We must save the cat (On doit sauver le chat)

Hello,

My story is in french but I translated it to allow people to read it, I hope that the translation is good. Thanks for this amazing course, I learn a lot.

We must save the cat

My name is Malika and I live in Algiers. My house is located between the houses of my two best friends Zubeida and Zenobia and the three of us form the MZZ. That's how our classmates call us because we are BFFs.
Every morning, we go to school together and one day, on our way, we meet Lubna, our sworn enemy. She was quite upset and scared.
As soon as she sees us, she says:
- I saw something horrible!
- What was it? I ask.
- The old Mrs. Doublefire, she mistreats her cat and locks him in a cage.
- Oh my God! It's so mean, we must save the cat, says Zubeida.
- Wait, Mrs. Doublefire is very mean and her house is a real bunker, no one can enter it, she has an alarm, a big fence and a dog, I answer.
- It's weird! Why does she have all these things? Zenobia asks.
- Because she's a witch and she doesn't want people to know about it, says Lubna.
I think for a few seconds and then say:
- Zubeida is right, we must save the cat, do you want to help us Lubna?
Lubna looks at me nastily then says:
- No! Never, it's not my business, I have to go to school, and so do you.
She turns around and leaves us without another word. Her behavior annoys me so I decide to act with my two BFFs to save the cat.
After school, we head to Zenobia's house, which is the closest to Mrs. Doublefire's, to lay out our action plan. We go up to my friend's room and scan the old lady's house.
- I have an idea, I shout, me and Zenobia will go to Mrs. Doublefire's house to keep her busy, and you Zubeida will climb the fence, jump into the garden and save the cat.
- It's easy for me to climb the fence, I can do it without any problem, Zubeida tells us.
- It's too dangerous, launches Zenobia, and what will we say to Mrs. Doublefire when we see her?
- We'll ask her if she wants to buy cookies, we can pretend it's for our end-of-year party, I say.
- No, no, and no, I don't agree with this plan, said Zenobia.
- You prefer to abandon this poor little cat! I shout.
Zenobia was worried and refuses to continue the adventure until we hear a loud scream that gives us chills. It was Mrs. Doublefire's cat crying to death. The three of us look at each other with faces as white as my daddy's socks.
- Poor cat! Shout Zubeida, we can't abandon him, Zenobia it's our duty to save him from this witch.
Zenobia sighs then says:
- Alright, let's save the cat.
- Yeah! I shout with Zubeida.
Zenobia looks at us then continues:
- We don't need to go see Mrs. Doublefire, there's a broken plank in the fence, we can open it, sneak into the garden and save the cat without anyone seeing us.
- Awesome! so what are we waiting for, let’s go, Launches Zubeida at us.
- Wait, you forgot the alarm, I say, if we open the door, it might go off.
- Well, too bad for the alarm, do you want to save the cat or not? Zenobia asks us.
- Yessss, I shout with Zubeida.
All three of us cross the fence and slip into Mrs. Doublefire's garden. On tiptoe, we approach the house and carefully open the front door. We hold our breath but luckily no alarm goes off. We enter in single file and find ourselves in a long dark corridor. The floor creaks so we stop for a few seconds, watching for the slightest sign of Mrs. Doublefire or her dog.
Nothing around, we continue our silent walk, climb stairs, arrive at a half-open door, push it and there, we hear small meows coming from a shoebox. We lift the box and find a cute little black and white kitten looking at us trembling with fear. Suddenly, we hear a sound of farting followed by a smell that makes us nauseous.
- Yuck! What is that smell, I ask in disgust.
- It's not me, Zubeida tells us shaking her head.
- Nor me, continues Zenobia.
- Who is it then?
We turn around and there, we see a big dog looking at us with hateful eyes, all fangs out. Saliva drips from its muzzle twisted by the growl. We freeze then Zenobia starts screaming and running in all directions. We look at her with astonishment then the dog barks and there, we realize that we are in danger. We start running and the dog chases us all over the house. We knock over coffee tables, break porcelain trinkets, drop the dog's bowl, push open doors, climb stairs when we hear.
- Kitty! Come here.
The dog stops and Mrs. Doublefire appears in the house with the shopping in her hands. She looks at us and says:
- But… Girls, what are you doing here?
We are out of breath and unable to speak. Mrs. Doublefire approaches us, we get so scared and run all over the house looking for the exit. We go around twice but find ourselves in the same place, the large living room where Mrs. Doublefire is waiting for us with her arms crossed and tapping her foot.
- So, will you explain to me what you are doing in my house? Besides, look at this mess.
We look around and notice that the house is upside down. All ashamed we lower our heads then, I take my courage in both hands, approach the old lady and throw her panting:
- We… Come… To save… The cat.
- Save the cat! Why, what is wrong with my cat?
- You mistreat him by locking him in a cage, shouts Zubeida.
- Me! Never, I love my cat who is a female by the way, come and see.
Mrs. Doublefire takes us into a small room where a cat lies on a cushion surrounded by little kittens.
- This is my cat; her name is Big dog and she just had three adorable little kittens.
- Your dog's name is Kitty and your cat’s name is Big dog! I shout in astonishment.
- Yes, hihihi, I love giving original names to my animals.
- And why did we hear Big dog howling earlier.
- I do not know! I wasn't there so I didn't hear anything but... Wait a kitten is missing!
- Is it this one? I say taking the little black and white kitten out of my pocket.
- Yes, it's him but where did you find him? Asks Mrs. Doublefire.
- In the other room, he was in a shoebox, explains Zubeida.
- Oh! It must be Kitty the dog, he does that often, he runs behind the little kittens and Big dog the cat must have scratched him, that's why you heard the screams, explains Mrs. Doublefire.
- Aaaaaah! We answer.
- Thank you, girls, you saved the little kitten.
My friends and I were happy to help Mrs. Doublefire by saving the little kitty, but there was still one point to clarify.
- Can I ask you a question? I say.
- Yes of course.
- Are you a witch?
- Hahaha, not at all, I'm just an old lady who loves animals, but… Who put this idea in your head?
- It’ our worst enemy, Lubna, explains Zenobia.
- Oh! I understand, she wanted to play a joke on you.
We widen our eyes in astonishment because we understand that Lubna has played a dirty trick on us.
- Oh! This Lubna, she'll pay for it, I shout.
I thought for a few moments then asked Mrs. Doublefire:
- Can I ask you for a favor.
- Yes of course, whatever you want.
- Could we borrow an old wooden spoon?
- An old wooden spoon! Yes, I think I have one that I no longer use, wait, I'll get it.
Mrs. Doublefire goes into the kitchen and brings us an old wooden spoon with a slanted end.
- Great, it will do just fine, thank you Mrs. Doublefire, I say.
- But… what are you going to do with it? Zubeida asks me.
- A bad trick to Lubna.
Then I lean into the ear of my two friends and tell them my plan. They burst out laughing then, to be forgiven, we tidy up the house and put all the objects back in their place. We glued the broken trinkets, and go home apologizing to Mrs. Doublefire who forgives us saying:
- It doesn't matter girls, I was happy to have you, you can come and see the kittens whenever you want.
- Oh! Really! We all shout together.
- Yes, of course, goodbye girls.
- Thank you, goodbye Mrs. Doublefire.
The next morning on the way to school we meet Lubna who tells us:
- I had you yesterday, you believed my story of the cat locked in the cage, hahaha.
Lubna laughed heartily when I approached her and said pulling out Mrs. Doublefire's old wooden spoon:
- Do you know what it is this?
- An old broken wooden spoon, replies Lubna.
- Yes, it's true, but... It's not any wooden spoon, Zubeida told her, it's Mrs. Doublefire witch's spoon, she casts spells with it.
- She can turn people into frogs just by saying few words, continues Zenobia.
- Really, I don't believe you, you just want to scare me, says Lubna.
- Oh yes! Are you sure about it? I replied confidently.
Lubna looks at us with frightened eyes, she frowns and purses her lips. Seeing her panic, I raise the spoon and say:
- Hocus-pocus turn into…
- Aaaaah! Shouts Lubna who runs off at full speed.
We all burst out laughing and then we hurried in order not to be late for school.