Chapter 1. The New Inhabitants
Olivia and Jill sat in the back of the car. Jill was pouring over acopy of
Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats, Olivia was listening to her CatsCD.
As The Addressing of Cats finished Olivia turned off her CD player and
stared out the window. "Why do we have to do this?" asked Jill,breaking
the silence. They were moving out to a new house in the country, about3
miles from the nearest town. Olivia and Jill's parents had decided tomove
there, because they wanted some peace. Olivia figured it was becausethey
were having a mid-life crisis.
"Well, here we are!" said Susan cheerfully and stepped out of the car. Olivia and Jill, much less cheerfully, dragged themselves out. As soonas they had stepped out of the car an old man can to greet them. "'Ellothere! It'z be me, Charlie! Just 'ere to welcome ya to yer new 'ouse!"
"This is Charlie," explained Susan to Olivia and Jill, "He's the person we're buying the house from." Charlie began speaking again and what he said this time was the first thing that had gone well for Jill and her sister the whole day.
"Now I heard ya little laddies like catz? Am I not righ'? Now I hadz meself a whole great bunch of them felinez in me house and figurd' you'ere gonna want them."Olivia and Jill grinned at each other and raced inside the big farmhouse.
Once inside a wave of cats hit them, sending them to the floor, underwhat seemed like thousands of cold paws. Olivia pulled a red cat with black stripes off her face, while Jill was prying another red cat, though alot larger off her leg. Finally it let go and the cats asembeled aroundthem, sniffing their feet and such. A large mane coon stepped out from thegroup and meowed impatiently.
"What do you want?" asked Olivia. Just then Charlie walked in,
"I see 'ere you've met my 'ere catz," he turned to the cat who had stepped out. "This 'ere is Alexander, though you're free to make up all new namez for these catz" Olivia could have sworn the cat had grimanced at Alezander, "He'z a tough one that he iz." Chuckling, Charlie left to give a tour to Paul and Susan.
Jill reached down and petted a dainty, white, female, "So Olivia, whatdo you think we should name these guys? I think they could use some new names.
Olivia?" Olivia was staring at the tom who had been introduced to them a minute ago. "Jill..." She began, "Where have you seen that before?" The tom was laying down, surrounding him were 6 queens, all purring contently.
"I don't know, I know I have" said Jill.
"I wond-OH MY GOD!" screeched Olivia.
"WHAT, WHAT, WHAT?" asked Jill in a tense voice.
"Jill, I don't want to sound crazy here, but...."
"But what?"
"That is Rum TumTugger...
And these are all cats from Cats..." whispered Olivia.
"My God..."mouthed Jill, and they both stood frozen.