Lost in the Alps
by Wallace Kamens
Published by
Innocence Publishing, Inc.
11431 Motor Yacht Cir. N.
Jacksonville, Florida 32225
www.TheAdventuresofPuff.com
© 2019 Wallace Kamens.
All rights reserved.
No portion of this book
may be reproduced in any form
without permission from the publisher,
except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
For more information, contact:
Info@TheAdventuresofPuff.com
ISBN: 978-1-54397-788-2
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1 - An Unexpected Detour
Chapter 2 - The Great Escape
Chapter 3 - Above the Clouds
Chapter 4 - Wash and Whistle
Chapter 5 - A Lesson with a Lynx
Chapter 6 - A Hasty Promise
Chapter 7 - Gaining Ground with Garland
Chapter 8 - Braving the Barbican
Chapter 9 - The Moon in the Moat
Chapter 10 - Deep in the Keep
Chapter 11 - The Secret Passage
Chapter 12 - Gambling with Gabriel
Chapter 13 - Fritz and the Mischief
Chapter 14 - The Rescue Plan
Chapter 15 - A Leap of Faith
Chapter 16 - Downclimbing
Chapter 17 - The Dark Tower
Chapter 18 - The Rescue
Chapter 19 - Sounding the Alarm
Chapter 20 - Where the Stream Divides
Chapter 21 - The Chinese Lantern
Chapter 22 - The Chase
Chapter 23 - A Dangerous Descent
Chapter 24 - Going Home
Introduction
Children have a passion for adventure. Well, I suppose
we all do. But these days, adventure stories are certainly
not what they were a century ago. Back then, things were
tamer and more appropriate for younger audiences.
Parents could permit their children to read adventures
without too much fear of unsettling nightmares keeping
them awake at night.
Modern adventure stories on the other hand take a
different twist. Evil and the macabre have become
commonplace and the prevailing theme in bookstores and
theatres today. The valiant hero has become eclipsed by
pure malevolence and notorious evil. Once brilliant
dialogue has been replaced with sensationalism as
writer’s profit from dwelling in the deepest levels of
darkness to portray the perfect arch villain.
It seems appropriate therefore—and timely, that a
new series of adventure stories rise to the surface
emphasizing sound morals and ethics. The primary
goal of children’s books after all should be
preserving the innocence of the minds of children.
Lost in the Alps is a beautifully illustrated epic
adventure written entirely in rhymed verse. It is the
second book in the series: The Adventures of Puff, and
follows a cat’s journey to a remote castle in the Swiss Alps.
It is a story of honor, courage, the value of loyalty in
friendship, and the relentless desire to fulfill a dream.
Puff had a fear of flying on that plane;
The idea seemed dangerous and insane
Till he imagined floating in the clouds
Above noisy streets and bustling crowds.
A young cat soaring with birds in the sky
Then seemed like something he might like to try.
Now he learns he will be caged in a place
Of shadows, without much comfort or grace.
“You will not be alone while you are there,”
Kathy says. “There will be other cats too.
There is no need to fear; you will be fine.
Rest assured—nothing will happen to you!”
Puff observes her eyes gazing down a bit.
There is more to this than she will admit,
Puff thinks, while caged and sitting on his bed,
Carried by Kathy’s father just ahead
Of her mom and her in the airport hall,
Passing small stores like in a shopping mall.
Farther down they step on a moving floor,
The likes of which Puff had not seen before.
Puff hopes Mr. Taylor will stop a while
And let the floor move them along in style.
But Mr. Taylor keeps pace to the gate,
Determined not to be a minute late.
Soon they arrive at where they need to be,
At the ticket counter at half-past three.
They now have their tickets and their bags checked
As they turn to Puff feeling pet-neglect.
Kathy opens his cage and lifts him out
While Puff’s face portrays a sad feline pout.
“I will miss you very much, my dear Puff,”
Kathy says, as she holds him to her heart.
“So please be a good cat for me, okay?
I promise, we will not be far apart.”
She gives Puff a gentle kiss on his cheek,
As Puff suddenly feels alone and meek.
Puff senses there will be trouble ahead,
But he tries to stay positive instead.
He knows Kathy likes when he winks his eye,
But just as he does—she begins to cry.
Kathy places Puff in his cage once more,
Wiping her cheek as she closes the door.
Mr. Taylor puts Puff’s cage on the track
Of the bag carousel as Puff turns back.
He watches the family wave goodbye,
Wondering where he is going and why.
Soon he disappears behind rubber flaps
Leaving cold, muted echoes from their slaps.
His cage descends on a ramp to a plane,
To a cargo bay where he will remain.
There he is lifted and stacked by a wall,
Snugly fit with the others, short and tall.
The animal cages line in neat rows
Where Puff feels the need to cover his nose.
He watches other animals pass near;
Some are fast asleep and others in fear.
Some have cleaning practices to attend,
While others made up their minds to pretend
They are at home where they have always been,
Never taking the time to take it in.
Kathy mentioned they were going to Rome.
Puff thought, Why leave—when we can roam at home?
Then she continued it was a fun place,
With fine food to put a smile on his face.
Soon Puff lies down in his comfy cage,
Ready to sleep and for dreams to engage.
Then a loud noise blasts from outside the plane,
As Puff jumps high and bangs his head in pain
On the top of the cage—then plummets down,
Landing on his back with a painful frown.
The cargo bay vibrates from large turbines
Moving the plane forward between white lines.
Puff shifts to the back of his steel cage
As the plane lifts; animals scream in rage.
Then it levels out and the shaking stops
As the pressure build-up in their ears pops.
Soon soft music calms the animals down
While the plane ascends far away from town.
Once again Puff tries to take a catnap;
Heavy-eyed, he falls asleep in a snap.
He dreams of a land very far away
Where different kinds of animals play.
There are tall mountains, difficult to climb,
With the scent of freshly cut grass and pine.
Finally, after many hours pass by…
Puff dreams of a tall castle in the sky.
Then the airplane jolts as it touches down,
Waking Puff—who jumps, then lands with a frown;
Rubbing his forehead, still sore from before,
He thinks, I feel like I am in a war!
Soon the lights begin to turn on inside,
As the large cargo bay door opens wide.
Then Puff and his cage are placed on a track
Transporting him and others to the back
Of a cargo truck—not too far away,
Which seems to Puff to be a safer stay.
He thinks, This last transport should not take long.
Little did he know he was very wrong.
Puff’s cage is lifted and soon finds a place
In the back of a truck with little space.
It is filled with cats and dogs biding time
To be released from their cages and climb
To the arms of loved ones expected inside,
Like a groom awaiting his lovely bride.
Puff’s cage sits next to a calico cat
Watching closely what Puff is staring at,
As Puff observes his cage drift very near
To the edge of the truck, fanning his fear.
Just one small bump is now all it would take
For the driver to make a grave mistake.
Puff turns to the cat, who without a sound,
Appears very focused and duty bound.
Reaching toward Puff’s cage with all her might,
She stretches very far—then holds it tight.
Puff knows this cat is doing all she can
To stop him falling with a noble plan.
But a slight turn forces Puff’s cage to slide
Away from his friend and the shortened ride,
To crash hard on the runway upside down,
Compelling a sad and dejected frown.
Puff sits quietly, watching the moon rise,
Wondering if he can believe his eyes.
But it is a warm night in Italy,
And things could be worse, Puff thinks wittily.
He searches the darkness for someone near
To rescue him from his increasing fear.
Soon another plane starts to turn his way,
Then pauses far off, much to Puff’s dismay.
He sees some people getting on the plane
And meows quite loudly—but all in vain.
The plane’s engines completely drown him out;
He could not be heard even with a shout.
A truck appears from where the other went
In a hurry for a scheduled event.
After passing near Puff it turns around,
Its blinding lights forcing his small head down.
Then Puff perceives two men coming his way;
Their feet move quickly. Should he run away?
Soon they lift and toss his cage in the truck.
Is he in trouble or perhaps in luck?
The men thought the cage belonged on the plane
Preparing to leave this noisy domain—
The exact plane Puff watched the people board.
As the small truck moves rapidly toward
The plane, he sees inside its cargo bay,
Hoping it is a peaceful place to stay.
The men pass Puff’s cage to the loaders where
They speedily place it inside with care.
As the cargo bay hatch begins to close,
Exhaust fumes saturate inside Puff’s nose
While he observes one last glimpse of the moon,
Hoping to be with his family soon.
A caged bloodhound appears in a deep sleep
Near Puff with a question that will not keep.
“Excuse me sir, but where are we going?”
Puff asks with curiosity growing,
“For I think I might be on the wrong plane.
And yes—that might sound just a bit insane,
But I have reason to believe—you see,
This is not where I am supposed to be.”
Soon the bloodhound opens his heavy eyes,
And gives a friendly stare, to Puff’s surprise.
“We are off to the hills,
My little feline friend.
They reach high in the sky
Above—where eagles fly
And rivers have no end.”
“I am excited to get some fresh air,”
Puff says, “And leave these pets who do not care
If they smell worse than filthy hogs or sheep.
Forgive me sir, for disturbing your sleep.”
“I understand fully.
Hounds have a perfect nose
And can smell far away,
Where the common vole play
Or where ibex repose.
“For instance, I can tell
You have a family.
A young girl has been near—
One you hold very dear…
Who you would like to see.”
“As you say—I do have a family
That I am very desperate to see.
We have plans to go to a place called Rome,
Where we will enjoy the food, then go home.”
“Rome has delicious food.
Their meatballs are a must!
Try their rosemary steaks
Or their sweet pastry cakes;
You will eat till you bust.
“We have time to tarry;
You can call me Harry.”
“Nice to meet you, Harry. They call me Puff.
It is not much of a name—but enough.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Puff.
With exception of you
I have never liked cats.
They act like selfish brats
And are hard to talk to.”
“I did not know, Harry, that Rome has hills,
And I smell those seasoned steaks on the grills!”
“That is not what you smell;
Your nose is in a fog.
I hope you do not mind
That we left Rome behind,
And you smell a hot dog.”
“Harry, where is this plane heading from here?
I am now feeling just a hint of fear.”
“To Switzerland, good Puff.
It is quite far away.
They must know you are lost
So they will pay the cost
And bring you home today.”
“You would not lie. You have nothing to gain.
Tell me, Harry, am I going insane?”
“I have made this exact
Trip many times before.
No, you are not insane;
Yes, this is the wrong plane;
That you must not ignore.
“Was there some confusion
Somewhere along the way?
Had your cage been misplaced?
Your boarding pass erased?
Puff…it will be okay.”
Puff is confused, like slapped hard in the face.
He looks around, nervously lost in space.
Falling from the truck was a bad mistake
For the loaders of the airline to make.
For now—he must take one thing at a time,
Soon with no shortage of mountains to climb.
Puff tries to remain calm and do his best,
But his head only sinks deeper in his chest.
“I will certainly help
If I can, my good cat.
They will see their mistake;
There is too much at stake.
Now take your mind off that!”
Harry puts his head down and falls asleep.
Puff tries the same, but his mind wants to keep
Coming back to Kathy’s face and her smile,
And what happened every once in a while
When they would lie quietly on her bed;
Everything stood still when she stroked his head.
Once again—Puff feels his ears clog then pop,
As the plane’s altitude begins to drop.
Soon its giant wheels start to bump and hop,
Until they finally come to a stop.
Puff looks around—but cannot see outside;
A windowless room is all they provide.
Then the large cargo bay door opens wide,
Where Puff can see it is still dark outside.
The loaders take Harry’s cage carefully
Outside to a place where Puff cannot see.
But before they do, Harry shouts to Puff
Words that are not quite comforting enough.
“We will meet again soon.
Keep your eyes on the moon.”
Puff is left without any words to say,
As the loaders come and take him away.
He notices it is much cooler here
Than in Rome, and the air, it would appear,
Seems to be light and clean in this new place.
Puff looks back at the plane with a sad face.
His cage is put on a conveyor track,
Which transports him on small wheels painted black.
They push Puff to a luggage carousel
Where people wait for their baggage and tell
Stories of travels to faraway lands
With enchanted islands and blue sea sands.
Puff went ‘round and ‘round on the carousel,
Getting dizzier like under a spell.
Then he remembers Kathy’s ballet class,
How the young girls would stare at a glass
The teacher held carefully in her hand,
As their dizziness left by her command.
Then Puff decides to stare at the moon,
Hoping the dizziness would leave him soon.
By now, most of the luggage is taken;
And Puff is feeling a bit forsaken.
Soon he is alone on the carousel
And is ready to give a hearty yell.
Then he sees Harry down the corridor,
Passing through a recently opened door.
He plows through a man with a hearty shove,
Slipping sideways, just a bit ahead of
His master shouting, “Harry—stop right now!”
But as for Harry, his word was his vow.
He promised to help Puff the best he could,
And now he does exactly what he should.
Harry leaps on the carousel near Puff
And pushes Puff’s latch forward just enough
To permit the cage door to open wide,
Releasing Puff to a safe place to hide.
“I have to go now Puff,
And you do too, my friend.
You must never be found
Or be sent to the pound—
A most unworthy end.”
Harry’s master moves closer to Puff’s cage,
Breathing very quickly in confused rage.
He places the leash around Harry’s neck
And helps him down from the carousel deck.
Then he observes Puff’s door is open wide
And reaches to close it with Puff inside.
Harry realizes what he must do
And pulls on the leash and his master too.
Soon his master forgets Puff’s open door,
Drawn by Harry to a magazine store.
Puff just stares as the two scurry away,
Hoping to see Harry again someday.
For now—Puff must find a safe place to hide
And leave this annoying circular ride.
He leaps from the carousel to the floor,
Free from the confines of the cage once more.
He jumps and slides beneath a row of chairs,
Where he secretly tends to his affairs.
Puff sees two doors leading to the outside
But senses his exit will be denied.
They stay shut except when people go through,
Leaving him confused at what he should do.
He steps in front of the doors, just in case,
But they remain rigid and locked in place.
Puff hides again beneath the row of chairs,
Waiting for someone to leave with their wares.
But since it is late the traffic is slow,
So he thinks back to a few days ago
When things that comprised his daily events
Were much less complicated and intense.
Soon a young man walks toward the two doors,
Held by his grandmother whom he adores.
Puff thinks she is blind as she looks ahead,
Poised without worry, with a smile instead.
Puff ponders whether when he becomes old
He will have someone to securely hold.
The young man carries her bags from the plane
While she keeps balance with her antique cane.
Stepping on the mat, the doors open wide
As the fresh breeze empties in from outside.
Puff, realizing that now is his chance,
Scans the area with a thorough glance.
Then very quickly—like a stealth machine,
A thief in the night who cannot be seen,
Puff pivots to let security pass,
Avoiding being crushed between foot and glass.
As Puff looks out the window from inside,
He knows he cannot miss this perfect ride.
Then just as the glass doors begin to close,
Puff runs—then dives from the tips of his toes
Between the doors that nearly catch his tail,
In a tight mission with some chance to fail.
Then he pauses outside the doors, unscarred,
Crouching next to a security guard.
Puff realizes with no time to lose,
There is only one choice from which to choose.
As the security guard reaches down
To snatch Puff madly with an angry frown,
Puff jumps through his arms with no time to play,
While focused on the truck driving away.
Puff leaps toward the truck with all his might,
Landing on the bumper while holding tight.
Then he jumps to the top of the tailgate
And falls to its bed—not a second too late.
Puff watches the two with the moon on high,
Then takes a deep breath, followed by a sigh.
Chapter 3
Above the Clouds
Earlier, the tired family of three
Wait at the terminal gate anxiously
For Puff to come around the carousel,
Yet he was somewhere else—Kathy could tell.
Then Mr. Taylor asks where Puff might be
To the Manager of Security.
While waiting for him to get off the phone,