Chapter 5. The fight

Having dropped the two women into Craigend, we went to the nearest cafe. We all were dying of hunger and thirst. For a while we were greedily chewing and drinking in silence, thinking about something personal.

'Oh, come on!' Sunny exclaimed finally. 'Do you really believe in this nonsense about cursed grave?'

'Well I'm not sure about the curse,' Liz replied. 'But there's something wrong with this grave. I can feel it. Two men were murdered after all.'

'It might be just a coincidence,' Nick objected.

'Why then they both went to this grave before death?' I turned to him.

Nick shrugged. 'Hey,' he grinned. 'Don't you think that there are too many dead people for two days?'

'Well, I just hope that there won't be six more dead people,' Richelle muttered, standing up and looking around for her bag. 'Remember my words, we'll be very sorry if we don't forget about this grave.'

'Oh, is that so?' Nick drawled.

'Yes,' Richelle flicked her long hair back. 'And you wait. You'll all wish you'd never even heard of this grave,' she turned to Nick. 'I'm going home now. Are you with me?'

He nodded. We paid for our orders and stood up to go. I lingered at the table, putting change into my wallet, when Liz came up to me.

'I have to walk my dog Christo now,' she said. 'Why don't we walk him together?'

I must have stared at her, because she immediately went pink and mumbled something that she just didn't feel like walking Christo alone.

'Oh sure,' I said. 'I've got nothing better to do anyway.'

She beamed and I felt uncomfortable. We caught up with the others, who'd already gone out of the cafe. Liz said that we were going to the park to walk with Christo. Sunny slightly raised her eyebrows and glanced at me in surprise. I felt my cheeks flush bright red. Her face was as calm as ever, but it crossed my mind that she didn't like it. But of course she didn't say anything, just said goodbye and went home.

Richelle and Nick sauntered off in the opposite direction. Elmo also decided to go home. He usually spends his spare time in the Pen, but today he had a lot of homework to do.

Liz and I collected Christo from Liz's house and went to the park. There we let him off the lead and sat down on a bench. For a while we sat in awkward silence, watching Christo running around. At last Liz looked up at me.

'I heard you had problems with Brian because of the guys' trip,' she said.

'Yeah,' I shrugged. 'I always have problems with Brian, you know.'

Silence again.

'Sunny has gym competition next weekend,' Liz said. 'I think we can go there and support her.'

'Good idea,' I agreed. 'I'd like to go.'

Silence again. Our talk came to nothing. I was completely stuck for words, what was unusual for me. Usually when I'm embarrassed, I crack jokes endlessly to hide my real state. But that day I watched Christo running around the park after pigeons, trying hard to think of something to say. Liz also looked at Christo, twisting his lead in her hands. I just could feel this tension raising between us.

'I still think that that grave is strange,' Liz broke the silence. 'No names, no dates, just only one inscription. "RIP I love you, my darling". I think it's weird.'

'Not so weird as you think,' I objected. 'Maybe the woman wanted to be buried like that. As you know some people ask to cremate their bodies, instead of burying, and scatter the ashes; or leave their body to science, or ask to do with their dead body something else.'

'Oh wow,' Liz raised her eyebrows in surprise. 'I didn't know that.'

We sat in silence for a while.

'So you think that it's normal when a grave is without name,' Liz started speaking again.

'Maybe it's not normal, but it's at least explainable,' I shrugged. 'After all, this woman could go insane because of unrequited love.'

'Or that guy, who'd cheated on her, went insane,' Liz always loved such tragic love stories. 'And he decided to make this odd tombstone for her.'

'And then another her admirer resolved to make that guy pay for her death and planted a bomb into his car,' I winked at Liz. She smiled. For the first time since we parted with the others.

'So you think that this story about cursed grave is just a stupid tale?' she asked.

'Who knows,' I shrugged.

At this moment Liz's new cell phone buzzed. Liz pulled it out of her bag. 'It's Elmo,' she said to me, looking at the display. 'Hi Elmo,' she said into the phone. 'What?.. Oh, sure, we'll be there soon… Okay… Okay, bye…' she hung up and looked at me, puzzled. 'Elmo asked us to go to his place as soon as possible. His Shadow caught an odd pigeon.'

'Odd pigeon?' I repeated in surprise. 'What did he mean?'

'I don't know,' Liz shrugged. 'He says that this pigeon doesn't look like other pigeons, which we can see on the streets. And he said that the pigeon was seriously injured, and asked us to hurry. Sunny's already on her way there.'

'Okay,' I stood up. 'But we have to take Christo home first.'

'We have no time for that,' Liz objected. 'Christo'll go with us. Christo!' she yelled ear-piercingly. 'Christo! Come here!'

Christo took no notice of her as usual. So we spent about ten minutes running after him all over the park. Finally we managed to catch him, and ran towards the street. Christo didn't like it at all. He glanced at us disapprovingly, making clear that he hadn't finished his deals yet. Maybe that was why he stopped at every bush and tree, or stuck his nose into everything, or tried to make friends with every dog we met. Liz and I had to almost drag him forward.

At last we went out of the park and strode down Craigend Road. We turned right, walked past shops and rounded the bank. Then we finally crossed the street and turned into the street where Elmo lived. There Christo obviously decided to go on strike, because he abruptly stopped and calmly lay down on the sidewalk.

'Stand up!' Liz shouted at him. Christo pretended that he didn't hear her words. 'I told you to stand up!' Liz pulled at the lead with all her strength. But Christo took no notice of her.

'Do I have to make you stand up by a truck?' Liz cried angrily, hauling at his collar.

The dog seemed to think. Then he reluctantly got up. I guess he didn't want to get acquainted with a truck. He slightly waved with his tail and let us drag him further. But hardly had we gone about twenty meters when Christo saw a cat. He joyfully barked and leaped towards the cat. The lead flew out of Liz's hands. I barely managed to catch it in midair.

'Oh wow! You've caught it,' Liz babbled admiringly. I didn't say anything, just reached down and fumbled through Christo's hair until I found his collar. I grabbed it and hauled him forward.

Finally we came hurrying up to Elmo's house. Liz pressed the doorbell. The door threw open instantly. Elmo was standing in the doorway. He didn't look pleased at all.

'Where have you been?' he asked reproachfully.

'We had some problems…' I began to explain.

'What's that?' Elmo interrupted me, pointing with his eyes at Christo.

'It's Christo,' I grinned. 'Liz's dog.'

'You know, I can see that it's not a donkey,' Elmo frowned.

'Sometimes it seems to me that it's a donkey, not a dog,' I sighed.

'You can't come inside with a dog,' Elmo protested firmly. 'You know that my Shadow hates dogs!'

'But it was you who told us to come here as soon as possible,' Liz objected. 'Where were we supposed to leave him?'

'Okay,' Elmo said after a pause. 'We'll leave him here. You can tie him to that tree.'

Liz looked offended. As for Christo, he seemed to like the idea to stay outside. At least he easily let Liz tie him to the tree, and lay down on the grass, putting his head onto his paws.

'What happened,' I asked Elmo, while Liz was tying Christo.

'Shadow caught a pigeon,' he replied.

'And ate it?' I asked again.

'If she ate it, there wouldn't be any problem,' Elmo frowned. 'Shadow seized its wing, and at that moment I interfered and saved the pigeon. But I don't know what to do with him now. I think it's a high-bred pigeon. It's completely white, like snow. And it's not like those plain pigeons we can see on the streets and squares. I'd say it distinguishes from them as a canary distinguishes from a mule!'

'I don't understand,' I snorted. 'Does this pigeon look like a canary or like a mule?'

'Silly and not witty,' Elmo snapped. 'I'm telling you, it's a really cool bird.'

'Cool bird? Maybe it has got a cell phone under its wing?' I went on jeering. 'Or a thick gold chain on its neck and a diamond seal ring on its claw?'

'It hasn't got a phone or a chain,' Elmo replied seriously. 'But yes, it has got a ring with a capsule, bound to it.'

'Did you look inside?' I asked eagerly.

'I couldn't,' Elmo frowned. 'The pigeon crawls around the living room, with his injured wing raised, and looks at me with hatred, and when I try to take him, he growls.'

'Growls? Maybe it's not a cool pigeon at all, probably it's a cool dog,' I laughed. 'A brand new model of a dog with wings, specially designed for rich people.'

'Not funny,' Elmo pouted. 'Come in and see it for yourself.'

'Hey! Wait!' I heard an exclamation from behind and turned round to see Sunny, who was walking hastily towards us, dragging a huge cage, in which, as I thought, a mountain eagle would feel comfortable.

'Hey, Sunny, this cage is big enough to fit you in,' I giggled.

'It's my great-grandmother's,' she smiled. 'Her parrot, who'd lived here, died a few weeks ago.'

At this moment I heard a savage hiss. I looked down and saw Shadow, who was standing in the doorway and looking at Christo, her back arched. She was threateningly hissing. Every line of her body was yelling about sacred and inviolable rights to Zimmer's house with all its property and garden.

Christo, quite the opposite, took no notice of her. He lazily snapped at a fly and put his head on this paws again.

'Shadow can't stand dogs,' Elmo explained. 'I'd better lock her in my room.'

He picked her up and ran upstairs. Liz, Sunny and I came into the living room. A completely white pigeon sat on the floor, looking at us fearfully. One of his wings was stuck out.

'Is it him?' I pointed at the bird.

'Do you see another pigeon,' Sunny grinned.

'Poor little thing,' Liz tried to come closer to the wounded bird. But once she made a step towards him, the pigeon jerked and started staggering around the room, growling indignantly.

'Elmo was right, this bird is really high-bred,' I said importantly. 'Street pigeons just coo everywhere, and that's all. But this one growls like a little dog.'

'We'd better catch him and bring him to a vet,' Sunny said thoughtfully.

'His wing is bleeding,' said Elmo, who'd already returned into the living room and was standing behind us. 'And one of his eyes is too dim. I think we'd better hurry.'

Having staggered around the room, the pigeon had stopped in a corner and now was looking at us very unfriendly. Sunny opened a door of the cage and put it down on the floor in front of the pigeon. But the bird just staggered backward until it hit the wall.

'Let's put some meal into the cage,' I suggested.

'Tom, maybe you're ready to go into a cage for a piece of something eatable,' Sunny giggled. 'But it doesn't mean that the pigeon will do the same.'

'Why not?' I shrugged. 'All alive creatures must eat. Elmo,' I turned to him, 'how long has he been sitting here?'

'For about two hours,' Elmo replied.

'See?' I exclaimed. 'This bird didn't eat at least during two hours! I'm sure he's hungry. More than that, I'm sure that he'll start to bite the furniture soon! So, Elmo, bring something to eat!' I demanded.

'For the pigeon or for you?' he grinned.

'For both of us,' I really started to feel first signs of hunger.

'I'll bring some bread,' Elmo went towards the kitchen.

'Hey, it's not a plain street bird to eat bread crumbs,' I was offended about the high-bred bird. 'Bring biscuits. I saw coconut ones in your cupboard yesterday!'

During this conversation the pigeon sat in the corner, gingerly looking at us in arrogant bewilderment.

Right at that moment there was an ear-piercing wail from the outside. We glanced at one another and dashed to the door, nearly knocking each other from our feet. I grabbed the door handle and twisted it.

'No, wait!' Elmo yelled.

But it was too late. I'd already opened the door. It was enough for Christo to rush in, a piece of broken lead dragged behind him. Shadow, like a true equestrienne, rode on Christo's back, fluffing up her brown fur and holding her tail up.

Elmo made an effort to catch them. He jumped and tried to catch Christo's rear paws, but failed. Christo and Shadow rushed past us, Elmo tripped over them and bumped into me. I obediently fell down onto a coffee table. There was a pile of papers on this coffee table, which blew like huge snowflakes all over the room.

Christo and his fearless equestrienne ran circling the living room, both were yelling loudly. Although they were yelling in different ways. Shadow was giving out victorious cries. As for Christo, he evidently begged for mercy.

'Pigeon!' Liz yelled. 'Save the pigeon!'

Having seen two lovely animals, the pigeon gathered his last strength and flew onto a chandelier. Landing on it, he overthrew several decorative crystals, which rained onto the equestrienne's head, who was prancing on her mettled steed around the living room at that moment.

But what do several decorative crystals mean for a true warrior? Shadow didn't even pay any attention to them. She was too busy solving a problem. There were two enemies on her territory now. For a moment she almost went out of her mind, trying to decide whether she'd rather keep struggling with Christo or chase the pigeon. Then she probably decided that the pigeon wasn't able to go far, and dug her claws into Christo's back. He squealed.

'Shadow!' Elmo shouted.

'Pigeon!' the girls were yelling.

Christo, trying to get rid of his enemy, lay down and started rolling on the floor, hoping to shake Shadow off his back. But Shadow was much more adroit. She jumped off her enemy's back and attacked him from the front, driving her claws into Christo's nose.

He squealed, and half blinded with pain, he abruptly spun around and darted into the hallway. Valiant Shadow obviously wasn't going to let her enemy run away. She managed to stay on Christo's back, clutching at him with all her four paws.

Right at that moment the front door opened and Zim, Elmo's father, came in, smiling. He held two big paper bags with food stuff in both hands.

'Elmo, I decided…' he began, but had to break off, because a woolen ball ran into him and knocked him down. Zim crashed to the floor. Paper bags dropped from his hands and tore; food stuff scattered all over the floor. Christo tripped over Zim and sprawled on him, like a big alive carpet. Shadow, who obviously didn't expect such an abrupt stop, let go of Christo's head and flew over him. But she obviously was one of those cats, who didn't give up at the first failure. She immediately jumped to her paws and got her claws into the first part of body, which she saw.

To her misfortune, this part of body didn't belong to Christo. This part of body was Zim's head. He yelled. We rushed to help him. Sunny and I had some trouble in hauling Christo off Elmo's father. Christo was still lying on Zim and didn't want to get up. Elmo, meanwhile, was untangling Shadow out from Zim's thick curly hair. But Shadow obviously still was in the full conviction that she was struggling with the dog, and didn't want to let go of Zim's hair.

'I know what to do,' I mumbled. I rushed to the kitchen, filled a big saucepan with water, dragged it back to the battle field and poured all water on Zim's head.

It worked. Instantly Shadow squealed and let go of Zim's head. The next moment Elmo grabbed her and ran upstairs, probably intending to lock this noble warrior in his bedroom or somewhere else till things go better.

Liz helped Zim to sit up. 'Zim, do you want some water or something?' she asked anxiously.

'Thank you,' Zim replied in a very unfriendly voice. 'I've had enough water. What's going on here?'

'Christo, Liz's dog, and Shadow had a fight,' I explained.

'I wonder how she managed to go out,' Sunny said. 'Elmo locked her in his room.'

'I guess she climbed out through the window,' Elmo had already returned to us. 'The window in my room was open.'

Zim went on rolling his eyes in bewilderment. 'Can someone explain what's going on here?' he groaned again.

'Shadow caught a pigeon and injured him,' Elmo began to explain. 'I called the others and they came here with Christo…'

'The pigeon!' Sunny interrupted him. 'Where's the pigeon!'

We left Zim sitting on the floor among scattered food stuff and rushed into the living room. But the pigeon wasn't there.

'Where's he?' we looked around the room.

'I think Shadow ate him after all,' Liz said sadly. 'Poor pigeon.'

'If she ate him, there would be blood or feathers or other remains,' I doubted.

'Look. There he is,' Sunny laughed, pointing at the cage. I glanced there. The door of the cage was opened. The pigeon sat inside, looking sideways at us distrustfully.

'I think that he's pretending,' I said. 'Did you see how quickly he flew up on the chandelier?' I bent down and picked up some decorative crystals from the floor, which had fallen during the fight. 'I think that this pigeon just wants to live for a while in a normal human house, pretending to be sick.'

'Do you think that he wants to live together with a nice cat?' Sunny grinned.

'Don't touch my Shadow,' Elmo objected in an injured tone. 'Cats and dogs dislike each other. That's their nature. Everyone knows that.'

'Besides,' I grinned, 'how would the pigeon know that a cat lives here. When he found it out, it was too late.'

'Listen to me, dear friends,' Zim came into the room, looking at us severely. 'Take your dogs and birds away from here. I've had enough for today.'

'Look, we're leaving, dad,' Elmo said quickly.

We grabbed the cage with the pigeon and Christo's collar, and went out. The evening was warm. In the sun the pigeon seemed even whiter than he was in the room. In open air he cheered up a little and started grumbling something. We stared at him and at each other.

'So, what are we going to do with him?' Liz asked. 'Does anyone knows a good vet?'

Suddenly a great idea came into my mind. The idea that led us to great troubles later. But that day it seemed to be the best idea. 'I know someone better' I yelled. 'Elmo you said that that guy, John or something, you'd met in the train, bred pigeons. It must be his pigeon! Or at least he must know how to cure him.'

'But we don't know where he lives,' Elmo said doubtfully. 'He said that he lived on the outskirts of Raven Hill. That's all what we know.'

'We can go around the outskirts of Raven Hill,' Sunny didn't see any difficulties. 'We can ask people. I'm sure that we'll find him in the end. Raven Hill isn't very big.'

Liz glanced at her watch. 'It's too late to go now,' she said doubtfully. 'We won't find him today. We'd better go tomorrow after school. But someone has to look after him today.'

'I can't leave him here,' Elmo said quickly. 'Shadow won't leave him alone. What about you, Tom?'

'I'd love to,' I shook my head. 'But you know how Brian feels about animals in home. Besides, he's still angry with me because of your so-called hike.'

'I can't take him either,' Liz added. 'Not while I've got Christo. He'd swallow this pigeon in one gulp. How do you think if Nick or Richelle want to take him for one night?'

'You must be joking,' Sunny laughed. 'Okay,' she sighed. 'I'll take him. Maybe Mum will be able to help him.'

After that we separated. Elmo went off home. Liz and I helped Sunny to drag the cage with the pigeon to her house. Then I walked Liz home.