The MARMALADE Queen
She was a tiger. Well, she wasn’t really a tiger. She was orange and stripey like a tiger, and she stalked through her domain like a tiger. However, it didn’t really change the fact that she was a housecat. Buttercup enjoyed all of the advantages of being a housecat. She knew where all of her toys were, could rely on food at certain times of the day and could demand that someone play with her when she wanted to be played with.
Buttercup’s only real flaws were that she carried herself like an imperious queen, and she was jealous of anything or anyone else getting attention. If you read a book, she’d sit on the book. Working on the computer? She walked onto the keyboard and sat down. Eating dinner? She would be on the table trying to sit on your plate; unless it was fish – then she would try eat the fish. The family would try to watch television together, but Buttercup had figured out how to turn it off. She even mangled the remote so that it could not be turned on again. (Stupid new-fangled TV!)
Buttercup loved having all of the attention as long as it was with your eyes only. Every once in a while, one of her loyal subjects would attempt to pet her or cuddle her and would have to be reminded of his or her place. Buttercup would bring out her claws and her teeth and remind the person who was in charge. It was okay to give attention with your eyes but everything else was forbidden.
She didn’t look to maim or scar her subjects. After all, they brought her dinner, cleaned out the sandy area and used a stick with a toy attached to it when she was bored. But she did make sure to assert her dominance over them.
One day, Buttercup was demanding to be played with, but no one heeded her call. She went from room to room, and the only person she found was Lucy. Lucy was a bit too grabby most of the time, but today, she was busy putting some animals on a shelf. She was arranging them neatly, telling them stories, playing with their hair and completely ignoring Buttercup. Buttercup stalked away with her tail in the air. She would fix Lucy soon enough.
Buttercup sauntered back into the other room and pretended to sleep, keeping an eye out for Lucy to leave. The queen played it cool, even when the door that led elsewhere was opened and closed. She waited for the satisfying click telling her that she was all alone. Buttercup got up, stretched her back and clawed at the carpet. She walked into the area that Lucy had been in previously and jumped on the shelf.
She batted the first animal to the ground. She hit the second. Neither of those was quite satisfying enough. She attacked the third with a clawing hug and a bite; something hard came off the animal’s face as it lost its balance and fell to the floor. Buttercup was quick to release it. She went through each animal inflicting more damage on the fake furs that were taking attention away from her.
Soon white stuffing floated through the air and all but the last animal was left. She eyed it wildly, rubbed up against it and pounced. She made sure that it received all of her wrath and jealousy. As she went into her final back leg swipes, she heard the door to elsewhere click open. She dropped what was left of the animal onto the floor and sat still on the shelf.
Lucy came into the room and screamed. “BUTTERCUP! BUTTERCUP!”
Buttercup stood still. The poor child couldn’t see her royalness if Buttercup stayed still. Lucy left the room shouting to the other subjects. Buttercup decided that she needed to be elsewhere. She found, however, that she couldn’t move. She was stuck in place. Her tail wouldn’t move; her paws wouldn’t move. She couldn’t even lick her chops.
When her subjects entered, they began cleaning up the mess. Martha picked Buttercup up, but Buttercup was unable to do anything about it. “Lucy, where did you get this porcelain cat?”
“We’ve always had it, mom. That’s Buttercup.”
Martha put the cat back on the shelf. “Glad the raccoon didn’t get to that one. If it fell, it would break.”
Buttercup found herself admired from afar. She couldn’t command anyone, but at least they were admiring her with their eyes only. Then one day, Lucy brought in a new cat. “Buttercup, this is Shadow. You two should get along fine.” She put Shadow on the floor.
Shadow looked at the porcelain cat and licked his chops.He wasn't going to let anything steal attention away from him.
Buttercup’s only real flaws were that she carried herself like an imperious queen, and she was jealous of anything or anyone else getting attention. If you read a book, she’d sit on the book. Working on the computer? She walked onto the keyboard and sat down. Eating dinner? She would be on the table trying to sit on your plate; unless it was fish – then she would try eat the fish. The family would try to watch television together, but Buttercup had figured out how to turn it off. She even mangled the remote so that it could not be turned on again. (Stupid new-fangled TV!)
Buttercup loved having all of the attention as long as it was with your eyes only. Every once in a while, one of her loyal subjects would attempt to pet her or cuddle her and would have to be reminded of his or her place. Buttercup would bring out her claws and her teeth and remind the person who was in charge. It was okay to give attention with your eyes but everything else was forbidden.
She didn’t look to maim or scar her subjects. After all, they brought her dinner, cleaned out the sandy area and used a stick with a toy attached to it when she was bored. But she did make sure to assert her dominance over them.
One day, Buttercup was demanding to be played with, but no one heeded her call. She went from room to room, and the only person she found was Lucy. Lucy was a bit too grabby most of the time, but today, she was busy putting some animals on a shelf. She was arranging them neatly, telling them stories, playing with their hair and completely ignoring Buttercup. Buttercup stalked away with her tail in the air. She would fix Lucy soon enough.
Buttercup sauntered back into the other room and pretended to sleep, keeping an eye out for Lucy to leave. The queen played it cool, even when the door that led elsewhere was opened and closed. She waited for the satisfying click telling her that she was all alone. Buttercup got up, stretched her back and clawed at the carpet. She walked into the area that Lucy had been in previously and jumped on the shelf.
She batted the first animal to the ground. She hit the second. Neither of those was quite satisfying enough. She attacked the third with a clawing hug and a bite; something hard came off the animal’s face as it lost its balance and fell to the floor. Buttercup was quick to release it. She went through each animal inflicting more damage on the fake furs that were taking attention away from her.
Soon white stuffing floated through the air and all but the last animal was left. She eyed it wildly, rubbed up against it and pounced. She made sure that it received all of her wrath and jealousy. As she went into her final back leg swipes, she heard the door to elsewhere click open. She dropped what was left of the animal onto the floor and sat still on the shelf.
Lucy came into the room and screamed. “BUTTERCUP! BUTTERCUP!”
Buttercup stood still. The poor child couldn’t see her royalness if Buttercup stayed still. Lucy left the room shouting to the other subjects. Buttercup decided that she needed to be elsewhere. She found, however, that she couldn’t move. She was stuck in place. Her tail wouldn’t move; her paws wouldn’t move. She couldn’t even lick her chops.
When her subjects entered, they began cleaning up the mess. Martha picked Buttercup up, but Buttercup was unable to do anything about it. “Lucy, where did you get this porcelain cat?”
“We’ve always had it, mom. That’s Buttercup.”
Martha put the cat back on the shelf. “Glad the raccoon didn’t get to that one. If it fell, it would break.”
Buttercup found herself admired from afar. She couldn’t command anyone, but at least they were admiring her with their eyes only. Then one day, Lucy brought in a new cat. “Buttercup, this is Shadow. You two should get along fine.” She put Shadow on the floor.
Shadow looked at the porcelain cat and licked his chops.He wasn't going to let anything steal attention away from him.
Inspired by Masha and dedicated to Rod Serling.
If you want more of Twilight Zones for Cats, share this one with your friends.
If you want more of Twilight Zones for Cats, share this one with your friends.
