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Birdie shivered, an easy feeling draping over her shoulders like a cold, damp blanket.  She turned, glancing over her shoulder at the cat twitching it’s tail slowly, back and forth.  Its golden eyes bore into her, unflinching.  Her teeth chattered and goosebumps exploded on her arms.

“What?” Mr. O’Neil asked, hopping back and forth from one foot to another excitedly.  “What can we do?  This is great!  My editors are going to love this!”

Detective Michaels eyed him suspiciously.  “You wouldn’t print this before we have a chance to investigate, would you?”

“Of course not,” Mr. O’Neil replied, his voice wounded.  “I’m not a sensationalist tabloid reporter.  I require facts.”

“Of course.”  Detective Michaels did not sound convinced.  He looked down at Birdie, warmth flickering back into his eyes.  “Well, Birdie?  What’s your grand plan?”

Birdie tore her eyes away from the cat.  Shaking her head, she picked up Sassy and rested her chin on the dog’s furry head.  The dog licked her chin, aware of her mood.  “I don’t think we should talk about it right now–there’s too many possible ears here.  Besides, I should get home.”  That was a lie, and she knew they knew it.  There was no one waiting for her at home.  Even if her parents happened to be physically at home, they were so involved in their own bohemian pursuits they would never notice her absence.

Detective Michaels raised an eyebrow, but Mr. O’Neil, fearing his wife’s wrath of being alone with seven children for almost twenty four hours, quickly agreed.  “Let’s meet tomorrow then, and talk.  We could talk at my office?”

“The newsroom?”  Detective Michaels eyebrow nearly touched the stars.  “What about my office?”

“The police station?”  It was Mr. O’Neil’s turn to look scornful.

Birdie rolled her eyes.  “We’ll meet at my house.  Eight o’clock.”

“Will your parents mind?” Detective Michaels asked.  Birdie smiled.  He knew the answer, she thought, but he doesn’t want me to know that. Instead of explaining her parents, she just shook her head.

“Eight o’clock then.”  Hopping from his left foot to his right, Mr. O’Neil glanced down at his watch.  His eyes bugged out.  “Oh, she’s going to kill me.  See you two tomorrow.” He hurried off, clutching his notebook as he scurried home.

As Birdie put Sassy on the ground, Detective Michaels shoved his hands in his pockets.  “I’ll walk you home,” he announced.  “It’ll do me good to get some exercise.”

Birdie hid a smile, but nodded.

As they set off down the sidewalk, two shadowy figures appeared in the window of Mr. Pemberely’s shop behind the golden-eyed cat.  One figure was tall and lean, the second short and squat.

“She knows too much.”

“She’s just a child.”  Mr. Pemberely’s voice was pleading.  “We can’t even be sure she was in here.  I don’t remember her being in here.”

“You’re a fool.”  The words, harshly whispered, made Mr. Pemberely recoil as if he’d been slapped.  “You’re a terrible fool.  We have to stop her.  She could ruin our plans for the zoo.”

The cat-man’s face took on a stubborn look.  “We haven’t agreed on our plans yet.”

“You know what we’re going to do.”

Mr. Pemberely’s voice rose.  “I don’t you, I didn’t sign up for that.  All I wanted to do was help the animals.  What you have in mind is disgusting, disturbing.  It’s a total misuse of science!”

“Have you looked at yourself lately?”  The second figure snorted.  “You’re a science experiment gone wrong, Pemberely.  You’re a freak, a recluse.  Why do you think you can’t get any funding?  You scared all those Hollywood starlets, the surgeon’s wives.  You need me.  You know it.”

Mr. Pemberely hung his head.  “I just had dreamed that one day, animals and humans could be one…we could be united, as we’d never been before.”

“Dreams are for fools.”  The second figure stared at Birdie’s retreating back.  In the dark, no one could see the sinister smile curling over his lips.  “We’ll send Frank to visit her.”

Mr. Pemberely gasped, shaking his head.  “No, no, not Frank.  Not Frank.”

“Do it.”  The second figure didn’t bother to glance back as he made his way back to the office.  “Or else.”

Mr. Pemberely stared out the window, twisting his fur covered hands.  Lowering to the ground, he moaned as several cats and dogs warily approached him, sniffing carefully.

“Oh friends,” he sighed.  “I’m in real trouble now.”

***

Birdie turned and tossed in her bed.  It was 3 a.m.  She didn’t have to get up for school for another four hours, but every time she closed her eyes, her mind raced.  Sassy grumbled as Birdie turned over, burying her little furry face into the blankets.  The various cats Birdie had rescued in the basket at the foot of Birdie’s bed hissed as a blanket slid off onto them, setting off the pomeranians that lived in the bottom nightstand drawer they had converted into an apartment.  Their barking scared the hedgehog, who frightened the asthmatic guinea pig into a wheezing fit.   “Achoo, achoo!” her parrot screeched.  A Great Dane who was convinced he was a kitten bounded up the stairs, ready to protect his feline friends.  Sitting up in bed, Birdie glared at her animals.  At least, the ones inside.

“Excuse me, everyone,” she announced.  “I really need some sleep.  Can everyone calm down and go to bed?”

The Great Dane barked and tried to curl up in the basket with the kittens, who hissed in protest.  The pomeranians curled into small balls like furry socks with tails.  The hedgehog balled up, the guinea pig wheezed and the parrot hung it’s head and muttered, “Sorry, sorry.”

Closing her eyes, Birdie pulled her pillow over her head.  “Just sleep,” she told herself.  “Sleep.  Don’t think.  Just sleep.”

The golden cat stare.  Mr. Pemberley hands.  The magic show.  The zoo.  Mr. Pemberely not seeing her in the shop.  The animals.  The plan.

Throwing the pillow to the side in frustration, Birdie sat up and rubbed her temples.  Opening her eyes, she glanced toward the window.  Blinking, she stared closer at the black glass.  A scream ripped from her throat.

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends!  Tomorrow we have a delicious recipe and Friday, a new Dallas Jean!  Saturday we have more whimsical fun!