Mr. Williams' house was located at the rare end of the compound which had a small farm at the left side of the house, while a store was at the right side of the house. Opposite the house, there was a small lawn and a little relaxation chair and table located under a big Mango tree. Mr. Williams and his wife always spend quality time under the tree, especially when the weather is hot. They would both sit opposite each other while sipping drinks from the same wine cup. For the rats located in that region, the store was one of the places they could get food, as the store was filled with different things that the rats could eat from, and if need be, they would take some along with them too. Alternatively, the rats could go to the houses of some of the occupants of the street, or better still, the rats could travel to the market which was located some streets away. Travelling to the market, usually is a very long journey, and a dangerous one at that. This is because the street was filled with different predators that could turn rats into prey within the twinkle of an eye. Rats and some other animaks had learnt from experience never to go to the market during the day, as it is even more dangerous that going at night. The market is always busy during the day, and mostly filled with so many legs and activities that could get a rat killed by default. One of the rats that travelled to the market last season returned with a leg injury, which he sustained when a big mouse had given him a hot chase. It was planting season, the very time food is always scarce for rats because there would be little or no much food in circulation for humans, let alone, the rats. It was during this very season that the rat that got injured went he to the market to get food. He had gone at night as others rats would do, and he was close to the market when he sighted a piece of meat from a distance. Without thinking twice, he raced towards the meat, and was about eating it when he remembered his family at home. "It would be nice if I take it home." He said to himself. As he grapped the meat with his teeth, he bounced home. He had not gone five paces when a very strong and loud voice said from behind, "Drop my meat !" The rat looked back, and behold, a very big mouse. It was just a matter of minutes before the rat and the mouse engaged in a hot race. So hot was the race that the rat got injured while trying to navigate a turn, and when the rat realized he could not keep up with the mouse, he dropped the meat, and that was enough to end of the race.
The thought of going to the store to check for grains did not even come to Little Tiny's dad. Winny, as he was always called. Winny was sure that there would be no grain in the store as all the grains would have been moved to the main house because of them - rats. Without thinking twice, he made the move for the house. Behind him, he could still hear the shout of his wife, and he knew he had to make haste. There were only two options for him to enter the house. Either he enters through the main door or he enters through a little hole they had dug close to the kitchen. The front door is never an option as the door would have been closed while one of the dogs would even be standing guard at the main door. So, the little hole behind the kitchen was the only option he had. He raced towards the hole and was suprise to see the hole blocked. "Oh ! Not today of all days." He said to himself. As he looked up, he saw that the kitchen window was opened. "This would even be easier and better" He thought. As he climbed the window, he was shocked to see the cat on the kitchen floor sleeping. "What could Big Man be doing here?" He asked himself. Again, he remembered the shout of his wife in labour. From the window, he could see a bag of grain behind the kitchen door, as he raced towards the bag of grain, he grapped two with his teeth and was about to head back to the window, when Mrs. Williams opened the kitchen door. Winny was knocked off by the door, as he let out a painful cry. It was his cry and the door Mrs. Williams opened that woke up the sleeping cat. Mrs. Williams dropped a plate, went towards the window, and Winny was praying in his mind that she would not close the window. But, Winny's prayer was not amswered, as Mrs. Williams closed the window. The cat saw the Winny with the grains in his mouth, and Winny was sure that hell would be let loose in the kitchen that very day. Mrs. Williams left the kitchen, and she came back few seconds after to switch-off the kitchen light, setting up a good atmosphere for the fight.
(c) 2015. Austus Ofmat Nwanne
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