Chapter 2: Mammal Hole

Nick Wilde walked casually as he observed the mammal activities in Zootopia. Suddenly, his cell phone buzzed. He looked at it and saw it was a text message from his best friend, Judy Hopps.

"Hi Nick. Want to hang out later at my place?" Nick said, reading the text message. Nick then happily walked as he started to reply to Judy's text message. As he stared at his phone however, he didn't notice the mammal hole (the Zootopia version of a man hole) in front of him. What was worse, the mammal hole had no cover on it.

"Okay. I will see you later. See you soon- Ahhhhhhhh!" Nick said until he had lost his footing and fell. Nick's cell phone fell out of his paws and onto the pavement as Nick fell through the mammal hole. It took seconds until Nick landed hard on solid pavement.

"Ow!" Nick said, feeling pain in his legs. Nick looked up and saw that he had fallen into a mammal hole. Nick sniffed the air, and quickly covered his nose. The smell was as bad as a skunk, it was cold and wet down in the mammal hole, and Nick did not like it one bit.

"Hello? Anybody up there?" Nick called out, his voice echoing. Mammals of all kinds walked by, and two beavers used a cover to close the hole.

"Oh come on!" Nick complained as the place also got dark. Nick sighed, and went to get his cell phone out of his pocket... but it was not there. Nick's ears flattened with realization that he did not have his phone.

"Nooooo! Not again!" Nick exclaimed with concern. If he couldn't call Judy, how could any mammal find him?! To make matters worse, Nick then heard a faint, but familiar CRAAAACK sound, and as bits of glass fell, Nick realized that his cell phone was now not just damaged, it was completely flattened and useless.

"Fantastic!" Nick said sarcastically. Nick sighed and shook his head. How could his situation get any worse?

Hours passed by as Nick waited for someone to know that he was missing, but it looked like he would be by himself. Alone, underground, and unable to get help.

"Nick? Nick?!" a voice called out to him. Nick knew that voice. It was Judy.

"Judy? Judy! Down here!" Nick called out. Soon, the mammal hole cover moved to reveal his friend.

"Nick! What are you doing down there?!" Judy asked in shock.

"I... was texting you back... then fell into this mammal hole. And my phone got crushed," Nick explained.

"Yeah, I saw. Here, climb up!" Judy said before lowering a rope. Nick climbed it and once he got out, he took deep breaths of fresh air.

"Thank you Judy. But how did you know where I was?" Nick ask curiously.

"I was able to sniff your cell phone from a mile away. It smelled like blackberries. Once I saw what happened, I kinda had an idea of why you didn't show up. Good thing I brought rope!" Judy replied kindly. Nick smiled, embarrassed by what he had been through.

"I'm sorry Judy. I really am," Nick apologized.

"No problem. Let's just meet some other time. Besides, looks like you got to shower, and get a new cell phone anyway!" Judy replied, handing over the crushed cell phone. Nick took it and walked home, while Judy went back to her apartment.

"Hopefully, Nick looks before he sends a text message next time..." Judy told herself as she entered her apartment building.