A CAT OF A DIFFERENT COLOR

"Meow." the small grey cat said, sounding bored.

"It's all right, Misty," Caroline whispered to the cat in her lap. "Someday you'll be famous and everyone will want to play with you."

"Now?" Misty mewed, staring at Caroline with her green eyes.

"No, not now," Caroline laughed. "Come on, let's go see what's Daddy's inventing."

Caroline sneaked out the white kitchen door, past the apple tree, and into the old yellow school bus behind the house. There was a funny pipe chimney coming out of the top of the bus. Smoke was almost always coming out of it. Today, it was no different, except that the smoke kept changing color, from red to green, and then to blue. Caroline stared at it for a moment in curiosity and then carried Misty into the bus.

She wrinkled her nose at the horrible stench. It smelled something like rotten peaches and sour milk.

"Daddy," she asked, her voice almost a yell so that he could hear over the hum of equipment. "Will Misty ever be famous?"

Misty loved the strange smells and sounds and struggled, suddently jumping out of Caroline's arms, rushing across the small inside of the bus. Misty jumped on the tables and crawled over the open chemicals.

"No, Misty!" Caroline shouted, her heart ponding in fear; it was dangerous in the bus. "You'll get hurt."

Misty ignored Caroline's words. She was done exploring and eyed Caroline's father hopefully. After an instant, Misty make up her mind and leapt from the small table right into him.

"Oh!" he yelled, dropping the test tube in his hands on to the floor in surprise. The glass broke, sending a multicolored chemical all over the floor.

"Oh no!" he cried. "My experiment."

Misty thought it was fun. She sniffed at the strange liquid and took a few licks.

"Get that cat out of here," he said.

Caroline picked up Misty and brought her outside. "Bad kitty!" she scolded. "Look what you've done. You've ruined Daddy's experiment."

"Meow," Misty answered, jumping out of her arms.

"Misty!" Caroline complained. Sometimes it seemed that Misty was making trouble on purpose. But this time, Misty took two steps and crumpled onto the grass.

"Oh no!" Caroline bent down and petted Misty's soft fur gently. "Please be alright," Caroline begged. "Oh, why did you have to taste those horrible chemicals?"

Caroline was scared. What if it was poisonous? What would happen to Misty? What if she died?

Caroline stopped petting Misty and looked at her. Something was happening. Misty's fur was changing color. Her beautiful grey was turning grass green.

"Misty, oh Misty..." Caroline wanted to cry. She took the sleeping Misty into her arms and rocked her back and forth.

"What?" Caroline's eyes opened wide, staring while Misty's green fur changed pink, the same, bright color of her sweater. "Wow!" Caroline whispered. "This is amazing!"

Caroline ran back into the bus, ignoring the smells. "Daddy, Daddy! Look at Misty's fur," she yelled.

"What is it?" Her father came over the the door and looked at Misty's bright pink fur. His eyes opened wide. "This is incredible," he said. "Simply amazing!" He looked as if he wanted to jump into the air. "Honey" he asked. "Do you know what this means?"

"Meow," Misty said with a yawn. "Meow now."

"You've invented the perfect way to hide."

"Does that mean she'll be famouse?" Caroline asked.

"Why, yes," he said, his face beaming in happiness. "Everyone will want to see her."

"Everyone?" Caroline asked excitedly.

"Everyone in the entire world," he answered.

Caroline gave Misty a hug and jumpd into the air. "Did you hear what he said, Misty? You're going to be famous."

"Meow," purred Misty happily.

Back to Fiction