story 2.4

"How are you?" Atilla reciprocated the friendly enquiry.

“I'm good,” Cat1 said, “but I need to work on my orientation skills.”

"Oh, I see. Are you working on it now?"

“Yes, mostly.”

"My mum says I can use the Southern Cross to point my way home," Atilla offered the advice. "Maybe it will work for you too."

“I'm good,” Cat1 said. “I'm not looking to go to my way home.”

"Oh I see. Where are you going?"

Cat1 coughed embarrassedly. “Er, I'm looking for Alberqueque.”

Atilla nodded his head sagely in sympathy. "It sounds like a most marvellous adventure. My dad would enjoy it." He perused the statement. "Actually he would say that I would enjoy it."

The saucer-craft bobbed and weaved in the air. Eventually Cat1 asked, “Atilla, do you know how I can get to Alberqueque?”

"I'm sorry, I don't know the answer to your question. I know how to get to the playground. I know it's not Alberqueque."

Cat1 sighed. This shortcut was turning out not to be a good one. He was becoming ever more late for his very important date.

“That's it,” he moped, “I'm lost.”

"Oh, surely it's not as bad as that," Atilla sympathised. "We can go to a police station and try to help you get to Alberqueque."

“I'm good,” Cat1 said sadly. “Maybe she'll forgive me.”