Rats Rat

"Rats!" Mitchie exclaimed.

Don and he scanned the area ahead but it was no good. They were on an overturned cruise ship, and the various hallways seemed to block them off at every turn. Behind them a small family of three was following them, hoping for the best.

"Are you kidding me," Don called out, "it's blocked that way too?"

"Sort of. We could probably squeeze through and up, but I don't see a way of getting that family through with us."

"What? Forget the family. It's everyone for themselves."

Mitchie turned to face his friend, he was soaked head to toe.

"Come on, we gotta help them, they're clearly clueless."

Don shook his head, "do what you want, but I'm leaving."

Don splashed past his friend. Mitchie watched him as he went. He couldn't blame him, nor would he try to stop him. He had his own problems to worry about now. He looked around, water rising, treading as best he could. Suddenly he remembered a compartment he'd seen, in a broom closet. It was a way out for all of them.

"Follow me," he called out to the family. They did just that trailing him as he went. In the closet he managed to grab hold of a rope to pull open a trap door. Through it was a tight, but workable pathway out to the surface. He moved as fast as he could with the family crawling behind him. At last they emerged out into game room. From there they all made their way to the lifeboats.

Mitchie tried to hop onto one but was kicked back.

"Oh no you don't," one of the attendants rebuffed him.

"Please," the little girl cried, "he saved our lives."

"What?" the attendant returned. "Alright, fine, just get on quick."

Mitchie and the family boarded. He had no idea what the week ahead had in store for him. Appearances on talk shows and the news. Treated to a lifestyle he never could have dreamed of before. Mitchie was about to become the world's most famous rat.