Feb 27, 2019
Sally and Billy in Babyland
Chapter 4
They hid on an outcropping away from the meadow and waited. Her instincts taking over, Kitty situated herself at the edge of the tallest rock with a view overlooking the approach from all sides.
Billy and Sally struggled to find a comfortable perch as they alternated between the desire to see what Kitty could see and relieving the discomfort inflicted by the sharp edges of the rocky outcropping. They scuffed with their feet to climb high enough to peek over the edge, only to slide with a groan back into the crevice.
“You must be much more quiet than that or we’re as good as caught,” Kitty admonished.
Sally took hold of a mossy edge of rock to stay abreast of Kitty. “But who is it we’re avoiding?”
“Border Patrol.”
“What border are they patrolling?”
“They call it Babyland.”
“Are they babies?” Billy asked.
“No. People that like to be treated like babies.”
Sally stifled a laugh. “You’re joking, right?”
Kitty shook her head. “It started as a resort for rich people who like pampering.”
“Babyland sounds like a stupid name.” Billy asked.
“Yes, but they all wear diapers. So it’s called Babyland.”
Sally groaned. “Come on. I’ve had geography in school and there was nothing like that on the map.”
Kitty heaved a sigh, tiring of the conversation. “The rich
have secret resorts all over the world. The only poor people who know about them are there to do all the work.”
“Then why haven’t we heard about it on television or websites.”
“They wear diapers. So they keep it a secret.”
Sally decided it was like the time when she was in the middle-school play and didn’t admit to enjoying it because all the other kids said the play was stupid.
“What will happen if we get caught?” Billy asked.
“You saw what happened to those other cats.”
“They do that to people, too?”
“Worse. Now be quiet.”
Back in the meadow, the moonlight was enough to see. But here on this outcropping, surrounded by tall trees, it was dark. The pale light only penetrated in patches.
They heard the border patrol approach before they saw it. There were many feet tramping through the leaves on the forest floor, snapping twigs. The dog bark they heard earlier was repeated.
A second dog barked in response.
Then a third barked.
And they were all coming closer, the sounds closing in on the outcropping in the dark forest.
“Why didn’t we run away?” Billy whispered. Sally could feel the strain and worry in his voice.
“Do you know where to run?” Kitty hissed.
“I guess not.”
“Then hiding was our best option. We are down wind so there’s a chance the dogs won’t pick up our scent. If they do, it doesn’t matter where we go.”
The shadowy figure of a dog — a Border Collie — moved through the trees and stopped in a patch of moonlight. It made sense to Sally that a border collie would be on the Border Patrol. But it had a tube strapped to its back.
“What is on its back?” Sally whispered, her voice quivering with fear.
“A cannon that fires a net,” Kitty whispered. Sally detected a quiver of fear in Kitty, as well. “They trap you with it.”
“That’s kind of cool,” Billy said.
“Not if you’re in the net,” Kitty replied.
“Shhh,” Sally hissed. The sound of footsteps approaching had grown louder, and she was shaking now in fear.
Other shadowy figures of dogs moved through the trees. Sally saw a German Sheppard, a pinscher, a giant schnauzer, and a greyhound. As they passed through moonlight, she saw that each one had a net cannon strapped to their back.
The dogs moved all around their outcropping, sniffing, then looking before continuing the search.
“Anything?” Border Collie asked.
“Nothing here,” German Shepard said.
“Zilch,” Pinscher added.
Sally was baffled. She looked at Billy and he stared back at her with amazed confusion.
When Sally heard the dogs bark earlier, it hadn’t occurred to her they might also have the power of speech. But cats could talk so it was reasonable that dogs could too.
“Okay,” Border Collie said. “Back in formation.”
“Hang on,” Greyhound said.
The wind had shifted and a slight breeze swirled through the trees. The greyhound, visible in the moonlight, looked at their outcropping.
The dogs surrounded the outcropping, scattered through the trees, each one holding its head up to sniff. Sally guessed they were as close as the street was to her front door. Too close to run away.
One of dogs howled. Then they all howled in a terrifying chorus.
Sally gasped. Billy whimpered. But Kitty snarled and spit in anger.
“No matter what,” Kitty said, “stay here and hide. And for the love of Dewey P. Cat, be quiet.”
The dogs approached through the trees. As their snouts appeared in the moonlight, Sally could tell they focused on Kitty who now stood up on top of the outcropping with her back arched and her fur puffed out.
“Silence,” Border Collie barked. The howling ceased, but one dog smacked his jaws, unable to contain his excitement.
“Come along, cat, and you won’t be hurt.”
“Go hump a leg,” Kitty said. “Unless sniffing your master’s butt is more your thing.”
Border Collie barked in delight. “Ah, the aloof and indignant feline. How charming. We’ve all seen what you cats do with your tongues. We’ve heard your caterwauling in the night. Don’t condescend or you’ll have no mercy from us.”
Kitty crouched down and adjusted her stance on the rock.
“Allow me the honor,” German Shepherd said.
“Patience. We have work to do.”
Kitty hissed. Then her hind legs twitched and she sprung into the darkness with a blood-curdling roar of “Liberty!”
