Lionboy by Zizou Corder

Author:Zizou Corder
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Performing Arts, London (England), Fiction, Voyages and travels, Cats, Lions, Pets, Animals, Law & Crime, etc, Voyages and travel, Tigers, Science Fiction, Leopards, Human-animal communication, Magic, Juvenile Fiction, Kidnapping, Action & Adventure, Circus, General, Fantasy, Paris (France)
ISBN: 9780142402269
Publisher: Penguin Group
Published: 2004-09-06T07:00:00+00:00

First he had to run the plan by the lions. It was easy because Maccomo was snoozing—the medicine must have been working. As the trainer snored on the floor in his crimson cloak, Charlie started to tell the young lion and Elsina what he planned. But before he could do so, the young lion hissed at him: “About time! Venice!”

“What do you mean, Venice?” said Charlie.

“A nasty-looking black cat turned up and said he was sorry he couldn’t stay—‘wasn’t able to delay his perusal of your business’ was his exact phrase—and to tell you Venice!”

Sergei. Charlie smiled. Venice! He’d seen pictures. The streets were full of water. Venice was beautiful and strange.

He thought quickly. So would his parents get his letter? Well, Sergei would take it to them.

Would he? Yes, Charlie thought. He was rude and mangy, but Charlie was pretty sure he wasn’t dishonest, and he had really seemed to care about Charlie’s parents. Why else would he have taken the trouble to bring the first letter all this way?

“Have they left yet?” he asked.

“He didn’t say,” said the young lion.

Well, thought Charlie, if I don’t get to them in time in Paris, I’ll just have to go to Venice. Which was south, more or less, and closer to Africa. So the lions could come with him. There was no point in wondering why Mum and Dad were being taken there. He only hoped they’d stay long enough for him to catch up.

He was pretty sure you could get a train to Venice from Paris. In the old days there was one called the Orient Express that went from Paris to Venice to Istanbul.

He made a note in his head: train from Paris to Venice?

Then he told the lions his plan about Mabel. They were delighted.

“It’s a great idea,” said the young lion.

“Brilliant,” said Elsina.

“And it may just work,” said a third voice. They all turned to look. It was the oldest lion, standing up in his cage and looking over at them. “He’s crazy about that woman, always was. He’d do anything for her. Certainly go and have dinner with her in a restaurant. And I think she would too.”

Charlie and the young lion grinned at each other. Maccomo was dopey, the oldest lion had perked up, and the plan had his agreement.

“Best get on the telephone then, Boy who speaks Cat!”

Charlie’s brain was ticking away, thinking through all possibilities. He felt wonderful, intelligent, and in control. Details! That was what you needed. Knowing what was what. For example:

“Where’s the key now?” he asked.

The young lion nodded. “Over there,” he said.

There it was. Big old key, on a hook. Plain, old-fashioned, couldn’t be simpler.

“Well, that’s all right then,” said Charlie. “And we need to think about where we go next.”

He had made a decision. He and the lions, once they’d escaped, could not hang around where the circus was. They’d be followed and caught. If he didn’t hear back from his parents, or a cat, telling him where they were in Paris, he would go straight on to Venice.

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