MULTIPLY Writing Prompt #23: Lost in Cyberspace

I am a little virus
as happy as can be,
sitting on the hard drive
with lots of things to see.

Now here we have a programme
which has not long to live,
but first I will explore
so many things to sieve.
I can alter all the codes
that one and one make five,
play havoc with the tables
then excel won’t survive.
You want to write a poem?
The words are looking strange.
What happened to the grammar?
The letters lost their range.
They are falling one by one
are alone, have lost their part.
I can do my job so well,
just don’t know where to start.

The best is in the e-mail,
now that is really fun,
I get into the address book,
have only just begun.
Once I find a place
I am waiting for a chance,
I spread to all the others
just like a square dance

So now I think I'll start,
I don’t cost, am even free,
but help! I feel so sick,
it’s the dreaded McAfee.
Or is it the Kapersky,
might be Norton, what’s the name?
They are coming very close,
they want to spoil my game.
The only chance I have
is to find a space to let,
so now I will depart
and enter Internet.
I can bide my time
and find another pool,
just click the wrong http
and you will be the fool.

I am a little virus
as happy as can be,
sitting on the hard drive

with lots of things to see.

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #162: How Supercat save Tom and Jerry

Caffeinatedjo's Challenge

Write a first person story as a superhero/heroine. You can choose the more traditional ones such as Superman, Superwoman, etc. or make up your own.

*You have 3 superpowers, Describe those. You also have one flaw or weakness. Describe that flaw.
*You have just returned from a quest in which you assisted a fairytale or cartoon character.
Describe that quest.

No limits to the length.

I decided to have a sleep. Nothing really out of the ordinary as I sleep most of the time to ensure that my energy is conserved when I am needed to help felinity. Since I arrived on earth from the planet Koshka I had performed many tasks, helping the cats of the world to stand against evil doings from humans, suspicious that the cats could take over. This was a joke of course; earth cats were not built the same as Koshkans and could never achieve the super intelligence that my race had. Nevertheless with a little help I managed to ensure that the cats of the earth still existed and retained their feline rights.

I arrived during the crimes of the middle ages. President Bast of Koshka heard by telepathy from the earth cats that all black cats were being destroyed in fires lit by humans. They were accused of wizardry of all things. It was then that Bast decided to send his best cat, that being me, Supercat, to rescue the black cats. The humans thought that the black cats had been wiped out, but they were hiding in a special catcave constructed by myself until the danger had passed.

Today things are different. Cats on earth have put their humans in their place, and when necessary I intervene to show the humans the correct way to handle a cat. There are still situations where I am needed, but the earth cats are gradually becoming independent enough to look after themselves. I had just completed a phenomenal task and was satisfied. At last I had rid the feline world of a threat. I remember when it began.

I, Supercat, was dreaming of a nice organised cat world when I felt something pulling on my whiskers. I opened one of my large green eyes to see what it was and was astonished to say the least.

“Please don’t eat me Supercat, but we have a problem.”

Standing before me was a small brown mouse with long eyelashes and a long brown curl on her head. On mouse standards, she was probably judged as being beautiful.

“Don’t worry little mouse, I won’t eat you, I am Supercat and a vegetarian. My main diet consists of vegetables and pasta. French fries are also welcome.

“You don’t eat mice. Oh, how wonderful.”

“How can I help you, although I am usually only available for help in feline matters. Rodentia are not my case. Perhaps you should ask one of your mouse friends.”

“That is the problem Supercat. It’s Jerry, he has been kidnapped.”

I was immediately awake, my ears pointing in the direction of the little mouse.”

“You said what???”

Jerry, my husband has been kidnapped by Black Cat. It is a disaster. Tom, the cat, is almost out of his mind. I mean what can Tom do without Jerry? He has no real purpose in his life any more.”

“You said Black Cat, the meanest feline ever born. I thought I froze him with my super breath when he tried to take over the Persian cats last year. He wanted them for their super luxury fur.”

“It seems he is back again Supercat, and says he will only release Jerry if Supercat is brave enough to fight him.”

This was serious. Tom had been kidnapped. This would disarrange the cat and mouse world completely; Jerry without his partner Tom, who had chased him through miles of cartoon film in all languages, throughout the world.

What choice did I have? I made my decision.

“Little mouse, tell me where I can find Black cat and I will do what I can.”

“Thank you so much Supercat, By the way my name is Marilyn.”

“Ok Marilyn, let’s get ready.”

I then took a bite in some carrots I had piled up in a corner and I washed them down with milk, flavoured with a pinch of tarragon. I had a good cat stretch and immediately my legs became twice as long and my teeth doubled in their amount. I was ready for a fight. I took Marilyn the mouse in my paws and put her between my ears. It was time for a cat flight once again. It was an advantage for me in the earth’s atmosphere. Not only could I freeze people with my breath, but I could fly. The gravity on planet Koshka was different to that of the earth.

“Supercat you must fly towards the high mountain in the distance. Black cat is keeping Jerry prisoner in his lair in the mountain cave.”

In a few moments Marilyn and I had arrived and stood at the entrance to the cave.

“Black Cat come out, I am ready for you” and I extended my paws into the cave; another superpower I possessed.

When I withdrew my paws I discovered that were full of black hair and I knew I was in the right place.

“Come out and fight like a cat” I called.

It was then that Black Cat appeared at the mouth of the cage holding Jerry between his fangs.

“Is that your answer, Black Cat, kidnapping a mouse small enough to be held in your mouth?”

“You will see Supercat. I am all powerful and will take over as soon as we have finished our fight.”

It was then that Black Cat dropped Jerry out of his mouth into a small mouse cage and spit with all his might. He then threw a steak hitting me on the nose. That was the worst thing that could have happened. Black Cat had probably been watching me for some time and knew that I was allergic to meat. I am a vegetarian as already mentioned.

I felt like I was suffocating laying on my back with my paws in the air.

“So, Supercat, it looks like your icy breath and gift of flying are of no use now. Amazing what a piece of fresh meat can do to a cat”, but Black Cat did not realise that I had yet another power. It was then that I concentrated with all my telepathic strength and I called the rats for help. Now the rats were glad to be able to assist, remembering when I saved them from the scientist that wanted to carry out experiments with them in the laboratories of Silicon Valley. I then flew through the window, bent the iron bars on the cages with my teeth and the rats were able to escape.

Black Cat was just ready to take his last fatal bite on my neck with his sharp teeth when he heard the pattering of many feet and a squeaking that nearly split his ear drums.

“Over our dead bodies will you harm a whisker on Supercat” said a voice and Black Cat was confronted with so many rats that he could not count them any more. Before he could make a move the rats were upon him. At the end of the fight all that was left of Black Cat was some wisps of black fur.

Some days later there was a squeak at the door of my catcave and I had visitors.

“Thank you, thank you” said Marilyn and Jerry.

“And many thanks from me” said a loud voice in the background and Tom the cat appeared, his paws carrying a bowl of spaghetti with tomato sauce.

“Oh that was nothing, I am glad that Jerry is safely at home again and what do you have there? My favourite dish, I could die for spaghetti and tomato sauce.”

“Well, it was the least I could do” answered Tom.

“So what about it Jerry.”

“I am ready when you are Tom” was the answer

and I watched as Tom chased Jerry out of the catcave whilst Marilyn looked on with tears of thankfulness in her eyes.

Yes the memories of this little episode were still in my mind as I returned to my catnap.

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MULTIPLY Creative Challenge #61: Shameless

Thoughts on a skeleton resident in the physio therapist's surgery which I am visiting at the moment for my broken arm. Please note he is plastic. I was informed that real skeletons are very expensive and difficult to find.

There he stands showing everything
Not a stitch of clothing
Just shameless
From the tip of his toes
To the top of his head
It does not matter
Has nothing really to hide
"Who cares?" He thinks
Thinks with the bones of knowledge
Real thinking left him when he was stripped
Stripped of all knowledge of the past
Does he know what the present is
I don’t think it bothers him
Life goes on around him
With his back to the window
Perhaps sometimes he turns and watches
Seeing the parts he has, moving
Amongst those that hide them under their skin
And then he asks, who is shameless?
Me or the others

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MULTIPLY Visual Aid #16: Madame Mystery

„Come in, there is nothing to be afraid of“

Madame Mystery was used to her clients perhaps being careful and nervous when they entered her fortune telling parlour, especially if it was the first time and she was sure she had never told the fortune of the man standing before her. After she had opened the door he hesitated, looked around and remained still for a moment.

“This was usual” she thought “it is always the heavy red velvet curtain that was hanging behind the door that makes first comers somewhat nervous. They are a little afraid, and the curtain adds mystery to the whole concept.” Of course, she also kept the windows covered during the audiences she had with her customers. A dark room made it all the more mysterious.

This was Madame Mystery's intention. Her price would then not seem so expensive, as her customers were getting their money’s worth. Then there was the magic crystal. Now that was the envy of many fortune tellers that she knew. It was not just a glass ball, but had a content that moved according to the vibrations around the bowl; a glistening white mass, resembling a light cloud, the result of an experiment that her son did at the university. Of course, everyone was convinced it was some sort of magical apparition, so she kept the secret to herself, her customers do not have to know everything. It was one of the basics of chemistry.

Madame Mystery had a strange feeling about the visitor. Clothed in a beige light raincoat with the collar pulled up around his neck, the sort of coat you could buy in any cheap clothing store. It was perhaps the cap pulled down over his forehead and the dark glasses he was wearing that left her with a strange feeling.

“Make yourself at home, you can hang your coat here and put your hat on the rack.”

“No thank you” he said in a rough voice. She noticed the nicotine stains on his hands and realised he was probably a heavy smoker.

“Before we begin our consultation”, Madame Mystery preferred to call her fortune telling sessions “consultations” as it sounded more professional, “I assume you would like to know what the future holds for you. Please take a seat at the table and gaze into my crystal ball. I will try to take a look at your past before predicting what lies before you, .”

“OK, woman get on with it, I am sure my past interests no-one, and I am glad it is in the past.”

“Now this is a tough one” she thought and continued.

“I can see a little baby, lost amongst others, crying for his mother and father.”

“Most babies cry” he muttered “and I was no different. My mother and father just never existed.”

It sounded bitter as he said these words but gave Madame Mystery a clue as to how to continue.

“I can see you together with many children, also without parents. It might be a school” and she glanced at the reaction of the customer and knew what to say further “no, it is not a school, I think it is an orphanage.”

“Lady, just get on with it. I don’t want to be here all day. You have not said anything that I don’t already know. So what happens in the future?”

“Please have patience; my thoughts are being guided by the magic waves of the crystal. You are now again on your own, fighting others and they are fighting you. I see a room, dark and dismal with just a bed and a cupboard; everything so empty. A kitchen with the remains of a meal on the table and I feel much sadness and anger.”

Madame Sonia glanced again at the customer but this time their eyes met. He had removed the dark glasses and she did not like the look in his eyes. There was something evil, something forbidding, but she decided to continue with the future. The sooner this customer disappeared the better.

“I have now told you enough to convince you that I am able to tell your future. Before I continue I must ask you for a small donation. We used to say cross my palm with silver, but unfortunately silver is no longer enough in this day and age, my fee is ten pounds for the prophecy of what will happen.”

“Nothing doing, you tell me what is going to happen and if it sounds good you get the money.”

Before Madame Mystery could continue she was disturbed by a loud knock on the door.

“Please excuse me for a moment, it seems we are being disturbed. This will break my concentration; I must see who is knocking.”

Madame Mystery walked behind the red heavy curtain and opened the door. Her client heard her talking to someone, but the words were muffled by the curtain. She then returned.

“Please excuse the interruption; it was someone wanting to sell something. So, where was I, ah yes, with your future. Please take my hands and hold them and we will look into the crystal together.”

She was not very happy about taking this person’s hands in hers, but it always made things more serious and most of her customers enjoyed the unknown. This time Madame Mystery was not very happy, the hands belonging to this customer were cold and sweaty, “clammy” was the word that came into her head, but ten pounds was ten pounds.

The crystal ball suddenly clouded over and the white clouds swirling in the inside became grey and smoky.

“Looks like some action in the ball” said the customer

“Yes, we are now seeing the truth” said Madam Mystery, hoping that the customer did not hear the surprise in her voice at the change of colour.

“I don’t know where you intend to go after you leave here but I would be very careful. There are dark forms awaiting.”

“What sort of dark forms lady?”

“Patience please” she said and then the cloudy substance in the crystal turned almost white, like milk. “After you leave the dark forms you will experience peace for always.”

“You know what lady, this is all mumbo, jumbo and it’s time for me to go.”

“My money” Madame Mystery said.

“Ten pounds for that. Here I will cross your palm with silver” and he threw a twenty pence coin across the table and made his way to the door.

“Are you sure you want to leave now” asked Madame Mystery.

“Sure I do, I was only biding my time here, I have other things to do.”

Sonia Brown alias “Madam Mystery” saw her customer push the red curtain roughly to one side and hear him close the door. Afterwards she pulled the curtains back from the window and watched. The policemen were waiting for him, lead by the officer that had knocked on Sonia’s door while her visitor was with her. It was over quickly. Her customer pulled out his gun but before he had a chance to shoot, the police opened fire.


"The Daily News

Thanks to the co-operation between fortune teller Madam Mystery and the police, a robber and murderer was killed. He had hid himself in the salon of the fortune teller after robbing the jewellery shop next door and ruthlessly shooting its owner during the robbery.

Although Madam Sonia was exposed to this dangerous criminal, she followed police instructions and as the criminal left her salon she gave the police a signal by opening the curtains."


In a way Sonia felt sorry for the criminal. His life had not been a happy one, and what chances were open for an unwanted orphan in life. On the other hand, you just don’t go around killing people and the reward money more than compensated for the ten pounds she should have received. Something did bother Sonia. Why did the crystal ball become dark and grey? She spoke to her son about it, who had now finished his studies in science at the university, but he could not explain the change in colour. The gas mixture in the ball was white and could not change colour. It was just not possible.

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MULTIPLY Rita's "Riting" Challenge #30: The Tyre

“No, No, No. That is just what I needed a flat and in the middle of a lonely road miles from the next garage” and with her last remark Judy gave her flat tyre a heavy kick. Then something strange happened. The tyre was surrounded by a white mist which slowly took the shape of an apparition. To be exact a small figure was standing next to the tyre dressed in blue overalls, just like the miniature version of a mechanic.

“At your service Madam” the figure said.

“Who are you and what are you doing here. “

“Madam it seems you have problem with our tyre.”

“What do you mean our tyre. The tyre belongs to the car and it has a puncture, no air, flat, so where do you come from and why have you taken possession of the tyre. It belongs to me and not to us.”

“Please let me explain, I am tyre genie, put into the tyre by wise old genie when it was made.”

“You mean like Aladdin and the lamp. You must be joking. You don’t even look like a genie.”

“No joke madam; only joke is that Aladdin and lamp are old fashioned, not very modern. Today all lamps are electric, not oil. You mean I don’t look like Aladdin. Let us be serious. If I was dressed in the old fashioned clothes that Aladdin wore, you would not believe that I was a tyre genie.”

“No, I suppose I would, but then I don’t really believe in tyre genies or do I have three wishes?”

“Of course you have three wishes. Just try me.”

“OK, I wish that the tyre had air.”

“No problem madam.”

and the tyre really did get some air and was no longer flat – for a few minutes. Then the air started escaping again through a hole.”

“Satisfied madam?”

“I would be if the air stayed in the tyre, but it is escaping again.”

“Of course it is. You asked for air in tyre, but did not say to repair hole.”

“Are you trying to be funny. OK, I wish that the hole would be repaired.”

It seemed to Judy that nothing had happened.

“Of course something happened madam. Tyre is repaired.”

“So where is the air?”

“Madam said nothing about air, just hole repaired. You have one wish left.”

“I don’t think I will bother. You seem to interpret my wishes as you want to.”

“Wishes are always suited to wish instruction manual which says only grant what is asked; all other remarks made after the wish do not count.”

“OK, genie, so how do I get my tyre repaired and make my way home.”

“No problem, madam, I have magic tyre.”

“What is that?”

“Successor to magic carpet. Magic carpets old fashioned and no longer available. We now only have magic tyres.”

“OK, so get your magic tyre and bring me home.”

“No problem madam. Genie has problem.” And then he started crying.

“So don’t cry genie, you are staining your nice clean overall with grease marks.”

“I must be mad” thought Judy, “talking to a genie as if he was real.”

“Why are you crying?” she asked.

“Flat tyre has been genie’s home since car belonged to you. We have spent many hours and travelled many miles together. Now genie has no tyre any more to live in. If you go home on magic tyre car will be left alone with flat tyre and I am homeless.”

and he started crying again.

“You mean you have lived in that tyre since I bought the car. I never noticed you were there.”

“Genies should not be seen or heard, only in emergency.”

“OK genie, tell you what. You get the magic tyre and we both go with the magic tyre to the next garage. You drop me off just before we get to the garage and then go back to my car with the magic tyre. I will tell the mechanic what has happened and he will drive me to my car and change the tyre. When I have the new tyre on the car you can move into that one and live there.”

“Oh madam, many thanks. You mean I get a complete new tyre.”

“Looks like it genie.”

“Madam you still have one wish, if I may say so.”

“OK genie, but I am not so good at wishes. Do you have a suggestion?”

“Oh yes madam. Please wish that new tyre has built in shower. I always feel so dirty when we get home from a drive out.”

Do you believe in genies? Judy didn’t but now she does. She loved flying on the magic tyre and after the new tyre had been fitted on the car she made her last wish and now she has the happiest tyre genie you can imagine. She even washes his overalls when they are dirty. Of course, she also wished for an extra set for genie to wear after he had taken a shower in his new tyre.

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MULTIPLY Pictures and Words - Week 7: The Book Room

Smith and Smith
Solicitors

Dear Mr. Cartwright
We thank you for your letter concerning inheritance of the Cartwright estate. After a long search the rightful heirs have been found to the property belonging to Jason Cartwright, deceased. We have noted that you and your family will be arriving to take possession of the keys to the property on Saturday, 11th July, 2009 at midday. Mr. Julian Smith Jnr. will await you at the entrance to the said property.

As informed, since the demise of Jason Cartwright ten years ago, no rightful heirs had been found and due to this fact the property has not been inhabited. However, funds were supplied in the departed’s testament for upkeep of the manor and surrounding grounds and you will find the house in an inhabitable state. Furniture and private possessions of the said Jason Cartwright are also preserved in the property in question.

Awaiting your arrival with keen interest

Yours faithfully
Julian Smith Snr.

--------

“Hey mum, dad what’s in that letter from those solicitors? Is it about that house we have inherited from that relation we never knew?”

and Christine was quite excited about moving into a manor. She had just finished school, and had a nice long holiday until she started her English literature studies at the university.

“Yes, it is dear” answered Emily Cartwright, “it seems we can move in on Saturday.

“What do I hear there Emily? Let me see that letter, after all it was my long lost third cousin that left the whole property to us” and Christine’s father Michael joined in the conversation.

The family were quite surprised to find that they had inherited a complete manor house with furnishings and were keen to see how it was. They decided to keep their own house for the meanwhile and move to the manor during the summer holidays. Afterwards they would make the decision whether to keep the property or sell it. Emily was glad that it was furnished as it meant they only had to take some clothes for the time being. If they needed more they could always buy something in the near bye village.

Saturday arrived quickly and they arrived at the manor. Julian Smith Jnr. was waiting for them at the gate. Emily and Michael were surprised at the size of the house. The roof had many gables and windows indicating that it probably had many rooms. The entrance hall showed a large staircase leading to the upper rooms. It was completely furnished.

“Mum, can I have this room as my bedroom. It has a nice comfortable bed and a balcony overlooking the garden.”

“Looks all right to me, what do you think dear?” she asked her husband.

“No problem ladies, but what about our room Emily.”

“I was thinking that the room opposite Christine’s would be just right for us. It even has an old fashioned fire place.”

“Yes, and my room has one of those walk in clothes cupboards, come and have a look.”

Christine was almost right, it looked like a walk-in dressing room, but when they opened the door they were all astonished. Instead of empty clothing racks it was piled from top to bottom with books. All three walls had fitted book shelves.

“Now that’s strange” said Michael “I have never seen a bedroom with its own library before.”

“Neither have I” answered Emily

“Who cares” said Christine. “Just look at the works of literature stacked on the shelves. All the classics you can think of, just what I will need for my studies when I start at the uni. I will just have to clear it up a bit. It seems that the books on the back shelf don’t fit properly, especially those in the middle. They have already fallen out of the shelves onto the floor.”

“You are right Christine, something for you to tidy up after you have made your bed.”

“Yes mum” Christine answered, although she was already looking at the books in detail. Her parents left her to get on with organising her room.

Christine was amazed at the books; there was everything she could wish for. Charles Dickens, William Shakespeare, Jayne Austin and poetry from William Wordsworth, Robert Browning and many others. She noticed that there were no modern authors but she was sure she had a complete collection of the classics. She started to tidy the shelves up, putting the books on the floor back to their original place. Suddenly her mother called her to the evening meal and she descended the stair case to the dining room. This was another surprise. The dining room table had enough room for at least ten people, so she imagined that Jason Cartwright must have had a large family.

“No, Christine” said her father. It seems that he never married and had no heirs. The house was built by his grandfather. There is a painting of the grandfather and his family over the fireplace.”

“Well, he seemed to have a few children. The two boys must have been his sons, and I suppose one of them was Jason’s father. He also had a daughter and look; in the painting she is holding a book. I bet it is one of those books I found in my room.”

The discussions went on about who the mysterious Jason Cartwright and his ancestors were, and soon Christine decided it was time to go to bed. Actually she had decided to have a read of one of the books. She was surprised when she entered her room and opened the door to the room with the books. The books she had tidied and put back on the shelves were spread on the floor again. “Strange” she thought, but perhaps she had not returned all of them to their place and so she fitted them into the spaces left. She found that Jayne Eyre by Charlotte Bronte was one of the books and decided to read it. She had read it some time ago, but found it was always worth a re-read. She noticed it was a very old book, the publishing year being at the turn of the century. Not a first edition, she thought, but all the same very old.

She made herself comfortable in her bed and began to read, but soon felt tired, put the book on the side table next to her bed and decided to sleep. Unfortunately sleep was not as good as she would have liked it to be. She suddenly awoke to hear the sound of crying. She decided to see where it was coming from and hoped nothing had happened to her parents. You never know being in a strange house. She opened the door to the bedroom and stepped out into the corridor, but the sound of crying had stopped. She went back to bed and as soon as she crept under the covers, the noise started again. This time she decided to take a closer look and realised it was coming from the room where the books were. She noticed a faint flickering yellow light was showing at the bottom of the door. She opened the door and immediately the cries stopped, although she noticed that there was a smell in the air, the sort of smell you get when a candle is extinguished. She decided it was her imagination playing tricks on her and decided to go back to bed, however, something startled her. The books she had replaced on the bookshelf were lying on the floor again.

“I don’t believe it” she thought and decided to replace them, finding that Jayne Eyre was amongst them. “It gets more mysterious all the time” and looked at the bedside table where she had put the book. No, it was not there; somehow it had had been returned to the room with the books. Another thing she noticed was that when she replaced the books there seemed to be an icy atmosphere surround the empty book shelf.

The next day was Sunday and the family were all at home. She decided not to mention to her parents what happened during the night, or what she thought happened during the night. Christine, herself, was not sure whether she had dreamt it or whether it was real. However, the next night she discovered it was real. She had decided to spend the night in the book room. She took a sleeping bag with her and a torch and made herself as comfortable as she could.

“This is stupid” she thought when she awoke after a couple of hours and nothing had happened. It was then that she felt very cold. She decided to get an extra blanket to cover herself when she was shocked by a noise and the books on that special shelf fell onto the floor, although no, they did not fall, it seemed they were pushed.

“Ridiculous, there are no such things as ghosts”, but it was then that the room was illuminated by a candle, just one candle and Christine saw the figure of a young lady move out of the space where the books had fallen. It was the same girl shown in the family portrait in the dining room.

“Please help me”

Christine could not believe her ears.

“Please help me, I want peace, I want to sleep.”

“Who-who-who are you” Christine asked with a shaky voice

“Sally Cartwright. Please release me, I must leave this place.”

Christine had decided no, this was enough, and left the room as fast as her legs could take her.”

The next morning she decided to take a walk to the village and visit the library to see if they had any records of the Cartwright family from the last century. The librarian told her for the information she needed she should visit Jack Rhodes. He grew up in the village and knew just about everything about everyone. She told Christine where he lived so Christine decided to see what she could find out.

Jack Rhodes lived on his own in a little cottage at the end of the village. She found Jack Rhodes was very helpful and she had the feeling that he was only too glad to be asked about his memories from the day’s gone bye. Of course, he did not remember Jason Senior, (it seemed that all the heads of the Cartwright family in the village were called Jason) but his mother had told him about the family. They had two sons and a daughter. The sons moved away after being married, but the daughter just sort of disappeared. She worked in the local books shop and it was rumoured that she had found a lover, a young author that often visited the shop where she worked. Her father did not approve of the relationship. Then one day she just disappeared, oh yes, he said, he remembers her name was Sally. They said she had run off with her boyfriend and the father had disowned her.

Now Christine was sure that Sally was still in the house, somewhere behind the bookshelf. She went home and told her parents what had happened, with the mysterious crying at night and the ghostly figure she saw and that the books kept disappearing from the middle shelves at the end of the book room.

“You must be joking” said her father

“No dad, come and have a look”

and as sure as she said it Michael Cartwright saw that his daughter was telling the truth. The books were on the floor once again. That night Michael and Emily decided to stay with their daughter in the book room. They needed no persuasion after that night and the next morning Michael took a hammer and knocked the book shelves down at the end of the room and they found a sealed door behind the shelves.

Two weeks later the bones of Sally Cartwright were buried in the local churchyard. It seemed that Jason Cartwright Senior took one secret with him to his grave.

-----

Dear Mr. Catwright

It is with disappointment that I have read your family wishes to sell Cartwright manor. According to your instructions we have now put the complete estate on the market.

As soon as we find a client willing to buy the property, you will be informed.

yours faithfully,
Julian Smith Senior.

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MULTIPLY United Friends Challenge #161: Mrs. Prendergast and Princess

Wrath's Challenge
*
Kidnapped!
Now what's the story?

“That’s the one Joe, with the long black hair and yellow eyes. Has a nice bushy tail, I am sure she is worth something to the madam that owns her.”

“You are right Fred, should be an easy task to get her. That cat is a bit on the voluptuous side, so won’t be moving so quick. I reckon she will fetch a few thousand in ransom money when we have her. That old lady dotes on the cat.”

And so Joe and Fred were stalking Mrs. Prendergast’s black cat. They had been watching Mabel Prendergast for some time to see if it would be worth while. They followed her to the gourmet pet food shop and noticed that Mabel only bought the best for her furry friend. Minced calf’s liver or Scottish salmon was always on the shopping list. They had watched Mabel serving it to her well loved cat. The food was always arranged on a porcelain plate and garnished with a leaf of parsley or perhaps a rose bud. Not that Princess (so was the name of the cat) actually ate the rose bud or the parsley, but she was used to being spoilt and would meow quite loudly if Mrs. Prendergast forgot the decoration.

Princess was not a special breed, although she felt quite special. Her mother was black, but escaped one night and rumour had it that she met up with one of those Norwegian cats, the ones with the long fur and big bones. Princess had inherited the long black fur from her mother and her strength from the father probably.

Mrs. Prendergast was a very wealthy woman. She had only been married a short time when her husband, a banker, died suddenly with a heart attack. There had been no time for having a family, so Mabel lived on her own, until one day Princess arrived. She was a little furry kitten that Mabel found in her garden. Actually if she had known the truth, Princess’s mother decided that it was time for the kittens to leave the fold, and she knew that by depositing Princess in this garden it would be ideal. Her daughter would want for nothing in her feline life and so it was.

Then one dark night two figures sleeked across Mrs. Prendergast’s lawn and broke the garden window. They did it quite professionally; first of all applying sticky tape and then a delicate knock with a hammer. The glass broke noiselessly and they could open the window from the outside. During this time Mabel Prendergast was in a deep sleep and heard nothing. However, Princess picked her ears up, there was something afoot.

“So come on Joe, let’s find the moggy.”

Now princess had been could a few things, usually darling, snooky, bella, but never a moggy. She rolled over in her bed and climbed down from the silk cushion.

“Look Fred, there she is, I can see her yellow eyes glowing in the dark. Have you got the sack ready? I will grab her and you put her in the bag.

Owwwwww”

“What’s up Joe?”

“What’s up? The cat sunk her claws into my leg.”

“Where is she?”

“How am I supposed to know? It’s dark and she is black.”

There was suddenly a loud crash and a few swear words entered the air.

“Now what’s happened? Fred are you ok?”

“No, I am not ok, I think I have sprained my ankle. That stupid cat just ran in front of my feet and I fell over her. Hope the old lady hasn’t woken up.”

“Sounds quiet to me Fred; where’s that heap of fur?”

Now princess had been insulted enough for one evening; first of all being reduced to a common moggy and now a heap of fur. This was getting too much so she decided to show the two called Fred and Joe that she meant business. She then let out one of her famous growls and showed her teeth which reflected quite well in the shine of the torch that the men had.

“There she is Joe, but this time we will do it differently. I heard that if you cover a cat’s head they have no sense of direction. I will put the bag over her head and you push her legs in the bag.”

Now Joe was on the right track and before Princess knew what was happening she was in the bag - kidnapped from her nice warm home. What an insult that was. Joe and Fred carried her to their car and drove off, Fred still limping from his injury. They arrived at their two room apartment somewhere down town and let Princess out of the bag. This was their first mistake. She ran and hid behind the cupboard.

“Fred what shall we do, she is behind that tall wardrobe.”

“Leave her there Joe.”

“Sorry Fred but that cat is worth a few thousand for us, and we don’t want anything to happen to her. Didn’t you buy some cat food for it.”

“Yes, Joe, that’s an idea.” And Fred took a plastic dish, opened the in and put the cat food in.

Princess smelt something meaty in the air, but if the two men could have seen the look on her face, they would have realised that it was not to her taste. “Now I am an “it” and they are giving me tinned meat” she thought, “you must be joking and in a plastic plate.”

However Princess decided to play along with the two men and came out from behind the cupboard.

“Joe, I think that’s the trick. Animals do anything for food. Look she is coming out. Nice pussy, pussy, food for you.”

Princess approached the two men, sunk her nice sharp teeth into Fred’s hand and spit at Joe and scratched him, drawing blood. She then ran again to her safe place behind the cupboard whilst Joe and Fred were tending to their injuries. Eventually they decided to leave her and have a nights sleep. She would certainly not starve overnight and the next morning things would look different.

Princess waited until the two men were sleeping and decided to go into action. She crept up onto Fred’s bed and decided to mark it as her revere. She then did the same on Joe’s bed.

“Oooh, what’s that for a smell Joe.”

“You’re telling me, I think it’s the cat. Didn’t you organise a box for her.”

“You didn’t say anything about that.”

“What did you expect, cat’s go to the toilet as well. I will have to open the window to let the smell out.”

“No, Joe, don’t do that, the cat…….”

But it was too late. Now Princess had enough of slumming and wanted her luxury life back. In two seconds she was out of the window and on her way home. Cat’s have a wonderful homing sense. She was back on her silk cushion in her own little bed in no time. Mabel Prendergast woke up the next morning and her first action was to feed her Princess. In the morning Princess always had minced steak. Mrs. Prendergast was surprised to see that her window was broken, and called the police. They said someone had tried to break in and whether anything had been stolen.

“No, officer” was the answer. “I think my Princess probably frightened them away.”

The result of the story was that Fred and Joe decided that kidnapping cats was not so easy after all, so they gave it up. They both found a job in a meat canning factory for cat food. And Princess? On the way home after her kidnapping, she met a Siamese. Now how can you say no to a Siamese? The kittens were so sweet, that Mrs. Prendergast decided to keep one. The others she sold for a thousand each, after all long haired Siamese were very rare.

Mabel Prendergast decided that a cat was much better than a husband. Poor Percy, he did not last long with his weak heart, although Mabel did help a bit with an extra dose of Digitalis that she got from one of her plants in the garden.

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MULTIPLY Images and Words Week 10: Bridge or Spanning

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