DRAGON IN THE SHADOWS - 1st book in the cat analysis trilogy

Chapter 3: The Disappearance of Midnight

     "PETER!!!" He woke up and found Lucinda standing by his bed, shouting at him. He sat up.
     "It's about time", she grumbled, "I've been trying to wake you for the past ten minutes". He yawned.
     "Well?" He asked, "What do you want?"
     "I was just wondering if you knew where Midnight is."
     "Oh no!" Peter exclaimed sarcastically, for Midnight never left the house "You don't mean to tell me, do you, that Midnight is gone?"
     Peter's sarcasm went unnoticed.
     "I'm afraid so", she said, her expression drooping, "I've been looking for him all morning, but I still can't find even a trace of him."
     "Are you sure you've checked everywhere?"
     "I think so."
     "Under the lounge?"
     "Yes."
     "What about in the laundry basket?"
     "Yes."
     "And in the garage?"
     "You really don't seem to take me seriously, do you? Midnight is missing. I wouldn't say that if I hadn't checked everywhere!"
     There was a short silence followed by peter exclaiming,     
     "Well, what are we waiting for! Let's go and find Midnight!"

     After a quick 20-minute check of the house, they went into town to start looking for him there.
     They looked for hours on end, but with no luck. They decided that midnight must still be in the house, so they went back home. On the way home they went down to the river for a quick check there, but, like the town, he was nowhere to be found.
     "Well, that was useless", grumbled Peter.
     "No, it wasn't", Lucinda said, "We know he wasn't in the town, so that means he's at home or he's disappeared."
     "Cat's can't just disappear like that", he said.
     "And how exactly do you know that?"
     "Because it's logic"
     "No it's not"
     "Is"
     "Not"
     "IS"
     "NOT"
     "Oh, just shut up!" Peter groaned and went back into the house. Lucinda followed him as he walked into his room.
     Without looking back, he said, "Stop following me."
     "OK" she said and she trudged off. He picked up the metal and looked it over in confusion. It was the same as it was before, but something inside him told him that it wasn't. He was just putting it back on the shelf when he heard a quiet tap, tap on the floor. He groaned and yelled,
     "LUCINDA, STOP FOLLOWING ME!!!
     "I'm not!" Lucinda called from what sounded like a few rooms away." He whipped around and found Midnight sitting in front of him, licking his paws.
     "Midnight!!!" He exclaimed.
     Mreoow went Midnight as if he had never done anything.
     "Oh, you silly cat!" and he picked hem up, setting him on his bed to have a quick nap.
     "Lucinda!" he called, "I've found Midnight!"
     "Awesome!" she said happily and ran to his room to pat him.
     "Come on", he said, "Let's have dinner."
     Peter had prepared lasagna for dinner and served it. They sat down for a quiet meal.
     "Peter?" Lucinda asked.
     "Yes?"
     "Why didn't we find Midnight before, when we were looking for him? Surely we would have found him then."
      I don't know, but cats are generally good at hiding behind and under things."
     "I know, but what if he could disappear and reappear when he wants to. That would certainly explain a lot of things."
     There was a short silence consisting only of Lasagna being devoured greedily.
     "I still don't think he can disappear like that, Lucinda."
     "Ok"
     They finished their dinner and began to do the dishes when Lucinda said:
     "I've got something for you Peter."
     "Ok. What is it?" Peter asked.
     "I'll show you", and she ran to her room.
     She came back with a sparkling silver cat bed.
     "This is for your room, so Midnight can sleep there."
     "Thanks, Mum would be proud of you", and he gave her a hug.
     He ran off to place it in his room. Midnight instantly came up and sniffed it, then lay down cautiously as if something were going to attack him.
     "What's the matter Midnight?" Peter asked.
     He knelt beside him and stroked his fur.
     Midnight began to purr and fell asleep. Peter quietly tiptoed out of the room. That was when the doorbell rang.