AN UNPLEASANT SURPRISE
by Audrey, 10, VIC
Sometimes people ask me, “Hey, if you were an animal, what would you be?”
I’d think, and then say, “A cat!”
I wonder what it would really be like…
I think cats are amazing creatures! If only I could stay up late exploring! I can’t think of anything bad about- oh wait, humans picking me up! I hate being picked up. I wonder if I should say anything else next time …
“If you were an animal, what would you be?” the new kid asks.
This time I don’t hesitate. “A cat! I love cats.”
After school, she comes up to me. “Are you sure you’d want to be a cat?”
“Yes … why? What do you- OH!” I blink, and suddenly she’s like a giant! I close my eyes and rub them. Wait, why do I have paws? Oh no, she’s turned me into a cat!
“Turn me back into a human! I don’t want to be a cat!” I yell, but she just laughs. I must be meowing!
Suddenly, my friend Natalie appears out of nowhere! “Hey! I just saw you turn her into a cat!”
The new girl turns around quickly. “No, I didn’t! You’re going mad, Natalie.” She puts her hand on Nat’s forehead. Oh, that girl is infuriating!
Natalie moves away. “Then why is her bag there? Hair ties too! THERE’S CLEARLY A CAT IN FRONT OF YOU!” she yells.
“That’s MY bag, and I dropped my hair ties. That cat is a stray,” the new girl lies, turning red.
“I’d recognise Audrey’s bag anywhere. And those are her hair ties. I bought them for her birthday last year!” Natalie retorts, and leans forward to pick me up. “This is my friend, and you’re not going anywhere until you turn her back into a human!” I wave my paw and meow in approval.
Natalie boops my nose. “See? Even as a cat, she’s exactly the same person.”
The new girl sighs. “Fine. But it’s not going to wear off until tomorrow morning. She’ll have to stay this way until then.”
“Drat! What will my parents say?” I meow.
As if she can understand me, Natalie strokes my head. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell your parents you came over for a sleepover. My parents will totally believe me. They believe anything I say!”
The new girl nods at us and runs off.
The next morning, a bright sunny Saturday, I walk back home with Natalie. She waves at me goodbye. “Bye!” I yell.
Being a cat is pretty fun. I think. But I’d rather be a human.
Mum greets me at the front door. “Had a fun night? Lucky girl, I was worried you wouldn’t come home!”
“I had a great night, thanks Mum!”
She winks at me like she knows a secret. “Staying at a friend’s house sure is the cat’s whiskers! I sure know what it’s like.”
Audrey is a frequent contributor to Alphabet Soup. Read another story by Audrey here. To send us YOUR story, poem, artwork or book review, check out our submissions guidelines.
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Brilliant work, Audrey. I wish I could think up great stories like that!