Previously on the drunken cat and the possessed pen:

Rafael (shakes it off): Nothing. It´s Francis.
Raul (sys): Raf, I´ve told you a hundred times, he´s not going to eat you.

Rafael: no, you idiot. He´s in trouble!

…

Raul: I have an idea but I don´t think you´re going to like it.

…

Raul runs towards the back door of the house and enters it.

Now

Rafael, the bird, looks on as Raul enters Charlie´s house.

Rafael: good luck brother…

Inside the house:

Raul enters the house and starts to look around.
He´s being extra careful. Being spotted by a human would be bad.

Raul runs through the living room and hides behind a grey couch.

He looks around the corner but no sign of Charlie.

Suddenly, behind him, two eyes sparkle in the darkness.

His heart nearly jumps out of his chest as he turns around and finds Charlie´s huge head in his face.

Charlie (smiling): Hi!
Raul (sys in relief): Hi…
Charlie: you´re Raul, right?

Raul: yes.
Charlie: What´re you doing here? Are you looking for food?
Raul: No, Charlie, we need your help.

Charlie: What´s going on?
Raul: It´s Francis.
Charlie (concerned): Is he okay?

Raul: He was kidnapped.
Charlie: What? By whom?

Raul: A while back, these two bozos broke into his house and tried to rob the place. Francis chased them out.

Charlie (surprised): Francis? Really? But he´s so nice.
Raul: They were robbing his house. Jason would have been upset. Jason is Francis´s human.
Charlie: Oh I see.

Raul: and then, they came back and kidnapped him, and me and Rafael got him back.
Charlie (impressed): Wow! Really? That is so cool!
Raul: But they came back and took him again. I´m sure they´ll be expecting a rat and a bird.

Charlie: so? What do you want me to do?
Raul: Charlie, will you come with me and Rafael and rescue Francis?
Charlie (thinking): But… I thought you and Rafael didn´t trust me on account of me being a snake and all.

Raul: Charlie, I´m sorry but, you have to understand, rats and birds don´t usually socialize with cats and snakes. You and Francis are an oddity. But Francis is my friend and I know he´s your friend too.

Charlie: he is. And I understand.
Raul: You do?
Charlie: yeah. Brian, my human, gets mocked all the time for having a snake as a pet.

Raul: will you help us?
Charlie: Let´s go get Francis.

Outside, Rafael, waits anxiously.

Rafael: I so hope he didn´t get eaten.

Raul and Charlie come out of the house.

Rafael sys in relief.

Rafael: so?
Raul: so nothing. Let´s go.
Rafael: let´s go? (looks at Charlie, fearful) Oh hi Charlie. I´m…

Charlie (interrupts): I remember.
Rafael: of course you do. Great! The snake remembers my name.
Raul: Rafael?

Rafael: What?
Raul: please show us the way.
Charlie: guys?

Raul: what is it Charlie?
Charlie: The less traveled road, please?

Rafael: what?
Raul: The way we´ll be less visible to humans.
Charlie: yeah.
Rafael:  right!

Rafael takes flight and from the ground Raul and Charlie try to follow him, closely.

Outside the factory.

Rafael lands on the floor, outside the abandoned factory from which they saved Francis last time.

Raul and Charlie near the bird.

Raul: this is the place.

Charlie: well? What are we waiting for? Let´s go get that crazy cat.
Rafael: wait!
Raul: Rafael´s right. They might be expecting us.

Charlie: Hate to play the obvious card here, but, even if they are expecting a rat and a bird, I highly doubt they´ll be expecting me.

Charlie smiles defiantly, showing off his huge fangs.

Both Rafael and Raul swallow in dry, fearful.

Raul: I’m not going to argue with that.  (to Rafael) You?
Rafael: Nope.

Inside the factory.

Francis is inside a cage. Belly up, paws in the air, he´s bored out of his mind.

Thief #1: what is he doing?
Thief #2: who cares? He´s a cat!
Thief #1: you don´t find this weird?

Thief #2: find what weird?
Thief #1: he doesn´t look scared.
Thief #2: that´s because he believes his friends are coming to save him.

Thief #1: what if they do?
Thief #2: do what?
Thief #1: come to save him.

Thief #2 (smiling): we´ll be ready for that rat and that bird.

Thief #1 smiles knowingly and they both start to laugh out loud.

To be continued…

2018_ Joana Teixeira