Outside, an acrid talon of lightning came down as fast as the speed of light. Inside, Jefferey had seen a cheese-cake and it made him feel very hungry ; he went to get it and ate it all in one gulp. Old bowling balls on the ground, rusty shoes piled up on the floor and an abandoned toilet upstairs in the dark. To his horror, he could just make out that there was nowhere to go. He was trapped.

Behind him, the bizarre man stood illuminated in the alleyway, a knife glistening in his hand. Jefferey choked…

… but at that moment, something growled, deeper than a dinosaur. Out of the darkness, not one but two emerald eyes appeared, a flash of black and fierce white teeth. Whatever it was, burst past Jefferey and stood between him and the stranger.

It was powerful. Huge and black. Jefferey realised he was standing beside a massive panther. It threw back its fearless head and snarled. At that moment, the mortal man had fled. Jefferey stood entrenched to the spot, paralysed by fear.

The panther turned ; knelt down in front of Jefferey resting his head on the ground. He could see that he was lacerated. A gash of red ran across his side. He could smell an earthy, musty scent and watched as his pelt of black fur rippled across his back.

They stared intently at each other Jefferey felt that he was sizing him up, seeing deeper and deeper into his very being. But, his fear began to fade and he held out his hand. He leaned his head forward and sniffed. Then he licked his skin with his rough, pink tongue. His eyes sizzled as if it was heated by fire. He could see kindness but also a well of sadness.

It was then when he spoke. A low, gravelly voice that seemed to spring from the ground itself. It was the voice of a stone and air and dirt. “Please help me,” he slowly said. “ We have to find the gateway.”

Jefferey stared back, his head nodding as if he understood what he was saying. He knew at that moment that he would do anything to protect this huge, beautiful creature. Anything. “They are coming,” said the panther, “So I have to hide.”

Forty minutes later, Jefferey and the panther had slunk through the streets, down to the old bowling centre (it was called Mr G’s) by the Market Square. No one ever dared to venture there. Rumours have been spread that the ghosts of that house have been haunting it that last summer Jefferey had made an entry. He often sat inside watching the wonderful view of the empty roads. The panther curled up in a dark corner and slept. Jefferey kept watch.