Story 30: Reza Shadey and the Beanstalk Mystery
One bright morning, Reza Shadey stretched out his fluffy paws and let out a big, wide yawn — Meeeowww! He was feeling extra clever today. He flicked his tail thoughtfully. "Yes... today is a day for important business, the most important kind."
But just as he was preparing his grand plans, something caught his eye. On the kitchen floor, rolling lazily from Mrs Higgins's shopping bag, was a tiny, wrinkly bean.
Reza Shadey sniffed it once. Then twice. It was not a biscuit.
Useless.
He flicked it away with his paw — Boop! — and watched it bounce outside through the open door, landing in the flower bed. "Good riddance!" he thought. And with that, he forgot all about it.
Until the next morning.
Reza Shadey padded outside for his usual morning inspection, but something was very, very different. That tiny bean had grown faster than a cheetah chasing a sausage! Right in the middle of the garden stood a beanstalk — a huge, twisting, towering beanstalk, reaching all the way into the sky!
Reza Shadey tilted his head. He twitched his whiskers. Then his eyes sparkled with one thought — "A mystery! A grand mystery only I can solve!"
And what does Reza Shadey, the greatest cat investigator, do with mysteries? He investigates!
Without another second to lose, Reza Shadey scrambled onto the stalk, climbing higher and higher. His little paws gripped tightly. His fluffy tail swayed in the wind. Up, up, up he went, through the clouds and into a place no cat had ever seen before.
At the top, he found a land of giants! Giant chairs, giant tables, and — oh! — the biggest golden cat bowl he had ever seen! It was filled with mountains of biscuits, guarded by... BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! — the giant's enormous guard dog appeared!
The giant dog sniffed the air. Sniff, sniff, sniff!
"I smell a CAT!" it growled, its voice rumbling like thunder.
Reza Shadey blinked innocently. He sat down, wrapped his tail neatly around his paws, and purred sweetly. "Oh, dear me, what a misunderstanding! I am no ordinary cat, you see. I am here on official business. The Most Important Great Feline Council sent me to inspect these biscuits. It's a very serious job, only for important cats."
The giant dog narrowed its eyes, looking confused.
Reza Shadey continued, puffing out his chest. "Indeed. If the biscuits are not perfectly crunchy and utterly delicious, I may have to confiscate them all. For the Council, you understand."
The dog gasped, a giant puff of air! "NO! My biscuits are perfect! The giant loves them!"
"Ah-ha! Then I, the Council's chief inspector, must taste one (or perhaps several) to be absolutely sure!" Reza Shadey declared.
Quick as a flash, he snatched a biscuit (or maybe five, just to be thorough) and bolted back towards the beanstalk.
"HEY! Come back!" barked the dog, lumbering after him.
Cats can climb fast, but Reza Shadey went down even faster! He scrambled and slid down, faster than he had ever climbed before! Down, down, down — until finally, he landed in Mrs Higgins's garden with a soft plop!
The beanstalk shook violently from the dog's pulling above. Then — WHOOSH! — it shrivelled away, disappearing forever.
Mrs Higgins walked outside just then and blinked, rubbing her eyes. "Goodness me", she mumbled to herself. "A giant beanstalk? And now it's gone? I must be seeing things. Best not tell anyone, otherwise they'll think I'm going potty."
She then noticed her very smug-looking cat.
"Reza Shadey... why do you look so pleased with yourself?" she asked.
Reza licked his whiskers, a tiny crumb still clinging on. "Oh, just handling important business, Mrs Higgins. Council matters, you know. Terribly official."
And with that, he curled up in his donut bed, munching on the most perfect, officially inspected biscuits in the whole wide world.
Night night. Sleep tight.