really quiet, because if anyone catches us, we’ll be in big trouble, OK?”

Timmy snuggled gratefully into Katie’s arms, and she tiptoed upstairs. She tucked him down beside her, and Timmy felt happy for the first time since Jess had been so cross. At least Katie still loved him.

But the next morning, Jess flung Katie’s bedroom door open, and rushed in, her face panicky.

Katie rolled over. “What is it?” she asked, too sleepy to remember that she ought to hide Timmy. Luckily, Jess seemed too distracted to notice him.

“Have you seen Misty?” she asked anxiously.

Katie shook her head, yawning.

“She didn’t come back in last night! I was sure she’d be here this morning. She does stay out late sometimes, but never all night.” She frowned at Katie. “You know why she’s gone, don’t you? Because of Timmy. He’s driven her away, Katie!”

“That’s not true—” Katie started to say, but Jess didn’t let her finish.

“Of course it is! He eats her food, he chases her, he’s bitten her tail, and now he’s chewed up her most special thing! I’m just surprised she didn’t leave before!”

Katie sat up in bed, carefully covering Timmy with the duvet. “Misty’s just old and grumpy, and she’s never been at all friendly to Timmy. She was the one who scratched him!”

“She’s a cat, Katie! Cats don’t like dogs! I told you and Mum and Dad that, and nobody listened, and now we’ve lost her. You were the one who wanted a dog in the first place. It’s all your fault!”

“No, it isn’t!” Katie yelled back, making Timmy tremble beside her. He hated shouting.

“It is, and stop trying to hide Timmy, because I know you’ve got him up here, and I’m telling Mum!” Jess stormed out, leaving Timmy whimpering.

“It’s OK, boy,” Katie muttered. “It’ll be OK…”

But she wasn’t at all sure that it would.

Katie and Timmy were in disgrace. Jess was still claiming that Misty had run away because of Timmy. Katie had to admit it was true, but he hadn’t been naughty on purpose – he was just being a dog, a friendly, bouncy, messy puppy. He hadn’t meant to upset Misty!

Dad had called their vet to tell them that Misty was missing. Misty had been microchipped, so that if anyone brought her into the vet’s, they could tell at once who she belonged to. But Mum and Dad were sure that she would be back soon.

“It’s only been one night, Jess,” Mum said at breakfast, putting an arm round her.

Katie sat on the other side of the table, feeling miserable. She was worried about Misty, too, and Mum had really told her off for having Timmy in her room. Now he was lying under the table, resting his nose on her feet. He could sense how upset everyone was, and it was horrible.

“She’ll be back as soon as she gets hungry, Jess,” Dad promised. “And it’s the first morning of my holiday from work, remember, so I can help you look for her later if she doesn’t turn up.”

“It’s only two days till Christmas!” Jess wailed. “What if Misty isn’t back for Christmas Day?”

The problem was Misty didn’t want to be found. She was miserable, and she wanted to hide away from people, and especially from dogs. When she had seen her precious blanket in pieces all over the kitchen floor, she had known that she couldn’t stay in the house any longer.

Misty had left home, and she wasn’t coming back. Not while the dog was still there. She had plodded dismally through the garden, crawled under the back fence, and set off down the alleyway that led to the main road. She wanted to be far away, and by the time Jess had finished shouting at Katie and Timmy, and raced after her, Misty had gone too far to hear her frantic calling.

Misty liked being outdoors. She was good at hunting – she loved to give Jess mouse presents – and she adored sunbathing in the garden. Only now it was freezing, and she could smell snow in the air. And it felt different being outside all alone and knowing that she couldn’t just slip back in through her cat flap to be safe and warm again.

She spent the night huddled under a garden shed, a few streets away from her own house. It was horrible; still, she couldn’t go back. But when she woke in the morning, hungry and stiff with cold, Misty wished that Jess was there to cuddle her, and open one of her favourite fishy tins for breakfast. Maybe she should go home, just for some food, then she could leave again, after she’d seen Jess…

Misty crawled out of the grubby little den she’d found, and sniffed the air anxiously. Home was – which way?

In a sudden panic, Misty leaped on to the top of a garden wall, looking worriedly around. She didn’t know! She had been so desperate to get away yesterday that she hadn’t tried to remember. Now all the gardens looked the same, and none of them was hers…