Mika N.

 

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A Rat’s Favorite Meal

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            Tucked away between two abandoned buildings was a small alleyway. Most of the alley was shrouded in darkness, even with the nearby streetlights guiding nighttime travelers. Of course, hardly anyone noticed the small space anyway. The ground was moist, and the walls were overwhelmed by mold and faded spray paintings.

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            The pitter patter of tiny footsteps echoed in the back of the alley. Scurrying around small puddles and empty cans was a single rat. A rather large one, and he was quite proud of that. He climbed over a discarded purse where he could see it; his favorite meal. It had been there for a few days, and the smell drove him to investigate.

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            He licked his lips and lifted himself onto the heap of food; it was rather large. A nice opening had been made by him, with chewed pieces of fabric pushed aside for better access. Practically squirming with glee, the rat dove in headfirst and sank his sharp little teeth into the first thing they came into contact with. He tore out a chunk of meat and nibbled away, blood and other fluids dripping from the treat between his paws. Once he had devoured the first piece, he tore out another strip and repeated the process.

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            After nearly an hour of feasting away, the rat licked his lips, content with his meal for the day. He paused to clean his fur for a moment, not wanting to ruin his perfectly healthy appearance. He then clambered off of the food source and waddled back into his den just through a crack in one of the building walls.

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            Every day, the rat came back to feed on his favorite meal. It became a routine for him. He’d scurry out into the alleyway, have a bite to eat, clean his fur and then return to his den with a full belly. Occasionally, he had to fight off any rivals who thought they could sneak in for a bite, but he made it very clear to his fellow rats that this was his food source and his alone.

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            Of course, his meal would change in quality over time. Something so fresh was not bound to last. Some parts tasted better than others, and he even found something foul tasting lodged in the top of the meal, something that tasted of metal. That didn’t bother him, though. There were plenty of areas left for him to feed and he made absolutely sure to eat every last good scrap he could find.

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            One day, however, he realized that his meal was almost completely gone. He hadn’t realized exactly how much time had passed. He was saddened to see there was so little left of his food source. Still, he knew it was inevitable. He waddled up to the human carcass and gnawed on its exposed ribcage, grinding his teeth down until they were shortened to his liking. He then trotted out of the alleyway and into the chilly air, to search for a new favorite meal.