Chapter 1:
It was already half past ten in the evening as I was still sitting with my laptop on my knees on my couch. Still working on that article that had to be finished tonight, or else my boss would never give me such a good and important theme again to work on. My back was hurting, cause while working I easily lose track of time and would not stirr for hours. My sight became blurry, I was getting tired. "No wonder" I thought. "Been on since five in the morning. Nearly without some what to eat." I added as a caught the view of Toad my cat. She was sitting at the table, where a plastic box of some cheap, not so good take away food lay. She sniffed at it for a moment, the turned round to face my glance. She made a noise she kept for special occasions where she disagreed heartily. "No good?" I asked her. She sneezed as if to say:"Yeah, no good.". Than jumped of the table. She made a straight bee line for the front door of my apartment. "Can't change it." I said, watching how she started to flicker her tail. Typical manner of telling me she wanted to go out. I sighted. Toad started to moan. I knew it was no good depriving her. Then she would be there for hours, trying interrupting me in my work, to get what she wanted. So I stood up and walked to the door. My limbs aching and stiff after sitting crossleged for at least two hours. "O.k., but you know the rules. Don't get caught. If get caught, don't come to me, cause I won't know you." I told her.
Officially I was not allowed to let her wander around the building. But it was late and the usual coming and going of the neighbours was already over. So I didn't outran any danger on that side. I shuddered a little as the door creeked when I opened it and left it ajar, so she might come back any time she decided so. Than I got back to the work I had left for a while. I don't know how long I must have been sitting there, lost in my thoughts and looking on the screen. The world outside was dark and still. I knew, if Toad would come back, she would tell me as soon as she would be inside the apartment by a chiming sound as one might hear with a lynx. Or I would simply hear the bell round her neck. So, until non of those two sounds was to be heard, no need to get up. I heard the wooden stairs. Supposed that this stupid cat of mine would try to make a raid on the attic again. Apart from that the house was still again.
My fingers danced across the keyboard. I finally managed to get it straight in my head. That article would be great. All I had to do was to get it out of my head and into that Laptop. I was about to finish the first half, saw already the second one,scrolling down in front of my inner eye, when a bustle and some cries of surprise surprised me. "What the....?" I heard a deep sonore voice echoing in the Hall. Just right down below my apartment. "Crap!" I thought and rushed up and to the door. There was someone in the hall of the house. And Toad, that stupid cat? Did she managed to sneek in or not? I sneeked away from the door. Leaving it still ajar, just in case Toad would not have managed to come back until now. While I heard the sonore voice, now in the apartment below mine saying:"Where do you come from? Won't you tell me?" I searched hastily through my sleeping room. Looking for Toad, under the bed, in the wardrobe. Her usual places. "No sight of a cat! Oh... Sh..." I thought, realizing she had not come back. So that meant she was still out there. Would probably get caught by that guy with the deep velvet voice that was some how having a hunting party in his apartment. At least it sounded like that. His stumbling and falling, the sound of shattered glass and other things. His voice, trying to sound calm and soothing, as if to calm down a animal. "Hang on!" I told myself with panic, while in the apartment something else was broken. "Toad! You got yourself in big trouble!" I hissed while standing behind my door, scanning the flight of steps, leading to my landing. Still hopping, that Toad would be hopping out of the dark suddenly from nowhere. Looking at me, as if to say:"Don't know what you mean. Been here all the time.". But not this time!
"Got you. Now, no need to put up such a fight darling. Just let me see that collar your wearing...". I stood at the door, unable to move, unable to think. "What's the plan boss?" I asked myself desperately. My cat was inside someone else's apartment! That was never meant to happen! She want even meant to bee outdoors! And, here another thought came across my mind: I didn't even know the guy that lived downstairs! He was new. Just moved in recently. "Just go down there, knock on that door, smile politely and say "Hi". And than apologize for that brainless bag of fur, that you call your cat and for the intrusion she made. Than, take cat and retreat, while still smiling politely." said the sensible voice inside my head. I nodded fiercely. And wanted to do so until I made two discovery's.
