Chapter 8
Alone in the dark
It seemed as if a century has passed before the toms came out of the old car.
Everyone carried a look of worry and stress on his face, and everyone seemed to be lost about what he should do. The queens stared at the toms and sighed, while Tugger gathered Alonzo, Mungojerrie, and Plato, and together the four started discussing plans.
Demeter was gently holding the still weeping Victoria in her arms, rocking her and speaking to her lowly as if coaxing a kitten, while Cassandra and Exotica tried their best to get at least some water into Victoria. When she heard the toms coming, she stopped her sobbing, yet bit her lips to prevent more from coming out. Munkustrap bent down and stroked her head fur.
"Vicki," he gently called.
Victoria brought her face out and looked at Munkustrap through a layer of tears. Her eyes were read and swollen, and her face looked so weary and pale that it looked almost whiter than her coat.
"What did you guys come up with?" Demeter asked through a sigh.
"Well," Munkustrap shook his head. "Now we know for sure that Macavity had catnapped Misto, and we've come up with our best conjecture of the reasons through our analysis of the situation."
"Well?" Bombalurina immediately hopped over, and the other queens gathered around with their eyes wide open.
Munkustrap sighed. "Consider the fact: what would Macavity do with Misto? The last time when he catnapped Old Deuteronomy, there seemed to be a good reason, for he's the head of our tribe and without him, we'd be half lost. But if it was his intention to get Old Deuteronomy, then this time, when he tries again, why didn't he come again for Old Deuteronomy but someone else instead? And why did it have to be none other than Misto. So we can tell that it's not the ones whom he's catnapped that he wants, but instead, he wants to use them for some other motives."
"And what is that?" Bombalurina asked.
"My biggest guess is, as collaterals," said Munkustrap.
"What? Collaterals for what?" Rumpleteazer asked.
"I dare to guess, that one thing that Macavity would want, is Demeter," Munkustrap took a deep breath.
At the word of that, Demeter looked as if she was about to faint.
"What?" Bombalurina cried.
"What else would he want from us over and over?" Munkustrap sighed, "I mean, think about it! We really have nothing in this junkyard that he would want all the time, except for Demeter!"
Demeter breathed heavily and put a paw on her chest. She did not let go of Victoria, but Bombalurina had to put a paw on her to prevent her from falling back.
"But why would he take Misto?" Rumpleteazer asked, "why not someone more defenseless, like one of the kittens?"
"Because now he knows, that whomever he takes, Misto will be able to conjure back," said Munkustrap, "and if he takes Misto, none of us will be able to get him back!"
All the queens looked like their jaws were about to drop to the ground. Victoria shuddered at Munkustrap's every word, and Demeter had to hold her to keep her still.
"But how can he hold Misto?" Cassandra asked, "He has powers! He can magic himself back here or call for help with his magic or anything..."
"Not if Macavity keeps him from doing any of these," Munkustrap said.
"Um, what do you mean?" Exotica asked.
"You know that when Misto is exhausted or badly hurt, he can't have enough strength to perform much magic. Macavity can easily make that happen!" Munkustrap said, this time, with almost rage in his voice.
"WHAT?" All the queens shouted out in a chorus.
"You heard me!" Munkustrap nearly jumped, "and now you know what I mean? Knowing what Macavity can do, we better move if we want Misto back in one piece!"
Victoria stuck her fist into her mouth to prevent herself from crying out, while Demeter squeezed her arms, closed her eyes tight, and shook her head. Her ears were almost flat on her head.
"Do you have to sound so scary?" Bombalurina cried and put her arms around her sister. "You're scaring the ninth life out of everybody!"
"Munkustrap!" Munkustrap's impending reply was interrupted by a call from Coricopat and Tantomile scurrying in from outside the junkyard.
"Munkustrap, this was thrown at us while we were out circling about," said Coricopat, handing Munkustrap a stone.
"What is it?" Munkustrap asked, staring at the stone.
"There's a piece of paper attached to the bottom," Tantomile pointed, "it was thrown out of nowhere, and we looked all over to try to find who might've thrown it, but found nothing!"
Munkustrap torn the paper away from the stone, and all the queens gathered behind him and looked at that strange piece of yellow paper filled with letters in red ink.
"I'm sure that you're all perhaps frantic to what is going on at the moment. Well, no need to worry! Now, to prevent further conflicts, we will make a deal. I don't want much, but only want back what is mine, and I'm sure you're all smart enough to know what that is. I'll give you three days from now, and I think that's enough time. And then let's meet at the garbage dump outside Tattenham Court. At that time, and no later, you bring me what's mine, and I'll bring you what's yours. That is, if you want what's yours back alive!
Macavity"
Victoria stumbled twice at the note, and Demeter turned almost whiter than a ghost. Munkustrap clutched the paper in his paw, looking as if he could burn it inside his palm. The other queens gritted their teeth, while Coricopat and Tantomile looked at each other and sighed heavily.
"Just as we thought," Munkustrap uttered, "that beast!"
"Tugger!" Bombalurina called.
"What?" Tugger asked, sounding a bit irritated to be disrupted.
"Come over here! You gotta see something!" Bombalurina yelled.
Tugger huffed and strode over with Alonzo, Plato, and Mungojerrie.
"Something wrong?" Alonzo asked, sweeping his eyes across the queens and then to Munkustrap, who was sitting on the ground gray-faced.
"Look at this," Munkustrap handed the note to Alonzo, and he and Tugger both looked at it, with Plato and Mungojerrie peeking over their shoulders.
"Everlasting Cat in the Heaviside Layer!" Tugger cried as he swung the note wildly in the air. "Can he have any more fun?"
Alonzo rolled his eyes. "It looks like things are not gonna be as easy as we'd hoped."
"Well, what did you expect?" Rumpleteazer asked, "you think you can ever get easy with Macavity?"
Tugger clenched his fists and sighed, while Mungojerrie and Plato looked at each other and shook their heads.
"What are we gonna do?" Tantomile asked.
"Oh, Heaviside," Demeter held her head in her paws. "I should've known that something like this would happen sooner or later. Until he got what he wants, nothing's going to stop! Oh, why should so many suffer for my sakes?"
Munkustrap pulled Demeter into his arms and stroked her head.
"There's no way that we're sending you to that brute," said Munkustrap, "we have to think of a plan quick!"
"Like what?" Demeter cried, "you know that there's no way anyone can know where Macavity is about! Misto will be dead before you can even conceive any plan!"
"NO!" Victoria, who's been fighting to retain her self-control all this time, finally screamed out and fell to the ground. Her fist slammed on the hard surface with all their strength, and Bombalurina quickly grabbed her wrists.
"Vicki!" Bombalurina cried, "don't! Macavity's not gonna kill Misto! He needs him to get us to send Demeter! And we're gonna save him! And Munkustrap, can you stop scaring everybody? Our furs are standing on our backs enough without you saying all these kind of things!"
Victoria cried into Bombalurina's arms.
"Let's stop being so negative already!" Cassandra cried, "you guys already look like you're hopeless even before we tried anything! There's gotta be a way! No matter how big and powerful Macavity can be, he's still a cat like us!"
"We never knew he'd go this far," Plato sighed.
"We should've expected," Munkustrap sighed.
"Hey, where is Jenny and Jelly and the kittens?" Mungojerrie suddenly looked around and asked.
"Well, Jenny had to go deliver the news to Bustopher, and Jelly took the kittens to her tent with Asparagus," Rumpleteazer replied, "apparently they think the little ones shouldn't be in this."
"And Tugger, would you stand still?" Bombalurina said, "I'm dizzy enough without seeing you pacing around in circles."
Tugger halted his steps brusquely. "If that demon dares to touch a piece of hair of Misto's, I'll skin him alive!"
"I wish you could skin him alive," Alonzo sighed, and stared at Victoria on the ground, who was biting her fist hard to stop herself from crying.
"Looks like we can't get anywhere tonight," Mungojerrie said, "and all of us are too worn out to do much. Maybe we should wait till tomorrow morning, in the daylight, and after we're rested?"
The other cats glanced from one to another.
"I can't say I disagree with you," Exotica said, and couldn't help letting out a yawn. "This night is really more than enough for us. We can only handle so much at a time."
"Then, we're all going home to rest, and putting this off until tomorrow?" Demeter asked, looking at Munkustrap.
"Well, there really isn't much we can do at the moment anyway," Tugger sighed, "we're basically just sitting here and yelling at each other."
"Yeah, exactly. Wait till our brains are calmed down first," said Plato, "what's just happened is already enough to drain three fourths of our brain energies."
"Where are all the others at the moment?" Coricopat asked.
"Well, Skimble went with Jenny to St. James's Street, Asparagus and Admetus are with Jelly and the kittens, Old Deuteronomy I asked him to go home after the meeting, for you know, at his age, he really shouldn't be too much pressured, and the rest of us are all here," said Munkustrap.
"Then I guess, we'll all go home and have some rest, and meet here early in the morning?" Cassandra asked.
Munkustrap nodded firmly. "That's it for tonight. And if I can't go to sleep, I'll try to think of something."
Demeter sighed and gently poked Victoria.
"Maybe we should let Vicki stay with Jelly or Jenny for tonight," Munkustrap sighed, "No one is home at her house, and I really think it's out of the question to leave her alone in this condition."
Bombalurina and Demeter exchanged a look.
"Actually, Demeter and I can take her," said Bombalurina, "Jelly and Jenny got enough with Etcetera, Jemima, and Electra, and Jelly's also got Gus to worry about all the time. Besides, our house is bigger than the both of theirs, and we got a family room for a basement. The three of us can stay there so our humans don't even have to find out that she's there."
"You think this is a good idea?" Munkustrap asked, looking at Victoria.
"I think it's a better idea that she comes with us," said Demeter, then whispered into Munkustrap's ears. "I'll talk to her and try to calm her down."
"Well, ok then, there it is," said Munkustrap, rising slowly. "I gotta go see Jelly and Asparagus and the others. Tugger, wanna come with me?"
Tugger nodded, and took Bombalurina's paws into his.
Demeter gently pulled Victoria up from the ground, wiped her face with her paw, and put an arm around her. Munkustrap gently nudged Demeter and kissed her lips.
"Don't be too stressed, Demeter," Munkustrap ran his fingers through Demeter's head fur. "Everything will be fine. And take care of Vicki."
Demeter nodded, and passionately returned the kiss.
"Please have a good rest. You have to worry about your kittens," Munkustrap put a paw on Demeter's shoulder and stared passionately at her. His eyes were filled with unwillingness to let her go. Demeter put her paw on top of Munkustrap's, and squeezed out a small smile.
"It's ok. Don't worry. I'll be fine," she said, then turned back to Victoria, who was staring straight at the ground all this time. "Come on, let's go."
Tugger hugged Bombalurina tight and kissed her cheeks. When Bombalurina pulled away, she was nearly stunned to see what looked like unshed tears in Tugger's eyes.
"Tugger," she called gently.
Tugger caressed Bombalurina's face with his paw, and smiled. "Go on, get some sleep. I'll see you tomorrow morning and then we'll talk, ok?"
Bombalurina nodded and nudged Tugger's nose, then hurried to join Demeter and Bombalurina. Mungojerrie, Rumpleteazer, Coricopat, and Tantomile also said their good nights.
"I guess we should go, too," Alonzo looked at Cassandra and took her paw.
Munkustrap sighed. "What a hard night we've all had, and this was supposed to be such a happy event."
"And we're still not used to good things turning wrong," Tugger pulled thoughtlessly on his mane.
"Hey, don't be too hard on yourself, brother," Alonzo gently rubbed his head against Munkustrap's. "You got enough on your mind already."
"Don't remind me, Alonzo," Munkustrap heaved a big sigh. "I don't even know what I should do right now."
"We're not sending Demeter to that son of a Pollicle, that's for sure!" said Tugger.
"No way," Munkustrap said, "and we can't do anything that would scare or stress her now. She's pregnant, and I want her to keep this pregnancy."
Tugger sighed and looked around in the junkyard, as if to find something in the dark, empty night knowing that there was nothing.
"Tugger, are you ok?" Cassandra called.
"I guess..." Tugger mumbled as he rested his paws on his belt. "Oh, Bast, I can't hold this down anymore. I'm worried about Misto. I'm worried sick and it's really getting on my nerves! Bastet knows where he can be or what that Macavity can do to him..." Tugger bent down on the ground and put a paw on his forehead.
Munkustrap raised his head and stared at the half moon in the sky, then walked over to Tugger and put a paw on his shoulder.
"Come on, we gotta go see Jelly," he said.
Tugger shook his head and stood up.
"Well, guess we'll see you in a few hours then," Alonzo said.
Munkustrap and Tugger nodded.
"And if anything happens, don't hesitate to call us," said Cassandra.
"Well, good night, then," said Munkustrap.
Alonzo held Cassandra's paw and the two slowly walked out of the junkyard. Munkustrap and Tugger waited until they couldn't be seen no more, then silently headed for Jellylorum's place.
"Oh, you two, where have you been?" The moment Bombalurina and Demeter pushed Victoria under the couch in the family room down in the basement, they saw the shadow of their human walking in.
Demeter meowed and gently rubbed her back on the human's leg as she entered the dark family room, illuminated with only one lamp on the coffee table.
"I probably should've raised you two as in-door cats when you first came in," the human bent down and scratched Demeter's head. She was still young woman, in her mid-twenties but looking more like she's just gotten out of her teens. Her brunette hair was tied in a long braid behind her head, and Demeter could feel her long nails poking in her fur, with the same red nail polish that she used to paint Bombalurina's claws.
"Aurora, have the girls come back?" A deep, masculine voice was heard from upstairs.
"Yeah, Scott," Aurora stood up. "They're down here. You can stop worrying now. They've been out with their boyfriends again, and therefore returned a little late."
Bombalurina and Demeter heard a laughter from upstairs.
"You go to bed now. I'll just check and make sure they got water and everything, and I'll be right there," Aurora called, and walked toward two dishes not far in the corner.
"It probably also means, that I probably gotta get you some more flea medications soon," Aurora muttered as she walked into the bathroom and filled the water dish with fresh water. "And you got enough food here, right?"
Bombalurina meowed and rubbed Aurora's legs.
"There, there, good Scarlett," Aurora picked Bombalurina up, stroked her fur, and kissed her forehead. "You be a good girl with Melanie and go to sleep, ok? Mommy and Daddy really have to go to bed now."
Aurora kissed Demeter good night, and went back upstairs. Bombalurina and Demeter called Victoria out from underneath the couch.
"Come on, Vicki, eat something," Bombalurina pushed the food dish in front of Victoria, who was sitting still and staring blankly at the floor.
"Vicki, you'll make yourself sick if you continue like this," said Demeter as she put a paw on Victoria's shoulder. "Torturing yourself is not gonna do Misto any good. If you want to help with anything, first you need to have strength yourself."
Victoria looked at Demeter, not saying a word. Demeter felt a tighten inside her heart at the sight of Victoria's swollen eyes, pallid face, and droopy countenance.
"Vicki," Bombalurina cried, "none of us is any less upset and worried than you are, but if we all do what you're doing, we'll drive everybody and ourselves crazy! We all have to be strong to fight, which is what we need to do now!"
Two long tines of tears again slid down Victoria's cheeks.
"Vicki," Demeter pulled the small white queen into her arms and held her tight against her chest. "I know you feel terrible. I do, too, consider that it's because of me that you all must suffer. But we can't afford to collapse due to our emotional despondency at this moment, Vicki. If we want to help Misto, first we all have to stay calm and keep our cool!"
Victoria rubbed her eyes with her paws, and pulled away from Demeter.
"We have to find him," Victoria shook her lips, and trembled as words squeezed out of her mouth. "He'll do terrible things to him. I know it! We gotta get him back!"
"We will find him," Bombalurina said, "Munkustrap and Tugger and the others will all try to save him as soon as possible. We've got to keep our hope!"
"He wants to kill him..." Victoria whimpered a bit higher than a whisper.
"No, Vicki, Macavity is not gonna kill Misto!" Bombalurina cried, "first of all, he has no reason to. Second, he needs him for Demeter. If he's dead, then what is he gonna use to get Demeter?"
"Bombalurina!" Demeter threw Bombalurina a warning look, and put a paw on Victoria's shoulder.
"Vicki, for now, it's not use sitting here crying and brooding. Everything has to wait until morning, and we'll think of something. You need to rest and quiet your mind, ok?" Demeter said gently. "Let's go to sleep now."
"Yeah, I'm sure we're all tired," said Bombalurina.
Victoria looked at Demeter and Bombalurina teary-eyed, and slowly nodded.
"Demeter and I will sleep in our beds as usual, and you can sleep any where you want. Just don't go upstairs," Bombalurina indicated, and walked toward a cat bed in front of the couch. "Anyway, we're all worn out after such an exciting night. Though I'd much prefer going out at night and sleep during the day, but nights like this are just too much to bear. So, good night, I guess?"
"Try to get some sleep, Vicki," said Demeter, "don't distress yourself too much. You gotta be strong for Misto."
Victoria slowly climbed onto the couch as Demeter went into her bed.
"See you at sunrise, Vicki," Demeter yawned and turned off the lamp.
However, Victoria stayed awake even when Demeter and Bombalurina had both sunk into deep sleep. She sat up on the couch, and from the small window above her head, she could see the half moon in the dark sky. There were no stars, just the moon all by itself. She blinked her eyes and chased away what bit of sleepiness she had had, and jumped up to the narrow windowsill. How still was the night, and how peaceful was everything around her. Other than her mind, everything else seemed to be as tranquil and silent as it could be. Victoria sniffled a bit and gazed at the moon, in her mind, she could hear a voice.
"...Everyday under my eyes, you grow ever more beautiful. And when you're dancing, you look like a dove, an angel, a white belle..."
"...My heart will always be with you, even when my body isn't. When you're not with me, I'll always be able to feel you. I'll be able to find you wherever you are..."
"Misto..." Victoria whispered; her eyes were again welled with tears. The moon in the sky slowly became blurry in her eyes, and she had to bite her lower lips to restrain herself from sobbing out loud.
"Misto, where are you?" she cried out loud inside her heart. She wished she could scream it out, and make the whole world answer that desperate question. Victoria felt her heart tremble as her lover's name resounded in her head over and over. She could no longer sit still, feeling as if her stomach was filled with hundreds of butterflies. She jumped off the windowsill and sat back down on the couch, but felt as though she was sitting on top of thousands of tacks and needles. Moonlight came in through the window and shone on her small white form, almost blending her completely into its silver white luminance. Victoria took another glance at the moon, and finally, hopped down onto the floor.
"I have to go find him," she heard herself say as she looked at the moonlight surrounding her. She took a peek outside the small window just a bit above ground; the streets outside were empty, with nothing but the shadows of the trees moving now and then. She hesitated for a few seconds, and then finally made up her mind.
"I must find him..." the voice repeated itself in her mind as she looked over toward Bombalurina and Demeter. The two queens were sound asleep and were obviously not a bit aware of her movements. Victoria moved stealthily across the floor, and with the moonlight in the room, she didn't have much difficulty finding her way to the stairs. The whole house was quiet as she slowly ascended, and Victoria cautiously looking around her as she made her every move. She remembered the way which Demeter and Bombalurina took to sneak her into the house, and taking advantage of her soft padded paws, took a short run to the back door behind the living room. She looked quickly behind her, and then carefully pushed her body underneath the leather cat flap. In one quick step, she was out the door.
Just the process of getting from the basement to the cat flap seemed to her almost like an odyssey. The chilly breeze welcomed her as the moment her paws landed on the cold concrete doorsteps. Victoria instinctively shivered a bit as she looked ahead. Nothing moving could be seen, and no sound could be heard but the rustling of the leaves and the occasional chirping of the crickets. Victoria moved her feet across the damp lawn, and darkness surrounded her regardless of the moon above her head. She skipped hurriedly onto the road, using the best night vision she could get to try to find her way. She didn't know where she was, but she didn't care. In her mind, there was only one way that she needed to find. With the moonlight helping to light her way, Victoria quickly ran across the empty road. In a few minutes, she was standing in front of the small forest which separated that neighborhood from some place where she didn't know.
Victoria took a deep breath and closed her eyes, hoping that her instincts and feelings would guide her. She uttered Mistoffelees's name, calling for her lover to lead her way, to overcome her fears with hope. She sniffed the ground in front of her, and a feeling coming from somewhere she didn't even know propelled her to move on. She didn't know what was making her take the direction that she decided to take, but that feeling that she had somehow sensed with her sub consciousness was now encouraging her to go further. One step at a time, her small white paws moved on the muddy ground as she entered the dark forest. The silence and the darkness made her heart pound heavily with tension and fear, and she had only one thing to help her go quicker and deeper, alone in the dark...