Some Try, Brisbys Do

Mr. Ages

"Mr. Ages!" Kristy gasped.

Brutus and Justin helped Mr. Ages inside the bush. His leg was twisted and broken. Kristy rushed over to help them.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Mr. Ages had a little mishap", Brutus said.

"What kind of mishap? Mr. Ages, do you need anything?"

He shook his head as the two rats sat him down. Kristy brought a pillow to raise Mr. Ages' bad leg.

"What happened?" she repeated.

"I found a crack in the Fitzgibbons' house", Mr. Ages said. "It leads into the kitchen."

"And what were you doing in there?" Kristy asked.

She picked up bandages and started wrapping them around his leg. Mr. Ages closed his eyes as he felt the pain in his leg grow.

"I was trying to get inside."

"Nicodemus said the plan would occur soon", Justin helped explain. "Problem is Dragon. We can't go through the fields with Dragon around. Mr. Ages is the only one of us small enough to fit into the crack and try and drug Dragon."

Kristy gasped and dropped the bandages. Justin and Mr. Ages looked at her knowing they said the wrong thing. She shook her head before getting up and leaving.

"Kristy", Justin called.

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She continued walking through the bush as she wiped a stray tear from her eye. She respected Nicodemus, but it was times like this, she cursed the fact that they were all rats. Why did they have to be bigger than mice? Why did the mice have to do all the hard work? First Jonathan, now Mr. Ages. When would it end?

Kristy's ear twitched as she heard footsteps coming toward her. She turned to see Mr. Ages limping toward her, his leg bandaged.

"I'm sorry for leaving like that", Kristy said.

"No, I understand", Mr. Ages said. "I'm sorry if Justin and I reopened old wounds. You know we would never hurt you intentionally."

She sighed as she hugged him.

"I understand too. I know Nicodemus means no harm, but can't any of the rats do the dangerous work for once? I already lost my brother. I don't want to lose a good friend the same way."

Mr. Ages reached out and wiped a tear from Kristy's face. Kristy smiled. He was the closest thing she had to a father, and she didn't know what she'd do if anything happened to him.

"Do you hear something?" Mr. Ages asked.

Kristy and Mr. Ages' ears moved as they heard a sound. It sounded like rapid footsteps running in their direction. They sounded too light to be the steps of a rat.

"Who goes there?" Mr. Ages called out.

"Me!" they heard.

"Elizabeth?" Kristy gasped.