Cheddar Warrior - The Journey Begins

The rat had become bored with being the smartest rodent in the lab. At night he'd sneak out and creep down to the waterside to work on his boat — the Cheddar Warrior. The name inspired hope and awe in the rat. One day he planned to use it to flee this place where rats were forced to run mazes. He'd search for the mythical Rodent Island, where rats and mice ran free in the sunshine.

Then one morning before the scientists had turned up, one of the lab mice told him all the rats were to be 'phased out'. The rat knew what that meant. It meant being put to sleep.

He didn't have the luxury of timing his escape any more. He had to leave right away. He scampered over to the other rats and urged them to run. 'Maybe tomorrow,' they said. 'We don't feel like fleeing today.'

Even while the others made their excuses they heard one of the scientist's cars pulling up outside. The rat and mouse glanced at each other and then bolted out of the room, through the gaps in the walls and along the trails through the undergrowth that led to the waterside.

The rat scampered toward the water's edge, the lab mouse struggling to keep up behind him, towards where the Cheddar Warrior was fitted with only the bare necessities for a voyage. The rat suddenly stopped. 'I'll need food,' he gasped. 'I could starve out there.'

'That's something I wanted to tell you about,' his friend squeaked. 'I'm coming with you. And I'm paying my way.'

They reached the boat and the rat was astonished by what he saw: a huge wedge of fine Edam cheese packed into the bow.

'That's my payment,' said the mouse. 'Let me come with you and we'll both eat like kings.'

The rat was overcome with a thousand emotions at one. 'Of course, but we've got to hurry.' They puffed and strained to push the Cheddar Warrior into the water.

Our biggest adventures sometimes start when we least expect it. 'This is it,' thought the rat. 'The journey begins.'

UPDATE

So, did the two little guys make it to Rodent Island?

The first day was the worst. The grey clouds on the horizon developed into a proper storm. While the Cheddar Warior didn't suffer the wind and rain, it did face some nasty waves. Several times the Cheddar Warrior barely made it over a peak before a wave broke.

But I have a hunch they made it.

Copyright © Mark David

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