Mouse
21
M21
jimmied the lock on his cage. Doc had stopped coming to the lab
three days before, and the mouse was alone. His food tray was empty,
and hunger is a powerful incentive for a small mammal with a high
metabolic rate. M21 knew why Doc had not returned. The television
had shown scenes of global madness, extreme violence, and rapid
degeneration. Until it went silent of course.
Five
days later, his water bottle was dry. He could reach the bag of
pellets in the storage locker, but he could not turn on the faucet.
It was time.
The
Mousemobile sat on the table. M21 didn't need the Mousemobile. He
could get out the window on paw. But it was so cool! Bright red
fenders, four attitude jets, and a revolutionary new power source
Doc had been testing. The back seat contained an empty container for
water. Beside him lay a probe that would serve if he needed to
fight. The Mousemobile rose smoothly into the air, turned towards
the window, and sailed out into a warm autumn afternoon.
There
were no bodies, only crumbling bones. The virus was thorough, and
human-specific.
He
got water from a birdbath. After an hour cruising around about 2
meters off the ground, M21 spotted a small brown mouse on a
third-floor window sill. He glided to within three or 4 meters and
then called out to her.
"Hey!
What's your name?" The other mouse darted through a hole in
the window and was gone. M21 kept trying. He found other mice, but
none would (could?) speak to him. He hadn't even seen one since
about sunset. It was time to pack it in.
He
turned the wheel sharply, and as he did so, something large struck
the side of the Mousemobile. He tumbled out of control, slamming
into the ground. His arm was bruised, his head hurt, and he smelled
blood. He unstrapped and staggered out, probe in hand. He looked up
just as the owl made a second pass. He swung the probe and the owl
impaled itself on the point. The bird jerked backwards and leaped
heavily into the air, flapping away a few inches above the ground.
M21 picked up the probe and jumped back into the aircar, flipping the
power switch. Nothing. He tried a few more times, then dashed for
the nearest building. Inside, he slumped against the wall, legs
trembling, and dropped the probe beside him. He hoped there were no
cats.
Publ. Daily Cabal 2012
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