Spilling to Smoke

     All eyes were on Hank and he literally gulped.  Now, a hippo’s gulp is weird.  It sounds like a huge pop bottle being opened.  The dude was uncomfortable and all the kitties knew it.  What in the meow was he gooing to say?  How in the meow was he going to get out of it.

            Hank did something really strange.  It shocked the kitties.

            He blurted out the truth.

            “Casey’s gone,” he said.

            Smokey, who was standing at attention it seemed, looked shocked.  “What do you mean he’s gone?”

            “He disappeared last year,” he answered.

            Smokey glared at Barney.  “Is this true?”

            “Yeah,” Barney meowed, “it’s true.”

            Smokey’s whiskers twitched.  “I think you’re mistaken,” she answered.