The Cat Snatchers! - Colin MacIntyre - Bog

Professor Douglas Sinclair, a particle physicist, is thrown into another world when his experimental dark energy facility on the Isle of Mull explodes. The blast generates ripples in the space-time continuum over the Scottish Highlands, which persist in the form of aftershocks. Several days later, Andrew MacKenzie (a boy who lives on the west coast of Scotland) is walking through a pine forest, when he is confronted by a wolf. Just then, a ripple in space-time passes through them, causing their minds to interact on a quantum level. They are amazed when they find that they can read each other's thoughts. Meanwhile, several cats have gone missing in the district. Andrew and his friends decide to investigate. They are shocked when they discover who is behind the disappearance of the cats and why. This is a thrilling fantasy adventure involving a desperate struggle between the children and a secret occult organization called the Inner Circle, and culminates in a mighty clash between ancient and deadly supernatural powers.- - - -EXCERPT FROM BOOK.'All of a sudden, they heard a hissing noise in the chimney. Wheeling round, they saw a huge claw-like hand and long arm emerging from the fireplace. Grabbing hold of the Plaid, the hand proceeded to carry it up the chimney. With a great leap, Grey Wolf sank his teeth into the hand. A piercing scream of pain echoed down the chimney and the clawed hand's grip relaxed just enough to allow the Plaid to unroll. Nevertheless, the hand managed to maintain a firm grip on one end of the Plaid and started to drag it up the chimney. 'As soon as Andrew saw the unrolled Plaid, he grabbed hold of the free end and started to pull on it with all his might. Quickly, Grey Wolf struggled to his feet and ran to assist Andrew. Clamping his teeth into the fabric, he started to pull on it alongside his friend. So began a desperate tug-of-war. One minute, Andrew and the wolf would be dragged up the chimney; the next, they would manage to get sufficient purchase on the inner walls of the chimney breast to yank and drag the Plaid down the chimney and back into the room. Then, the clawed hand would give it another almighty pull, and they would be dragged up the chimney once again. Back and forth they went. Four times the Plaid got dragged up the chimney, and four times Andrew and the wolf dragged it back down again. 'Then, to their amazement, the Plaid turned jet black and was filled with tens of thousands of stars and galaxies. All the violent pulling had activated it!'