Magic Kitten: A Circus Wish (6 page)

‘All right! Hold your horses.’ Her dad smiled as he started the car and pulled out on to the road.

Sadie could feel herself getting more and more excited as they went into the circus school building. She settled herself in her ringside seat next to her parents, with her bag on her knees. Jenny came in with her parents and, to Sadie’s surprise, sat in the empty seat next to her.

Sadie wondered if Lena had something to do with it.

‘Hi,’ she said to Jenny, with a nervous smile. ‘This should be good.’

Jenny nodded. ‘Yes,’ she said shortly.

Sadie’s heart leapt with hope. At least Jenny wasn’t ignoring her.

The circus ring was ablaze with colour and flashing lights. A burst of music rang out and the ring-mistress, in a top hat and tails and shiny boots, stepped through a star-covered curtain into the ring. ‘Ladies and gentlemen.
Boys and girls! Welcome to Bullard’s Circus!’

Jugglers on stilts and unicycles, tumblers and acrobats, a human pyramid and a dozen more acts all performed in a riot of sound and colour.

Flame seemed to be enjoying it too. Sadie saw his wide emerald eyes peeking out from her bag as he took everything in.

Next came the clowns. ‘We need the help of someone from the audience,’ shouted a clown with a white face, a red nose and fuzzy blue hair. ‘You? Yes, you! Would you come here, please?’ he asked, pointing to Jenny.

Jenny went bright pink. She tried to shrink back into her seat, but willing
hands pushed her forward. The clowns gathered around whispering instructions. Jenny was given a red wig and helped into a pair of baggy checked dungarees.

Sadie watched in amazement as Jenny juggled six soft balls. She was really good.

Then Jenny dropped a ball.

Sadie’s heart missed a beat. But Jenny didn’t seem to care. She put a finger to her mouth and pulled a mournful face. The crowd howled with laughter.

‘They think it’s part of the act,’ Sadie whispered to Flame. ‘Jenny’s a natural, isn’t she?’

Then came the act Sadie had been waiting for.

The Flying Tomanis made daring
leaps, turns and catches on the trapeze high up above a safety net. The women wore exotic make-up and tiaras that twinkled in the lights. Sadie hardly recognized Olga, Victor and Lena. They looked so glamorous and mysterious. Lena hung from a trapeze by the tips of her toes and Sadie gasped with delight and fear.

When the show ended all the performers took a bow – including Jenny – and Sadie applauded until her palms ached.

As her parents filed out after the performance, Sadie hung back. ‘That was amazing,’ she whispered to Flame. ‘Wasn’t it clever of Lena to arrange for the clowns to single Jenny out?’ She sighed. ‘I hope I’ll be good enough to
work in the circus one day.’

‘You will be very good indeed, Sadie,’ Flame mewed confidently. ‘You must follow your dream.’

Sadie stroked him gently. Flame wasn’t only special because he was magic; he was also the best kind of friend. The sort that made you feel stronger and better about yourself.

Outside the circus, Sadie saw Jenny and her parents. On impulse, she ran up to her friend. ‘You were fantastic. And you didn’t seem at all nervous in the ring. Everyone loved it.’

‘Thanks.’ Jenny smiled hesitantly. ‘Um… I’d better go. Mum and Dad are waiting in the car for me.’

When Jenny and her parents passed by in their car, Jenny waved. Sadie felt
her heart swell and was sure that they would soon make up properly.

Sadie rejoined her mum and dad just as a little door in the side of the circus opened. Lena popped her head out. She was still wearing her stage make-up. ‘Hi, Sadie! Did you enjoy the show?’ she called.

‘It was wonderful! Fantastic!’ Sadie enthused.

Presto shot out from behind Lena and made a beeline for Sadie’s shoulder bag. Jumping up and down, he whined excitedly for Flame to come out and play.

‘Uh-oh,’ Sadie murmured, gently pushing the little dog away from her bag with one foot. ‘Shoo! Go away, Presto!’

Any minute now her parents were going to wonder what was going on.

Presto put his front paws on Sadie’s bag and scrabbled, trying to nose his way inside.

‘What’s he after?’ her dad wanted to know.

Sadie’s heart sank, but she put on her most innocent expression. ‘No, er, idea.’

‘Hmm.’ Mr Allen bent down. He started to undo the bag’s zipper.

It’s going to be OK. Flame’s invisible,
Sadie comforted herself silently.

And then everything happened at once.

A large brown and white dog shot out of a nearby alleyway. It spotted Presto and came bounding towards him. Presto yelped with terror. He dived head first into Sadie’s half-open shoulder bag and landed on Flame.

‘Yeo-row-row!’ Flame screeched with surprise.

‘What the…’ Mr Allen gasped.

Sadie made a frantic grab for her bag, but the big dog beat her to it. It grasped it in its enormous teeth and began dragging it towards the alleyway.

‘Hey! Come back!’ Sadie yelled.

She dashed into the dark alleyway,
followed closely by her parents. There was no time to think of a plan. She had to get the bag away from the dog somehow. Flame wouldn’t risk using his magic with her mum and dad so close.

The dog had backed up against a wall. It had dropped the bag, but stood over it, growling menacingly. Sadie daren’t risk trying to grab the bag while it was within reach of those huge sharp teeth.

She suddenly remembered that she had a half-eaten tube of aniseed sweets in her pocket. Dogs loved the smell of aniseed, didn’t they? Taking out the sweets, she waved them about. The dog sniffed the air and licked its chops.

Hoping like mad that she could distract the dog for even a few seconds,
Sadie rolled two sweets down the alley. The dog crept forward, keeping a wary eye on her, before darting towards the sweets and crunching them up.

Quick as a flash, her heart beating fast, Sadie lurched forward and seized the bag. She threw the rest of the tube of sweets at the dog and hurtled out of the alley.

As soon as she was safely in the street outside, Sadie opened her bag. ‘Are you all right, Flame?’ she panted. ‘I thought that horrible dog was going to eat you!’ As she picked him up, a few sparks in his black fur fizzed against her hand before they went out.

Flame rubbed his head against her arm. ‘I am fine. Thank you for saving me, Sadie. You were very brave. You could have been badly bitten,’ he purred.

‘I just couldn’t bear to let him hurt you,’ Sadie said, trying to catch her breath. Now that she thought about the danger she had been in, her knees felt all weak and wobbly.

Sadie reached into her bag with her free hand and lifted Presto out. The
little dog was trembling from head to foot. He gave a relieved little yap and began licking Flame’s ears.

‘Sadie?’

Mr and Mrs Allen stared at the little dog and the fluffy black kitten in their daughter’s arms and then looked down at the open shoulder bag.

Sadie looked at her parents. Flame hadn’t had time to make himself invisible.
I’m in so much trouble,
she thought.

‘Is there something you want to tell me, young lady?’ her dad said sternly.

Chapter
* SEVEN *

Sadie realized there was only one possible thing to do. She burst into tears.

‘Oh, dear!’ Mrs Allen rushed up and put her arm round Sadie’s shoulders. ‘You’re all shaken up, love! Did that big dog bite you?’

Sadie shook her head. ‘I’m fine. It’s not that. It’s… it’s… everything,’ she sobbed.

Her mum gave her a cuddle. ‘I knew it. You and Jenny haven’t been getting on like you used to, have you?’

Mr Allen stared at his wife and daughter in confusion. ‘What’s that got to do with that kitten?’ he asked, mystified. ‘No wonder I’ve been sneezing! Sadie’s had that little mite in the house. In her bedroom too, I shouldn’t wonder.’

‘We’ll get to that in a minute,’ his
wife answered calmly, passing Sadie a tissue. ‘Can’t you see that Sadie’s upset?’

Sadie gulped and wept, realizing for the first time that she was actually crying for real. She couldn’t stop. It had all been so mixed up between her and Jenny lately. Having Flame as a friend had helped her cope. Now it looked as if she might lose him too and she didn’t think she could bear it.

‘About this kitten…’ Mr Allen tried again.

Sadie gave a loud wail. ‘I can’t give up Flame! He’s my f… friend.’ She looked at her dad through her tears. ‘Please, please, please let me keep him,’ she begged

Mr Allen looked at his wife who nodded slowly. ‘Well – if he’s that
important to you, I suppose he can stay,’ he decided. ‘But you must make sure he stays in your bedroom.’

‘I will!’ Sadie almost threw herself into her dad’s arms and then she remembered she was holding Flame. ‘I’ll make sure I keep Flame miles away from you. And I’ll buy you a giant box of tissues, just in case! Thanks, Dad. You’re the best!’

Back at youth club on Monday, everyone was talking about the circus performance. Victor Tomani smiled at all the eager faces. ‘I’m glad you found it inspiring. Because you’re all going to get a chance to perform!’

‘What do you think he means?’ Sadie said to Jenny, who was standing next to
her. At least they were speaking again now, although Jenny had arrived with Grace.

Jenny shrugged. ‘I don’t know.’

‘There’s a carnival in a couple of weeks’ time,’ Victor continued. ‘And I’ve been asked if the youth club would like to take part. We’re putting up a circus ring in the park, where the carnival ends up. So you can put on a display’

Everyone started talking at once.

‘OΚ, details can come later,’ said Victor, shouting above the noise. ‘You need to decide what you want to do. I suggest you team up in twos and threes and work out some routines.’

Sadie didn’t have to think about it. There was only one person she wanted to team up with.

‘Come on, Flame,’ she said. With him at her heel, she turned round to Jenny before she lost her nerve.

Jenny had her back to Sadie and turned round in surprise as Sadie shook her arm.

‘Why don’t you and I get together?’ Sadie said excitedly. ‘We could be a comedy double act with acrobatics and juggling. I don’t mind wearing a clown suit…’