‘Why not? Or maybe it also blew up. And before you say it’s not possible, don’t forget that I talked to a fish yesterday.’
‘Sure, but it definitely came from the train.’
‘Or a plane which blew up.’
‘Train!’
‘Plane!’
And whilst they were arguing, the slow spinning planets and otherworldly symbols began to fade. Snapping shut, the box fell with a thud to the floor, making them both jump.
Prodding it to make sure it wasn’t hot, Arthur picked up the box just in time to catch a faint pattern of light visible around its edges.
‘I wonder what we should do with it. It looks like it might really be important. What do you reckon?’
‘I vote that we give it to your mum. We can say that it’s magic and that its hers if she agrees to start feeding me better.’
‘To my mum—are you mad? We’d be in trouble for having found it in the first place.’
‘Rats!’
‘Listen, we need to find out who that train belongs to and give it to them, maybe.’
‘Yeah, well, good luck with that. You do remember the size of that hole, right? I’m not liking our chances of still finding anyone who was onboard.’
‘Oh c’mon, we don’t know that. And anyway, someone came looking for it afterwards. Remember what the fish said? That has to mean that somebody knows something.’
‘I guess.’
‘So, let’s get out of here and come up with a plan. I can’t be made to be doing chores before we’ve sorted this out.’
Creeping down the narrow, ladder-like stairs, Arthur stopped at the bottom and peered round the door frame. He was in luck. His mother and aunt were talking in the kitchen, which meant he’d be able to leave unseen. Opening the front door and just about to make a run for it, he suddenly turned and dashed back up into the attic.
‘Hey, where are you going?’ meowed the cat, scampering after him. ‘I thought we were going out?’
‘No way… It can’t be!’ exclaimed Arthur, running over to the window. ‘Cat! There—look!’ he cried, as three helicopters flew into view just over the tops of the trees. ‘You don’t think they know, do you?’
‘What are you on about?’ the cat meowed, jumping onto the window sill and standing on his hind legs to get a better view.
‘I’m on about them! It can’t be a coincidence, can it? They’re coming right for us. They must know that we opened it – But how!?.’
‘Yikes!’ cried the cat, jumping down and making a run for the stairs. ‘Every cat for himself then—that’s what I say!’