"Rats," Jane said in a strange, hissing voice. "Rats. There — were — RATS — there."
She began to shiver all over, and Alexander curled himself around her to comfort her.
"Rats, much bigger than me," Jane said in a hoarse, weak voice that grew stronger as she spoke. "They were hungry, too. They hunted me. All the time. They would wait. They whispered to each other. I couldn’t get to the water in the gutter. They’d wait there to catch me. I could only fly a little. I hid in the rafters. But they climbed up there. I found a place, an old mouse nest in a box. They couldn’t get in there. But they waited outside it, and whispered. I didn’t know what to do. I would call to my mother. But the rats would answer." And Jane hid her face in Alexander’s warm, furry side.
He washed her back and her neck and both her ears with his rough pink tongue, and purred to her. "It’s all right. You got away from them. You don’t ever have to be afraid of them again. You have wings, Jane. You can fly anywhere."
"I love you, Alexander," Jane said.
"I love you, Jane," Alexander said.
"I wanted to talk! I just couldn’t."
"Let’s go show the others," said Alexander.
They hurried off, Alexander trotting along with his tail high, and Jane loop-the-looping overhead, to the old barn.
"Thelma! Roger! Harriet! James!"
"Yes, Alexander," said the brothers and sisters, who had been asleep in the loft. They came popping out of the pigeonholes. "What’s up?"
"That wasn’t me calling you," said Alexander.
"Me!" said Jane. It was me! I can talk!"
They all gathered around her while she explained.
"I was afraid if I talked, the only thing I could say would be the bad thing — the rats. And then they’d be real again. But I know it’s all right, and I can talk. Because Alexander showed me."
"If a rat ever came here," said little Harriet, "it would find out what an air raid is!"
"We’ve got to pay another visit to Mother," said James. "It will make her so happy when you talk to her, Jane."
"Alexander," said Roger very solemnly, "you are wonderful."
"Yes!" said Jane. "He’s wonderful!"
"I know," said Alexander.
