FEROCIOUS CATS

By Ames K. Swartsfager

Bobby's eyes grew wide.  He had come face to face with two huge cats.  One was orange with black stripes and the other was black with orange stripes--both had yellow eyes--tigers!

            He couldn't move.

            The cats roared a tremendous roar.

            Not waiting to see what they would do next, Bobby turned and ran as fast as he could. 

            He could hear the tigers catching up!

            Feeling their hot breath on his back, he tried to find a way of escape.  He grabbed a low branch of a tree and swung up.

            "Ha!" he called to the tigers.  "You can't get me now!"

            One of the huge animals jumped and swiped at Bobby with his sharp claws.

            Bobby scrambled higher into the tree. 

            The tigers circled around.  One of them stood on his hind legs and shook the tree. 

            Bobby held on with all his might. 

            With a roar, the tiger started to climb up after him.  Bobby climbed as high as he could go, but the tiger followed him until..."

            Ray shut the book.

            "You can't stop now!" cried Chance to his older brother.  "You always do this to me!"

            "I can stop now.  Mother said I had to read you a bedtime story.  She didn't say I had to finish it.  Good-night."  Ray turned off the light and left the room.

            Chance closed his eyes and tried to sleep.  When he fell asleep all he saw were tigers with sharp teeth and claws.  He woke up sweating. 

            "I know what I'll do," he said and went back to sleep.

            "Bobby was running through the field," he dreamed, "and following him were two little fluffy cats – one was orange with black stripes and the other was black with orange stripes."

####

WORDS: 300