Page 75 of In A Faraway Land

Kitty Ha-Boo

Dieter Schwarz

That,

I did not expect.

The car sped away down the residential street as the late afternoon sun shone down. Heat percolated from the sidewalk under Dieter’s shoes, radiating up his pants legs.

He had no idea what he was going to find inside the townhouse.

Two crying females?

A battleground of goldfish crackers and applesauce smearswith Sesame Street screaming the background?

Blood and spilled wine, both probably Flicka’s?

He unlocked the door and headed inside.

Alina was standing in the middle of the darkened room. She was wearing her headband sporting cat ears and had her little hand over her mouth.

Her attention was riveted on the couch.

Dieter walked toward her. “Alina, baby? Where’s Flicka?”

“Ha-boo!”Flicka’svoice, pitched high, echoed in the townhouse. Dieter just caught a glimpse of blond movement out of the corner of his eye.

Beside him, Alina jumped, startled, but she dissolved into giggles and bobbled on her little legs to one end of the couch. Her baby-blond hair swung around her shoulders as she leaned to peer around the corner.

“Ha-boo!”

Alina jumped back, giggled like a maniac, and sprintedas fast as her chubby legs would carry her to the other end of the couch. She carefully peeked around that end.

“Ha-boo!”

This time, Alina fled behind Dieter’s legs and clutched his trousers, hiding.

Dieter watched, absolutely baffled.

Flicka popped up over the back of the couch, laughing.“Ha-boo!”

Behind him, Alina jumped and burst into giggles again.

Orange, spotted cat ears poked outof Flicka’s riot of blond curls.

She was grinning as widely as Alina.

Black lines on her cheeks radiated from her mouth toward her ears.

Dieter asked,“Flicka?”

“Oh, hi Dieter.” She ducked behind the couch. Thumping sounds bonked back there.

Alina jetted from behind his legs back to the closest end of the couch and peeked around the back corner again.

“Ha-boo!”

Alina shrieked and ran theother way around the couch.