"You'll get water", said Jack and tried to sound relaxed. "You do look very thirsty. But why didn't you come back to us? You must have been really upset."
He took out the white food bowl - which Nancy had bought - and filled it with water.
"Here", Jack mumbled. "Drink!"
The cat carefully approached the bowl. The throat was burning. The water looked so tempting.... She took a big gulp. The panic came immediately. She fell over and fiercely struggled.
"Take it easy, take it easy", Jack laughed.
But he could feel the beads running down his forehead. He resolutely grabbed the cat by the scruff of its neck and smiled in a forced manner. The cat wriggled in his grip. After that everything happened so fast. The cat attacked him. The eyes had a fierce look. Jack felt how the claws bite through the face, how they scratched the cheeks. The cat seemed to be out of its senses. Tiny hissing sounds were heard from it. A red drop ran down the shirt. Blood! The cat had bitten him in the cheek! Jack felt a big hole when he groped with his hand. Or was it really a hole? Blood from the gum? He had no time to think about it - the cat attacked the other cheek. Chewing sounds and that horrible pain.... Jack screamed. He heard the fierce hissing from the cat, saw the terrible visage of the animal. Everything dissolved in a white haze.
When Jack woke up he was at the hospital. He saw blurred pictures in front of himself.
"It's gonna be alright, Dad, you'll be fine", Sue whispered.
"The doctor said that you have nasty injuries in the face. But you can come home with us now, after you've been given an injection", said Lizzie.
She still dried herself in the eyes with a handkerchief. A short nurse with brown hair entered the room.
"Do you remember what happened?" she friendly asked.
"It was the cat", Jack groaned. "It's not quite right in the head. We must get rid of it."
"No, Dad! Don't do it!" Nancy protested.
"We'll see", said Lizzie. "Thanks for all help. The injection... how long does it take?"
"Not that long", the nurse answered.
Jack saw her fetching the injection, an object with something transparent inside. He never felt the prick. He just saw the concerned expression of the nurse.
"I'm afraid that I'll have to prescribe electroshocks. Because the injection doesn't work on this."
"What is it?" Jack wondered.
"You've been bitten by an animal. This animal has rabies. It has been transferred to you."
"What can we do?" Lizzie asked.
"Not much", said the nurse. "We might try with electroshocks. It can expel the disease. The symptoms already exist. If it comes to the worst.... you've only got a maximum of 14 days left."
Jack thought that the room seemed to quake.
To be continued....
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