Mouse from Space – Chapter 13.
„Minnie, wait… Will you finally tell where we are going?" groaned Mickey as he stumbled over some rocks.
"We must get as far as we can from those psychos!" stated Minnie, fixing the pack on her back.
"But how? There's no way we can hide from them…"
"You just no worry! I know the perfect place." smiled at the alien Minnie "Now stop the whining and hurry up."
"Ughh… comin', comin'… but it's not that easy…" huffed the male, he also hold a stuffed pack. The two secretly returned to Sunny Oak and 'borrowed' as much food as they could from the mart. Of course Minnie wrote a letter later she will pay for it, but at that time they needed to hurry.
Before dawn they left Sunny Oak and returned into the same forest the MiB bastards captured Mickey. Indeed it gave some bad memory for both of them, but also this was the safest place they could go. Nobody would search after them here. They hid the motorcycle in the bushes and, carrying huge backpacks they headed deeper into the woods. Minnie leaned her back against a rock, waiting up the alien mouse.
"Already exhausted?" she raised a brow, seeing Mickey pants for air "But we just started the trip."
"S-stop it, I'm still exhausted…" frowned Mickey "I-if you forgot, I was tortured, not you…" by his words Minnie lowered her head.
"You're right… sorry…" rubbed her neck awkwardly "I just want to reach the Sanctuary as soon as possible."
"Sanctuary?" raised a brow Mickey.
"Yeah. It's a hidden house deep in the forest. I found it with Ozzie when we were kids and repaired it. That was our secret place, our sanctuary…" the memory made her sad "Anyway… the main we can hide there until we find out what to do next. If we hurry then we reach it before the sun set."
"Just first… give me a minute to catch breath…" sat next to her Mickey. Minnie nodded and leaned her side to his a little.
"I'm glad you're with me again…" she whispered. The alien blinked, but slowly nodded.
"So… do I…" answered Mickey and glanced down, noticing her small hand resting on her thigh. He had a soft tingle in his head, an urge. He softly rubbed his fingers together, hesitating, then reached out slowly and carefully. But… before he could touch her hand Minnie got up and stretched.
"Mhhh I think we rested enough. Shall we go?" grinned at the mouse who immediately pulled back his paw.
"Y-yes… we can go…" stammered awkwardly and stood up. Minnie, in a happier mood walked ahead, humming. Her long hair bounced on her shoulders, sunlight shimmered on it. "Why I feel… this strange?" thought Mickey, staring at the female as he followed her "I don't understand…"
Around them the forest was quiet, only the breeze blew between the trees, making their leaves tremble. As they went deeper into the forest they began to hear splashes first really softly, then it turned louder and louder. After they left some bushes they found themselves on a rocky coast, in front of them a smaller river flew across.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" asked Minnie, nothing Mickey's awing face.
"It is…" nodded the male. Minnie chuckled then noticed something.
"Mickey… since when your tail is glowing?" pointed out. Mickey blinked and lifted up his tail. The pearl on the end softly glowed with blue light.
"Strange… I didn't perceive it until you not noted. I not sure why it act like this." hummed the alien.
"Hopefully it won't get anyone's attention…" said Minnie, walking alongside with the river, looking for something. After a short search she finally found what she was looking for. They saw some big, plain rock in the flowing water, like a natural bridge across the river. "Ah here it is!"
"D-don't tell me we have to go across this?" gulped Mickey. But Minnie not waited for him, she made a long jump, landing on the first rock. The stone was moist and slippery, but she could stay on it's surface.
"C'mon Mickey! This is the only way to reach the Sanctuary!" shouted through the rumble and leaped to another rock. Mickey grimaced but had no other choice. He huffed and bounced as she did before. "Carefully not to fall!" told him Minnie, glancing back at the alien.
They were in the middle when the tragedy happened. Minnie just jumped at the following rock when her boot slipped on the wet moss. She flapped her arms wildly to get back her balance, but the heavy pack pulled her behind and with a loud splash and scream she fell into the running water.
"MINNIE!" roared Mickey, watching as the current drag the poor girl away. Minnie shouted and splashed around, trying to stay on the surface, but the river tossed her from a side to another, pulling her underwater. She only had time to take a short gasp and sneeze the fluid out of her nose at the same moment before the waves engulfed her again. She barely heard as Mickey screaming her name and rushes along with the river, trying to find a way to help her. She felt as the water slowly fill up her lunges, making her unable to breath. She was on the verge of faint, when suddenly something grabbed her harshly and pulled her above the waves.
"Hold on Minnie!" yelled a voice she couldn't recognize. Above her a figure laid on a tree branch that reached into the river, holding on with its legs tightly. Minnie tried to keep her head out of water, but the river and the heavy pack always managed to pull her down. In the next moment she sensed something tear on her shoulders and felt extremely light as the current took away the pack. Her hands were grabbed and the figure pulled her out of the water.
Less than a minute later she knelt on the coast and coughed out all the water remained in her lunges. She trembled in the whole body, water dripped from her clothes and hair. Near her the mysterious savior knelt and patted her back, helping her with breath.
"It's okay, take it easy…" told her kindly. That voice…
*Click* Clicked the gun as Minnie aimed it at the figure. He let out a gulp and put his hand off her back.
"S-stay away… from me… Oswald L. R-rabbit…" rattled Minnie when she finally recognized the blurry figure. Ozzie flattened his ears.
"That's the thanks for saving your life?" he asked with a tone of sadness.
"Who asked you to save me?" glared at him the female angry. Meanwhile footsteps sounded behind them and Mickey arrived.
"Minnie! Minnie you okay?" panicked the alien but stopped when he saw the situation.
"Minnie please…" tried Ozzie but the girl just snarled.
"I said stay back! You traitor… I hate you so much!"
"And what you want to do? Shoot me? Your weapon is also soaked, you can't use it." stated the rabbit seriously.
"You followed us until here?" now it was Mickey who narrowed his eyes.
"It's not your concern!" barked at him Ozzie.
"It is! Get lost Oswald before I do something I should regret!" hissed Minnie, however her hand trembled with the gun. Ozzie slowly stood up and made a step behind.
"I… just wanted to remedy my mistake…" he said.
"It's no way to remedy your mistake!" answered the girl. Ozzie bit his bottom lips and turned away.
"There's a bridge down the river. You can pass without trouble…" told them and slowly walked into the forest. Mickey went to Minnie and helped her up.
"Oh Minnie, you scared me so much." his voice choked and hugged gently the female. Minnie nuzzled into his fur, trying to calm her dreading soul.
"I… I'll be okay…" she stammered, wasn't sure if she trembles because of the shock, or the cold.
"Better if you take some rest before we continue the trip." suggested Mickey, holding Minnie securely.
"N-no… we have no time…" shook her head Minnie "We must reach the Sanctuary before sunset. C-come…" with Mickey's help she tottered ahead. The male couldn't hold back the stubborn mouse, so he sighed and supported Minnie alongside the coast, still worried of the girl's condition.