“Hod this is really bad!” Memo cried.
The babies were sobbing and the parents were frantic, trying to soothe them while pacing and asking for answers.
'I know, I know!” Hod said, turning just in time to see yet another problem stroll through the darkness of the shelf.
“There you are!” chimed the hate-filled voice of Lord Smork.
Everyone went silent with fear and Hod felt his heart sink.
“You think you can escape me?” Smork spat, his eyes were filled with insane rage, “You think it's over because you spread lies and fear?”
Hod bristled, “I told no lies! All I want and all I've ever wanted is to protect the pack!
Why is that so hard? Why can't you just let us be?”
Smork chuckled, “You're a fool to think you can protect anyone. You're the weakest member here; a mere scapegoat. You have no purpose but to further my plans so be a good boy and do as you're told.”
Memo snarled, stepping closer to Hod.
“Speak to him like that one more time and I'll rip your throat out.” she promised.
Smork hissed, his hackles raising, “Stay in your place, bitch. This is between myself and that fool of a rat!”
Hod held out a paw to stop Memo from lunging,
“Speak to her like that again and you'll have both of us to answer to.”
“Make that the four of us!” Memo's mom chimed in while stepping forward with her husband Toledo.
“Then you are all fools” Smork grumbled, his eyes resting on Hod.
“Do you plan on letting females and old rats fight your battles or are you brave enough to face me alone?” he snarled.
Hod bared his teeth, “Fighting alongside my friends will always be braver than making empty threats.”
Lord Smork laughed, “We'll see, Skittle, how empty my threats are when you feel the sting of my teeth in your flesh!”
“Enough talk!” Memo cried, “Are we doing this or not?”
Hod turned to the adult rats, “Can someone get the little ones out of here? Take them down the length of the shelf but be careful.”
One of the rats hurried to gather the children.
“I don't suppose I could convince you to go with them for protection?” Hod asked Memo.
Her dark eyes raged, “Not on your life. My place is here with you.”
Hod nodded once, “I'll always be grateful for that but I swear you'll end up being the death of me.” he grinned and she returned the gesture.
Lord Smork scoffed, “Playtime's over.”
He rushed Hod without warning, his huge form swallowing the little rat with a blur of claws and fur.
Memo screamed and launched herself at Smork, clinging to his back.
He rolled, pinning her under him while Hod bit and scratched while trying to free himself.
Suddenly both of memo's parents joined in; Mettler taking on an arm and Toledo clawing at whatever he could reach.
“Get off me!” Smork cried, rolling again to dodge their attacks but freeing Memo in the process.
She gasped for air but was back up and swinging in seconds.
Hod was still fighting for his life in Smork's deadly grip dodging teeth as best he could but he felt the sting of a few nick him and he could smell the blood but he was too focused to care.
Memo leapt onto Smork, landing a punch directly to his eye.
The big rat wailed, temporarily losing his grip on Hod as his arms flailed to protect his face.
Hod slid free but collapsed when he realized his leg was broken.
“Shit!” He breathed and wiped the blood from his cheek.
He watched as Memo fought; her parents struggling to keep up.
He didn't want anyone else to get hurt but he was useless and couldn't stand to see Memo caught up with Smork; evading his bites and landing her own skilled blows to his face.
Hod spun to the rats watching in fear and yelled out, “Do something! Please!”
The surrounding rats seemed hesitant to fight their previous leader but at Hod's pleading stepped forward.
“Someone help Hod!” the one Guard rat that had been in Smork's office called.
“No! NO! Help Memo!” Hod screamed, watching her punches slow due to exhaustion.
The one guard lifted him from the ground and Hod winced in pain, knowing it was the adrenaline that was even keeping him conscious.
“Looks like she's got this under control, she's an elite, remember?” The Guard said, “She'd probably kick our asses if we interfered.”
Hod was delirious now, desperate to help Memo but his head was spinning with agony.
“Help...help her...”
His vision blurred.
“He's losing too much blood.” someone said in a hushed tone.
“Grab some tissues!” someone else called but Hod barely heard them. His eyes locked on to Memo fighting and all he felt was guilt for not being able to do more.
She was getting hurt because of him.
None of this would have happened if he'd been less of a screw-up.
Those fucking Skittles...
Hod faded; visions spinning before his minds eye.
It felt good to close his eyes.
Maybe just a quick nap...
This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.
“Get up you idiot!” a familiar voice startled Hod awake.
He was standing by the exit that led out to the sales floor and Razr was at his side with a patrol of rats.
“Let's go! It's time!” the officer commanded.
Hod blinked and looked around. It was dark and the store was closed.
“Yeah, let's go, Rookie!” Another rat clapped Hod on the shoulder with a snicker.
Oh, it was Post.
“Mercury, you're on look-out tonight. Aerosol, you're on back-up. I'm taking Hod with me. The rest of you know what to do.” Razr cawed, “Everyone be on alert and work together to nab as many supplies as you can without making a mess or being too obvious,” Razr pointed to Post, “I'm talking to you, piggy. Stay out of the chips until we get them back to the pack.”
Post grunted and crossed his arms.
“Move out!” Razr called, “Hod, stay close to me. Don't fuck this up.”
Hod felt a sense of deja vu, this was so familiar yet he knew it was his first time on patrol.
His leg ached and he scratched it, the pain leaving him and he wondered if he'd imagined it.
“Yes sir,” Hod squeaked and they set out.
“Hey dummy, over here!” Razr hissed and Hod realized he'd wandered a bit. He felt disoriented and dizzy.
“Sorry!” he scurried after Razr, trying to keep his balance.
“There!” Razr called, “Hod, go up that shelf and grab those Skittles for me. I got a craving and I wanna see your climbing skills.”
Hod swallowed, fear eating away at him.
“I don't think I can...” He started but was cut off by a shove.
“I didn't ask for lip, kid. I said climb so you climb.” Razr sneered.
He nodded, “I'm sorry.”
He braced himself and started to climb.
He could do this!
But as he climbed he felt more and more disconnected from himself until he was suddenly staring at himself but as if he was floating above.
“How odd” He said to himself, tilting his head at the curious way he felt seeing his own life fold out below him.
“The exterminators will be here soon!” a faint voice too muffled to distinguish cried.
“Shhh, he's too injured to move yet”
Hod looked around, his vantage point from the air was growing until he saw the whole store beneath him, but he didn't see who had been speaking.
Hod saw his other body reach the shelf; he saw himself try and lift the heavy bag of the rainbow candy.
Then the scene unfolded like a dream.
The door opened and Clark strode through with his manager.
“I expect you to be more careful in the future.” she scolded, “Coming back after we've closed is against protocol.”
Clark lowered his head, “I'm sorry. I could swear I put my phone in my backpack!”
The manager rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, “I'm giving you two minutes to find it.”
Clark began the search and Hod looked down in time to see Razr and Post pulling out the corner shelf bracket.
Other Hod was hiding behind the Skittles when he tumbled, caught off guard by the suddenly broken shelf, and fell; bringing the bag with him.
He landed on it hard and it split, spraying colorful candies everywhere.
“Oh my god, rats!!” The manager squealed, clamoring gracelessly onto the counter.
Clark burst into laughter watching his boss scurry and scream as all hell broke loose.
Rats were racing across the floor doing acrobatics while poor other Hod sat confused and humiliated on the floor after trying unsuccessfully to run away due to tripping over all the Skittles on the floor.
Hod felt his anxiety rising as the scene below carried on. He was sinking now, drifting back towards his body.
“No! I don't want to go back!” he cried but he sank lower and lower until he reached his own body, helpless and scrambling.
God, his leg hurt and he struggled to stand up.
“There he's waking up!”
Hod blinked, his eyes were so heavy.
“I don't want to go back” he said again but this time his voice came from his own mouth, hoarse and weak.
“Hod, you've been out for a little bit” spoke a familiar voice, “Are you with us?”
Hod came to in the real world, blinking against the swelling in his eyes.
“I...” he couldn't find the words as reality crashed down on him.
“Memo!” he cried weakly, suddenly awake and aware of the aching pain in his leg for real this time.
“Where's Memo?” He cried.
Mettler was there, she'd been the voice he heard.
She patted his arm, “Hush dear, she's okay.”
“Where...?” Hod groaned, his whole body protesting every move.
Mettler brushed her paw over his soft brow and a different part of him ached as the matronly touch stirred a long forgotten emotion.
When was the last time he'd been soothed by a mother?
His eyes burned and he closed them against all the pain and hurt both in his body and his soul.
“Please...Memo” he begged.
“She's with Clark. She's working to get us all out of here” Toledo said as he approached, “Try and rest, we don't have long before the exterminators get here.”
Hod lurched, crying out at the movement, “We have to help the pack! Where's Smork?”
“Easy, easy!” Mettler gently pushed Hod back down on his bed of soft tissues, “Let's catch you up.”
“Memo, uh, 'took care' of Lord Smork. He's...well, he's dead.” Toledo said, his voice soft and sad.
Hod closed his eyes against the rush of emotion that took over him.
Relief, sadness, fear, and a pain that once again Memo was left with the burden of ending another life.
Hot tears spilled from Hods eyes as he cried for the loss and for the way he felt like a failure, and damn it his leg hurt!
Memo's parents hushed and soothed him, telling him it was okay but he didn't feel like anything would ever be okay.
He really wanted to see Memo and deep, deep within his bones he wanted to hold her; to tell her she was the bravest, most bad-ass rat he'd ever known. He cried because he wasn't sure he'd ever have the courage to tell her how he felt.
“Can you take me to Clark?” Hod choked out, trying to stop his tears, “He can help me.”
Mettler nodded, “Let's get you up there then.”
One of the guards approached and helped lift Hod as gently as he cold, carrying him to the edge of the shelf.
Through a quick relay Hod was passed safely to the cashier.
“Hey buddy.” Clark called, lifting the injured rat very gingerly in his hand, “Lookin' a little rough, huh?”
He placed him on the counter and Hod winced in pain.
“Yeah, I've had worse.” he tried to laugh but it hurt so he gave a tiny thumbs up to the clerk that had risked so much for them all.
“I heard what happened from 'Miss Certified Bad-Ass' over there. Geez, you guys got it rough. Let's patch you up.” Clark said and began shuffling through a drawer while Hod turned his body to see Memo standing by the tissue box, her arms crossed and that twinkle in her eye that always betrayed her cool demeanor.
She was bandaged up but didn't seem too worse for wear.
Hod couldn't stop the grin and the flood of emotion he felt looking at her confident form.
“Hey” she said and Hod was suddenly nervous.
“Hi” he gave a little wave as she strolled over hiding a limp but he didn't call her out on it.
“You ready for phase 2 or do you need some more time?” she said with a wink.
Leave it to Memo to be all business.
Hod sighed, “You know I'm ready when you are, let me just grow a new leg real quick...”
Memo giggled, “At least you didn't hurt your sense of humor.”
“Here we go!” Clark returned with a handful of supplies: a toothpick, a roll of tape, and some gauze.
“Now I'm not a doctor or a vet but in the movies they always put a splint on a broken leg.”
Clark did his best to gently wrap the break and Hod gritted his teeth against the agony.
His vision was blurring again but a soft paw took his and he pushed through the pain to see Memo next to him, holding his paw and shining with strength.
“You're beautiful,” he croaked and Memo's eyes widened before she squeezed his paw harder.
“You're delirious, but I'll take the compliment.”
Hod smiled and Clark stood up.
“There. I'm not sure if rats can have, like, Tylenol or something so I don't know if we should try that.”
Hod focused on his breathing, trying to un-cloud his brain, “We need to get everyone out of here. I can...”
Memo held up a paw, “Rest, Hod. Please, we got this.”
Hod groaned, “I can't just sit back and watch everyone work and fight while I do nothing!”
Memo looked at Clark, “I told you he'd say something like that.”
Clark put his hands in his pockets, “Listen, little dude, sometimes you gotta let your friends carry some of your burden. People who love you and care about you won't shy away from the weight no matter how heavy.”
Memo nodded, “It doesn't make us mad or anything if you aren't at your best all of the time. Sometimes you have to take time to do whats right for you so you can keep fighting and have the energy to be the healthiest version of yourself. Right now you need to rest and heal. We all want that for you.”
Hod chewed his lip, feeling guilty still for taking up space and precious time, but Memo was right, he definitely needed to heal.
“Well, what should I do?” he asked.
Clark and Memo exchanged glances again.
“Well,” Memo said, “We have a plan but you aren't going to like it.”
Hod sighed, “Let's get this over with then.”
“Perfect!” Clark cried, holding up a pet carrier, “Let's begin...”