"This is the end Nelle…"

The white mouse chuckled her hazel eyes gleaming into the very face of danger. It was pouring rain. And the lightning began to strike the top of the tower. Nelle smiled, and fixed the brim of her brown fedora. Her long brown hair was held in a braid, the pieces slowly falling out. Two hulking guards held her fiercely at the edge of the falling bricks. It was a ten story tower. The figure's smile opened wider, their white teeth gleaming at Nelle's confidence "Any last sentiments?"

"Not at all… I feel I've lived every single moment as full as I could.. how about you Professor Ratigan?"

The professor stood proud in his satin black suit. His thug held a large umbrella over his large figure, no rain falling on his dark suit. The suit was immaculate, from his pink and purple striped cravat, to his gleaming top hat. The professor just smiled "Just the lingering regret that I will no longer have someone to bring any annoyance into my life." The thunder and lightning cracked once more, making Nelle jump. Ratigan grinned "Afraid my dear?" he walked over to her, and raised a brow. He reached over into her brown vest, pulling out a small package. He grinned again "Now the jewel will belong to me… the rightful owner."

Nelle scoffed and struggled within their arms "That jewel belongs to me and my father and what he stood for!" she was jerked back, closer to the edge by his hulking guards. Her foot slipped, she looked behind her at the sudden drop facing her. Ratigan laughed again, his voice filling the air "Your father!? That embarrassing, good doing scavenger? The apple does not fall very far from the tree!" he shook his head "I'd feel very embarrassed if I were you, if your father was not such a coward and decided to join my… company… his daughter wouldn't be paying the price for his errors now would she?" he pouted. His thugs laughed at his remark. Nelle scowled at him "My father, was an amazing man."

"A coward." He shook his head, denying her statement. He waved his hand "Goodbye, Miss Nelle."

The thugs threw her over the side, Nelle screamed "NOOO". She then suddenly grabbed-

She stared at the screen. Uninspired.

"Come on…" she moaned "Please…" she blew through her lips "Maybe she could grab something?"

The bar continued to blink. She gazed at the word document... hoping for inspiration to flood through her veins. She took a sip from her water bottle, feeling the cold water spurt from it's container, gently touching her face. She rubbed her temples, frustrated with herself.

"Maybe.." she typed something on the keyboard of the bright blue laptop, then pressed the delete button. It was ten at night, and the marble counter made her cold as she glazed her hands on it. She huffed again. She then wandered to her counter, where it was strewn with papers and a mirror right above the table. She stared at herself, she was a girl of twenty years.. brown wavy hair cut in a pixie. She hated her hair by the way she brushed her hair back. The pixie had grown, not very flattering on her hair. She rubbed her stomach, staring at her thick but curvy body. The girl rubbed her tired hazel eyes, yearning to sleep. She huffed and walked back to the computer, this time opening her email. There was an email with the subject "Congratulations" on the subject line. She read along:

Congratulations (Raven)!

We know your excited to take the upcoming step in your college life. Commencement is coming sooner than you thought! We are constantly amazed at the hard work and dedication every student gives to their own department. Remember to reserve your (5) tickets for family. Parking permits and name cards are available on your student portal, and also in the Winslow Library level 4 room 440.

Thank you, student, for your hard work.

She took a deep sigh to herself. She was never one to be excited about a big event… even if it was graduation. Rae grabbed her phone and blinked, unaware of the screen's brightness. No texts, no calls… only voicemails. She pressed one and immediately regretted it, the feminine voice rang through the air:

"Helloo? Raven it's mom. I know your there… please pick up your phone. You haven't spoken to me all day. I need you to go to financial aid and ask them about your benefits for next year. I'm not letting you go through graduation. We had made a deal. You get through the art BFA..general ed. or whatever it's called and you get your teaching credential… I'm only pushing you because I want you to be successful. Don't settle Rae… who knows? You might like it even more than… well…. You know? The art stuff you do or..Whatever you do.. Please remember go. I love you."

Rae rolled her eyes and pressed the delete button on the screen. The next message rang through, clear and shrill:

"Hey chubbs.. you still alive? I'd like to talk to my sister someday soon. You have been MIA for god knows how long. I wish you would answer your damn phone.. it pisses me off. Anyway, I've been talking to this guy.. he's really cute.. he has a brother too! He's single I think? Maybe we can go out sometime and I can get you out of the house you old lady. Are you still writing those weird stories on the internet? Yeah, don't think I don't know… I may be older and cuter.." she laughed "But I'm not dumb.. Yeah but why write them? You never get any money from it so what's the point?" there was a pause "Sorry, just…. I want you to do what you want to do.. but get out of the house for once.. get a haircut you nerd.. you look like a retired rock star with that mullet." Rae chuckled "Whatever… I love you."

Rae shook her head and deleted the message. Looking around her apartment, she walked over to her bed, pulling out a small box. It was tattered at the edges, it was an old shoebox with the logo peeling off. Rae opened the lid, seeing all kind of small mementos and toys from her childhood. She pulled out an old Barbie, with her blonde hair frayed and frizzy. Smiling, Rae placed it back in the sitting position. She pulled out a small picture, of her and her sister, holding each other lovingly. She then pulled out a VHS tape, The Great Mouse Detective written in bright yellow gold font. She laughed, out of all the VHS tapes she could have kept through college, this was the one. Rae giggled again, thinking of her sitting in the living room and rewinding the tape repeatedly. She remembered hiding when Fidget would attack the toystore, and how she always felt the butterflies in her stomach when Basil battled on the clocktower with Ratigan.

Rae groaned, wondering where her love for this film made her want to write about it. It wasn't like the rest of the films she watched as a kid.. it had adventure and smart characters. These people with traits she would want to take after so bad. Rae was shy.. reserved and lacking in confidence. That's why she wrote who she wanted to be. Characters like Nelle, who in her eyes is who she wants to be. She frowned "If I like you so much… why is writing you so hard?" she threw the tape back into the box, and slid it to the back of her bed. Rae rolled her neck, feeling the popping sensation. She walked back to her computer and saved her document "I'll get to it tomorrow." She shut the computer and flipped the light on the wall. She wandered upstairs and headed to bed… the computer however, fizzed, and an electric shock waved over the computer.

Review and Follow is appreciated!