A silent presence slid into the junkyard, unseen. Deep inside the rubbish, he watched the feline shapes move to silent music in the moonlight. A tear dropped onto his paw. He glanced at the dark sky, wondering if it was raining, before noticing it had come from his own eyes. Hurriedly, he brushed away any lingering tears with a red-furred paw. He lifted his gaze back to the dancers. She looked so happy-could she have forgotten him?
He stepped out of the hiding spot. Scanning the angry, frightened faces for someone who would understand, all he saw were glaring eyes, flattened ears, slashing tails…
There she was. A black and gold queen--Demeter. Their eyes locked. She turned away, curling her lips into a hiss and shrieking his name.
“MACAVITY!”
The cry ripped through the night. He reached out, silently pleading with her to comprehend. A red queen placed an arm around Demeter’s shoulders. Then they slipped away through the junk. His sunken eyes watched them go.
A silver tabby drew himself up in front of him, threatening.
“Go.” Munkustrap spat the single word with anger and disgust.
He shook his head. “Where is she?”
“She is not yours.”
“Nor yours.”
“Demeter and I are mated.”
The word was like a slap in his face. A wave of nausea immobilized him for a moment. He recovered enough to choke out, “I have to talk to her.”
“I cannot and will not allow it.”
“Damn you, Munkustrap! I need to see her!” He felt the tears threatening start again.
“No.”
He spun away angrily, hissing. “Then pay.” He threw back his head insanely, his wild laughter filling the junkyard. He beckoned to the shadows. Three enormous black cats slipped out and threw a net over Old Deuteronomy, who raised his ancient paws and blinked in surprise. The henchcats scuttled off again, now with the jellicle leader in tow.
The rest of the cats were too surprised to do anything. For good measure, he threw a spell over them, retreated into the debris…and waited…
Soon, the cats began reviving. Two queens, one black and gold, one red, took center stage and began telling his tale. Demeter and Bombalurina. He watched, hoping they would convince the others to understand his story. But, no. The song was merely a recital of his flaws, past misdeeds and crimes. He watched the dance hungrily, taking in every curve of Demeter’s body as she danced. Her smooth mezzo-soprano voice blended with Bombalurina’s smoky alto. He was being torn between two emotions. Deep sadness and rage.
At the same time, there was a flicker of happiness in his deranged mind, knowing that he was now in possession of the jellicle leader.
The song finished with the younger queens joining in the chorus. He gripped one arm tightly with his claws, unaware of the blood dripping from 4 neat punctured holes.
The dancers sat back down, and he watched as Munkustrap nuzzled Demeter. She returned the affection, ruffling a paw through the fur at his throat. That was more than he could take. He growled softly as the nausea began again. He retched dryly into a cardboard box lying next to him.
The large red cat climbed out from his hiding place and stalked over to Munkustrap and Demeter. “Deme…” He began, not sure of what to say.
The fur rose on Munkustrap’s back and his claws came out. “If you hurt her, by the Everlasting Cat I’ll…”
Ignoring the silver tabby, he took Demeter’s paw in his own. She gasped, expecting him to scratch her, then let out her breath, feeling his light touch.
“Demeter, please…”
“Macavity, I told you time and time again that I am not yours..” She was plainly terrified, though trying to seem brave. Macavity gripped her paw tightly, biting the inside of his lip. She squirmed, casting a look at Munkustrap over her shoulder.
“Deme, I want you back with me. We can be together again, happy…”
Demeter’s eyes blazed as she glared at him. “Happy? You say we were happy? I was just a slave, a toy for you to use, and then abandon. You killed my family. You took what you wanted from me and were gone. You let your…your “henchcats” rape me! I told you, and you just laughed in my face. Macavity, I will never go with you. Ever. And that’s final. I love Munkustrap now.”
“You don’t understand. How far do I have to go? Tell me what I have to say! Please, Deme,”
Demeter interrupted him. “There is nothing you can do, Macavity. I love Munkustrap…”
“But…”
She cut him off with a firm wave of her paw. “No. Just leave me alone. I. Don’t. Love. You.”
He recoiled. “Fine. I’ll never bother you again, Deme, I promise.” He let go of her paw and half turned away, then swung his body around again and dropped a swift kiss on her lips. She wiped her mouth with the back of her paw and spat onto the ground. Her golden-green eyes glared at Macavity. Startled and hurt, he took off for the edge of the junkyard, scrambling back up over the trunk of the car, “MACAVITY!” still echoing in his ears.
Even the Napoleon of Crime had a heart. And right now, that heart was hurting him.
Without someone to love, who was he? Just a criminal. Bad. Cruel. Evil. There was no hope for him, no reason to live. Who cared for him? No one. He was alone.
He grabbed the wires hanging above the car and brought them together over his head. As the current charged through his body, his lips tried to form the words. “Demeter…Now and forever…I’ll always love you.” Eventually, his limp body slipped off the back of the car.
The sparks and crackling of the electricity attracted the attention of the jellicles. They watched numbly as the Mystery Cat electrocuted himself. Demeter cuddled Munkustrap.
Finally Munkustrap spoke. “We can’t just leave him lying there…” Alonzo and Skimbleshanks nodded and silently followed him to where the red-furred body was. But when they peered over the car trunk, there was no sign of anyone.
The toms turned and padded back to the waiting group. Munkustrap shook his head. “We couldn’t see him.” Suddenly, Jemima stood up and caught something floating from the sky.
It was a clump of soft red fur.
As a single voice, the cats whispered,
“Macavity’s not there!”
