Francis, the cat, is laying on a chair outside his house, resting.

The Pen spots Francis and a huge grin comes over “it”.

As it nears Francis…

Pen (loud): HELLO FRANCIS!
Cat (unfazed/looks at “it”): what do you want?
Pen: (dumbstruck): …what…?

Cat (dead serious): what do you want? You called my name didn´t you?
Pen (disappointed):  yes, but…
Cat: but what? Do you want something?

Pen (barely responds): No…
Cat (smiling): face it stick, I can feel you coming a mile away!
Pen (annoyed): crap!
Cat (laughing): Ha! Ha! Ha!

Raul, the rat comes along.

Raul: hi
Cat (screams/jumps into the air): ah!

Francis falls on his butt.

Raul: Oops, sorry Francis. Didn´t mean to scare you.
Cat (death glare): what do you want?

But Raul ignores Francis as he´s staring at the Pen.

Pen: hello Mr. Rat.
Raul: Miss Pen.
Pen: How´ve you been?
Raul: Can´t complain…

Francis coughs to call attention to himself.

Cat:  Hello!
Pen: what?
Raul: are you okay Francis?

Cat: yes. Thank you for asking, although I have to say that at this particular moment…
Pen (interrupts): yadda, yadda, yadda! You babble too much!
Cat: (ignores the snide remark): I have to say my bum hurts a bit.

Raul (confused): bum?
Pen: he´s trying to be fancy.
Raul: Fancy?

Pen (to Francis): just tell him your ass hurts.
Cat: You truly are a crude Pen.
Pen: oh please! I´m awesome!

Raul: Ind…
Cat (rudely interrupts): What?

Raul: what?
Cat: how can you say this hellish pen is awesome?
Raul: I didn´t.
Cat: No, but you agreed with “it”, when “it” said so.

Raul: I was being polite.
Cat: you suck!
Raul: come on Francis, it´s a pen.

Cat: it´s a Pen from hell, that´s what it is. “It” loves making my life miserable.
Pen: he´s exaggerating.
Cat: Am I now?
Pen: very much so, yes. Drama queen!

Raul (starts to look to the sides): well, Francis, I just came to say hello. But I can see that you´re busy, so I´m going to go home. Bye.

Raul runs off before Francis can utter a word.

Cat (annoyed): see what you did?
Pen: what I did?
Cat: yes! He left.

Pen: How´s that my fault?
Cat: You…
Pen (interrupts): what?

Cat (cries): my bum hurts.
Pen (sys): come on. Let´s get you inside. You need to put some ice on that.
Cat: good idea.

Francis starts to follow the Pen inside the house but suddenly stops.

Cat: wait!
Pen: what is it?
Cat: why are you being nice to me?
Pen: You´re hurt aren´t you?

Cat: yes.
Pen: I don´t like it when you´re hurt.
Cat (surprised): you don´t?
Pen: No.

Cat: why not?
Pen: It´s not fun to mock you when you´re hurt.
Cat: great! A sadist with a conscious.

Pen: let´s just get you some ice, you wrecked cat.
Cat: Let´s.

Francis follows the Pen inside the house.

The end!

2018_ Joana Teixeira