Three Blind Mice

Subject 99

I pace back and forth, racking my brain, trying to figure out how I'm going to get out of this cage. For all the times I tried solving this problem before, you would think I'd finally have figured it out. I should have made a run for it when the jingly man opened the door. I'm ashamed I was too scared to move.

"Hey! Subject 99! Can you hear me?" I can barely hear a voice calling out to me.

"I can hardly hear you!" I respond loudly. "Can you hear me?!"

"Subject 99! Please answer me!" The voice beckons.

"I hear you!!" I respond even louder.

All I get in response is a muffled sound. I get close to the glass wall and press my ear against it.

"Can you repeat what you just said?!" I yell as loud as I can.

Again, the response is too quiet for me to make anything out. I press my ear even tighter to the glass wall in hopes that maybe, just maybe, I can hear the voice better.

CREAK!

I jump back in surprise. The glass on the wall actually begins to crack from the amount of pressure I put on it! This is impossible! My old cagemate, Subject 61, would regularly ram his head against the glass wall, hoping to break free. He had to have attempted it a hundred times with no success. I always thought he was a little...nuts. Could it be that all those tries have finally weakened it for me? I guess there is only one way to find out...

I back up to the rear of the cage, focus on that long crack near the edge of the glass wall, gather up all my courage, and with a mighty yell, I run at the glass wall, my head held tight for impact.

BOOM!!

I bounce off the glass wall and shake some sense back into my noggin.

"I'm just as crazy as Subject 61," I pout to myself at my failure, then I look up at the glass wall; a spider web of cracks stretch out from where my head made contact. "Yes!"

I position myself for a second run.

"This has GOT to work!" I tell myself, then run as fast as I can toward the glass wall.

SMASH!!!

The glass shatters! I did it!! I actually broke free! Subject 61 wasn't crazy after all! Of course, I never stopped to consider the five foot fall that was waiting for me on the other side of the glass wall, so I might be a tad insane...

I hit the tiled floor hard, shards of glass shower over me. To my surprise, I feel okay. A little shaken up from the bounce on impact, but I don't feel as if anything is broken, not even sprained. I gingerly walk out of the splinters of glass, hoping none of them stick into my paws. Fortunately, none do.

"Subject 99!!" The voice calls out to me again, this time I can hear it much more clearly. "Are you alright?!"

I look up and can just make out the shape of a Subject standing against the glass wall of its cage.

"Yeah, actually. I'm okay." I reply.

"How did you break free?" the Subject asks.

"I kinda just used my head. Literally." I smile in remembrance of old Subject 61.

"Is there any way you can climb up here and unlock my cage?"

"I'll certainly give it a try..."

I walk over to the Subject's wall and look over the surface. Pretty smooth. I try any way. Nothing. If only this were wood, or dimpled concrete for my claws to get a grip on. I try again. Same result. Frustration starts to brew.

"How's it going? Do you think you can make it up to me?"

"Hold on, I'm trying!" I snap back.

Perhaps my Hosts should have tested me for anger issues. I try a third time, and again fail.

"If only I were stronger!" I vent as I pound on the wall with my fist.

BAM!

I look at my clenched paw in disbelief, then at the fist-sized hole I created in the wall in utter amazement.

"I'm a SUPER MOUSE!" I gush with shock.

"What did you say?" the Subject asks from above.

"I said I'll be right there!"

With a refreshed concentration and extreme determination, I start punching my way to the cage. Slamming my paws into the wall, it doesn't take long for me to reach the cage where I had seen the Subject who was waiting for me by the glass wall.

"Wow...you are stunning..." I babble upon seeing the Subject. I literally almost lose my grip on the wall.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" She asks me in the most heavenly voice.

"Er...ah...I said, you might want to stand back," I gather my senses and focus on the task at hand.

She looks at me oddly then takes several steps back. She is so beautiful! Concentrate Subject 99. Now is your time to impress her. I sink my back feet firmly into the wall, grip tightly to the side of her cage with my left claw, and cock back with my right.

"What are you...?" She starts to question, but I rudely interrupt her by swinging my fist into the glass.

WABAM!

The glass cracks under the might of my punch. I can't tell if her gasp is shock or awe. I take it as awe as I swing again.

KARACK!

A large section of the glass plate shifts on that assault, as the area I had hit chips and sends several stress cracks in every direction.

"You might want to shield your eyes," I warn her before I take my next swing.

She heeds my warning, and I follow through with all the strength I can muster.

SHATTER!!

I hop up into her cage, sweeping the sharp pieces of glass away from her with my paws.

"Subject 99," I introduce myself, "here to rescue you."

"How did you do that?" She asks staring at the broken glass wall.

"Oh, that?" I shrug toward the opening I had just created. "Piece of cheesecake."

"It's certainly impressive!" Yeah, she likes me. "I'm Subject 17, and thank you for freeing me, but, how will we both get down safely?"

I finish clearing a path to the edge of her cage and hold out my right paw to her.

"Easy. Just take my paw," I instruct.

I can see her hesitation, but she does as I request. I pull her in close and hook my arm around her waist.

"You might want to hold on tight..."

"Why...?" she asks, just as I swing us both out of her cage and slide down the wall, sinking my claws in to control the speed in which we fall. I believe the screams in my ear are more fear than joy. We land safely and comfortably at the bottom, and I let her go.

"See? That wasn't so..." I start to say before she cuts me off with a slap to my face.

"NEVER do that again!" she gasps, bracing herself up on the wall with one paw while clutching at her chest with the other.

"I'm sorry," I humbly apologize. "I didn't mean to scare you. I got a little too caught up in rescuing you."

"And for that I thank you, very much. But please, next time, warn a girl when you are going to pull a stunt like that."

"You're right," I smile. "I promise I will. What do you suppose happened to everyone?"

Subject 17 looks at me in silence, trying to come up with an answer, when suddenly a ragged voice startles us from the darkness.

"I can tell you..."

Subject 17 gasps.

"Subject 0..."