Thirteen
That night in the Jellicle junkyard, everything was still. Jemima sat on the top most junkpiles, looking around the yard, smiling wistfully to herself. She could see her beloved walking towards her, and behind him she could see Demeter, Bombalurina and their two beloved watching Alonzo get closer to her. He was hopping up the junkpiles when she saw another sight, and she screamed...
Jemima sat bolt upright on the chaise lounge.
"Jemi!" Demi was there with Mary next to her in a instant. "What is it, what did you see?" She questioned, and Mary pulled her away gently.
"Shh, let her recover," she murmured, and Demi sat back up in her chair.
"Now Jemi, relax," Mary soothed, and Jemi felt herself slipping back...
The mayhem enveloped her immediately. 'Where did Alonzo go?' She wondered. She could hear caterwauling of fighting cats, saw the silver tabby fly past her, tackling a Pollicle. There was the lion maned cat in the corner...she suddenly saw her sister sheltering behind him, with her other sister hiding a kitten behind her...'Electra,' she breathed,running towards them, then the scream, "No!" as something knocked her down, and her breath was knocked out of her...and then the blackness swooped in..."
"No!" She sat bolt upright, and blinked as reality hit her.
"There there," Mary pacified her. "Take it easy, its ok," she soothed, and Jemi staggered to her feet, overwhelmed. "Where, where am I?" She whispered, and Demi stood up to take her little sister in her arms. "It's ok Jemi, it was just a bad dream."
"But it was so real...you were there, and Bomi too. But you were reversed. Bomi was flame red, and you were...blonde..."
Demi blinked and fingered her red hair. "You sure?"
"I'm sure, Demi. You were in the corner with Tugger...and...Munkustrap," she whispered.
Demi blinked again. "Who and who?"
Jemi shook her head. "It doesn't matter. We were all there. There was a big fight, and..." she sobbed and sank down onto a chair, covering her eyes. Mary was watched them intently, then patted Demi.
"Care to take your turn, while your sister recovers?" She asked gently, and Demi, not really wanting to leave Jemi, but wanting to see what her sister had seen, nodded, and walked to the chaise lounge.
'I couldn't steal you away, Demeter,' whispered the soft voice. 'You belong to my brother, and I couldn't take you from him having seen how much he adores you.'
'Alonzo,' she heard herself whisper, ' I know you mean well. We'll always have something special. Be my protector, should Macavity come near.'
'I promise I will be there to get you out of danger. Me and Munkustrap, we'll be there for you. And so will Tugger,' she heard him whisper back, and she felt a warmth spread through her as he kissed her forehead and let her go.
She watched him wander over to where Jemima was, and she smiled...and then Munkustrap and Tugger were there...and Bombularina and Electra...and then she heard the snarl and felt someone pulling her...
"Demi! Demi, wake up!" Jemi was practically screaming at her sister as Demi too, sat up with a start.
"What, what...where am I? Where's Alonzo?" Demi screamed, and fell back against the lounger. Mary was there too, murmuring something, and Demi snapped back into her trance.
There was someone in the corner with her, she realised, and felt a warm paw touch hers. She looked into the kind comforting face of Tugger, and snuggled against the tom cat for protection. She watched from the corner, saw Munkustrap fighting the Pollicle, She looked across, and there was Bombularina sheltering her kitten, Electra...her paws to her mouth as she watched Munkustrap...and then the blow Munkustrap received made them all scream in unison, as the silver tabby fell back, a scar across his eye, as the Pollicle began to rain down blows...Alonzo was in front of them...fighting the Pollicle...and Jemima, was on the junkpiles, she was coming down to the ground when something orange attacked her...another scream rang out, high pitched, it echoed off the walls...
Demi came round suddenly, and saw Mary's face again, more concerned this time. She felt everything at once pile down on her. Jemi was there still, her face white as a sheet, looking at Demi.
"You saw it, didn't you?" she whispered, and all Demi could do was nod, as she fought to regain her breath.
They had taken a wrong turn somewhere around the middle of town, and it made them late for the appointment Mike had been forced to book. When she had heard his full name the woman on the other end of the phone had been strangely accommodating, and had managed to find a last minute cancellation that same day. He hoped they wouldn't be too late to see her, and as they reached the building, Adam jumped from the car and ran across the road before Mike had even had a chance to park properly.
When Mike finally made it to the other side of the road, Adam already had the door open and was waiting for him. Together the two of them charged up the stairs and pushed open the consultant's door...to walk in on Demi holding Jemi in her arms, and Dr Haynes sitting in bewilderment behind them.