Task 1: The Three Ed Boys Grunt

Chapter 5

Ten minutes had passed. The Eds, with the previously missing Julio now by their side, continued their journey through the sewers. The boys, especially Double Dee, were still quite shaken up from their encounter with the massive crocodilian, but nevertheless followed Julio's lead without question, conversing in an amiable manner as they did so.

The boys had completed their introductions and were currently in the midst of a conversation regarding their business in the sewers

"You chacos sure are took a risk coming down into these sewers," said Julio as he shined his flashlight in front of him, scanning his surroundings as he did so, "I can't tell ya how many things down here could make your day a living hell, especially if you ain't ready for it."

"Believe me," said Double Dee, "I cautioned everyone about the unsanitary and dangerous nature of these sewers prior to our departure. As usual, my pleas fell on deaf ears!"

"Of course," said Eddy, "If we would of went through all of that stupid check list, the show we're supposed to see tonight would have been over by the time we breached the manhole cover."

Eddy turning towards Julio as he did so.

"Besides, we found the guy we've been looking for," said Eddy, "Now we just gotta figure out how to get out of here, then we can get one of those cheesesteaks the girls are always talking about.."

Julio giggled.

"That's cool bro," said Julio, "I lived in this neighborhood all my life and I never scarfed down a chesesteak. I guess when you live so close you take it for granted."

Julio paused.

"So, you young bucks were looking for me?" asked Julio, "It ain't everyday five random ass kids from a town called Peach Creek show up in the sewers looking for me specifically. How'd you guys know I was down here?"

"Amanda told us!" yelled Ed, "She was so upset that you were gone, and that you weren't gonna come back by the time you had to move, so we told her we'd come down and look for you!"

Julio laughed.

"Amanda is a timid little one," said Julio, "It's understandable she'd be worried, being so young and having to go through this. First dad up and leaves, and now we're being kicked out of our neighborhood because of these stupid rats. Life sucks sometimes."

"Is that why you came down here?" asked Kevin, "To try to get rid of the rats?"

"Yep," said Julio, "I guess it was what you'd call a last ditch effort to try to save our homes before the city condemns them tomorrow."

Julio paused.

"It was weird," said Julio, "Seeing the occasional rat is nothing new, but a couple weeks ago they started coming in larger numbers. Around fifty to one-hundred at a time."

"Odd," said Double Dee, "I've never known the brown rat to display population surges of that magnitude, even with their breeding cycle and the fact that the average number of pups per litter is around four to seven."

"I think what Einstein here is trying to say is some funny business is happening down here." said Eddy.

"Bingo," said Julio, "You know what I think? I think it's some kind of ploy to force us out of the buildings. Nobody else in the neighborhood believes me but there's no other explanation. Make no mistake muchacos, I'm gonna save our neighborhood. I made a promise to Amanda, and I'm not gonna let her down."

There was a slight pause as the boys continued to make their way through the tunnels, with Julio panning his flashlight back and forth as they did so. Eventually Double Dee decided to speak.

"Pardon my questioning Julio," said Double Dee, "But are you sure that the rats are originating from this area of the sewer system? I haven't laid eyes on a single rodent during our stay in these catacombs."

"I'm with Double Dork," said the cynical Kevin, "I think these things got ya on a wild goose chase. There ain't any rats down here."

"Ed has not seen a rat, here there or anywhere!" yelled Ed in a happy-go-lucky manner, at which point he reached into his jacket pocket. Within seconds, he retrieved a modest sized object from within, indistinguishable due to the low light levels, holding it up in front of his face using both of his hands.

"Mr. Sniffles, have you seen a rat?" asked Ed in a slow manner, after which he giggled dopily.

At the conclusion of Eds statement, every boy suddenly turned in his direction, staring at their oafish friend in a confused manner. As they did so, Julio shined the flashlight in his direction, fully illuminating the tall Ed boy. To their shock and surprise, the giggling boy cradled a modest sized, brown sewer rat in his hands, holding it under the area of its front paws. It's long pink tail hung towards the ground, occasionally wiggling back and forth as its whiskers vibrated a rapid pace.

"Ed?" asked Double Dee in a concerned, yet unsurprised manner, "How long have you had that rat?"

"Since we found Julio," said Ed, "I named him Mr. Sniffles! I've been sharing my cheese with him, and I think he is sharing it with his friends, cause every time I give him a big piece he puts in his his cheeks and runs away. He comes back every time for more though, I guess it's his sense of smell."

Ed giggled as Kevin placed his palm in his face.

"Give me a break," said Kevin.

"Ed!" yelled Double Dee, "Can't you see that by feeding that murine, you are merely exacerbating the problem? Do you realize that animals learn via operant conditioning, and...

"Ed, that's it!" yelled Eddy as he dashed towards Ed, placing his arm around his shoulder and interrupting Double Dee in the process, "You're a genius!"

"I am?" asked Ed.

"Yeah, don't you get it!" yelled Eddy, "All's we need to do is give the rat a piece of cheese, and let it go run back to it's friends as it did before. The only difference is this time, we'll be hot on its tail, and if all goes well it will lead us to right to the culprit."

Double Dee smiled.

"My word!" said Double Dee in an enthusiastic manner, "I never thought these words would leave my lips, but that is quite the clever idea Eddy!"

"You know me, I'm chock full of em!" said Eddy as he turned back towards Ed, "Ed, give this boy a piece of cheese and let er rip!"

"Aye Aye Eddy!" yelled Ed as he reached into his coat pocket, retrieving a large piece of cheese from within, "Here ya go little buddy!"

Ed proceeded to hold the cheese out towards the rat, who promptly seized it with his front paws. Ed then placed the rat on the ground, which momentarily sat on its hind legs as it shoved the cheese into its cheek pouches; in an instant, the modest sized rodent turned and began to flee, dashing down the tunnels at a rapid pace.

"C'mon boys, let's move!" yelled Eddy as he dashed after the rat.

"Follow the leader!" yelled Ed as he followed suit.

One by one, Julio, Kevin, and Rolf gave chase as well, leaving Double Dee to briefly stand on the catwalk in silence.

"It appears my life has finally come down to a literal Rat Race!" said Double Dee, at which point he proceeded to follow his peers deeper into the sewers.

The boys proceeded to chase the rat through the sewers, executing hair pin turns and leaping over piles of debris as they attempted to keep up with the small rodent. Unfortunately, the rodents small size, combined with its quick and calculated movements made tracking it quite difficult. Eventually, the rats nimble nature managed to put a significant amount of distance between it and the boys, causing them to lose sight of its position.

Upon realization that they had lost sight of the rat, the six boys came to a stop, each hunched over and breathing heavily due to physical exhaustion. As they did so, Eddy activated his flashlight, scanning his surroundings with its broad beam. The boys had found themselves at a junction of sorts; three narrow tunnels branched off in differing directions, the walls of each lined with what appeared to be electrical conduit. A small stream of brown sewer water trickled into one of of the tunnels at a slow pace, entering from a small metallic pipe located near eye level on the opposite side of the circular chamber.

"Damn," said Eddy as he panned the flashlight around the room, "We lost it."

"Great plan Dorky," said Kevin, "We lost the rat and now we don't even know where we are!"

"Chill out Big Chin," said Eddy, "I'm sure my man Julio can get us outta here...right Julio?"

"That's a negative playa," said Julio as he scanned his surrounding, "I ain't ever seen these parts of the tunnel before. For all I know we could be under city hall!"

"Oh dear," said Double Dee, "Lost in the sewers with no disinfectant."

"Have no fear head-full-of-brains Ed Boy," said Rolf as he stepped forward, observing his surroundings as he did so, "Rolf shares your plight, as Rolf desires a seat next his Sweet Babushka at the musical hullabaloo. The vermin shall be found in no time!"

Eddy turned towards Rolf.

"Rolf are you insane!" yelled Eddy, "The rats probably on the other side of town by now! There ain't no way we will be able to find it! I'd rather focus on getting us out of here in one piece."

"Hoho!" yelled Rolf, "You are quite wrong Ed boy as stout as Nana's teapot. Rolf has experience in tracking and eliminating the vile vermin, as he was made responsible to protect Papa's crops from the local rats back in the old country."

Rolf leaned downward examining the ground closely as he slowly traversed the room in a circular manner.

"The rat you seek has not traveled far," said Rolf, "The rodent does not stray far from home and always leaves a foul stench in it's wake. Please allow Rolf a few moments to acquire the stench of the urethra, and the rat will be found."

All the boys stared with varied expressions (from shock to revulsion) as Rolf leaned downward, pressing his nose to the mud covered concrete ground of the sewer tunnel. He proceeded to sniff for a few moments, as he were a police hound searching for a bomb or a wanted suspect, occasionally ceasing to press his ear to ground, as if to listen for small sound of scratching. As he did so, Julio gazed upon the tall boy with an expression of confusion as he leaned towards Kevin's ear.

"Is this normal?" asked Julio.

"Dude," said Kevin, "You have no idea..."

After a few more seconds of scouting the area, Rolf suddenly stiffened up, adopting a position of that of a "pointer" dog that had latched on to a scent in a cartoonish manner, his hand pointing in the direction of the let tunnel. After doing so, Rolf suddenly began to dash down the tunnel at a rapid pace.

"Rolf is on to you vile vermin," yelled Rolf, his voice echoing through the tunnels, "You shall pay for your foul infestation!"

"Go Rolfie Go!" yelled Eddy, laughing as he observed his friend dash away. He quickly turned towards his friends, "You heard him boys! Let's move out!"

In an instant, the boys were once again on the move, following their eccentric friends lead deeper into the tunnels, where they would hopefully uncover the source of the rodent infestation.