Deadly Games by Anthony Masters

moonlight gave him some indication of how far he had come,and the rusty ladder ran down beside him with only a few rungs missing.
    David knew that he had an almost impossible task. To rescue the distraught wild cat and hang on to her as he was hauled up the shaft was going to be painful; obviously this part of the plan had not been thought through at all – and no wonder, with May’s and Leslie’s taunts distracting them all the time. If only he had got Sid to find something to wrap her in, but now he would just have to try to soothe the cat as best he could.
    She was staring up at him, her lips drawn back, showing her chipped teeth. Then she raised one paw menacingly, revealing long, sharp claws. Soothing, David thought, was going to be tricky.
    â€œI’m not going to hurt you,” he said gently as he swung a few metres above her head.
    The cat spat at him, raising her barbed paw higher, her eyes threatening, but David knew she was as terrified of him as he was of her.
    â€œGood kitty,” he said, realising how stupid he must sound, but he didn’t know what else to say – or do. He would have to make a grab and hug her to him, hoping that Sid and Jenny could haul him up fast. “Good kitty.” He signalled them to lower him a little further, but she spat at him again.
    David hovered uncertainly, waiting for his moment, but there didn’t seem to be one. The cat grew increasingly hostile, arching her back andeyeing him with fear and loathing. Miserably he realised he was getting used to being hated – first by May and Leslie and now the cat.
    â€œDing, dong, bell.”
    The mocking call seemed to come from the depths of the dark water.
    David froze, listening, swaying, and the silence seemed to grow as a tangible, threatening force around him.
    â€œDing.”
    â€œPush off,” he muttered.
    â€œDong.”
    David gazed down but there was no sign of either May or Leslie.
    â€œBell.”
    But he knew they were there somewhere, waiting for him, so he had to grab the mother cat right away. The seconds passed as David kept putting the moment off.
    â€œDing, dong, bell.” The chanted words were full of derision.
    Then the water at the bottom of the well began to churn, slowly at first and then much faster.
    May and Leslie reared up at him in a water spout. Laughing with glee, they began to soak the island while the cat, squealing in terror, lashed out with claws that went straight through them.
    Without hesitating any longer, David reached out, waited for a split second and then grabbed thecat, holding her round her middle. But she struggled so violently and scratched him so painfully that he lost his grip and she fell back into the water. At the same time the knot around his waist loosened and unbelievingly he watched it unravel. Desperately, David tried to hang on to the rope as it slipped away, but ice-cold hands soon put a stop to his feeble attempts and he plunged in. Jenny and Sid were left at the top of the well, holding an empty rope and bellowing his name.
    Choking on the vile liquid splashing into his mouth, David trod water as the cat managed to scramble back on to what was left of the island.
    â€œDing, dong, bell,” came the triumphant cry, and David found himself again grabbed by the ice-cold hands. He fought hard but was soon dragged beneath the surface.
    Even then David still fought them, but his hands and feet found no contact and he knew he stood no chance against them. Locked in their deadly embrace, he was being dragged ever deeper, until there was a roaring sound in his ears. Then, to David’s amazement, they let him go.
    He shot to the surface, his lungs feeling as if they were going to burst. Treading water, he waited, tensed for another attack. Then, still spluttering, he saw Sid slowly descending the ladder with Gumbopeering out of his overcoat pocket, jenny was just behind.
    â€œThat ladder isn’t safe,” David managed