Starstruck

 StarStruck

When the stars started falling from the sky, Mister Tread  was standing in the wrong place. A star did drop down upon him. So Tread slipped over and it bounced to the ground. A spark from the star started a small fire, but Christina quickly put it out with the rain from her umbrella.

Mister Tread was not quite so quickly back on his feet. He got up too fast and began to walk in a rather wobbly fashion. His head hurt and he really needed to steady himself. Christina took his arm and guided him to the bench. He sat and had a big think about what had just happened. And then he thought some more.

Stars had been falling all evening, all around the world. The unfortunate Mister Tread was not the only one to feel the full weight of a falling star. Tread was slightly bashed and bruised from the collision, but soon his head cleared. And he saw the world around him anew. His sight wasn’t longer or shorter or even better. But the way he saw, what he saw, seemed so much more real to him. Tread wasn’t seeing strange things, just seeing things in a different way. His powers of observation meant he could read the scratched out letters l-o-v-e-U on the tree trunk from ten paces, and see the ants crawl in and out of the nooks and crannies. And then the sky turned black. A total Blackout.

Too many stars had fallen and not enough new ones had been born. This blackout was a sky-at-night crisis. But Mister Tread was on the case. He paced up and down trying to locate the North Star. Christina scrambled to her feet, her eyes taking longer to adjust to this near total blackness. Slowly she began to see her surroundings, mostly blackness but also a ghostly white. All the things around her seemed to be moving, as if in a black and white film that was mostly black.

And then Chistina saw all the shells. The shells glistened by the side of the road in the sand where they lay.  She called out to Mister tread, “See how they shine. Let's follow the shells along the road to the beach.”

Mister Tread was in a world of his own though for he was following the North Star. They could have gone their separate ways but their routes to the beach were the same.

***

“Grum-Bella, Grum-Bella stop moaning!” said Rumble.

Bella, who was a very little kitten, was scared of the dark. It was rather unfair of Rumble the cat to tease Bella. He was Bella’s big brother and really Rumble was just as scared, he just didn’t want to show it.

Tumble the cat was just feet away but he had located a boat. For them to get some sleep under. Tumble placed his paws firmly in the wet sand to leave a mark. He counted one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Seven steps to his little sister and brother. Tumble picked the shivering two cats from the sand and recounted his steps. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven and safe. Sheltered under the boat they soundly slept.

***

It was as if Christina was wearing X-ray specs. Everything she saw, that was not gloom, glowed white. The waves as they hit the rocks and the surf broke was white. And the shells that shimmered showed the way to the seashore. Mister Tread had got there before her and he was surveying the boat. When he heard a terrible snoring. It was so loud, and on a night like this. Tread couldn't stop now for the North Star had led him here.

Mister Tread tapped three times on the boat. But there was no reply. Next time he knocked a little harder. And then a little harder still. But nothing. Absolutely no response, and the snoring continued. He started rocking, just gently at first, then slightly harder, then wilder still. And the boat tipped right over. Of course there were three sleeping and snoring cats inside. And they were not happy to be woken,  by such a loud noise, on such a strange night. And it was rather cold too. Little Bella cried because of the cold, so Tread removed his wool coat and passed it to her. The coat made rather a good blanket and she snuggled up. Rumble and Tumble stayed quiet, not knowing how to respond, to this disruptive but kindly cat.

Christina had rushed forward not really knowing where she was, or where she was going exactly, when she heard the commotion. Tumble’s mouth stayed silent when he recognised Christina with her long ponytail. Rumble, who was a curious cat said “Christina, Christina, where have you come from?”

“Come home you three. Come home now. The stars have been falling from the sky since you left our home,” coaxed Christina.

If Cristina could coax these three home, maybe the eternal night would finish and the day break.

“You couldn’t sail away in this boat, it’s has been too long near the water and the wood is rotten,” said Mister Tread.

Mister Tread was facing Tumble and looking closely. So closely Tread could read Tumble the Cat’s thoughts. Tumble looked downcast. It was still very dark, but Tread’s night vision was top class. Tumble tried to apologise, but no words came to him and he said nothing.

The tide had turned and the water was gaining ground. It was time for the five to move and move swiftish. Hand in hand Mister Tread led the way off the beach. Followed by the two troublesome runaway cats. And last Christina cuddling little Bella the Cat in her arms.

The Road took them inland. The shells shone all the way to the gathered clan of cats camping ground. The fire was still lit. The elders were still seated around a large circle and were silent. It was that kind of night. There was too much happening to make small talk. Mister Tread entered the encampment and spoke to the elders, “The three wandering cats have found their way home.”

I would be lying if I was to say the stars stopped falling from then onwards, but the sky stopped crying stars so much. Gradually, the light returned and dawn broke. And the sun did shine. And we were all getting a little hotter, but that’s  because we have less protection from the sun’s rays these days. The winds are a little breezier, and the rain seems wetter and there are bigger puddles. But Tumble, Rumble and little Bella the Cat are all back where they belong.