Some Try, Brisbys Do

Death

Jenner leapt toward Elizabeth trying to grab the amulet from her neck. She struggled as hard as she could more frightened than before.

"I want that stone!" Jenner yelled.

"Jenner!" Justin yelled.

He ran up to Jenner, kicking him off of Elizabeth. Kristy watched in fear as Jenner got back up to attack Justin who had no weapon.

"Somebody help him!" she yelled to the rats.

"Justin!" Sullivan called, running to him with his sword. "Justin, my sword!"

He threw his sword to Justin. Jenner growled and turned to Sullivan and swung his sword, slashing him across the chest. Kristy gasped as she saw him fall to the ground and turned to see Justin and Jenner begin to fight. She knelt down next to Sullivan putting her hand on his chest to try and stop the bleeding, but kept her eyes on Justin.

"It was you", he said dodging Jenner's attacks. "You did it! You killed Nicodemus. That was no accident!"

"Yes, I killed him!"

Jenner swung his sword at Justin again. Justin blocked the attack but was knocked down into the mud.

"Justin!" Kristy gasped.

"He wanted to destroy everything!" Jenner said approaching him. "I've learned this much: Take what you can, when you can!"

"Then you've learned nothing!" Justin spat as he got up.

Jenner raised his sword to attack again. Justin kicked a piece of wreckage in front of him to distract him. He saw his opening and stabbed Jenner, making him drop his sword. The rats all watched in disbelief as Justin threw his sword down.

"Friends, tonight we journey to Thorn Valley", he said. "We will leave no tracks. No evidence that the Rats of NIMH ever existed. Come."

Jenner glared and picked up his sword. Elizabeth saw him and gasped pointing.

"Justin, look out!" Kristy yelled.

She looked down to see Sullivan moving very weakly. He pulled a knife from his belt looking at Jenner. Using the last bit of strength he had, he threw the knife into Jenner's back, before falling dead. Everyone watched as Jenner fell to the ground, dead as well.

The rats gathered around Jenner's back, while Elizabeth looked away. Kristy noticed the sad look on her face and followed her as she walked to the house.

"Elizabeth, are you okay?" she asked.

"So much death", he mumbled. "All because of me."

"No, it's not", she said. "Jenner's been this way for a long time. Something was bound to happen sooner or later."

"Hello, is anybody up there?"

"Martin?" Elizabeth gasped pressing her ear to the stone block.

"Mother, are we almost moved?" Theresa asked.

"Soon now..."

"Stay calm", Kristy told her. "I can see the doorway. I'm going to try and get them out of there."

She dug into the mud, crawling through the hole in the block, barely making it inside. The house was a complete wreck inside with everything tossed about.

"Auntie Kristy!" the kids smiled and hugged her.

"Come on", Kristy said. "We've got to get you out of here."

She stopped as she felt something thick and wet fall onto her head. Kristy looked up to see mud dripping inside the house. She looked in the doorway to see mud flooding it.

"Justin, the block!" they heard from above. "It's sinking!"

"Elizabeth!" Kristy screamed in fear.

The mud was quickly filling up the block. The children were frightened as they climbed on the furniture to stay safe.

"Mother!" Theresa cried. "Mother!"

"What's all that black stuff?" Cynthia asked beginning to cry.

"Come on, Theresa", Martin said. "Get up on the table!"

"What about Timmy?" Theresa asked.

Kristy gasped looking into the other room.

"You three stay together", she said. "I'll go get your brother."

She struggled to make her way through the mud, into the bedroom. She gasped to see it was nearly flooded with mud. Timmy sure was a heavy sleeper because he was still in bed sleeping through everything.

"Timmy!" Kristy yelled trying to wake him up.

She struggled through the thick mud. It had reached up to her chin and was filling up quickly.

"JUSTIN!" she screamed as she pressed her hands against the ceiling trying to breathe.

The mud closed in around Kristy, sending her and the children into darkness.