Jack scrambled under the dripping flowers and readied himself to jump down into the trapdoor. Then a terrifying noise stopped him. It sounded like an animal hissing- but it didn’t sound like Amber. He slowly turned around and found himself face to face with the neighbor’s cat, Cupcake. Her normally calm ginger face was twisted into a snarl. Jack froze.

How could this be Cupcake? She never comes out of her house- especially in the rain. He made a fast, loud noise- but Cupcake didn’t budge. She didn’t even run away like her usual self would. What could Jack do? Suddenly, Cupcake pounced. Jack rolled sideways out of the way, and Cupcake went sprawling down the open trapdoor.

Phew. Jack quickly scanned the dark garden for any more strange happenings, but seeing nothing, turned back around and followed Cupcake down the trapdoor. He fell in darkness for a few seconds, but then landed with a thump on top of something. Something soft. He looked down and realized that he was sitting on top of a squishy bean bag.

What the heck… Jack’s eyes swept the room and they fell upon a dusty wooden floor, a table with a lit candle on it, a full bookcase, and another bean bag. It was some kind of secret room. A rush of fear and confusion came to Jack- the candle was already lit! Somebody had been in here, and they were definitely human. How could a cat light a candle?

Cupcake! Jack suddenly remembered. Where was she? He lifted up the bean bags, checked under the table, and scanned the floor. Nothing. Not a trace of fur anywhere. Just a few paw prints in the dust leading to the bookcase… Jack jumped in shock- he hadn’t noticed those before. He followed them, but they came to a halt at the bottom shelf. Then something caught his eye- a note sticking out of one of the books. The book was called ‘Canines from Afar’. Jack pulled the note out. Written on it, in scrawled messy handwriting, were the words;

“They will come at dawn.” 

To be continued…