AoPaSK chapter two

Chapter Two: In which Cat and Devon are sent home from school

Cattely Silvan who went by Cat for short, a short thin boy of 14, woke with a start in the bedroom he was temporally sharing with his brothers while his room was in reconstruction after yet another one of his failed experiments exploded. He remembered that it was the last day of the fall term at school at long last, which meant, that his birthday was just a few days away. At this thought, any other boy would have been excited. Cat however was not. This year, his birthday was scheduled on the same day as one of his four sister’s, Lilac’s, fifth birthday party. He groaned. All of his sisters seemed to attract more attention from his parents, and everybody. He presumed it was because they were girls. Moreover, possibly because they were younger. Either way, he seemed to be constantly overshadowed by all of his eight siblings. Ash and Aspen were both off to an American college in a few months, Rowan was the captain of his rugby team at school, and Mahogany was on the swim team. Chamomile was a dancer and the eldest of the girls. Lilly and Lavender both were into acting and regularly took lead roles in the school plays. Lilac was the youngest, and simply adorable.
Cat, small and wiry, did not play sports, was to shy for acting, and dancing was out of the question. He did have hobbies, but not any his parents were proud of. He did archery, fencing and of course, inventing. Mr. and Mrs. Silvan considered inventing a waste of time. Cat and his parents had often fought about this. They also thought it was loud, and they had a point. Occasionally, experiments would indeed explode. That is why they had given him the old tower room because it was the furthest from the main floor. Cat also had his bedroom up there. He liked it because he could easily get away from the bustle of the rest of the busy mansion.

As Cat was rubbing sleep from his eyes, he noticed two things. Firstly that he once again, he was the first one awake, and secondly that Rowan had taken the extra effort to scatter all of Cat’s laundry across the floor. Grumbling something about not a maid and a choice swear word, he started to grumpily tidy his clothes. Just as he finished Ash woke up and dressed muttered a ‘ ‘Morning’ and left the room. While Cat was making his bed, Aspen woke and followed in his twin’s pattern. His eldest brothers never bothered him much. It was Rowan and Momo who found it their job to make Cat’s live miserable. Just as Cat dreaded, Rowan and Momo got up as Cat was about to get dressed.

“Rowan? I thought that you were gonna have some fun with Kitty’s laundry last night!” jeered Mahogany. ‘Kitty’ was their nickname for Cat and Cat hated it.

“ I did, but it looks like I did not do it properly. Ah well, I will have to do it again anoth-“

“ Shut up! Both of you! “ shouted Cat before Rowan could say any more.

“Now, now Rowan, you seem to have hurt the poor Kitty’s feelings! You should apologize.” Mahogany said in a tone dripping with sarcasm. Both older boys laughed as they left the room.
Fuming, Cat dressed and waited five minutes before leaving the bedroom giving his brothers a head start as to avoid more conflict. He went down the first flight of stairs with no sign of his antagonists. On the last one before the main floor, Rowan was waiting for him patiently, smiling cruelly.

“Where’s Paper, or whatever you call that ridiculous bird of yours?” he asked in a falsely innocent voice.

“ Her name’s Paige. What’d you do to her this time?” demanded Cat in a rush of emotion, tired of his brother’s games and concerned for his pet. Paige was his pet kestrel, a small hawk-like bird, which he had rescued as a fledgling from becoming Mahogany’s cat’ s dinner. Since then, Cat had obtained a hawking license and had been training Paige for falconry, another hobby his parents thought an unrespectable hobby of a boy of ‘his social position’ as they said.

“ I would try the attics if I were you. But if I were really you, I would stay up there for shame…” Rowan sneered. Cat reasoned he probably said more, but he was already dashing up the stairs to the 4th floor where the ladder to the attics was concealed in a closet next to the boy’s room.

The attics were accessed through a trap door in the closet. The door was small and Cat wondered how athletically built Rowan had squeezed his way through. He went through easily. It was filthy up there, books, boxes, a few of Cat’s failed experiments and Silvan family clutter from the generations making it a perfect place for hiding something and impossible to navigate. Cat often thought it resembled the Labyrinth from Ancient Crete. Fortunately, as part of her training, Paige was trained to come to a whistle, but he had a feeling that his brothers would have prevented it from being that easy. He whistled once, loudly and shrilly. As he had suspected, nothing happened, nothing stirred. Cursing his brothers, he began searching for her manually.

He found two of her feathers on the floor causing him to worry. He checked inside boxes, one after another, stacking them neatly as he went. After several minutes of searching, he found her in an empty box about the middle of the room. He examined her to see if she was injured. She was not, and he found a scroll of paper tied carefully to her leg. He had been expecting it.
Cat had left her at his friend Devon’s house so he could see if Paige would come back as he had been training her. Evidently, it had. He unfurled the scroll and read what his friend had to say.

Cat,
Recently I heard that Professor Thomas tripped down a set of stairs at school after school on Thursday. He won’t be able to teach on Friday because he is resting at home. He is having a substitute take his place. I sure hope it is not Professor Humphrey. She never teaches anything that I don’t already know! I never learn a thing when she teaches. I could teach better than she can.
How is your History essay coming? Have you finished it? I finished mine, though it is two pages longer than Professor Jones wanted. I just couldn’t condense it any further without loosing valuable content. I hope he will still take it. See you Friday!
Your friend,
Dove


Cat laughed. It was just like her. Devon, or Dove as many people called her, loved academics. She was just odd that way. He thought about her, her big grey eyes (so much like his own) that complimented her waist-length auburn hair perfectly. He remembered that she was coming over after school as usual today because her father worked until late into the evenings. He was happy because when she came over, her brother, Peter came to hang out with Rowan and Momo. This meant that they didn’t bother Cat. He liked Peter well enough, but he was far too alike to the twins to be trusted with anything.
He placed Paige on his shoulder and glanced at his watch. It was already time to leave for school. Wishing not but ill to his brothers, he hurried downstairs putting Paige in her cage on his way. He was glad he had gotten all his things that he needed at the door the night before. He grabbed a slice of toast on his way out the door.


At the bus stop, he saw Devon and she called out to him.

“ Cat! Come here. Did you get my letter? “ she asked hurriedly, seeming not to be interested in the answer. Chat could tell that she had something important to tell him . He wondered why she didn’t tell him. He presumed that she did not want others to hear, and he thought he knew what it would be pertaining. When the bus arrived, Cat and Devon took their usual seats in the back. He waited until Devon was ready to speak. After a few moments, she sniffed and Cat suddenly saw that she was crying.

He did not know what to do. He asked, “ What’s wrong? “

“ He did it again. Dad going out of town over the entire Christmas holidays. He promised that he would
be here this year. He is going all the way to America for some sort of Seminar.” Devon’s dad worked as a doctor and was very successful. He often taught at seminars and was away for long periods of time several times a year. “ Peter is also going out of town for something too. Good riddance. I don’t remember or care what it was. They both are gonna be gone. I just can’t believe how he could possibly go away again.”

“ Dev, I’m so sorry.” He responded in a deeply caring tone.” Do you know if you are gonna stay with us while they are gone?”

“ I think so, Dad said he would try to arrange it. “ They simply sat there in silence for a few moments, Devon moodily glaring at her shoes and Cat doing his best to comfort her but not knowing at all how to do so. After a while, she pulled herself together and nodded at Cat to say that he could ask the question she could see he was burning to ask..

“ Dove, do you want to do anything in particular on our birthday?” he asked cautiously. Devon and Cat had the same birthday and always spent as much of the day together as possible.

“ I didn’t have anything in mind… How about going for a ride in the pastures? And then maybe going to the park with Paige? Maybe we can get Ash to drive us to London to go to that new shopping center… What were you thinking? “ she suggested.

“ And maybe some archery practice at the park too. The tourney is in a few weeks. We need to practice for fencing before then. And a late lunch at the mall sounds cool. We need to stay out of the house anyhow. Lilac’s party is at home from noon ‘til evening. I don’t really want to be home while a bunch of kindergarteners running around. Truly frightening that is… “ He shuddered at the thought.

When they got to school, they met up with the other kids from their grade. A boy much taller than Cat or Devon was speaking to the rest of the class in an empty hallway when they approached.
“ Oh good. Everybody is here. As you all should know, Mrs. Humphrey is subbing for Professor Thomas today. I had an idea to make today a little less boring than usual.”

“ Now there’s a first.” Devon said derisively in Cat’s ear in a carrying whisper. The speaker who Devon recognized as Mikey, glared at them both.

“ I thought it would be fun to play a little harmless trick of Professor Humphrey. I heard that the roll card went ‘missing’” he make quote marks in the air with his fingers implying that he helped it go missing.” And that means that she will ask us all for our names. One of us will give a fake name. Mrs. Humphrey won’t know it’s happenin’. It’ll be funny! The catch is,” glaring at Devon again “ Is that we all have to agree not to squeak. That means you, Devon. “ He crossed his arms in front of his chest

“ Fine! I won’t say anything. But when you get into trouble, don’t be calling on me to help you right back out of it. “ She stomped away off to class.
Smirking on the effect that he had on Devon, Mikey pulled several paper clips out of his pocket. All of them were yellow except for one blue one. He placed them in a paper bag he took from one of his friends. “ Y’all get it. It’s whoever gets the blue one. “
They each in turn withdrew a paper clip, and Cat got the blue one. A tall boy with dark hair and eyes to match scowled at Cat, obviously wishing that he had the blue paper chip.


“ Good morning class!” Mrs. Humphrey stood in front of the class beaming her award-winning smile that put Devon in mind of a crocodile. One of the girls snickered, but other than that, there was no reply. “ Let’s try that again. Good morning class! “ she chanted still beaming.

“ Good morning Professor Humphrey.” they all droned in unison.

“ Very good! I couldn’t seem to find the roll card this morning… it wasn’t where Professor Thomas said it would be… Oh well, I will have to ask you your names and your favourite thing to do in spare time. Ok? “
The classroom was divided into desks that seated two or three. There were ten in the room and two to a row. She started at the first table on the left with two boys. She pointed to a boy with sandy hair and thick wire rimmed glasses and plenty of freckles.

“ Andy Becket. I like, er, scrap booking…” The last word all but inaudible, a scarlet flush creeping up his neck. Mikey and his gang cackled.

The next boy was Michel Brewers a track runner, and after him Mehgan Daniels, Mary Ellington and Kayla Faulkner, all on the cheer squad and all very giggly. Mrs. Humphrey pointed at the still skulking form of Devon glaring up at her Everybody knew how she disliked Mrs. Humphrey.
“ I’m Devon Fisher. I like fencing and archery. “ Mrs. Humphrey looked taken aback for a moment and moved on without making a comment.

Eventually, she came to Cat. He took a moment to choose a name reflecting that he would have smart to pick one in advance.
“ I am Felix Silvan. I like inventing.’ At this Mrs. Humphrey laughed.

“ A little boy with such an active imagination! Inventing things! That’s so cute!” she exclaimed.

“ Cat’s not a little boy and he’s not joking about inventing! “ Devon shouted her temper rising. As she opened her mouth to say more, one of Mikey’s friends slapped her across the face.
Chaos broke out in the class, Mikey shouting, Devon crying, girls shrieking and Mrs. Humphrey frozen not knowing what to do.

Cat shouted at Mikey’s friend, “ Oi! Leave her alone! “ He ran to her aid and hit the boy who slapped her. Mikey shoved the other boy away, always looking for a reason to fight with Cat punching Cat in the jaw. He tried to get Cat again, but agile as he was, Cat dodged the blows easily, taunting Mikey all the while.

“ Enough! Stop! BOYS! Stop fighting NOW!” shouted Mrs. Humphrey. Having no effect, she grabbed Mikey and Cat’s arms. They both tried to wrench out of her surprisingly strong grip, but she kept her hold.

“ Ha! This is what happens if you treat teenagers like four-year-olds! You got what you were asking for,” laughed Devon derisively.
Mikey and Cat glared at each other. Cat wiped his bloody lip with his sleeve. Mrs. Humphrey quickly jotted down a note on a scrap of faintly purple paper and handed it to Mikey.

“Take this to the Headmaster’s office.” She pushed him out the door. She rounded on Cat. “ No more games. What is your name, the real one this time? “ she said in a falsely sweet tone.

“ Cat Silvan. Felix means Cat in Latin. So in essence, I never lied to-“ he was cut short.

“Mr. Silvan I have had enough of your cheek,” she scrawled another note on the purple paper as she spoke, “Take this to the Headmaster’s office. Miss Fisher, you would do well to join him. I don’t like your attitude.”

It had started to drizzle as Cat and Devon walked gloomily home from school early. It’s such a silly reason to be sent home for! And making us walk in the rain… thought Cat. He could not shake off the feeling that someone was following him. It was impossible to think that it could possibly be one of his brothers. They were still in school. It was not even lunch. He glanced over his shoulder, sure he had seen something moving.

“ Cat, is something wrong? You seem nervous. You keep glancing over your shoulder… “
Apparently not hearing her, he asked “ Dev, do you want to take the short cut through the forest? “

“ Why?” tilting her head and raising one eyebrow in confusion. “ You only do that when you think Rowan and Mo are following us…” she faltered at the look he cast at her.

“ Trust me.” He said patiently.” I will explain on the way. Plus, it will get us out of this beastly rain. It isn’t thundering so it should be safe.” He added after a concerned look from his companion.
Once in the shelter of the forest, Devon and Cat walked in silence. Devon wrung out her skirt and hair and Cat shook his hair somewhat dry in the way a dog shakes its coat making Devon laugh. Other than that, they walked in silence. Devon waited for him to collect his thoughts, she knew when something was bothering him he liked to organize his thoughts before he said anything. “ I really do think we are being followed. I just can’t get rid of the feeling. Is it all in my head or do you sense it too? “ he asked hesitantly.

“ Yeah, I felt it too. I didn’t say anything because I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me. I knew if it really was there, you would know. I suppose you don’t know who it is then.”
Cat had an uncanny skill for being able to tell if someone was following him and correctly identifying who it was. He explained to Devon that it was the way people walk and the pattern of their footfalls that distinguished one person from another. When he shook his head meaning that he did not know, it worried Devon. What if some complete stranger is trying to kidnap us? What do we have that anyone could want? Voicing her thought aloud, “What do we have that someone could possibly want? Cat Shrugged.

“Let’s go home Dove. I don’t like this, but let’s stick to the path, OK? Said cat after awhile of contemplation. Devon nodded in agreement.

A cloaked figure watched them from a distance. He smiled for not many people possessed such skill as this boy and his sister. Not many could sense his presence, it was his job not to be noticed and he was an expert at it. As Cat and Devon walked up the lane to the Silvan manor house, the cloaked figure pulled two pictures out of his pocket. They were definitely the same as the two whose cuts and bruises were being tended by a very concerned Mrs. Silvan. He has found them at last.
Cat whipped around right as he was about to go inside. He saw the cloaked figure only a few yards away in the shadows of the trees. He was not quite sure what he actually saw. “ Dev, come here, I want to show you something. “ He called to Devon. When she arrived the mysterious youth was gone..



(to be continued)