The days were growing longer as summer crept over the rolling hills of southern Croatia. The sun was just peering over the sparkling salt water, and the small town of Jurjevo was still in a deep sleep. Everything was still except for the smaller inhabitants of the town, the mice. On the end of the town square was a small shop. The owner, a nasty woman,who was widowed manyyears before, spends her present days doing one of two things, caring for her meat shop or tormenting her uninvited roommates.

In the light of day she plotted their termination, chasing them through the shop, pitchfork in hand with an abundance of hysteria. But at night they were free to wander the dark halls with no fear of being the next hunk of meat on the chopping block. They would explode out of their cramped hiding spots in the rickety walls and chatter and feast on raw, juicy meat. It was always a festive occasion, but tonight was different. Instead of the taping of small scurrying feet and the sound of tiny jaws chomping into livestock seven time there size, everything was silent.

Deep in the attic walls, every mouse was crowded around a small shack. With a comb for a roof and matchbox walls, this house couldn't be bigger than a small child's fist, But in the small meager house there was magic in the air. Tucked into their mothers arms slept three silhouettes. Smaller than a thimble, three baby girls all lay silently, the object of everyone's fascination. Everyone there was thinking the same thing, they were the saviors. Everyone's life was in there hands.

The wood creaked as they raced up the crumbling walls. Giggling and yelling they stumbled into each other and coming to a stop all rolled into one big ball of fur and limbs. Laughing hysterically they untangled themselves from one another.

"You cheated Millie!" Cried Margo between bursts of laughter.

"Did not! You guys are just not as fast as me, or as wildly beautiful." Yelled Millie with a grin.

"Narcissism isn't a good look on you." Snickered Marta with a giggle, as she pushed her square glasses back into place. And with that they lost their newly found composure and dropped to the floor into a puddle of laughter. The Girls had just had their third birthday but Marta's intelligence was way past standard.

Finally they caught their breath and with a gasp Millie yelled,"We're going to be late for dinner!" and with that they were off chasing each other and laughing the whole way

"They're just kids! Its too dangerous." The woman's voice cracked as she said the last word. How could this be happening to her children?

"You know better than anyone, Clarias, their the only way to complete the task at hand." Came a deep voice responding harsher than polite.

Three silhouettes were sitting at a round spool of thread serving as a table. The first a woman, cheeks stained with tears, huddled into her husbands chest. Across from them, a strong buff figure, his face expressionless not showing any signs of emotion.

"Just give us more time!" Came the plead of the father. "We just want them to live their lives."

"We don't have more time," was the response "The end of the month is tomorrow. We have to work now or…" But he went silent when the leaf posing as a door was burst down by three giggling figures. The girls stopped, looking around the room, forgetting any sort of humor they had just seconds before. Arranging themselves in a straight line they then bow as a sign of respect as anyone would do upon having the king in there house. Mrs. and Promptly tried to regain their composure before their children saw their signs of despair, but failed to hide their fear. Marta was the first to speak up, Breaking the lingering silence.

"Mama, Papa, What's going on?" With that the king stepped forward, towering over the girls. Jestering toward them individually as he spoke.

"Marta, Margo and Millie there is something you must know," the girls trembled in fear as the monstrously large man moved closer.

"You will be leaving tonight, you must say goodbye to your parents and come with me." The girls stood awe struck. This must be a joke. What was he talking about, leaving? They were only three years old, (two months in human time) they couldn't leave. But one glance to their parents confirmed that this was no joke, and slowly the horror of the situation started to sink in. Timidly Millie, taking small, slow steps, walked up to her parents. Her whole body trembling, hands behind her back she looked up at her parents. Sobbing her mother bent down, coming to her level and embraced her child. Following their sister, Margo and Marta crossed the room to where their family stood. Mr. smith seeing his two terrified daughters shaking in front of him bent down next to them and took one into each arm. After a few minutes more of goodbyes, words and tears exchanged, the girls one after the other, no questions asked walked right out the door not even glancing at the king. And with a nod to the petrified parents, he followed.

Outside of the house the three girls stood. The sun was coming up and light was streaming through the small cracks in the walls. None of them said a word. Everything was silent. The leaf parted again and the robed man stepped out of the house. His face still blank, despite the disheartening scene. Whether or not he is capable of emotion is still undiscovered.

"We must move quick, the widow will be waking soon." His strong voice echoed through the empty corridor. He started towards the exit then turned around. He only had two girls following him, The third, Margo, had not moved. Her eyes stayed planted on her home. She scanned the shack Trying To take in every detail, the colors, the smells, the house and parents she would never see again, (at least she thought she would never see them again.) she wanted to remember all of it. Tears started to well in her wide eyes, but she soon cut them of, irritated with her own weakness. Embarrassed she turned away, walking toward her three companions, and away from everything she's ever known.

They all stood on the cement sidewalk. The sun was just coming up and the town was starting to wake. Vulnerable, they cowered to the side of the buildings.

"Follow me" The king's voice considerably smaller out in the open air. The wind chilled there pink, youthful skin. There hands searched for each others till all three of them were connected. Walking down the massive street every thought in there head was abandoned and replaced by utter amazement. Never in there life had they seen or imagined a world so enormous. Terrified and intrigued at the same time they scurred down the street. Minutes past by and they continued the run. The girls leg were aching with exhaustion as they ran by the monstrous buildings. Finally they came to a stop in front of a tall dark building. The girls looked up at the enormous architecture. It looked like it went on forever, a never ending sky scraper. They looked at the king for some sort of direction, but he looked as terrified as them, standing there awestruck and petrified by the immenseness of their surroundings. Finally he spoke.

"We must continue," his voice shook, " This is the building, in you go." They found a round hole in the side of the building and squeezed in. Inside everything was dark. The king lead them through walls, down creepy hallways, and as they traveled the king finally started giving them some answers.

"Years and years ago, in your great great great grandfathers time, everyone lived in peace. No widow hunting them, no hiding in walls. Mice were free to roam as they wished with no one to hurt them. But then things went horribly wrong. A witch in there village was madly in love with Your great great great grandfather, and she tried everything to get him to fall in love with her. But nothing worked, for he was in love with the beautiful isabella," he paused to catch his breath as they ran through the hallways, "one day she saw them together, and in a heart broken rage she cursed all of mouse kind a life of fear and agony of being hunted till the whole population of mice was extinct. But she made a loop hole, she said the only way to break the curse was that once three of the same womb have their third birthday they must sacrifice." Finally they came to a stop in front of a large wooden door (large for mice, abnormally small for people).

"Sacrifice what?" Cried Millie, "Where are we?"

"We are at the loins chamber, to break the curse you must kill the lion." The girls gasped

"Kill a lion!" Shouted Marta "The three of us? Thats impossible! We'll dye!"

"You must try, Its our only hope of being free. I'm sorry" Said the king, but his voice held no sort of empathy.

"There will be rope in there, and some daggers." He bellowed "I must be going. But hurry, you don't have much time." And with that he disappeared around the corner. The girls stood there for many minutes not sure what to do. Finally Marta said,

"I suppose we don't have must chose." Tears welled up in all the girls eyes. One by one they fell to pieces, collapsing onto the ground into a puddle of fear and tears. Minutes went on like this till all of the moisture was out of there body and even if they wanted to they wouldn't be able to salvage up another tear. They all sat up and stared at each other, looking for some hope between them. But among their red puffy eyes there was none to be found. Finally Millie stood up and managed nome words

"We have to try" She gasped.

Together they opened the door and walked in.

The room was huge. The square cement walls tower so high they have to squint to see the top. The mouse door is on the west wall and from what the girls could see that it was a long walk to get to the other side of the room. After minutes of standing in the room they see it. It's tucked in a far corner. Its chest heaves as if sleeping. Other than the monster the room was empty.

"Lets start walking." Whispered Millie

"Are you crazy!" Countered Margo, "He'll eat us for dinner! We need a plan."

"There's not very much we can plan out." Cried Millie, "We just have to wing it." And with that she was off.

They walked for many minutes. They decided to stay close to the wall even if it took longer, just as a precautionary. They were within ten feet of the sleeping beast, when its eyes popped open. Startled, the girls flailed backwards with a yelp. Gasping for breath they watched as the lion rose and started towards them slowly. The lion circled its trembling prey. A smile curled onto his face and with each time around the girls he got a little closer. The girls who were planted in fear scanned the room for some way out. That's when Marta saw it. A tiny red button the size of a bottle cap was planted onto the wall right where the lion had emerged from. Above the button in bright red writing read 'poison' . She looked at the lion, at her sisters, it was their only hope. "On the count of three." She thought, The lion was only yards away now.

"One…"

"Two…"

"Three!" She was off. The lion, having completely lost interest in the Millie and Margo Pounced after Marta. She could feel the rhythm of his steps running at full speed as he bent down about to scoop her into his mouth, she could feel the warmth of his breath on her back as she lunged at the button feeling it sink in under her touch. Instantly the lion collapsed as mist swept out of the walls and ceiling. Marta darted back to her sisters,

"We have to get out of here." She yelled over the sound of the room being injected with venom. They sprinted towards the door. Half way there they started to feel their skin burn and their vision was getting blurry. By the time they made it to the door everything was black as they felt around for the doorknob. They found it and yanked the door open, plunged themselves out and slammed it shut behind them. Collapsing to the ground they tried to catch their breath. It wasn't till minutes later that they realized they couldn't see anything.

"Marta, Millie? Are you guys there?" Whispered Margo.

"Where here." Marta and Millie said simultaneously.

"Can anyone see anything?" Whimpered Margo.

"Not me." Said Marta.

"Me Neither." Cried Millie. They felt around for each other grabbing for each others hands.

"We'll think of it tomorrow," Said Marta, as calmly as possible, "Right now lets just focus on getting home."

THE END