We were supposed to spend the rest of the daylight hours sleeping. The Neighbours showed us into a small, dark attic room, furnished with only an old mattress and a large rug on the hardwood floor. The rug was thick and fluffy so I dived to claim it for myself before the other two even got through the door. Big mistake. It stank of wet dog and old spilt beer.
Marco smirked at me as he pulled off his boots to settle down on the mattress. I bet he'd already slept here before and knew full well what I would have to put up with.
I huffed and turned my back on him. Pushing my hands into fists under my cheek, I raised my nose as far away from the stink as possible.
Listening to Dante's soft, low voice as he discussed things with the Neighbours in the doorway, I started to drift off. However, I was soon rudely awakened by a rush of air past my face. I opened my eyes to see Dante's huge, black boots stepping over my head. He'd obviously chosen to kip down on the mattress. Well, what did I care? Two thumps of his boots discarded on the floorboards, and a few seconds of pushing, shoving and mumbling, then both men began snoring.
It proved to be intolerable. Not only did I have to put up with the stench of the sticky rug, but now I also had the accompaniment of musical nostrils. What the hell was wrong with these two men? One sucked in air like a leak in an ancient aeroplane compartment, and then spluttered it out with what could only be described as dribbly lips. The other held his breath until he had to be ready to pass out, then opened his mouth to release a snore loud enough to wake the dead! How could anyone get to sleep in here with all that going on?
I buried my head with my arms, desperate to go back to the wonderful slumber I'd slipped into so easily before. For a few minutes I tossed and turned, trying to find a good solution to block out the racket and ease my sense of smell, but to no avail.
Eventually I gave up, kicked my legs out in frustration and jumped up on my feet, mad as a wildcat in a cage. I stamped hard on the floor, sending up a cloud of dust and yelled at the top of my voice.
"For goodness sake will you two just shut the heck up?"
Then I stormed out of the room, probably before they even had time to comprehend what I'd said, and slammed the door behind me. I waited on the other side of the door, breathing heavily, blood coursing through me.
The staircase down to the next floor brooded darkly and I had no hurry to meet the Neighbours alone. After what seemed to be at least five minutes passed, the two annoying snore rhythms started up once more. Only this time louder, if that were at all possible. I growled to myself and moved towards a slim passage which led away from the stairs and up under the roof.
It was dimly lit and full of cobwebs, but a glow of natural daylight beckoned me to make the effort and get in there. I pulled the long sleeves of my disgusting sweater down and over my hands. Then I used this to batter away the cobwebs as I stepped sideways through the narrow space.
No matter how much further I progressed, I could still hear them snoring.
As I got to the end of the corridor under the rafters, I discovered that the light came from a small, round window. It had been left open on a catch. Outside the window there was a fairly good sized window ledge which stuck out from the sloping roof tiles. I unlatched the window and swung it outwards. To a magnificent view.
So this was the Italy I had seen in the library books and file archives. The hillside I'd climbed up the day before looked pretty steep, rolling down to a fertile, heavily wooded valley. The sea, there to the left, past the strip of pine trees, sparkled in the hazy afternoon sunshine. But from the other side of the pine trees a wave of hills and farmland stretched out inland to the right. Subtle shades of green, grey and brown crawled up and down as far as I could see. I took in a deep breath of fresh, sea air and exhaled in contentment. I couldn't hear the snoring, I couldn't smell the rug, and even better, no one was here to bother me. This place had to be the best ever.
My peaceful oasis was abruptly broken by a creature jumping up off the roof and up onto the window ledge.
I stepped back quickly in fright and bashed my body back against the wooden rafters. Dust fell in a cloud around me, making me sneeze. I let out a huge ahh choo! and the furry animal stood up in surprise, realising my presence.
Wiping the back of my hand across my nose and rubbing my eyes, I got closer to the window. Brilliant green eyes glared at me from outside. It was obviously a male, its face distinctly masculine, don't ask me how I knew, but I did. Stripes of grey and black fur ran along its body, curving around from its back to its belly. I'd never seen one this close up before. Sure, you got to see them at the zoo and scientific expositions, but I had never heard of anyone seeing one out in the world on its own.
My heart beat madly as I attempted to put my hand out as slowly as possible through the window to touch the delicate face of this beautiful animal. I stretched my fingertips and gently made contact with the top of its head, between the ears.
The moment I felt its soft, warm coat, the creature gave out a high pitched mew much like that of a baby crying. It startled me and I yanked my hand back inside. After this, the green eyed monster wouldn't stop making that noise. It really did sound like a baby. As I leaned forward to grab the window latch and pull it shut, the little devil leapt through the window and launched itself at me! I screamed and caught the animal in mid-flight, holding it out at arm's length. It wriggled and yowled, desperate to get to me - or at me - I couldn't decide which one was the real objective at this point.
Something I'd read about these animals at school came back to me. I'm not sure if that surprised me more than the actual information I remembered. If you blinked your eyes slowly and sniffed at them they would respond to you better. I've always been fascinated by animals, far more than the human species, so, I took a minute to calm myself and began blinking at the cat in my hands.
It regarded me in a comical way, tilting its head from left to right. I blew through my nostrils and brought the animal close enough to touch noses. It was going so well. Maybe this cat could be mine? Maybe it would follow me around like a faithful dog, come with me on my adventures, keep me warm at night, give me a focus for the aching void I felt inside.
As I moved in to brush noses again, this harmony soon dispersed with a swipe of a paw and claws tearing through the skin on my cheek. I dropped the cat with a thump to the floor.
"Bad animal!"
With a hiss, the cat ran off down the stairs and proceeded to scratch on the door to the second floor.
My fingers showed bright blood and I pressed the palm of my hand on my injury to stop the bleeding. I was more worried about the cat being discovered than the reaction I might receive as I burst into the loft room and shouted at the sleeping men.
"There's a cat! Dante. Marco. There's a real domestic cat out here. Get up now, we've got to get to it before the Neighbours find it."
I ran over to their prone bulks on the floor and started pushing at them with my feet. The urgency to do something took over my reluctance to receive a reprimand.
"Get up you lazy men. The Neighbours will probably bloody eat it or something. Or they'll hand it over to the authorities, doesn't it bother you that they're going to kill it? Get up!"
A hand grabbed my ankle and yanked so hard that I lost my balance and ended up on my bottom. Marco glared at me pressing his finger to his lips.
"Ssshhh! Il gatto è mio."
He slapped my leg and groaned while he got up and stumbled to the doorway. His sock got stuck on some floorboard splinters and he cursed before continuing out of the room.
From the mattress before me, Dante rose up and perched himself on one elbow while rubbing the sleep from his face.
"He says it's his cat."
I shuffled towards him, keen to make any kind of close encounter with this wonderful man.
"I thought they were against the law? How has he managed to stop it spreading the virus? Did he inject it or something?"
Dante's face stuck for a moment in an expression of half humour, half disbelief.
"Don't tell me you believe all that rubbish, Poll? I thought you'd be the last person to be taken in by that?"
I sat back down with my back straight and stared him full in the face.
"I never said I did. You're the one who's jumping to conclusions. Why would I want to have those gorgeous creatures exterminated when it's obviously the stupid humans who put the virus out there in the first place? What kind of an idiot do you really take me for? Tell me. Please? I'd love to know."
Dante let out a long sigh and yawned, waving his hand at me to step down.
"It's not what I think of you, you know that. But at least we agree on something, ey?"
"And what would that be?" I shook back my hair and tried to stare him down. He seemed tired and reluctant to fight back.
"That these animals are special and we have to protect them. That's what I meant. I totally agree with you. Believe it or not, I'm an expert in these matters, Poll."
"What, are you a vet or something?"
Dante smiled. "Kind of. More of a zoologist you could say. It's the reason why I'm here."
At that moment, Marco came back into the room, cradling the cat amongst his meaty arms. It seemed to be happy to be there. Marco sat down on the mattress, between Dante and me and placed the fur ball reverently on my lap.
It vibrated. A deep rumbling sound came from somewhere inside it and it was so warm.
"Guarda." Marco barked at me. Then he stroked his hand along the body of the animal, causing it to rumble louder and curl its head in pleasure. I looked up to see Dante spellbound by the cat. Watching intently, his eyes misting over.
I followed Marco's instructions and stroked the cat myself. I could feel the vibration inside the animal under my fingers. I spoke to the men quietly, not wishing to break the spell.
"This is amazing! I've never been so close to a live animal before."
Marco snorted and laid down on the mattress to get back to sleep. Dante was no longer watching the cat. He studied me. I could have sworn I saw a flicker of softness in his eyes for a second. He moved away from Marco and stretched out next to me. His hand came up and passed over the cat, rewarding me with more rumbles and vibration.
"Get some sleep, Poll." He murmured. "We've got a big journey ahead of us tonight."
I laid down as softly as I could so as not to disturb the happy fur ball. Curling up with it nestled against my belly, I gazed at Dante's peaceful face near mine. He still had his hand on the animal, it was like he was holding our child between us. I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt so content. It didn't take me long to fall asleep.