To Be A Cat

The Water

BARNEY FELL FAST through the air, staring at the stars, distant diamonds resting on a black satin sky, the last beautiful thing he thought he’d ever see. Then his body twisted and righted itself so his paws were facing the water.

Down and down and—

Splash.

He hit the water hard with his paws. He’d fallen so fast it felt harder than water. And then he was in it, in the freezing, dirty, mammoth river, being pulled along by the current.

‘Help!’ he miaowed, trying to keep his head up. ‘Somebody!’

But it was no good.

He glanced at the river bank.

The large empty buildings were sliding by at the speed of the water. He looked to the other bank, on his right side. It was even further, and not a house or building or person in sight. Just a jagged fringe of wild grass, too far away to offer any hope.

Barney kicked desperately with all his legs, and it took every single piece of energy simply to keep his head out of the water.

‘Swim,’ he told himself. ‘Come on … swim.’

He tried to head towards the left bank because it was slightly closer. But the current was getting faster. It was like being a piece of dust shooting up a vacuum cleaner. He had never felt so small and useless and weak.

Then he realized why the water was speeding up. He was heading towards the weir. Even if he managed to keep his head above the river for another ten minutes it would be no good – he’d reach the weir and drown for sure.

Think … think … think …

But the voice in his head quickly changed.

Sink … sink … sink …

He was going to die, under a thousand shining stars.

Stars!

He knew Rissa’s barge was two-minutes’ walk from the weir, moored on the left bank. In fact, he realized he could just about see it ahead, its strip of low windows softly lighting the water.

And he was sure he could see Rissa out on deck, staring up at the stars with her telescope.

But the barge was still miles away. Cat miles, anyway. And although the current might have been carrying him in the right direction, he was being sent in a straight line, not a diagonal one. So he tried to angle himself, using every last grain of strength to paddle his tired, cold, stiff legs towards the barge.

Slowly he made some progress, but slowly wasn’t good enough. There was no way he would be able to reach the barge. He’d seen enough triangles in maths lessons to know the angle wasn’t sharp enough.

And even if it was, it would be impossible to climb on board.

Yet he kept going. He remembered being in a swimming pool wearing his pyjamas for a life-saving badge, and having to give up because his legs were too tired. His freezing legs were ten times as tired now, but being a cat had somehow helped him find a courage and determination he never knew were there.

He thought of nothing but the barge, and the Fairweathers’ warm home inside as he tried to block out how cold and heavy the water was starting to feel.

Help! he miaowed when he could swim no more. Rissa! Help! Help!

Her silhouette stayed watching the star-strewn sky.

His head slipped under water, then back up into air again.

Rissa! Someone! Anyone!

She moved.

He was sure she moved.

She stood up, looked out at the water.

‘Rissa!’

To his horror she sat down again. But then she lowered the telescope and looked out across the water. As she did so Barney kicked all four of his legs in frantic desperation to keep his head as high and visible as possible.

His friend left the telescope and went inside the barge. At first he thought she hadn’t seen him. But a moment later she came back out again with a man with a beard. Her dad. In a moment that seemed like for ever, he too had a look through the telescope.

Barney called out.

He didn’t even bother with words this time. Words which wouldn’t be understood.

He just made the loudest wailing miaow he could manage. A miaow that exhausted him. A miaow fuelled by every miserable moment since his parents’ divorce.

They heard it. Saw him. Rissa’s dad stood up and, without thinking, jumped into the water and started swimming.

Hold on, Barney told himself. Just one more minute.

Just hold on …

Hold on …

Hold …