11-CAT CAT CAT CAT

CAT CAT CAT CAT... It was dark under the streets. We climbed down an iron ladder one pawstep at a time. It was slippery. Very slippery. I was glad to be wearing those ugly rubber boots. So what if I was a fashion victim. At least I wouldn't break my tail. The cold seeped through my fur. I sneezed. "Achoo! I knew it! I've already caught a cold!" I moaned. Trap snickered. "Poor Gerrykins has caught a coldykins," he squeaked in a high- pitched voice.

I would have yelled back, but I was too SCARED. Did I mention I'm afraid of heights? Down, down, down we climbed. Would this tunnel never end? "That's it!" Thea said at last. I rested my paws on the ground. What a relief! If only I could head home now. Instead, I looked around. We were on a very slippery, narrow

pavement. A canal full of smelly sewage flowed to our left. Just then, Trap pointed to a spot behind me. "Geronimo! There's a CAT behind you!" he cried. I shrieked in terror. Tricked you! chuckled my cousin. I chewed my whiskers, fuming. Trap just snickered. "Lighten up, Gerry Berry," he advised. He began dancing around me in a circle. "Put your paws in the air like you just don't care! Kick up your feet and dance to the beat!" he sang. I started to relax. Maybe Trap was right. Maybe I needed to stop worrying about everything. Maybe there really wasn't a phantom CAT in the subway. Maybe it was

just a silly story. Yes, that was probably it. A silly story made up by some bored mouse with lots of time on his paws. Just then, Trap leaned over and shrieked in my ear, "MEOW!" MEOW MEOW MEOW MEOW I nearly jumped right out of my wet suit! Why, oh, why was my cousin so ANNOYING?