Oh rats

Rats 

It started with a gentle whisper. The soft mumble breaking the midnight silence. Curling into the night. 

“Do you hear that?” 

He heard it alright. He just didn’t want to acknowledge it. Once you do that, it becomes real. And real he couldn’t deal with it. 

The unmistakable scratching was filling in the holes around the room. 

Clawing against their skin. Pushing against the front of their heads, echoing in their minds. 

“I think we might have rats.” She whispered again. 

He sighed, and turned over in the bed, “I’ll deal with it in the morning.” 

He could feel the roll of her eyes, the annoyed huff, “I won’t be able to sleep now David.” 

She was sitting up now. Like a child with pouty lips and wide eyes, darting back and forth. The scratching was almost echoing in the bedroom. A scratch in the upper corner, a scratch in the ceiling. An orchestra of rats, David really could do with a bit of soothing music right around now. And truth be told, the rats had a bit of rhythm to it. 

“Molly we can’t do anything about it now. I have work in the morning,” He paused to look up at her, she narrowed her eyes, “I’ll have a look first thing, promise.” 

She let out a breath, “Fine. First thing tomorrow.” 

“First thing.” He agreed before rolling over once more. Without a care for the rats in the wall, his heavy eyes drooped down pulling him under their grip. 

Only Molly noticed the scratching getting louder that night. 

                                               ***

David swung a leg out of his car, followed by a protruding arm and head. Climbing out of his mini blue beetle car always made him think two things. How utterly ridiculous he must look navigating his body like a contortionists out of such a small space. And why on earth did he let his wife buy the damn thing.

Sheepishly, though he wouldn’t dare admit it, he liked feeling cozy in that car. Like a moving blanket, a human sized cocoon. 

He double checked the cars locks and gave a hidden smile. 

Oh men and their cars. 

One foot in front of the other, long legs like stretched out shadows. Approaching the door, hand resting against the brass doorknob was when he first saw it. 

Sitting on the porch to his left. Eyes peering into his. Ruffled brown fur, standing on guard. Its hands twitching, mouth quavering, tail flickering as it bore into him. 

“Get out of here.” David snarled, stopping a foot. 

But the rat sat still. Not a flinch. 

David blinked. 

Opening its mouth, the rat screeched. Razor blade teeth, black holed mouth. The noise vibrated through David. The brown furred rat closed its mouth slowly, its eyes never leaving his, before darting away down the side of the porch. 

“Those damn rats.” 

Ignoring the gut wrenched feeling inside his chest he closed the door hastily behind him.

Something was telling him if he were to look back, the rat would be looking right back at him. 

He shivered. 

                                              ***

“And then he told me, ‘David you’re the best damn assistant I’ve had,’ and I handed him his chai latte with almond milk of course none of that fatty cows milk. And then guess what? I winked!” David spooned another rice heaped fork into his mouth among fits of laughter. Chewing openly, he exclaimed, “You should’ve seen it Molly. Most embarrassing moment in the history of David!” He shook his head with a wide toothed grin. 

Molly gave him a look as she twirled her fork in her hand. 

“Why did you look so pale today? When you walked through the door?” 

David slowed his chewing, swallowing the food like grains of sand. He gulped. 

“There was a rat.” 

Her eyebrows furrowed. “A rat?” 

Nodding, he shrugged, “Just this brown rat, sitting there. Sorta felt like the sucker was watching me.” 

Molly caught his eyes. A sharp stare, she put down her fork. 

“When I was doing the dishes today, I saw something sitting on the pantry. I didn’t think anything of it. Till there was something moving under the table. And then across the hall. It was rats David. More than three. Just watching me, running around the house.” Molly shook her head. “I’ve never heard of rats being so bold.” 

She paused. David opened his mouth when the sound of gentle scratching entered the dining room. 

It was delicate. Like the rats had heard the calling, and were slowly raking their claws among the wooden walls. 

David and Molly stared at each other. Molly’s hand curled into a white knuckled grip. Pushing away from the table, she kicked her boot against the wall. Again and again. 

The scratching stopped. Breathing heavily she pointed at David, “You were suppose to deal with this already. I’m sick of you not doing the things you promise!” 

She watched him with fire in her eyes, arms crossed and legs tense. With a throw of her arms, she stomped out of the room like a hurricane twirling from a disaster. 

It was only when you could no longer hear the elephant stomps of her feet, that the scratching started up once more. 

This time only louder. 

                                             ***

“Twenty mouse traps,” David sighed, “Is that really necessary?” 

Molly laid the last one down beneath the sink. Brushing off her hands she turned to him. 

“You bet you’re arse it’s necessary.” 

                                             ***

He typed away at his laptop. Fingers flying across the keyboard as his eyes skimmed the last of his report. Closing the lid in silent gratitude, he stretched his arms out behind him. 

The sound of the shower turning off made him rise from the couch. He heard Molly’s footsteps around the room, humming as she dressed herself and turned off the light. 

“Don’t wait up for me.” He huffed quietly. “Still alive in here, no problem, don’t need light to see where I’m going-“ 

There was a loud snap. 

Then a petrified scream. 

Streaming into the room, he flicked on the light and blinked. 

Molly’s mouth was curled in pain, eyes wide like a deer in headlights. 

Blood was pooling across the sheets. 

Her toes caught in a mouse trap. 

                                          ***

David refilled his cup of instant coffee. Molly’s head was in her hands, fingers covering her ears. The scratching had become unbearable. Claws raking like chalk on a board. Like nails across a hard surface. Teeth gritted together, flinching slightly at every sound and every moment. 

“I’m calling the exterminator Molly, the mouse traps didn’t work. Except in cutting open your toes,” He looked down at her bandaged foot, “Why on earth would you put a mouse trap in the bed in the first place.” 

Molly raised her head, through clenched teeth she snarled, “I didn’t put a fucking mouse trap in the bed.” 

David sighed loudly. “Well I guess the rats did it then.” 

“If you’re making fun of me,” She narrowed her eyes, “I don’t like it.” 

“Its just strange to me. That’s all.” 

Molly breathed out, “Call the exterminator.” 

                                          ***

His name was Craig, and a cliché for exterminators across the world. A belly that wished to be noticed. A scruffy beard, balding top, and a sense of determination. 

The only problem was, he found no sign of rats ever being in the house. 

“We hear scratching every day! I’ve seen them with my own eyes!” David opened his mouth in disbelief, “That’s not possible. There has to be rats here, we just know there are.” 

Craig gave a half felt shrug off a shoulder, “Well not much I can do if there’s no rats that I can see,” Craig took in their expressions and dropped his smirk, “Listen, if you see or hear anything again just give me a ring. I’m sure it’s nothing. Maybe a possum.” 

Molly took a step forward, “Now listen here Craig, there’s rats in this goddam house and if you think we’re crazy then you better stick that card right up your-“ 

“Alright thanks for the help," David interrupted, “You’ll be hearing from us again.” 

Craig gave a slight nod, with a bemused glance towards Molly he turned to his van and slammed the door shut. 

Molly and David watched him drive away from the porch. With empty, shallow expressions they watched the exterminators van give a grunt like a wheezing dog, and with a cloud of black smoke disappear around the bend. 

                                         ***

“What do we do now?” 

Turning towards the door, David kicked it open with a disgruntled sigh. “I don’t understand this-“ 

Molly’s mouth fell open. A blood curling, bone chilling noise hurled from the back of her throat.  Her face had become a white sheet of snow. Her hands trembling as she took a step back into David. 

He looked from Molly, to the house. And swallowed a scream of his own. 

It was raw terror.

For staring up at them was hungry grins - hundreds of sets off jagged pointed teeth smiles. Ravished menacing faces. 

Circling in with tails twitching, teeth gleaming. 

Waiting. 

They were only five feet away. 

Four,

Three, 

Two, 

One. 

                   ***

“Wow,” Lily whistled, pushing the door open with her foot as she placed the box down, “I can’t believe we got this house so cheap!” 

Jonathan looked around the entryway with a hand on the doorframe. His mouth turned into a secret smirk. 

“I heard that’s because the previous owners…” Jonathan lowered his voice into a whisper, “Disappeared…” He twinkled his hands, gesturing mystery. 

Lily scoffed, “Who did you hear that nonsense from?” 

He gave a little shrug, “People talk.” 

“Well I’m sure they had a reason for leaving. No one just disappears like that.” 

Lily gave him a mocking pat on his back before heading out the house to collect more boxes. 

Jonathan turned to follow, when a noise caught his attention. 

He walked through the door and listened. 

Scratching. 

Faint, gentle scratching. 

Rats.