Chapter 12. Mischief does a very good thing

Mischief poked his nose through a crack in the side of the blackout curtain that hung down, covering the bedroom window in the little flat that Margot and he shared. It was really really dark and wet tonight. Even with his magnificant mancat eyes wide open, it was black as pitch in the street. There was not a person or creature to be seen. Where was Margot? Daylight had faded into Afterdark several hours ago. She should be home by now.

Just then, he got a glimpse of movement as Margot turned the corner and walked briskly homeward. She looked up at the window just then, and saw his paw peeking out the window. He tapped the window to wave hello and Margot laughed out load. What a smart little mancat he was turning into.

It's just frightful out there, Mr. Mischief, she said as she untied her headscarf, shook it dry, then tucked it inside the arm of her coat before hanging it up on the hook behind the door. You are a very lucky little cat, to live inside where its dry and safe all day. And, because I'm so happy to see you waiting for me, I'm going to let you share my delicius dinner. By now, Margot had picked Mischief up, danced him once around the flat as she snuggled him close to her face, and scritched him on the chin, which it what she always did before she put on her apron and made a little dinner for one person to eat. One person and one cat actually. Tonight it was sardines on toast, and this was definitely one of Mischief's favorite meals. Usually he ate most of the sardines and Margot ate most of the toast.

Just as they were settling down to dinner, there was a knock on her door. Who would that be? Perhaps it was the landlady with the post. She was expecting for a letter from her Jim. "Mrs. MacLeod, are you home" called out a young lad's voice. "Why,that sounds like Billy Todd from Jenny's building." "O dear I hope everything is all right". Margo popped up from her chair and opened the door. "Mrs. MacLeod can you come". It's Jenny down the street. She's asked me to fetch you". "She said perhaps the baby is coming and she doesn't have anyone to keep her company until the midwife gets there." Margo had already whipped off her apron and was buttoning up her coat. She looked at Mischief and said "I think you will come along." "You will be great company for Fiona while I sit with her mother".

The three of them stepped out into the street, Mischief bundled up tightly in Margot's arms, with Margot and Billy huddled under one umbrella. Just then, the air raid sirens started wailing. Oh darn it, not tonight, Margot thought. If Jenny is really in labour, in the middle of an air raid, the midwife won't be able to get to her flat. Margot knew this could be a dangerous situation indeed. What should she do? Quickly she made up her mind. "Billy, you must run to the air raid shelter, its not safe for you to be out here." "Tell Mrs. Cole, the midwife, to come to 120 Falstead Rd., straight away, when the all-clear is sounded." "If Jenny can walk, I'll bring her and Fiona along shortly." "Lets cross our fingers that this air raid will be over quickly." "Off you go,Billy your mother will be frightfully worried about you." Billy turned and trotted away towards the shelter at the top of Pelham Street and Margot and Mischief continued rapidly towards Jenny's flat.

"Oh Margot, I'm so glad you're here". "I was dreadfully worried when I heard the sirens". "Do you think we're in for a long night?". Margo hugged her friend and said, "don't you worry about those bombs, Jenny. haven't we been hearing the sirens almost every night for 2 weeks now? We'll be just fine." I've brought Mischief along to amuse Fiona, while we get you sorted". Mischief chose that moment to disentangle himself from Margot's arms and dropped to the floor where he made a dash for the kitchen. Fiona was just finishing her tea and there was likely to be a few crumbs for him. "Hello my kitty" she crowed, when she saw him. Mischief and Fiona were fast friends by now. Margot and he usually visited wih Jenny once a week, so Mischief made no fuss when Fiona scooped him up and hugged him, quite tightly, around the middle as she made her way out to the front room, where Margot and Jenny were talking.

"Are you still having pains? " Margot asked. "Yes, I am, but they're still quite far apart and not regular at all." "The midwife told me this could happen in the last couple weeks before the baby arrives." "She said they will not likely amount to much, but to send for her anyway if I'm worried." "Do you suppose I should?" "I really didn't want to get Mrs. Cole out on such a night, if there is no need." All of this came tumbling out of Jenny's mouth in a rush. "I told Billy Todd to send her over after the all clear is sounded." "Mrs. Cole is quite used to coming out in all kinds of weather. You known babies don't always wait for nice spring evenings to arrive", Margot replied. Margot was watching her friend closely, and thought to herself, "Hmm, I hope Mrs. Cole does get here soon, because I don't know the first thing about bringing babies into the world."

I don't think you can walk to the shelter, so we must all get into the cellar quickly, Margot decided. She pointed Jenny towards the stairs, while she turned 'round to pick Fiona up. Where had she disappeard to with Mischief? She was sitting on the sofa with him a few seconds ago. "Fiona, where have you gone?" she called. No answer. Then, it happened. Margot never even heard the bomb falling towards them. While she watched in horror, a great huge force sucked the air right out of the flat, then, whoosh, blew it back in again with a tremendous roar. The walls and ceiling in the litle flat shuddered and started to shift, chunks of ceiling plaster broke away and fell crashing to the floor, the glass in the front window blew out of its frame, throwing shards across the room, while other slivers fell to the floor leaving razor sharp edges poking up through the floorboards. Thundering crashing, banging sound could be heard throughout the flat as the chimney bricks scattered across the roof top and into the flat through the immense hole that suddenly appeared in the ceiling. While it seemed like it may never end, it was actually all over in just a few moments. Margo shook her head and watched in disbelief, as glass and plaster dust flew from her hair. What had happened? It took several moments for her to realize that a bomb had fallen, perhaps very closeby. She cautiously stood up, then stumbled a bit as she tried to get her bearings back. Where was she? She knew she was at Jenny's flat but where exactly she couldn't tell. And, where was everyone else? It was dark as night inside what was left of the flat and nothing was where it should be. She had to find her way over to the stairs and see if Jenny and Fiona were all right. She could hear Jenny calling. "Margot, Fiona, where are you?" "I'm down here, just inside the cellar doorway". "Are you all right? "

"Take deep breaths and stay right there," Margot responded. "The ARP Wardens will be along shortly, I'm sure, to help us climb out of this rubble." "Promise me you won't move an inch until they get here, in case you're hurt somewhere." "All right" Jenny responded. "Is Fiona okay?" Margot spun around in the dark. "Where was Fiona?" She was so little, perhaps she was covered in debris and couldn't move. Well, Margot would just have to find her and quickly. And she certainly could not let Jenny know that her little girl was perhaps buried under the debris from the bomb. "Fiona is just fine," Margot answered, saying a silent prayer that this was true. "She and Mischief are tucked up right here beside me."

Frantically Margot began digging through the debris heaped on the floor of the flat between her and the kitchen. It was impossible to move. There was glass everywhere and everytime she moved, she dislodged more plaster dust and debris. "Fiona, where are you?" whispered Margot. And, what about Mischief? Was he all right? Of course no one responded. All of a sudden, she heard voices. "Lord almighty boys, lookat this, it looks like the roof of the bakery landed right here on top of 120 Falstead". "Gracious, what a mess. Is there anyone inside? "Margot tried to call out to them through a throat full of plaster dust, "Yes", she croaked "we're in here. Please you have to help us."

"RightyO Missy, you stay put, we'll get some lads in there with shovels and put you back to rights as soon as possible." "The flat is pretty much a wreck. You're a very lucky bunch. You might all have been killed." "How many are you?" "Well, there's me, my friend Jenny, her little girl Fiona, and my cat, Mischief, in here somewhere." But please don't worry about me. First we have to find Fiona, she's so little, she might be hurt, and Jenny, well, she's safe in the cellar, but now she's stuck down there, and she might be going to have a baby today."

Without another word, one of the ARP Wardens started across the room for the basement to deal with Jenny, while the others started moving upended furniture, and debris, looking for Fiona. Margot, well she just sort of sat down on a chair, that somehow miraculosly was exactly in the same place it was, just before the blast.

While she was sitting there, very still, she heard a very small sound. It was coming from the kitchen, or where the kitchen should be, "Mommee", it sobbed, "its very dark in here. Me and Mischief we're very very frightened." "Will you please come for us soon?" Margot jumped up, "Where are you Fiona? Keep talking, we'll find you." "Praise Heaven", Margot thought, she's alive. " I doesn't know where we are", Fiona sobbed, "It doesn't look like home in here at all." Then, "Oh no, Mischief, don't leave me here all alone" Fiona's sobbing was rapidly turning into a wail. "Its so dark, I need you to stay with me." Then, to Margot's surprise, she saw something, pushing its way through an impossibly small space very close to the floor. It was Mischief. Somehow, he had found a way out through the rubble that was barely big enough for a mouse to squeeze through let alone a plump well fed mancat. They're in here, Margot called frantically, "I think I've found them." "See, just there, where my cat squeezed out". "Fiona's under there" Margot gestured to a spot at the very bottom of a huge pile of broken plaster and bricks. The ARP Wardens looked at each other, then the pile. "Okay lads, this is going to be very difficult". "We have to find a way to move all this rubble, without shifting the balance" "there's a little girl stuck under there".

By this time, Mischief had jumped up on Margot's lap. He turned around twice, then bumped his head against hers to get her attention. He placed his front paws gently on her shoulders and looked quietly in her eyes for several moments. What on Earth? Margot knew he was telling her something very important. She sensed he was saying. "I know you want me to stay here with you, because its safer here, but I've got a job to do." "I have to go back into that crawl space and stay with Fiona and help her to be brave, while we wait for the ARP Wardens to rescue her. " "Don't worry too much. We'll both be here with you very soon." Then, without any further ado, Mischief jumped off Margot's lap and squeezed back into the very spot he had just come out of. He made his way very carefully, very quietly, back into the pile of rubble, where he found Fiona's little hand, licked it gently, then curled up into a ball right beneath her chin. Fiona, who had been whimpering since Mischief left, hiccuped just once, then drifted off to sleep with him purring steadily into her ear.