Tiger by the Tail (11 page)

I moved quietly across the darkened bedroom. There was light from the full moon, enough light to see by, flowing in through the window. With each step the floor creaked and groaned. It really didn’t matter. No one would suspect anything anyway. Nick was peacefully sleeping in his bed and I moved beside him. I looked down. His eyes were closed, his chest gently rose up and down, and there was a soft whistling sound as he breathed in and out through his nose. I had to smile. I kneeled down and placed my hands tightly over his mouth. His eyes popped open in shock and I almost broke into a giggle as he struggled and gasped. My hands held firm until he woke up enough not to cry out. I loosened my grip.

“SAR …” he started to shout and I choked him off again.

“Shhhhhhh,” I whispered and released my grip.

“Sarah, what are you doing?” he whispered.

“I’m going out. Want to come?”

“What?”

“Which word didn’t you understand? They were all small.” It felt good to be the one with the snappy answers. “I’ll try to speak slower. I … go … out … you …
want … come?”

“Where?” he whispered.

“I’ll explain everything, but not now and not here. Mom’s sleeping in the next room and I don’t want to wake her. Are you coming?”

“I guess I am.”

“Good, come on.”

Nick slid out of his bed. He was already dressed in his jeans and t-shirt. No matter how many times Mom threatened him, he still wore his clothes to bed. While he bent down to put on his shoes I grabbed a couple of extra pillows out of the cupboard.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Watch.” I took the pillows and laid them lengthwise in his bed, and covered them with his blanket. “There, unless Mom comes right in she’ll never know you’re gone.”

“Smart,” he said, nodding his head.

I started out of the room, the floor signalling my advance.

“Stop,” Nick whispered, grabbing my hand. “Let me lead. Try to put your feet where I put mine.”

He moved in front of me and I watched as he took a few steps. The floor didn’t answer him back as he walked. I tried to follow in his footsteps and was pleasantly surprised by the results. In watching him I noticed how he was walking on the very sides, almost
clinging to the walls. We moved down the steps silently, with the exception of a few squeaks. We pushed through the door into the kitchen.

“Okay, Sarah, where are we going?”

“For a walk to Mr. McCurdy’s house.”

“Sarah, it’s …” he turned around and looked at the clock on the wall over the sink, “… after eleven-thirty. Why are we going to Mr. McCurdy’s?”

“Because that’s where the hunting is.”

“What do you mean, hunting?” he asked. There was real concern in his voice.

“Hunting. Big game hunting.”

“You don’t mean that Buddha got away again!” Nick said with alarm.

“No, Buddha’s okay and we’re going to make sure he stays that way. Go and get the flashlights out of the basement.”

As Nick ran to get the flashlights I went into the dining room and opened up the closet. I rummaged around in the back until I found what I was looking for. I held it carefully, in both hands, and headed back into the kitchen.

“SARAH!” Nick said in shock.

“SHHH!”

“Yeah, but … the gun … what are you doing with Nana’s gun?”

“We may need it. Did you get the flashlights?”

“Yeah they’re right there,” he said, motioning to the table, “but why do we need a gun?”

“We just might. It’s not loaded. You know Mom wouldn’t keep a loaded gun in the house. It’s just a scare tactic. Does the gun make you nervous?”

“No! I’m not nervous about the gun, but
you’re
making me nervous, really nervous,” my brother said.

“Well, if you’re nervous why don’t you just go back to bed. I’ll go by myself.” I tried to sound confident but the thought of travelling across the fields by myself in the dead of night filled me with dread.

“No. I’ve got to go along. Somebody has to make sure you don’t get into trouble,” Nick said.

“You watching out for me!” I said in shock. “That’ll be a first! If you’re coming, hurry. We haven’t got much time.”

I opened the back door. I turned around and my brother was right on my heels. He barged by me to get out the door first. I pulled it closed quietly behind us. Turning around I saw a beam of light leading away from the house. I reached over and grabbed the flashlight from Nick, turning it off abruptly.

“What’s the big idea?” he said angrily.

“Keep the flashlight off.”

“Why did we bring them if we aren’t supposed to use them?”

“We’ll turn them on, but later. We have to wait until
we’re out of sight of the house. I don’t want to spook Mom.”

I walked toward the field.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“Weren’t you listening to anything I said? We’re going to Mr. McCurdy’s.”

“But shouldn’t we go along the road?”

“This is a shortcut … remember shortcuts?”

“But it’s night, shouldn’t we go along the road?”

“We can’t chance it. We don’t want them to see us.”

“Don’t want who to see us?”

“I don’t know exactly, but I don’t want any of them to see us,” I answered.

“Sarah … I think I liked you better when you were boring.”

I had to smile. “Come on.”

We circled the house and started across the field. It was difficult enough during the day to find the way, but at night I was afraid it would be impossible. Nick grumbled and made snarky little comments as he trailed along behind me. Looking back, I could no longer see the house. I switched on my light and my brother quickly followed suit. The two beams stretched out ahead of us, bobbing slightly up and down as we walked. With relief I saw the stone fence and knew we were halfway there.

“Here, take this,” I said. I handed Nick the shotgun while I climbed up and over the fence. Coming down
on the other side I reached back over and took the gun from him. He scampered over after me. Up ahead I could see the stand of tall trees I’d noticed during my first trip. I aimed off to the side, exactly as I had earlier. Nick continued to talk, mostly just to himself, with an occasional question thrown at me. I just ignored him.

Looking up ahead I saw the outline of the barn, backlit by the moon, which was suddenly free from the clouds that had partially covered it. I clicked off my flashlight.

“Turn it off,” I instructed Nick.

“Why?”

“I told you. We don’t want any of them to see us,” I cautioned.

“Any of … forget I asked,” he said, shaking his head, as he switched it off.

Passing by the side of the barn, Nick picked up his pace until he was walking slightly in front of me. I slowed down and then stopped at the stable door.

My brother kept on walking. I stood there, the smile growing on my face, as I watched him continue to move. About thirty or so paces along he turned to speak to me and then jumped in shock when he realized I wasn’t there. He looked up and, although I couldn’t make out his face in the light from the moon, I knew it would be a combination of fear, shock and relief. Good!

I motioned for him to come back. He started to run,
but before he could reach me I ducked into the stable door. Nick came running in after me, almost knocking me over as he bounded in through the door.

“Sarah! What are you doing?”

I didn’t answer. I just walked farther into the stable. I looked around into the darkness.

“Mr. McCurdy!” I called out. I listened for an answer. “Mr. McCurdy!” I called out again, this time much louder.

I heard a rustling sound. “Mr. McCurdy!”

“Come on, Sarah, he’s not here. Let’s go up to the house,” my brother said, tugging on my arm.

I pulled away. “He’s here.” I walked over to Buddha’s pen. I couldn’t see him at first and I feared we’d gotten here too late. Then I saw the flash of his golden eyes and a sense of relief washed over me.

“Hi, Buddha, boy. How are you doing?”

Buddha rose from the spot at the back of the cage. He moved to the front of the pen and rubbed himself against the bars. I backed off slightly. Even through the bars he still made me nervous.

“Hello, Sarah,” came a voice from the darkness. I turned around and saw Mr. McCurdy, carrying his gun, along with Calvin, moving out of the darkness. “Sorry I couldn’t say anything sooner. I had to make sure it was you and not those darn teenagers.”

“That’s okay.”

“Sarah, what have you got there?” Mr. McCurdy questioned, pointing at the shotgun I had cradled in my arms.

“It’s okay, it’s not loaded. I just thought it might come in handy to scare people.”

“It’s working,” Nick said as he moved to where we stood, “because she already has me scared.”

“Wonderful, you brought Nicholas along! We can use the extra set of eyes and ears,” Mr. McCurdy said.

“Can somebody tell me what I’m looking and listening for?”

“I’ll explain it all but first we better hide.” I looked at my watch. “It’s just past midnight. I don’t think it’ll be too long now. Where do you want us to go?”

“You and Nicholas go over there, in the far corner. Keep your eyes on that door. Calvin and I will watch the upper level.”

I nodded, and we started for our positions.

“Sarah,” Mr. McCurdy called out.

“Yes?”

“Leave the shotgun with me. It’ll make the waiting a whole heap easier,” he said quietly.

“But it’s not even loaded,” I said as I walked back and handed him the gun.

“Thank you. Now go and make yourselves comfy.”

•

Lying there in the dark gave me time to think. It wasn’t possible that it had been just over five days since we’d first met Mr. McCurdy. I shifted my weight and scratched. Little bits of straw kept getting in under my clothes. Nick was beside me, mostly covered in straw and, unbelievably, asleep. I’d answered all his questions after we first settled in and then he just drifted off. Only my brother could manage that. A couple of times I’d started to have that warm sleepy feeling start to seep up from my feet, into my body and into my head. Once I nodded off and my head jerked up when I realized what was happening.

Lying there, motionless and silent, I became aware of a soft rustling sound. In the darkness I couldn’t tell how close it was or even what direction it was coming from. Maybe it was just Mr. McCurdy or even Calvin, shifting around above my head.

Then, I remembered who else lived in the barn: Brent the python. And I was lying right in the pile of straw where I’d seen him that first time I’d been in the barn. I heard the rustling again, much louder this time. I could just picture that snake slithering along the floor, pushing the straw out of the way, as he moved toward me. I reached out and gave my brother a little shove.

“Nick, wake up,” I whispered. He didn’t move a muscle. “Nicho …” And then I froze.

Looking across the stable I saw the soft grey outline of
a figure move across the barn. Then another and another and another. I could hear the low buzz of conversation floating across the still air. The first few figures moved forward and others, two or maybe three, came in behind them. I wanted to wake up Nick, but I couldn’t risk him gasping or jumping up and giving us away.

They moved toward Buddha’s cage. I could see eight of them as they fanned out. I could make out individual voices, a couple of them female, giggling and laughing. Buddha had moved to the back of his pen. He was crouched down on the straw, his eyes glowing brightly with anger.

All at once the centre of the stable, the part where they stood, became flooded with blinding light from the spotlights Mr. McCurdy had installed earlier in the day. I shielded my eyes with my hand and Nick sat up like he was loaded with a spring.

“Everyone stay put or else!” Mr. McCurdy’s voice thundered.

I looked up and the teenagers stood there, looks of shock and fear plastered on their faces. Two broke for the stable door and were lost in the darkness. They were getting away! Then, just a few seconds later they came back into view, walking backwards, immediately followed by Mr. McCurdy, his gun trained on them.

I caught sight of movement, just outside the line of light, moving down the stairs into the stable. It was
Calvin. He came into the light, one arm on the floor, the other holding my shotgun.

“All of you, sit down. We’re going to have a little chat,” Mr. McCurdy ordered.

“On the floor?” questioned a female voice.

“Oh, no!” I said quietly to myself. Although her back was to me there was no mistaking that voice. It was Erin.

“Yep, right there on the floor! Do what I’m saying! Now! My ape has an itchy trigger finger!”

Wordlessly they all plopped onto the straw-littered floor. They were sitting almost on top of each other, huddled together out of fear.

Mr. McCurdy walked toward them. “What do you have there?” he asked one of the boys, poking him with the end of the rifle. “Looks like a hacksaw to me. You expecting you might need one of those here tonight?”

There was no answer.

“Are you the one who let my baby go the other night?” he asked.

“I … I …” the boy stuttered.

“What’s wrong? The cat got your tongue? Hey that gives me an idea. Maybe the cat would like more than just your tongue.”

There was a collective gasp.

“Any of you know how much a tiger eats? About fifty kilograms at one meal. Just tears it up and swallows it in big chunks. How much do you weigh, boy?” he asked.

“I … I …”

“Get up!” Mr. McCurdy ordered. The kid remained motionless. “Get up, now!” Mr. McCurdy ordered, even louder, and poked the kid with the barrel of the gun. The boy popped up.

“Come on, we’re going to feed the tiger, you and me … but mostly you.” Mr. McCurdy laughed sinisterly. “You don’t look too happy. Don’t you want to feed the tiger?”

“No, no, I don’t,” the boy sputtered.

“In that case, you don’t have to, sit back down,” Mr. McCurdy said.

“What?” the boy questioned.

“Sit down,” Mr. McCurdy said, “and do it now before I change my mind!”

The boy practically collapsed into a heap on the floor.