Jack was already knee-deep in the small stream, trying to wake himself up by splashing the frigid water all over himself, while Charlie held his camera. He had told Charlie when she had awkened bright and early that he simply couldn't sleep because the ground was too hard, but Charlie knew that was a lie to keep her from worrying. A wild animal must have wondered into the camp site during the night, probably a bear or maybe a wolf. Either way, they were both fine, if not a little tired and cranky. She hopped at least he had gotten some good pictures.
The surrounding valley was very beautiful, perfect for photos. Yet again, something was odd, the nagging feeling stronger. The two sat gazing at the area past the lake, taking pictures as they coasted the time.
"Hmmm, that's odd." Jack said after a moment, peering through his lense.
"What?" Charlie asked behind him, struggling between pulling her hair back and retying her laces on her hiking boots. They day was warmer than before, and they both were decked out in shorts and tank-tops, sweaters in the back-packs.
Jack used the zoom lens as binoculars, spying on odd shaped plant-life in the not so far distance. A wide, clear area, bright green with close-cropped grass, sloped gently down to the water. "This place is a bit too…well, the further we go into the woods it seems like the less wild things become." he said.
Charlie cocked an eyebrow at him as she plopped herself down on a nearby bolder. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked. He handed her the binoculars and pointed her in the right direction. "Yeah, so? Another glen or a meadow or something." she shrugged. Jack shook his head.
"That ain't no glen. Come on, let's look." he said tugging her along beside him as they headed towards the area. Jack was right. It was no mere glen they were looking at. The long grasses stopped abruptly and tilled earth began, filled with rows of rice and corn and other vegetables formed what looked like a modest little garden.
"What the hell…?" she gasped. "This is supposed to be a reserve, and I don't know any animal that could do this." she gasped. "Wonder if the park rangers know about this?" she added, touching a talk ripe stalk of corn.
"They will now." Jack said, his flash blinking in the sunlight as he clicked picture after picture.
Charlie walked the length of the small garden, careful not to disturb anything., she didn't want some crazy old-man-of-the-mountain getting on my case because she accidentally squashed some of his vegetables.
As Jack took more pictures, the shutter suddenly refused to budge. His roll was finished and he didn't bring extra film on the impromptu expedition. "Damn it," he muttered, rolling the film back into its hard plastic shell, only to have the camera slip, bouncing onto the grass. Much to his horror, the back popped open, the almost rolled film jumping out. He lunged for the roll as it made its way to the stream, luckily grabbing it in time. Unexposed film was still peeking from the canister, ruined.
"Rats," he cursed. He looked up then, eyes straying across the stream, and saw a pair of bare feet standing there by the water's edge. Jack froze, staring, and then slowly began to lift his gaze as his heart thudded in his chest.
Big foot was the first thing that entered Jack's head as he looked at the figure standing across the stream from him, six-foot tall, covered in fur, half-naked. But since when did Big Foot have the ears, muzzle, and tail of a mouse? And since when did Big Foot have spears?
Spears…
The entire image came together now. Jack was staring at a six foot tall, human-like mouse. Human, because although it was covered in sandy colored brown fur and had a tail, an animal nose and ears, it's eyes were human, it had five fingers on each hand, and five toes on each foot. It stood erect, the same way he did, with the same muscle structure, although he mouse's was actually stronger and leaner looking than himself. Hell he was sure that the anatomy was down to the most minute detail behind the loin-cloth the creature was wearing.
It had clothes on. This animal--this--this thing was wearing clothes, jewelry even, and was holding a weapon. And was staring at him with the most intimidating look he'd ever seen.
"Ch…Charlie…" he croaked. The mouse-man on the other side of the stream did not move. Charlie, who was still wandering through the garden, only vaguely heard her friend's strangled gasp.
She froze in her spot, feeling very worried. "What is going on here? Why am I feeling like a dozen eyes are on me?" she thought to herself. "Jack, what's wrong?" she called, stepping out of the garden and towards where she heard the sound.
And then her eyes fell on the sight at the stream. Jack, standing there, stiff as a board, holding his camera and roll of film, jaw unhinged, and the creature, standing across the water from him. The creature whipped its head in her direction, staring at her in surprise.
"Charlie, run!" Jack cried, dropping his camera on the ground and his hands flew to his back-pack, pulling out his gun. The creature leapt to the side as Jack opened fire on it. It rolled to the ground, quickly regaining it's feet and charging across the water at him. It was amazing what grace and speed the thing had, amazing dexterity and reflexes, Jack thought all this as the thing charged, him throwing him the ground, knocking the gun out of his hand.
"JACK!" Charlie cried, beginning to run towards him, but something suddenly tackled her from above, tossing her to the ground and holding her firmly in strong white arms, pressing something hard and jagged and cold against her throat.
"What have we here?" the a voice from behind her said suddenly, and Charlie craned her neck to look up at her capture. He looked just like the creature that was currently holding Jack to the ground, only white. Like Jack, Charlie couldn't quite decide if he was human or animal, for he looked in equal proportion to both, and that's when she realized that it was him who was talking, and speaking in perfect English no less.
Charlie let out a blood curdling scream that made both mice flinch, their large ears flattening against the sound. The white mouse thrust the course blade against her throat harder to shut her up. He looked to the other mouse.
"Are you hurt?" he asked.
"No." replied the other, having pinned down Jack, holding him in place with the spear tip to the hollow of his throat.
Jack stared up at him, eyes wide and wondering. He was petrified, to be sure, but his scientific curiosity was getting the better of him to be sure. "You…you're the ones who made those tracks I saw in the woods!" he gasped, smiling.
The tan mouse glared down at him in bewilderment. "You're poachers." he growled.
"What?! No, no, we're not poachers!" Jack cried incredulously. The mouse heaved him to his feet, thrusting him against the tree.
"You're lying. You carry a gun." he growled. His nose twitched as though he were taking in his scent, and Jack realized he was. "And you're not one of the rangers." he added.
"Do…do the rangers know you're here?" Jack panted, wincing against the pain in his back.
"No one knows we're here." The white mouse said, smiling smugly. "Except you. But you won't count much longer, I think." he added.
Charlie began to sob against his arms wrapping harshly around her. She was overwhelmed by both the fact that her and Jack's lives were in obvious danger, and the thought that she must most certainly be going crazy. The white mouse looked taken aback by this, and gazed up at his companion, looking for answers.
"Are there anymore of you?" he asked to Jack, looking him hard in the eyes with a piercing gaze.
"No, there's only us." Jack replied, wondering if he shouldn't have lied.
Another moment of silent exchanged between the two mice. "Then you will come with us." he said, and they both moved forward, dragging Jack and Charlie with them. Charlie was in all out hysterics now, screaming and crying until the white mouse simply let her fall to her knees, where she sat sobbing. Jack went beside her, wrapping his arms around her.
"Honey, honey, calm down!" he begged, stroking her hair, and wiping the tears from her cheeks.
"Jack, I'm not crazy, am I?" she sobbed, clutching his shirt. He kissed her forehead and tired to calm her down.
"No, honey, believe me, I see them too." he said glaring up at them.
"Your mate?" The white mouse asked. Jack shook his head.
The white mouse shrugged at the other. "Are you sure we shouldn't just kill them?" he asked.
"No, Vincent. We do not kill unless it is necessary. We'll take them to see Stoker. He'll know what to do." the tan mouse said.
"You never let me have any fun, big bro." the white mouse, who's name apparently was Vincent replied, smiling. The other mouse smiled at him briefly and bent beside them, laying a firm, but considerably gentler hand on Jack's shoulder. "Come." he said in a soft commanding voice.
Jack and Charlie stood, the mice walking on either side of them, weapons always held ready. It was then that Jack noticed something about the two creatures before him. Tattooed apparently on their right shoulder blades were the initials: N.I.M.H.
"NIMH? What could that possibly stand for? It is some sort of tribal or clan thing? They both appear to be brothers, it could be that. What are these creatures? Where did they come from…?" Jack found himself wondering silently to himself.
"Where are you taking us?" Charlie asked suddenly, having calmed down somewhat, though she still couldn't believe that she was actually being held hostage by giant rats.
"To our village. There is no where else to take you. You have seen to much, we can not let you go free." the tan mouse replied without looking at her.
"We won't tell," Jack pleased.
"You lie, human. You would tell, you'd be crazy not to." he replied.
"Crazy! Don't you tell me about crazy, you--you rodent!" Charlie yelled suddenly. "I've just been kidnapped by giant rats wearing loin clothes and carrying spears, who speak English and have gardens and apparently a village in the middle of frickin wild life preserve! Don't you tell me about crazy!" she shouted.
Vincent smiled, "Hey, I like this one, she's got spunk." he said.
"First off, let me make a few things clear." said the other, turning to face them. "We are not Rats. If we were Rats, you'd been dead awhile ago. We're Mice. Second, we speak your tongue yes, and that will be explained later, if our leader chooses to let you live. If not, that's the least of your worries. Third, I will not be cursed at by a stinking human, understand me? You would do well control yourself, and remain calm. It's your best chance for survival." he said in a calm, authoritive tone.
Charlie grew silent, simply clinging to Jack. They trekked the rest of the way through the wilderness in silence, the only sound the rustling of the leaves and the shuffling sounds of their shoes against the forest floor. Whether they would come out of this experience alive or dead…only time would tell.