SALVE ROMA! A Felidae Novel - By Akif Pirincci Page 0,8

from the rear of the plane and apparently also on his way to the bathroom, stared directly back at my pupils. His facial expression showed a certain similarity of an ox that had just been run over by a tractor. His eyes had widened to the size of espresso cups and his lips moved without bringing out a single sound. Spontaneous sweat was brought to his brow.

»Francis ...« he said eventually. And then again and again while shaking his head: »Francis? Francis? Francis? ...«

As I assumed that he already knew my name I didn’t bother to answer him.

Suddenly he moved his head like a bizarre bird. Being relieved, he laughed out and began some muttered monolog that apparently was aimed at comforting himself. That what he saw wasn’t even possible because his darling was placed miles away from here, and very securely, and by the way pretty expensively, but this resemblance, really, if he hadn’t known for sure, he might think that his little Francis had followed him directly to the airport, which of course was ridiculous because how could that even work ...

»I got one of your kind at home«, he eventually ended his monolog loudly.

»I got one of yours, too!« I replied.

Of course I didn’t, I just thought to myself before Gustav winked at me and disappeared.

If I had had the anatomic ability, I would have crossed myself three times after this stressful episode. Or I would have aligned myself with the devil, which had been much more appropriate given the insights of hell that were lying ahead of me in the City of God.

3.

The rest of the journey was pretty uneventful. Shortly before landing the pilot managed to maneuver the plane in a way that allowed the passengers to enjoy the view of the sun kissed city. My heart beat a couple of ranges faster when I glimpsed out of the bag and saw this magnum opus, which seemed like an opulent model of an urban layout masterpiece for the very first time. O what pleasance! There they were: the thousand churches, the ruins, which emblematized the perpetual echo of the Ancient, the by several bridges tied green snake called Tiber and the warm color of the countless palazzi, daffodil yellow, ruby, red violet, rose ... A rag rug braided from treasures, which left every beholder speechless.

Then on the ground the big disillusion. The airport didn’t differ one bit from the one we had departed from – functional architecture with insignia that simulated circuitousness. All over the place hung oversize advertisement in which rather germfree looking human actors performed a Don’t-worry-be-happy-slogan for some dodgy property fund. Restaurants, whose delicacies were owed to the invention of the microwave only, were lined up next to each other. I guess all airports in this world got this boring charm. And when someday there will be the first flights to Mars, the first thing humans will see there will be a five dollar bill for a cup of coffee or a tour poster with the mug of Robbie Williams.

It was about time to say goodbye to my man of God. The travelers loped out of the plane, towards the jet bridge and finally towards the hallway huddle like they were escaping the Last Judgment. I, however, had to manage the flying change out of the bag back to Gustav’s backpack without being noticed. But now, where was my litter bearer?

Suddenly I saw him! No, just his rear view, consisting of a silly golf cap on a watermelon head, giant backpack and pale, very hairy calves which grew out of silly shorts. Gustav let himself drift towards the exit with the flow of hurrying people. Almost telepathically, I forced the churchman to approach him, which I succeed in little by little. I only had to wait for the perfect moment to get from one point to the other in a single bound. Because I didn’t even want to think about what would happen to me in this foreign and confusing place far away from the city, if I failed to make the break. Maybe it hadn’t been such a great idea to indulge in wanderlust to such a radical extend. For a moment, I even caught myself craving for the opportunity to seriously argue about the mice from Nagor-X with the other nutcases at the »Guesthouse Paw«.

And so I used the very moment, when the churchman got in close contact with the other hastening people and wouldn’t misinterpret the vibration inside his