Nearing the station, Oscar threw some money at the driver. When the taxi lurched onto a kerb and see-sawed to a halt, the cats fled its innards and hurried through the station’s gate. They hauled suitcases up the steps that crossed the railway lines, and swore when the train beneath hissed in an eagerness to leave. A whistle blew and chugs of steam billowed across the platform. While shouting for it to wait, they scrambled down more steps and lunged at the already moving monster.
“Wait!” Oscar yelled, while bounding along the platform and waving his suitcase in a vain hope it might hinder the mass of steel and steam. “Wait will you? Just fluffing-well wait!”
Their bounding slowed as the train gathered pace and filled the world with smoke and cinder.
They stood panting as thunder dispers
