Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Day of the Rat (A 90s Movies Story)

Chapter 6: Rat Trap

Now minus a very long time...

The dilapidated hut was miles from anywhere, that was why it had been chosen. The fewer people put at risk by what was to happen here, the better. A battle was to be fought. A battle of the body, the mind and the soul.

Here, the Rat Demon would fall. Or he would be unstoppable for all time.

The wind howled through the holes in the timber walls. Even the very sturdy men standing by with axes and knives looked round in terror. The dare not even glance at the figure on the bench, stretched out, writhing against the makeshift bonds holding him – no, it – in place. The shrilling, moaning, wailing and low intonation from the three sisters in their flowing robes, together in a peculiar discordant harmony, did not help their peace of mind. Their hair was wild, their faces flushed and intense and ageless. Their eyes alive with the wisdom of the ancients.

As their voices reached a crescendo, the door was thrown open and a furious black-clad man forced his way in. Looking at the sisters incredulously, he turned to the bearded man standing nearest him. "Jehan..! It can't be so. Not you..? When I heard, I could scarcely believe..."

"Father, listen to me."

"Listen? No. You must stop this." The priest turned toward the sisters, enraged. The three barely seemed to notice his existence – one had glanced over at him briefly, that was all. Then he looked at the writhing body on the bench, and paled. He walked slowly toward it, and met its gaze with an effort of will. He felt for the crucifix around his neck.

The eyes snapped open, and stared up at the priest. A rictus grin spread across the face. "Good" came a rumbling voice the priest felt in his chest as much as heard. The priest pulled out a long knife from his cloak, and moved to deliver a quick decisive strike.

"No!" Jehan moved forward, and slammed the priest to the floor, and the knife went clattering under the bench. He pulled the priest to his feet and the two struggled.

"Why..?" panted the priest. "It must die..." By mutual consent they stopped pushing at each other and stepped back. The priest gestured at the sisters. "Why this..? The creature can be killed. Why take such a risk?"

"It's my brother!" Jehan yelled. The priest gaped at him. "He has been possessed. I can no more abandon him than I could- Father, let them continue. I am assured, they can banish this creature to the netherworld..."

"At what cost?" demanded the priest. "Yes," he snarled, looking at the sisters with loathing. "They will have their price, and I dread to imagine it."

"Blood of Hyn'tnn!" one of the sisters yelled, and the others began incorporating it into their wild chanting. The priest was horrified.

Just then, another sound was heard over the wind. It could for a moment have been mistaken for the wind itself, but it soon became clear something was approaching the hut across the rough ground between it and the woods. As one man looked out, he saw a dark mass envelop the ground and spread toward him. He screamed and fell back inside, slamming the door shut.

"They're coming!" he babbled, terrified.

"Now. It must be now!" The priest threw himself under the bench and retrieved his knife. Before he had even stood up, Jehan punched him hard and he fell. "You must let me..." he gasped.

A boy moved forward from the assembled men, knife in his hand. "Father, I will do it!" he called, and before any could stop him he plunged the knife into the Rat King's chest.

The hut seemed to go dark, and the sisters stopped their intonations. "No..." one of them said softly.

With a rattle from his throat, the Rat King expired and all of them held their breath. "Is it over?" someone asked quietly.