Sky Rivers

Chapter 1

The police car

It is winter. Not autumn, not spring, not summer.
In autumn we collect fruits and vegetables, in spring we see the green, in summer we swim in rivers. But in winter we are cold.
It is evening, 10.30. The police car goes through the city. It watches the city. It stops the bad people and helps the good people.
A man in the car is 21 years old. He’s handsome and kind. All people love him. He wears a uniform and he likes his job.
Joseph is tired and hungry. He stops the car to eat a sandwich. He opens the door and listens to the night city. All is quiet. But suddenly he hears a scream. A baby or a cat?
Joseph gets out of his car. He wants to help! He goes to a small pool. The screaming gets louder. A baby? A kitten? Joseph runs to the pool.
There is a small bag in the pool. It screams! Oh my god, how it screams! Joseph comes into the water and gets the bag. Three kittens are crying! Where is their mother?
But no time to think! We must warm the kittens and feed them! Joseph thinks very bad people do this.

Chapter 2

My mother

First, it is warm. It is warm and comfortable. He is alone in the dark. Then he is born.
It is sticky and he feels his mother’s tongue. She is licking him gently. He is not sticky now – he is clean and ok.
He is very hungry. He sees nothing but his instincts say what to do. He fights his way to the milk. His sisters fight their way, too. The milk is so warm and so tasty! He massages his mother’s belly. He is happy.
He has eyes but he sees the dark and light only. His eyes are closed.
He hears voices. A man and a woman are speaking. They are screaming! The kitten is scared. He wants milk but the man takes him and his sisters. He is a bad man. He puts the kittens in the bag.
The kitten wants his mother! Warm milk and comfort! It is bad in the bag. His sisters are nervous and they scream. He starts to scream too.
It gets cold. The man puts the kitten and his sisters into the water. It is winter and in winter we are cold.
He fights and fights. Where is his mother with her warm tongue and delicious food? He is tired and scared.

Chapter 3

My milk
Joseph puts the kittens in a small box. He puts a hot bottle there, too.
He goes shopping and gets two packages of milk and vitamins. He runs home to his babies.
"Time to eat", says Joseph. He mixes milk and vitamins and takes the first kitten. The kitten is a boy. He is red and big. Bigger than his sisters. "You are Garfield, aren’t you? ", asks the good man. "And this is Suzy and Lucy".
Garfield is not happy. He can smell food but not his mother. He hisses in Joseph’s hands. New means danger!
Joseph pets the kitten. Garfield screams. He wants his mother, not this person! But the kitten is so hungry he drinks the milk. It is new but it will do.
The milk is hot and delicious. He can’t get enough. But Joseph has to feed his two sisters. "Well well enough, Garfield! ", says the good man. He puts the kitten in the box and takes his sister. Suzy is happy in Joseph’s hands. She drinks and drinks.
Joseph becomes a mother for the three kittens. He feeds them every two hours. Even at night. After three feedings Garfield stops to hiss and meows hungry. Joseph and the kittens become very good friends.

Chapter 4

My box

Every day the kittens grow. They drink more and more milk. Joseph is happy. He likes his new friends.
It is the 10th day. Garfield wakes up and sees his sisters! He can see! His eyes are dark blue.
Suzy and Lucy play in the box. They can see too. They are so happy! Suzy is black and Lucy is white.
Garfield wants to explore. He looks up and jumps. The box is small but he can’t jump over it. He cries.
Joseph hears the cry and comes to the kittens. "Garfield, wanna explore the world? " asks the man. He takes the tomcat and puts him on the floor. "Thank you" meows Garfield. He can walk but he wants to run. Joseph is playing with his sisters. Garfield runs but falls down on the floor. "The world is so big" he thinks.
Ten days after Garfield repeats his jump. The box is boring! The world is interesting! He jumps and jumps and jumps. Then suddenly he falls down outside the box. The happy kitten runs to the door. The door is opened. "The bigger world to explore" thinks Garfield.
His sisters watch him jump and jump too. Now three kittens are running to and fro the room. Joseph comes into the room. "What is going on, people?" he laughs.

Chapter 5

My home

Joseph thinks. He wants a kitten at home but not three kittens! He opens Avito and posts an add.
People see the add and come to take the kittens. First, they take Lucy because she is white and beautiful. Then they come for Suzy because she is like a black fur of joy. Garfield is sitting alone in the box. He is sad because both his sisters are gone.
"So, it is you and me" says Joseph. Garfield is happy he has the good man to play with and to feed him. Joseph always pets him and says kind words to him.
But Garfield is a very curious young kitten. He wants to explore. One day Joseph buys pizza and forgets to close the door of his flat. The kitten thinks "Wow, new world to explore!" and runs out!
Garfield sees the walls and the steps. The kitten jumps from step to step. Suddenly he sees a woman. She is looking at him with disgust. "What the hell! Go away, you, stupid thing!" says the woman and kicks Garfield out of the house.
It is night. It is winter and in winter we are cold! Garfield steps on the snow. He meows, he screams, but he is alone. It is snowing and freezing cold. He runs away.
Joseph runs to search for the kitten but he is gone.

Chapter 6

The snow

It is beautiful in the street. It is snowing. Big snowflakes are falling down. Garfield is looking at the sky.
But he is so cold! The kitten thinks about his man and his warm flat. Garfield wants to go back.
He runs from house to house and meows. At last, he sees a small hole in the house. Garfield feels it is warm and gets inside the basement. It is dark and he is scared. But he wants to sleep. The kitten sits on the tube and falls asleep quickly.
In the morning Garfield wakes up and wants food. He doesn’t know what to do! He starts to lick himself but it doesn’t help. Then he starts to meow. He wants to get out. But it is so warm inside!
Susan hears a kitten crying. She looks around and understands the scream comes from the basement. The girl goes to the hole and calls "Kitty, kitty, come here!" Garfield is screaming. "Will she help me?" thinks the kitten.
He is scared but he comes out. Susan takes the kitten and pets him gently. "About a month old! In such a weather! I must warm him and get him some food!".
The kind girl can’t take the kitten home. She has a cat at home. And her parents won’t allow another one. She takes Garfield into the entrance of her house and feeds him.

Chapter 7

A street cat

Garfield gets a box to sleep in. Susan feeds the kitten and puts warm fuzzy clothes in the box. Her parents watch the girl. They don’t want another kitten at home.
Garfield wants to play. But there is nobody to play with. The kitten plays alone. He runs after his tail and jumps from step to step. He’s warm and happy.
Susan’s neighbours aren’t happy about the kitten. One day they take the box with Garfield and leave it in the street. The kitten is cold again and he cries. He looks at the sky. It is starting to rain.
Garfield feels the first drops of rain. "The sky is crying too. With me!" thinks Garfield. After a minute he gets wet. The box is wet too. "Time to leave my box! Thank you and goodbye, my little home! Goodbye!" thinks the kitten.
He runs and screams. Drops of rain are too big and they hit Garfield. He is very sad. He is very wet!
Suddenly he sees a person with a dog. The dog is big and scary. But it’s a human! He can give the kitten food and home!
Garfield runs to the human and the dog. The dog is puzzled. "Why isn’t this cat afraid?" thinks the dog. The human stops. The little kitten comes to him and meows.

Chapter 8

Dacha

Garfield is a happy kitten. He plays with the dog. Hide-and-seek and tag are their favourite games. The dog barks and the kitten hides under the sofa. Finally, he has a friend!
Garfield is three months old today. He is a big kitten! But nobody knows he has a birthday. He gets no presents.
The owner of the dog wants to go to dacha. They all pack their things and get in the car. The man even takes Garfield’s favourite toy, a soft toy fish, with them. The kitten sits near the window. The dog sits near the human. They watch the trees and bushes through the window.
It is spring. They see flowers on trees and on the ground. Small leaves start to grow and the world becomes green and fresh. "It’s not like in winter! That’s beautiful!" thinks the kitten.
Dacha is big and you can run there! Garfield is having fun! He runs from the dog to the trees and climbs up and down.
Once, the owner is out and the dog barks. There is a human near the house! He is knocking at the door. The kitten climbs over the door to see the human. It’s the owner’s neighbour. And he is angry! He takes the kitten.

Chapter 9

Anger

Last summer Victor and Michail the neighbour have a fight. Michail drinks too much alcohol! He usually wants money. Sometimes his friends give him money and then he drinks and drinks.
Last summer Michail comes to Victor but Victor says  "No!" He can spend money on something better than this!
Garfield is hungry and thirsty. He wants some food and water or milk. But his new owner is always drunk and aggressive. The kitten meows and meows but he just doesn’t care.
"What do you want from me, stupid thing?" always asks Michail. "Get lost!"
Garfield is sad and he cries. Nobody wants to help. Then he thinks it’s good to run from his new owner.
Michail forgets to close the door and the kitten runs away. "No home is better than this home" thinks Garfield.
He walks on the grass and looks at the trees. He wants to play but he has no strength! "Food! I need food!" thinks the kitten.
Garfield comes into the forest. He wants to return to Victor but he doesn’t know how. He gets lost in the forest.

Chapter 10

In the forest

Trees grow everywhere. Garfield is scared and he screams. He wants food and water. And company. He doesn’t like to be alone.
Suddenly he sees an animal. It’s the king of beasts in the wood. The beast hears the cry and comes near the kitten.
Garfield looks and looks at the bear. The animal is so tall and fat! It can be dangerous! But the kitten thinks  "He must have something to eat" and stands up. His tail straight in the air he sniffs the bear’s head.
"So tiny and all alone!" thinks the bear. "Wolves can get you, little thing!" It’s a she-bear. She has four tiny little bears at home.
The bear shows the kitten where the water is. A big river is near their home. The kids sniff Garfield and get nervous. But mummy-bear is calm and they get calm too. Now they have a new brother to play and eat with.
It’s not scary in the forest any more. Mummy-bear gets food and protects the kids. She brings meat and teaches Garfield how to hunt.
The kitten is happy to hunt. He watches the birds and mice and catches them easily. Then he brings the food home. They eat. Now he is ready to live alone in the woods.

Chapter 11

The human

One day Garfield is hunting alone in the woods. He is seven months old. The bird is collecting some food on the ground. It is not looking at the kitten. The kitten is crawling on his tummy. Very quiet and very careful. He must catch the bird and get it to his brother-bears.
Garfield is ready to attack but suddenly he hears a gunshot. Another hunter is in the forest! And that’s a human!
The kitten hides in the bushes. He is watching the human. The man comes to the dead bird and takes it.
"Did you catch it, Dad?" asks another human. He is small and very noisy. He sees Garfield and calls him. "Kitty kitty, come here!" The kitten doesn’t know what to do. He remembers his human-friends. "They must have a house and food" thinks Garfield. The kid comes to the kitten, but he hisses.
Garfield is almost a grown-up cat now! But he is afraid! What if the people are bad?
The kid has something to eat! He takes a piece of meat out of his bag. "Here, taste it, little bro" says the kid.
The meat is good and tasty. The kitten comes to their camp and the kid pets him. Garfield is happy to find new friends. When the people go away they take the kitten.

Chapter 12

The rain

Dad and Tom the kid are coming home. They live in a big house of 25 floors. They want to have Garfield as a pet. But when their car stops at the traffic lights the kitten jumps out of the car and runs away. He gets lost! The city is big and a lot of cars go to and fro the streets.
Garfield is scared! He hides.
At night there aren’t so many cars. So, he walks away. The rain starts and the kitten gets wet. Again! Lost in a big city with no home and no food! Again!
Garfield is looking at the sky. He sees no stars, only water. He feels lonely. He thinks about his brother-bears and mummy-bear. He is sad. He thinks about meat and milk. He remembers his mother and her warm tongue. He starts to cry. It’s so cold here, in the street. We all remember our mums when we have big problems and nobody wants to help. God bless our mums!
Garfield is wet to the bone. He is walking along the empty streets. People are at homes, he can see the lights on on every floor.
Joseph is going home with his girlfriend. They are walking in the rain. They are wet but they are romantics and they just don’t care. Suddenly Joseph sees a cat in the middle of the road. "Not a street liver, buddy?" he asks.
 
Chapter 13

Home!

Joseph is looking at the cat. A red one, like his old friend Garfield. He misses his old friend! They come nearer and the man wants to pet the cat.
Then he recognizes Garfield! Yes, it’s his old friend roaming in the street! All alone! In the rain!
"Sam, this is him! Garfield! My cat!" he cries out. "What?" asks Sam, his girlfriend. "Do you mean…" "I know exactly! About seven or eight months old! Red in the hair! Come, come here, Garfield!"
The kitten recognizes Joseph. The same voice and the same kind smiling face! He meows in surprise and joy. The man takes the wet kitten into his hands and pets and pets him. He is so happy to find his little kitten again!
Joseph comes home with the cat in his arms. He asks Sam to go buy milk for Garfield. He thinks the kitten will be happy to have some milk. After such a long journey!
Garfield becomes a big and fluffy cat. He lives with Joseph and Sam. He always has milk and never runs away. It is always summer for him from now on. It is summer and in summer we are hot and hugged. Garfield is the happiest cat in the world but sometimes he tries to catch birds through the window. He is never ever lost in a rain again.