Chapter 8

Moving Day

The chilly air blew against his brown hair and face as he sat all by himself on a large stone that was near the Brisby's house. It looked like winter was pretty much over but even though it looked like it did it was still a little chilly. The weather wasn't bothering Chris though.

Chris had his flashlight out and he was testing it to see if it still worked after the whole incident with Dragon. It was waterproof but he still wanted to make sure it worked. Luckily it still worked and he put it back in his pocket for safekeeping.

He sighed and then looked at the time on his watch that was on his wrist. 8:15 it read. It wasn't too late for him and he decided to stay out here a little longer. Besides, it wasn't like he had something to do anyway, although he wished he could be taking photos at this moment. Beautiful photos that enraptured one's eye for safe keepings like a painting. Tonight would've been a perfect night to take photos. Chris looked up to the sky and in the very sky, there were stars as beautiful as diamonds.

These stars made a weak smile start to show on Chris's face. He could see a few constellations across the sky if he looked very closely, like the Gemini. When he was a kid he wanted to learn a lot about these constellations and it was all because of his mother. She would always tell him stories about stars and constellations and every day he learned something new about stars and constellations. Because of his love for stars and constellations, he got himself a telescope for Christmas from his parents and it was better than a bicycle.

"Chris?"

Chris got out of his thoughts when he saw Mrs. Brisby approaching him. She looked extremely tired but none other the less she looked to be in good condition. However, she still had that worried look in her eyes for her son, Timmy.

When Chris looked into Timmy's eyes he could see some innocence in them. He couldn't imagine how much that kid has gone through to deserve all this. He felt bad for the kid in the condition he was in, but he hoped the kid would get better soon.

"Hi," Chris said as he didn't move from his spot on the stone.

"What're you doing out here?" Mrs. Brisby asked as she stood next to Chris.

Chris sighed and looked back up at the stars. "Just... wanted to get some fresh air..." Although it was mostly a lie it was partly true. "How's Timmy doing?"

Mrs. Brisby sighed as her ears lowered on her head. "Still doesn't feel good but hopefully he'll get better now I gave him the medicine Mr. Ages gave to me." Chris noticed Mrs. Brisby looking at the stars and there was some awe in them. "The stars are very beautiful tonight, it's been a long time since I looked at them."

Chris smiled at Mrs. Brisby. "Wanna join me?"

Mrs. Brisby looked at Chris as she rubbed her arm. "Are you sure? I don't want to feel like I'm disturbing you-"

"It's not a problem at all, there's nothing wrong with a mouse looking at the stars with a human, right?"

Mrs. Brisby looked surprised with what Chris said and Chris continued to smile at her. She then smiled in return and without saying a word she sat down next to Chris and together they looked at the stars. If anyone saw a human and a mouse looking at the stars together they'd probably think that it was strange. Chris, however, didn't think this was strange. He thought it was nice.

"I remember Jonathon and I used to look at the stars at night," Mrs. Brisby said.

Chris looked at Mrs. Brisby with his head tilted. "Your husband?"

Mrs. Brisby nodded. "Every time we looked at them it always seemed like they got more beautiful."

Chris looked back at the stars and nodded. "That's how I always felt whenever I looked at the stars. My mom once told me that whenever someone must go they always become a part of the sky. I sometimes wonder if my parents are somewhere up there, watching everything unfold for me…"

Mrs. Brisby looked at Chris shocked but then she looked at him sadly and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry about them…"

Chris sighed but looked at Mrs. Brisby. "Thank you…"

Mrs. Brisby looked like she was thinking about something as her eyes were lowered and then she looked back at Chris. "When Dragon attacked… you shouted my first name before he could even grab me."

Chris's eyes widened. He tried to recall when he did and he realized he shouted her first name twice a while ago. The first time was when Dragon was trying to grab her when she was trying to get Timmy's medicine and the other time was when she fell into the water with Dragon. He even kind of wanted to know if Dragon survived the fall or not. He didn't even realize he was shouting Mrs. Brisby's name until she mentioned it to him. He felt embarrassed. Although, he was panicking around that time so he had no reason to feel embarrassed. He wasn't sure if calling Mrs. Brisby by her first name was such a good idea, like calling parents by their first names.

"Um… yeah, sorry," Chris said rubbing his neck. "I was worried about you and I didn't realize-"

"It's okay," Mrs. Brisby said. "I understand. You can call me Elizabeth if you want to."

Chris was surprised by what Mrs. Brisby said. "R-Really?"

"Of course." Mrs. Brisby then looked down and when she did she gasped at something. Chris realized what she was looking at and he tried to hide them but it was too late. "Chris, what happened to your hands?"

Chris cussed inside his head. He didn't want Mrs. Brisby to worry about his hands but seeing as though she saw his hands he knew he couldn't hide it. He knew he had to explain everything to her. He started to tell her what happened after she fell into the water to how he was worried she wouldn't make it, to how the pendant on the necklace started to glow while he was on Jeremy and it started to save her, to how his hands were stinging him like he touched fire after he held the pendant.

As soon as he finished, Mrs. Brisby thought about this. She opened her mouth and then she closed it. Chris didn't blame her. This stone had done a lot of crazy things recently. Chris did wonder something though. If that stone could make him feel better this morning after yesterday then why didn't it instantly heal his stinging hands? This pendant was just confusing him.

"Well… you could've asked me if I had anything to wrap your hands in," Mrs. Brisby said.

"I didn't want you to worry about it," Chris said. "Besides, you and the shrew were talking and I didn't want to interrupt your conversation with her any further."

Mrs. Brisby sighed. "I know she wasn't being friendly towards you but she does have trust issues. I'm sure she'll come around eventually."

"Yeah… I hope so."

Mrs. Brisby smiled and she then stood up. "Well, it's getting late, I should probably get inside." She started to walk away but before she did she looked back at Chris. "Are you coming?"

Chris looked at his watch and Mrs. Brisby was pretty much right. He looked back up at Mrs. Brisby and nodded. "Yeah, I'm coming."

He then got off the ground and he and Mrs. Brisby started to walk back to the house and while they did, Mrs. Brisby looked back at Chris. "Thank you by the way… for saving me. Even though it's still shocking that pendant did something unnatural again, I owe you one."

Chris looked surprised by what Mrs. Brisby said but he then smiled weakly. "No problem."

They then continued to walk back to the house in silence as the crickets chirped and the wind continued to blow. Tomorrow would be a new day for them.

Night came already and there was still nothing about Chris. Beth was worried sick for him, hoping he wasn't hurt or worse. Neither she nor Paul could guess where he could be by now but she hoped he'd return safe and sound.

Beth was standing in front of the bathroom mirror in her robe brushing her blond hair. It was a stressful day for her and Paul but they were trying not to worry too much for they had to get a lot of work done today. They still haven't told Billy that Chris was missing but as long as if they didn't tell him, Billy wouldn't worry. However, Billy did wonder what happened to Chris and they had to come up with the best excuse they could. It wasn't easy but somehow they managed to persuade him.

After she brushed her hair, Beth turned off the bathroom light and made her way back to her room where her husband was, but before she did, she quietly went to Billy's room and opened his door without it making a creak. When she opened it she looked in to see that Billy was fast asleep. She smiled weakly and then she closed the door quietly and made her way to her bedroom. When she got to her bedroom she saw Paul in his casual sleepwear and he was sitting on their bed thinking as he was rubbing his temples with two of his fingers.

She then walked in and she placed her hairbrush on her bedside table. "You think Chris is alright?"

Paul looked up at Beth as he sighed. "I… I don't know Beth…"

Beth sat down next to Paul when she got to Paul's side of the bed and as she did she placed her hand on Paul's hand and caressed it. "I'm sure the police will find Chris soon…"

Paul then held Beth's hand. "Hopefully they will." Paul then pecked Beth on the lips. "I'm going to bed. I have to plow the fields tomorrow."

Beth nodded and stood up and as she did, Paul took off his slippers and slipped his feet and legs under the covers and then turned out his lamp on his bedside table. Beth was about to close the blinds to their window but then she remembered that she needed to tell her husband something and it was something odd that happened today. It also kind of disturbed her as well. She looked at her husband and he was about to fall asleep.

"Dear, a man came by today, from NIMH," Beth said.

"NIMH?" Paul said sleepily.

"Yes, you know! The National Institute of Mental Health. He was asking if we had noticed… anything strange… about the rats on the farm." Beth then closed the blinds as she remembered the conversation she had with the man that caught her off guard. "Well, I said, 'No, nothing unusual'."

Paul then turned over onto his side. "Beth, I have to get up early."

Beth was then rubbing her arms like she was cold only she wasn't. "Oh, it gave me goosebumps to hear him carry on like that! Like the rats might have some horrible disease!"

The thought of the rats that were on farm property having some sort of disease made Beth worry that one of them might get something from the rats. She had hoped that Dragon might've gotten rid of some of them but strangely enough, he hasn't caught anything. She has noticed though that Dragon was sleeping a lot and it was mostly why Dragon wasn't doing a very good job at catching those rats.

Speaking of Dragon, she saw him come back to the farm and he was soaking wet. She also saw a little scratch on his back and it was hard to tell at first but when she got a closer look at it she saw the small cut on his back. She didn't know what happened out in the forest but whatever happened Dragon at least came back alive.

"Night, Beth," Paul said sleepily.

"I told him you'd call him back," Beth said before Paul could fall asleep.

Paul yawned. "Uh-huh." He was then asleep.

Beth sighed and decided to let her husband get some sleep. She then went to her side of the bed and sat down. She looked towards the window with the closed blinds and she prayed to God that Chris would come back safely.

Morning came and Chris started to hear something. Chris grumbled as he was trying to sleep and he even used his hands to cover his ears as he was tossing and turning but he couldn't block the noise. He cursed and just wanted some sleep but it was as if the noise didn't want him to have some good sleep.

Chris woke up very tired with some irritation and he had bags under his eyes. He sat up and slid his hand through his messy hair and cussed more as he could feel a headache forming. He then rubbed his eyes and after he did he slowly started to put his shoes on and then his jean jacket. He didn't want to get up this early but from the noise, he was hearing it was obvious he couldn't go back to sleep.

However, as he listened carefully to the sound he thought it sounded like an engine starting. He cocked his head in confusion and stood up and listened more. This engine was sounded like it was trying to start up and he wondered if it was coming from the farm. His Uncle did have a lot of things at the farm.

He then heard footsteps and he turned around and saw Mrs. Brisby coming out of her room in her red cape looking confused but worried at the same time. "You hear it too, don't you?" Chris said.

Mrs. Brisby nodded. "I need to go have a look."

"I'll come with you."

Mrs. Brisby nodded again and together, she and Chris made their way outside as the sound of an engine was trying to work. It was very cloudy outside but there was a little bit of sunshine. They hurried to see what was going and to see where the noise was coming from they went on top of the stone they were on yesterday to have a better view. Chris placed the side of his hand near his forehead and could see the farm. He could see and hear that the sound was coming from his Uncle's tractor.

He noticed that Mrs. Brisby looked pretty frightened as she was staring towards the farm and he was about to ask her what was wrong until a voice was heard. "What did I tell you? Moving Day!" Chris turned around to see the shrew-and her usual grouchy self-walking towards Mrs. Brisby with her makeshift cane.

Mrs. Brisby looked at the shrew shocked. "It can't be!"

The shrew stopped near Mrs. Brisby. "It certainly can!" The shrew slammed her cane on the ground to confirm what she's saying is true. "I don't suppose you've packed!"

Chris looked between Mrs. Brisby and the shrew confused. "Okay, would someone mind explaining to me what Moving Day is!?"

Mrs. Brisby and the shrew looked at Chris and Mrs. Brisby was about to answer but the shrew beat her to it. "Moving Day is when the animals that live near the farm have to leave to go back to their summer homes and it's because your Uncle is doing plowing! I'm surprised you haven't realized that by now! That plow destroys homes and anything else it comes across!"

Chris's eyes widened. So that's Moving Day…

Mrs. Brisby looked even more scared. "What about Timmy? The chill in the air could kill him!"

"Well child, that tractor surely will," The shrew said. "For the last time, get your children out of here, before it's too late!"

The engine was then heard again and this time it was sprung to life and it roared. The three of them looked to the farm and when they did they were shocked. Chris could see smoke coming out of the tractor and the tractor started to move towards them.

It was already too late.

The shrew freaked out and she ran and Chris didn't expect she could move that fast. "Run! Run for your lives, run! It's Moving Day!"

Chris looked at Mrs. Brisby and she was looking at him scared as the shrew continued to shout and warn the animals wherever she ran like she was Paul Revere shouting and warning the Patriots that the British were coming. Chris looked to the tractor and thought about something. He knew it was going to be risky but he knew that if he didn't do something fast, his uncle was likely going to kill Timmy and he couldn't let little Timmy get killed. He had to stop that tractor.

"Get anyone you can out of the house," Chris said.

Mrs. Brisby looked at Chris worried but confused at the same time. "But… but what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to try and stop my Uncle's tractor, but you need to get your kids out of that house fast, now go!" Mrs. Brisby didn't move as she looked at Chris shocked. "Go!"

Mrs. Brisby ran on her fours down the stone and to her house and as she did, Chris ran down the stone and he could hear and feel animals warning one another any way they could. He ran as fast as he could towards the plow and as he did he ran by animals that were escaping for their lives and saw birds flying out of the tall grasses flying away as fast as they could as their feathers floated to the ground gracefully. Chris kept his focus on the tractor and had to hurry otherwise he'd be too late.

She woke up Teresa, Martin, and Cynthia and she urged them to get out of bed. They didn't have time to grab anything and when all three of her children were up they scurried out of the house. Mrs. Brisby couldn't take Timmy out into open. Otherwise, the cold would likely kill him. Mrs. Brisby held Teresa's hand, Teresa held Martin's hand, and Martin held Cynthia's hand and they scurried as far as they could in a line like little ducklings following their mother.

"Brisby," shouted the shrew's voice and she ran out of the tall grass towards her and as she did, Mrs. Brisby and her children stopped in their tracks as the shrew stopped near them and she was breathing hard but worried. "Go get… Timothy!"

"Please," Mrs. Brisby begged. "Take the children out of here!"

Cynthia tugged at Mrs. Brisby's cape. "Mommy, we can't leave Timmy!"

"Where's Chris?" Martin said. "We can't leave him either!"

Mrs. Brisby looked at her children. "Children, go with Auntie Shrew." She then lightly pushed Cynthia towards the shrew and she took Cynthia.

Mrs. Brisby then looked to where the plow was and saw it was halfway to their winter home. It was huge and dangerous and she couldn't let Chris do this alone. He was by far a very good friend and she couldn't lose her friend or her son like she lost her husband. Whether anyone liked it or not she had to help Chris, no matter what.

"I've got to go help, Chris!" Mrs. Brisby then dashed as fast as she could to where Chris was headed.

"Wait," the shrew shouted towards Mrs. Brisby. "You're out of your mind! Brisby, come back!"

Mrs. Brisby didn't listen and hurried to help not only Chris but to save her son as well.

"Uncle Paul," Chris shouted as he ran towards the plow. "Uncle Paul, stop the tractor! Stop the tractor!"

It was no use though. His voice was audible to his Uncle because of the plow. He had to try a different tactic.

Chris then saw a chain dangling on the plow and without wasting a moment of breath, Chris ran faster, and then with a leap, he grabbed hold of the chain. Chris yelped when he almost got blown off the chain but he managed to hold on for dear life and he then began to ascend the chain. He then managed to get on top of the tractor and when he did he jumped onto another part of the tractor but when he did he almost fell but he luckily got a hold of a string. He looked down but regretted it as he could see churning blades that would've turned him into processed meat if he hadn't of grabbed the string in time and he forgot how to breathe as he was staring down in a shocking state.

"Chris!" Chris shook his head and looked up and when he did he saw Mrs. Brisby and she jumped over the ledge and landed on the other side of the tractor to where Chris was trying to get to. Chris yelped when he felt a big jolt but he held on tightly. Mrs. Brisby looked down at Chris. "Chris, give me your hand!"

Chris reached his hand out to Mrs. Brisby and when he did Mrs. Brisby managed to grab his hand and then Chris used his other hand to let go of the string and he used it for Mrs. Brisby to also grab hold of and just in time she grabbed it. She then pulled Chris up the best she could back onto the tractor and when she did, Chris held on and they panted.

Chris looked up at Mrs. Brisby. "What're you doing here!? You shouldn't be here!"

Mrs. Brisby looked at Chris. "I'm here to help!"

Dirt was flying everywhere as the plow was rocking them back and forth. Chris knew this wasn't a good time to argue but he grunted. He looked up ahead with a determined look and he steadily got up and then ran to where he needed to go and it was the only way to stop the tractor and Mrs. Brisby followed.

"What do we do!?" Mrs. Brisby asked in desperation.

"We need to make the fuel in this tractor leak and the only way to do that is if we pull the fuel line that connects to the fuel container," Chris shouted his answer. "We have to be careful though! I know where it is, it's inside the machine!"

As they tried to hurry they managed to get inside the machine as the shaking grew stronger. Chris looked around him to try to find the fuel container and they had to hurry or Timmy was going to get crushed with the Brisby's home. Chris then saw the fuel container and he pointed. "There!" They ran closer to the fuel tank and when they did they jumped onto it and they managed to keep their balance in place. Chris grabbed hold of the fuel line and landed his feet against a ledge below him and looked up at Mrs. Brisby. "Help me pull!"

Mrs. Brisby nodded and she grabbed hold of the fuel line as her feet planted on the ledge below them and together they pulled. They pulled the hardest they could as the tractor was getting close to the Brisby's home. Chris couldn't let poor little Timmy leave his mother and siblings, he just couldn't. The image of Timmy came to his mind… that sick and weak little kid that had a life ahead of him…

Chris gripped the fuel line the hardest he could and he wouldn't let a child die today. He pulled with incredible force and as he did. The line was coming loose and then with enough strength from the both of them the fuel line was pulled loose and fuel began to spray out towards them and when it did they fell alongside the tractor and screamed.

Things seemed to have gone by slowly but even as it did, Chris reached out towards Mrs. Brisby and grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him and then he hugged her in hopes of her not getting hurt and as he did, the pendant on the necklace began to glow that radiant blue and it began to surround them as they both held onto each other. They then collided onto something that was like a slide and then they crashed to the ground as they still held onto each other. Rubble and little bits of rocks then fell on top of them as the blue glow still surrounded them.

The tractor ground to a halt near the Brisby's home and the Brisby's home laid in the shadow of the tractor, unharmed.

Timmy was unharmed as well.

A/N- Hey, guys! I'm so sorry for the long wait, but I'm back with another chapter! I've been so busy lately that I haven't had the time to work on this and I just didn't feel like working on it for some reason but I finally have this chapter down! A lot of you have been probably waiting for this chapter for a long time now but you all now have chapter 8. It might be a while before I can update on this and the reason being is because I'm going to be making some corrections and maybe some small changes to not only this story but another story I'm working on. I promise though I will have another chapter on this out soon and until then have a nice day.