The Aftermath
Chapter One
In Which Munkustrap Almost Forgets the Jellicle Ball
There is a rubbish dump in an isolated corner of London, hidden deep in the framework, twisted a bit inside alleyways, where the Jellicle community gathers to socialize, work, and play, which never ceases to be noisy. But tonight was the loudest night of the year – for humans, anyway, for Jellicle Cats eagerly anticipate its coming – the Jellicle Ball. It had been one year since Grizabella, the Glamour Cat, had walked up the staircase to Heaviside, and she was now, somewhere, among them in another form. She had been a dilapidated old thing, with a coarse, torn coat, thin, knobby legs, a kinked tail, and half an ear missing. Maybe, now in her new life, she was beautiful, as she had been for much of her first.
Our story begins exactly one half-mile away from the Junkyard, in a little house belonging to a family of four humans. This is the home of Munkustrap. His first name, Stripes, was given to him by his human boy and girl, Peter and Rory. Peter is seven and Rory is eleven. There is a Pollicle Dog in the household as well, and his name is Spot. Munkustrap, who dislikes Spot with a passion, never spends much time around the home, but this morning he had decided to sleep in.
He awoke to the Pollicle's ear-splitting barking, and exasperated, meandered outside, past the kitchen, where the family was already eating breakfast, past the miniature aquarium in the hall, in which swam delicious morsels, out the Cat door, and past Spot, still yelping in the yard. Why did he have to be up so early on a dull morning such as this one? Such an ordinary day should be slept through –
Wait.
Something told Munku that today wasn't an ordinary day. What day was it then? 'Twas not Tuesday…nor Friday…he shrugged it off and began to make his way toward Demeter's house. Surely, she'd know what day it was.
Demeter lived across the street and four houses down, so it didn't take very long for Munku to reach his destination. When he reached the home of his mate, he found her resting in the yard.
"How are you feeling, Deme?" Munku inquired, motioning to her stomach.
"I hurt so badly. I could swear they're having a fight in there."
"But it's not time?"
"No, Munku, it's not time." She crinkled her nose in pain. "One of them kicked me."
"I'll stay right here with you. Maybe it'll be time later."
"No, not tonight…I don't want it to be tonight."
There it was again – that funny feeling in Munkustrap's stomach that told him today wasn't an ordinary day. Why wouldn't Deme want the kittens to come tonight? Must be something important…he remembered! The Jellicle Ball was tonight!
"Deme, I know this will sound pathetic, but I forgot about the Ball, and - "
"YOU FORGOT ABOUT THE BALL? HOW COULD YOU?"
"I know it's odd, Demeter, but Old Deuteronomy asked me to meet him at the Junkyard, and I have to go!"
"All right. I love you. Don't get yourself hurt because you're in a hurry."
"I won't." He nuzzled her and bounded off towards the Junkyard.