Epilogue

EPILOGUE*"fn1 Sometimes, Charlie thought, life picks you up, shakes you like a baby with a rattle, then drops you on your bum, and there's not a single thing you can do about it. That's what he had learned: you can change some things, but with others all you can do is try to accept them. And his dad packing the last of his things in the small removal van parked outside their house was the latest part of life he just had to accept. It was sad– he was sad– and that was all right. It was OK to be sad, sometimes. His dad slammed the van door shut, came up to Charlie and squatted down on his haunches. 'That's the lot, son. You doing OK?' Charlie nodded. 'Yes, Dad.' And Charlie nearly was. SmoothMove came up behind him. 'OK, Dad. We'll see you next weekend, yeah?' 'That's right. I'll have your new bedroom sorted for you. OK, boys. Look after your mum for me.' And with a last hug, Charlie's dad got into the van and drove off, leaving the two boys standing next to each other in the early-morning drizzle.

'Come on then,' said SmoothMove, putting his arm round Charlie. 'Let's get in out of the rain.' Charlie nodded, the rain washing away his tears. When he turned around, there was his mum waiting for him, arms open. Charlie ran and buried himself into the hug. Later that day, though, something extraordinary happened, which finally gave Charlie his smile back. Charlie had been playing FIFA with SmoothMove (and almost beating him), and afterwards he went up to his bedroom. As usual, Chairman Meow was

sitting on top of the laundry basket and something niggled at Charlie's memory. Charlie shut the door and quickly changed into a cat. 'Oh, how marvellous,' Chairman Meow said, in a voice dripping with sarcasm. 'You're back.' 'Chairman Meow,' Charlie said, ignoring his mocking. 'You said before that you knew where the Great Catsby– the cat who sits in boxes– went. Would you please tell me?' Chairman Meow thought for a while, licked himself, and then said: 'If I do, you must do something for me in return.' 'What?' Charlie asked. 'First, you must agree to bathe more than once a week. The smell of you is indescribably awful. It causes my nose actual physical pain and–' 'Fine!' Charlie snapped. 'Second, I want you to promise never to change into a cat ever again.' 'OK, agreed–' 'You see, if you're human, it's easier for me to pretend you don't exist. You're the most tedious creature I have ever had the misfortune–' 'OK, OK!' Charlie flashed. 'I've already agreed! Believe me, I'm in absolutely no rush to talk to you again. You're the rudest, most– Anyway,' Charlie said, trying to control his temper. 'Tell me what you know. Where is the Great Catsby?' 'He's beneath me,' Chairman Meow said, licking a paw.

Charlie rolled his eyes. 'There's no need to be mean,' he said. 'No, he's right beneath me,' replied Chairman Meow. 'What do you mean? Like downstairs?!' 'No. He's literally beneath me. In this basket. I've had him trapped here for days.' 'WHAT?!' exclaimed Charlie. 'WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?' 'You will never understand the workings of the feline brain,' Chairman Meow replied haughtily. 'My reasons will be forever beyond your tiny monkey- mind. But basically, I did it because it was funny.' 'WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? YOU ARE ACTUALLY THE WORST ANIMAL IN THE WHOLE WORLD.'fn2 Charlie immediately changed back into Charlie. Chairman Meow jumped off the laundry basket and stalked out of the room. Charlie lifted the lid and, sure enough, curled up in a ball inside, was the Great Catsby. He blinked in the light, then jumped out and ran downstairs, presumably very hungry.

The next day at lunch, Charlie told the gang– Flora, Mohsen, Wogan and Dylan– how Chairman Meow had been keeping the Great Catsby prisoner the whole time. 'I knew it!' said Wogan, thumping his palm.fn3 'OK, guys, actually I lied, I didn't know.'fn4 Charlie was happy to be with his friends but inside he was feeling very conflicted. 'I feel very conflicted,' he said, as if he was reading the mind of the narrator. Charlie would be staying over at his dad's new flat for the first time that weekend, which he was very excited about. But he was also sad because his friends

had organized a play date on the Sunday morning and Charlie couldn't come because his dad couldn't afford a car yet and the new flat was miles away. Charlie was about to explain to his friends why he was feeling conflicted, but the narrator had just done it for him, so there was no need. Flora waggled her eyebrows. She had a plan. And her plan was this: if Charlie– 'I have a plan,' Flora said, rudely interrupting the narrator. 'And the plan is this…' Charlie's weekend with his dad and SmoothMove was great fun. On Saturday, they all went to the cinema to see the latest Star Wars movie, and then had curry for dinner. Their dad's new flat was small but, much to Charlie and SmoothMove's surprise, it was fun sharing a room. Charlie kept changing into different animals to surprise SmoothMove and they giggled until late into the night. The next morning, Charlie was woken by rain hammering on the skylight above his head. He got up, wolfed his breakfast and sidled up to his dad. 'Daaaad…?' 'Yes, son?' his dad smiled. 'Can I go and explore the area? There's a park with a playground down the road.' 'Okey-dokey. Make sure you're back for lunch, yes?'