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ht.

And then, in the morning. I heard the door open. My eyelids felt glued together. but I lifted them and looked up at Mommy, who was standing there with a tray in her hands, her face in a smile. There was a mug of one of her teas on the tray, and a bowl of oatmeal and some toast and jam.

I started to sit up. She put the tray on the nightstand and helped me into a sitting position, fixing my pillows behind me. Then she set the tray on my lap and stepped back.

"It's over." she said. "We'll be all right again."

14

A Wild Ride

.

Athough I always enjoyed pretty good health

and rarely had colds and coughs, never got measles or chicken pox or anything Mommy told us children our ages suffered. I did on occasion have stomachaches and sniffles with some fever. That was how I felt, even after I had finally eaten something. It took most of the day and another good night's sleep before I felt strong enough to rise, and even then. I moved slowly.

The first thing I did when I finally left my room was ask for Cleo. He wasn't barking for me, and he wasn't anywhere just outside. I checked all his favorite spots. Usually, he would be right at the front door, waiting for me to come out.

"Cleo is gone." Mommy told me.

"Gone? What do you mean by gone. Mommy?" "Gone is gone, Noble." She stopped what she

was doing and turned to me. "He was being used," she said.

"Used?"

"By forces of evil."

"How could Cleo be used by forces of evil?" I asked.

"Remember that story I read to you about the Trojan Horse?" she replied.

I was shaking my head in disbelief. but I stopped.

"You mean, how the soldiers were kept in the big horse and that was the way they got into the city of Troy?"

That did this have to do with Cleo? I wondered.

"Yes, exactly." she said excitedly.

"I still don't understand. Mommy," I said. She stopped smiling.

"The forces of evil invaded him and when he came into our home, they came in with him, inside him. I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong until it was pointed out to me, and Guess by whom?"

I just stared at her. What was she saying? What did this mean?

"Uncle Herbert Remember I told you about his dog? That was why he knew about such things. He knew animals could be used for good or for bad. Thankfully, he got to me in time."

"But where's Cleo?" I asked again.

"I told you. Noble. Cleo is no longer with us. He's gone" she said.

I shook my head to shake the words out of my ears. Gone? No longer with us?

"But I want Cleo," I moaned.

"I'll get you another pet. Maybe a bird this time." she said. "Yes. I think a bird that we keep inside and in a cage. It will be safer."