"Whitley Strieber - Cat Magic" - читать интересную книгу автора (Strieber Whitley)

and found it almost empty. There was a dned-up sausage of indeterminate age and make, a package of
Oscar Mayer cotto salami, a ioaf of Pepperidge Farm Bread, and down on the bottom shelf a pint carton
of half-and-half. That the cat would love.

She filled a saucer and went back to the sun porch. When she opened the back door, cold air came in,
and with it a very fast, very large cat. She spilled a good bit of the milk jerking back as the animal made
its rush.

It began lapping frantically at the spills on the floor.

тАЬYou are hungry, you poor creature!тАЭ

She closed the door behind it and put the saucer down beside its great head. It really was the most
enormous cat. Black as sin, even its nose. It had a kink in the end of its tail and a ravaged ear.

тАЬYou poor, ugly old thing.тАЭ Gingerly she touched its back, half expecting it to bolt. But this was no wild
creature. It arched to her touch, then drank all the harder. A starving, grateful, and very domestic beast.
тАЬYou're so sweet!тАЭ

She felt around its neck, but there was no sign of a collar. Her every touch drew a reaction from the
animal. She found herself stroking it while it lapped at the milk, just to feel the undulating muscles beneath
the soft black fur.

The cat finished and raised its head. When their eyes met, Mandy was fascinated. The eyes had a slightly
sinister quality, the way they gazed so steadily back at her. They were sharply intelligent. The cat nosed
her hand. It was silent; she could not seem to get it to purr, almost as if it was too independent for such
an abject expression of gratitude.

тАЬAre you still hungry?тАЭ

It stiffened, looked behind and above her. With the silence and grace of an angel it leaped over her head
and into the hallway that led from the bedrooms to the sun porch. It was an amazing jump. тАЬKitty?тАЭ

From the direction of her bedroom there came a loud meow, sharp with beckoning. Mandy stood up,
feeling a twinge of fear in her confusion, and followed the animal.

Questions. How could a mere cat jump like that? And where had it come from? And what sort of cat
was it?

And wasn't it beautiful, sharp-faced and glowing, lying on the foot of her bed, beckoning her with one
open eye?

Fleas?

Ringworm?

Fever?

A meow, as soft as some heavenward breeze. And she was tired. She slipped into her bed. тАЬYou be a
good watchcat, now.тАЭ