In their thirties, Michael and Michelle Martin symbolize average couples living in equally average homes and towns throughout the United States. But average doesn’t exactly describe them.
The letter M, revered in the small town of Marietta in Morton County, is part of the town’s annual spring festival. An event residents look forward to after a harsh winter. A few years ago Michael and Michelle won the title of M & M couple. They won for several reasons. The judges took into consideration their names and especially their jobs, Michael works for the Marietta Gazette and Michelle the Morton County Bank. Other factors include their dog, a Labrador named Mike and hilltop home located on Maple Street near Mayflower Place. After approaching the five year residency requirement the whole town expected them to win the prestigious title hands down. Since then, with delayed plans for parenthood, life has been perfect. Two incomes allow them to travel, socialize and engage in leisure activities without a care in the world. That is until fate, with the aid of a mystical force, decides to intervene.
A clear June morning greets Michael and Michelle in the usual manner. The bedroom window facing east wakes them with sunlight and chirping birds. Even when it’s cloudy the light of day is enough to rouse them. Michael hates alarm clocks, considering the harsh sound a barbaric way to wake up.
“You might as well strike a frying pan with a rolling pin.” He used to say.
Repeating a years old pattern, they move with precision from bedroom to bathroom, kitchen and eventually separate cars. The local paper is in one end of town and the bank on the other. After years of traveling the same curving road down to town, Michelle is capable of driving to the bank blindfolded, as she often boasts to co-workers. This morning, halfway through the twelve-mile commute, something causes her to slow down and pull off the road. After stopping, she leans forward and gazes over the steering wheel at what seems to be a ball of fur. The gold color against green grass revealed its presence from a distance. Curiosity forced her to stop. She exits the vehicle wondering what’s ahead and walks slowly with eyes fixed on the gold form. From about ten feet away she realizes it’s a cat rolled up in a ball with eyes closed. Wondering if it’s dead or hurt, she moves with care uttering,
“Here kitty, here kitty…come on wake up kitty.”
The ball of fur stirs, first a paw then another. Moving its head, the feline stares at her with large moist eyes. The animal seems stunned, probably sideswiped by a car, she thinks. Lowering her body, she stretches her right hand taking every precaution not to frighten the animal. Stroking the soft gold fur gently, she speaks softly.
“Poor thing, somebody must be looking for you.”
The animal responds by lowering its head. Carefully maneuvering her hands around the cat she feels no resistance and notices it’s an average size female not yet mature. Lifting it up, she cradles the friendly animal and carries it to her car. The cat seems to be at ease inside the vehicle, giving the impression it’s accustomed to riding in a car. As she pulls into the road and begins speeding towards town, she occasionally glances at the cat curled up on the seat next to her. Strange, she thinks, the cat behaves as if nothing happened.
Inside the bank, co-workers gather around her and ask the usual when, where questions before adding, “Are you gonna keep it?”
The query forces Michelle to search for an answer.
“I never thought of that and wouldn’t mind keeping her but the cat’s obviously somebody’s pet. I’ll ask Michael to place an ad in the lost and found section of the Gazette and if nobody claims her then we’ll discuss keeping her.”
An elderly woman in the back is moved by her remark and inquires,
“Discuss, by that you mean if Michael approves?”
Surprised by the question, Michelle hesitates for a moment before answering.
“Sure, that’s what we do before deciding anything. Why you ask?”
“Pardon my abruptness but if you decide not to keep her, I wouldn’t mind taking the cat.”
Michelle notices how the word it, used to describe the animal, transformed into cat or her. She liked that and with emotions aroused, considers keeping the cat if nobody claims her. Turning towards the elder woman waiting anxiously for a response, she adds,
“Let’s see what the ad turns up.”
Throughout the discussion the cat’s eyes focused on each person in the room. Those making eye contact suddenly felt a strong urge to keep her. Within seconds the room’s full of women quibbling as to who will inherit the cat in the event Michelle doesn’t want it.
Under “Found Feline” the ad includes a photo of “adorable gold cat”, as posted by Michelle. Her dog Mike was never introduced and kept out of the house while the cat lounged inside. Since there was doubt as to the cat’s future Michelle thought it was better this way.
A week goes by with no response to the ad. Michelle confronts Michael with the possibility of having a cat around the house. His reaction was expected.
“No way, remember when you convinced me to get a dog…what did I say then?”
Michelle remembers only too well but is determined to beg if necessary. Her sudden emotional attachment to the “poor cute thing” as she refers to the cat, is too strong to ignore. She begins her request with a long speech designed to convince or simply tire him into submission. The rhetoric includes “it’s only a tiny animal” and “it’ll be less trouble than Mike.” Michael parries with the possibility of allergies, smells and Mike killing the cat.
After about an hour of discussion, they arrive at a mutual decision that includes Michael’s final statement.
“If I begin to sneeze, smell cat pee or catch her clawing our furniture, she’s outta here!”
Michelle reluctantly agrees to his terms but hopes the cat eventually gains his love.
During the sometimes loud discussion the cat sat staring with its head tilted to the right and tail moving right and left.
Two weeks pass with no response. Michael decides to pull the ad and remarks,
“If you ask me the cat jumped or was tossed out of a passing car, probably by someone from another town.”
Elated, Michelle decides to name the animal. “Honey what do you think of Maude?”
Fidgeting with the batteries of a remote, he looks up with a smirk.
“Maude, Schmaude, what difference does it make? You’re obsessed with that animal.”
The response is not like him, she thinks. Backing off, she mulls on how the cat’s presence altered his temper and overall attitude towards her. Her thinking is interrupted by the cat suddenly appearing in front of her. After a couple of meow’s and cute gaze, Michelle mumbles, “How can Michael not love her, she’s perfect. Oh well someday he’ll come around and end up sleeping on the couch with her.”
A month has passed since Maude’s arrival. Michael’s normal easy going nature seems to have vanished. The man next to her in bed is now a stranger. His strange behavior scares her sometimes. Lovemaking transformed into animal like rituals. Foreplay’s replaced by pounce and run or as is known locally, slam-bang-thank-you-maam, leaving her feeling frustrated. After confronting him several times she receives the same response.
“It’s that freaking cat. She sneaks up on me and just stares and if I try to shoo her away she makes this strange sound as if trying to talk, weird. She’s getting on my nerves.”
Nearing summer’s end, Maude became ruler of the house. Michelle notices Mike seems to be avoiding Maude. Whenever he treks into the house and sees the cat, he makes an abrupt turn in the opposite direction. She finds it odd but prefers it that way. Michael also tries to ignore Maude but the cat repeatedly gets in his way, as if challenging him for some reason.
The feline eventually establishes a pattern of behavior. One includes waltzing into their room in the middle of the night with purring sounds that echo off the walls and into Michael’s ears, forcing him to sit up disoriented. Unaware of the cat’s part in his dilemma he confronts Michelle every morning with the same tirade.
“I don’t know what the hell’s going on but ever since that cat came into this house I can’t get a good night’s sleep. It’s affecting my nerves and ability to function at the office.”
Michelle, as usual, defends Maude with the same reply.
“Oh come on, you blame everything on the cat. Go see a doctor and stop whining, who knows it may be something you ate.”
Unknown to them, Maude’s in a corner observing and listening with a peculiar gleam in her eyes.
Anxiously awaited by many, autumn arrives with a final display of beauty. Leaves of every color decorate the landscape as Michael stares somberly out a window. Since late summer the doctor has been treating him for depression complicated by occasional outbursts of anger towards the cat. Michelle could just as easily gotten rid of the animal but repeatedly defends her belief Maude’s simply an innocent pet singled out by Michael to cover his shortcomings. Her stubbornness has caused a drastic change in their lives, personally as well as economically. She continues to work full time while he sometimes works two or three days a week. His employer has been more than patient with him but that’s beginning to unravel.
Mike is scared to death of the cat and with good reason. Animals have a way of seeing what humans can’t and what Mike sees could frighten the bravest person. Maude doesn’t have to do anything different. One penetrating stare is all that’s necessary to send Mike running for cover. Michelle finds this amusing and often comments,
“Silly dog, afraid of a little kitty.”
As Michael’s condition worsens, Michelle decides to call his brother Paul. Upon learning of the crisis, Paul drives six hours to his brother’s house.
Sitting by his side, Paul has trouble understanding his brother’s sometimes rambling account and Michelle’s interruptions whenever the cat’s mentioned. Exhausted from the long drive, Paul decides to rest before attempting to make sense of the situation. Michelle prepares the guest room and soon Paul’s in bed running scenarios in his head.
“Michelle says all medical tests came back with perfect results and the shrink failed to find any loose screws so what the hell’s wrong with him?”
Staring into darkness he receives no answers but does hear the purring of a cat somewhere in the room. Ignoring the sound, he curls up and is soon snoring.
Early the next day, Paul wakes with symptoms of a major hangover and while sitting in the kitchen, describes it to Michelle.
“I feel exactly the way I did the day after that huge New Years day bash. You remember that night? I got so wasted I even danced and you know how I hate making a fool of myself. The long drive yesterday must have done me in. Give me a strong cup of coffee that should work.”
While waiting for the hot brew, Paul notices the cat staring at him from a corner of the room. A cat lover since he was a kid, he lowers his head and calls the golden furry form. The animal doesn’t budge and continues to stare. He finds it strange there’s no reaction and decides to move towards the cat. Rising slowly from the chair he notices the animal transforming from a simple house cat into that of a ferocious predator. Returning to his seat surprised and confused, he wonders why he’s never seen a domesticated cat do that before.
A loud “Whoa” forces Michelle to turn around.
“What’s going on?”
“Did you see the look on that cat?”
Turning her attention towards a docile looking Maude, she replies,
“Look? What look?”
Paul blinks repeatedly to make sure he’s looking at the same animal presently calmly licking its paws.
“I’ll be damned. Don’t tell me this hangover’s making me see things.”
Michelle couldn’t wait to reply with a facetious tone.
“Okay, if you insist, I’m not gonna tell you.”
The small incident creates a rush of laughter. Paul however is concerned but prefers not to push the issue. After all, he thinks, nobody will believe a pet is capable of becoming a wild beast, especially Michelle who refuses any suggestion of getting rid of the cat.
Later that afternoon, after speaking to his brother without Michelle’s presence, he gathers enough information to make a rough estimate of what he plans to do next.
In the solace of his room he mentally goes over everything he’s learned so far.
“The one thing that stands out is how everything started after the cat arrived. Further, the cat seems to antagonize Michael and is all he mentions. It’s not an allergic reaction the tests proved that and the psychologist eliminated a phobia related condition, weird.”
Staring out a window he notices the dog outside and recalls Michelle’s jokes about Mike’s fear of the cat.
“That’s another piece of the puzzle. How’s it possible that a nearly eighty pound animal backs away at the mere sight of a small cat? I’ve heard this type of dog is capable of going head to head with a bear. Dam, it just doesn’t make sense.”
Paul spends the rest of the week talking to friends, neighbors and co-workers of Michael. Since people tend to form their own opinions on any subject the encounters prove valuable and humorous. One elderly gentleman suggests Michael’s possessed by a spirit and another mentions early menopause. The cures offered are equally outlandish. One thing does cause interest. It’s the suggestion of finding the cat’s previous owner. Talk about a needle in a haystack but worth looking into, Paul thought.
After embarking on the quest he quickly realizes the needle would have been easier, but after a few clues and some dumb luck he’s able to zero in on a possible target.
The couple standing before him with a haggard appearance resembling survivors of a catastrophic event looks much older.
They found the cat on the side of the road and soon after the strange behavior began. The wife, similar to Michelle, became attached and obsessed with the cat and defended it vigorously until a visiting acquaintance familiar with Egyptian mythology immediately got rid of the cat.
“How many needles to I have to find before this is over?” Paul mulls as he pores over the internet searching for what he doesn’t really know. One name continuously appears, Bastet. Protector of all cats, Bastet was revered by Egyptians and capable of transforming into a woman and considered one of the forces of nature. On learning this, Paul squirms, shakes his head and places his hands together as if about to pray.
“What in the world am I getting involved in? This can’t be true, it’s something Egyptians believed in thousands of years ago and most likely passed from generation to generation with some exaggeration.”
Soon after, visions of a visiting friend familiar with Egyptian folklore flashes before him. Excited, he fails to notice the cat peering into the room. A strange sensation suddenly envelops his body and paralyzes him momentarily. Attempting to stand he moans,
“Crap, what now? My whole body’s numb.”
After five seemingly eternal minutes he returns to normal unaware a connection between man and beast has taken place. As the cat strolls past the door purring with satisfaction, Paul swears he saw the shadow of a woman.
Returning to the previous cat owner’s home, he’s given the name and address of the man responsible for their escape from disaster. Wasting no time, Paul travels a short distance to one of many hilltop homes isolated from the town by curving roads and sheer altitude.
The elder man’s name is Amenophis, an Egyptian name once belonging to a Pharaoh. The tanned wrinkled form facing Paul forces a smile and before allowing him to enter, returns to a stoic expression. After the formalities, they stroll into the living room. Paul chooses a stuffed chair facing a small couch occupied by Amenophis. Paul wastes no time in going straight to the reason for his visit. Amenophis listens attentively with occasional up and down movements of his head. After his declaration, they sit in silence absorbing something so mystical it goes beyond reason. A polite cough from the elder gentleman signals his readiness to deliver a possible solution or so Paul believes.
“From what you told me, getting rid of the animal’s not going to be easy, not by you anyway.”
Perplexed, Paul’s eyes bulge with curiosity.
“Why not, I’ll just go in, grab the little sucker by the neck and dump it somewhere.”
Shaking his head with the familiar almost invisible smile, Amenophis informs him it’s not as easy as it sounds. With reference to Paul’s temporary paralysis, he mentions the beast has already penetrated his soul, making him an easy victim for Bastet’s plans of manipulation.
As confused as he’s ever been, Paul suddenly stands up wide eyed. The words soul, victim and a mythological being named Bastet are enough to cause panic. Staring at the old man he moans,
“Holy crap, what in the world have I gotten myself into now?”
Paul’s been in a whole lot of things but this one takes the prize. As a kid his mother told him if he didn’t control his curiosity it was bound to get him into big trouble and she always emphasized big. This was it, he thought and almost unconsciously blurts,
“Can you help me?”
Shifting his posture on the couch the old man squints lifts his right hand and points at the ceiling before announcing,
“If you follow my words your brother and his wife may be set free but one mistake on your part could create a disaster.”
Feeling helpless, Paul looks down at his mentor and pleads,
“Just tell me what to do. I’ll do anything you say.”
Thinking the visit was going to take less than an hour, he arrived in the morning but as evening descends, Paul’s still trying to make sense of Amenophis’ teachings. The words he referred to turned into a course in mythology and then some, information supposedly necessary to understand what he was up against.
As he spoke, Paul repeated in his mind “How’s a person supposed to confront a shadow let alone dominate it.”
The part about Bastet turning into a beautiful woman intrigues him until Amenophis mentions the down side.
“And don’t get too comfortable with the sex thing, keep in mind it’s an illusion. Get too close and you’re liable to lose your genitals.”
“What a way to end a relationship.” He mumbles.
Apparently disturbed by his response the Egyptian offers a somber stare before continuing.
Late in the evening Paul receives an offer to spend the night until he’s able to make other arrangements. The old man suggests not returning to his brother’s home until it’s safe to do so. The plan’s simple. Amenophis will visit the cat’s lair at a specific time of day and remove it by placing a ceremonial veil over its head. The cloak’s supposed to render the animal helpless until it can be relocated to an open area to wait the sun’s highest point, an occurrence capable of sending Bastet to another place in time. He adds Michelle interrupted the neutralizing ritual when she picked up the animal. This time the old man plans to use a more desolate location in order for the rite to work. After learning this, an anxious Paul breathes a sigh of relief knowing everything will soon return to normal.
The next day, according to the old man’s instructions, Paul calls Michelle. He’s to make her believe Amenophis is an expert in nervous conditions such as Michael’s.
“And once inside I’ll ask her to bring the cat into Michael’s room and leave us for a few minutes, the rest is easy.” Amenophis adds.
As Amenophis strolls to the house with a small duffle bag, the dog approaches, sniffs his pants leg and retreats with head bowed. From a window, Michelle witnesses the old man’s arrival and mumbles,
“Some guard dog, I wonder what he’ll do when a real nut arrives.”
As planned, the old man proceeds into Michael’s room with Michelle and the cat moving quietly behind him. After placing the cat on a chair she leaves and closes the door. The animal seems relaxed, as if enjoying the presence of two men but the moment Amenophis opens the bag and produces a silk embroidered cloth the cat shrinks back with glaring eyes and hissing sounds. Before she’s able to pounce, the delicate material floats down on her.
Michael watches in amazement as the cat freezes into the form of a statue often seen in Egyptian history books. Wrapping the fabric around the statue, the old man stuffs it into the bag and places a finger over his lips. Understanding, Michael speaks as never before.
“Don’t worry, Michelle will never know. I’m already feeling better and can’t thank you enough.”
“No time for formalities, I need to leave quickly. There’s no time to lose.”
Amenophis replies as he leaves the room.
Rushing past Michelle he mentions a late appointment in another county. Michelle offers a quick thank you, shakes her head and moves towards Michael’s room. She finds him shaving in the bathroom, something he hasn’t done in a week and most surprising, humming a tune. The transformation amazes her.
“Goodness, what did he do, inject you with some secret formula?”
“Better than that, come on get dressed we’re going into town for dinner.”
With no mention of the cat, they proceed as if nothing strange ever occurred.
Returning home, Amenophis assures Paul it’s okay to go back to his brother, but Paul remains curious.
“What you do with the cat?”
“It’s sometimes best not to know certain things in life, this, my friend is one of those times.”
Recalling his mother’s advice Paul simply nods in agreement.
Arriving at his brother’s home the feeling and friendly actions of the dog is enough to convince him the curse is gone. Inside he finds a different Michelle and Michael. The joyful interaction between the two is remarkable he thought and most striking, there’s no mention of the feline.
“Heck if they never talk about that weird cat, I sure as hell will not.”
Unaware of what lurks in the distance, a mundane existence returns to Morton County. About thirty miles away a furry form lies on the side of the road waiting. Amenophis, anointed priest and guardian of Bastet waits for another call.
Soon a million or more couples selected over the years and momentarily freed will answer an enigmatic signal. A call designed to gather couples worldwide to carry out an ancient prophesy long ignored. The prediction includes an invincible army similar to the one led by Bastet thousands of years ago. With no regard to teachings of the three oldest religions, terrorism will seem meek compared to what’s about to descend on humanity.
M & M COUPLE
Not about candy, simply a bitter tale dealing with an ancient Egyptian prophesy.