Crisis in Crittertown (2 page)

Grayson and I scrambled up a stack of Priority Mail boxes to the tabletop. We saw a heap of plastic-wrapped treasures labeled cheese sandwich crackers. My mouth watered and my gut growled. “We shouldn't,” I cautioned.

Grayson chuckled. “We shouldn't, but we will and you know it!”

While the postmaster talked on the phone, we eased open the nearest package. Oh, that wonderful smell! Grayson tugged the top cracker out of the wrapper. By the time we finished that first orange disk, I decided the post office was the greatest place in the world!

We nibbled, listened, and learned. The postmaster's name was Mike, and he liked turkey hunting. Some customers just bought stamps or mailed packages. Some told Mike their troubles.

Humans led complex lives. They didn't just mate. They mailed invitations to big parties called weddings.

They gave birth, like mouse mothers, but usually to only one baby! If you're going to all that effort, why not have a litter of six or at least four?

Still, who can be sure humans are wrong? After all, people invented cheese. So they must be smart. I tried to figure out the source of all that smartness.

Mike told a customer, “If that's just books, it can go media mail.”

I tapped Grayson's shoulder. “What are books?”

He shrugged. “Something heavy that's in lots of packages.”

I thought books were like bricks, big blocks used to build things. We soon learned books were not solid wood. They had pages full of words and sometimes pictures.

The clerk had two books in the cubby with her sweater, spare socks, and foot powder. One was a story about a postmaster who solved mysteries. The other was about insects. Trust me, you don't want to know about flies. How they eat was wretched enough; what they eat…Ew!

Grayson wanted to stay all day. But I convinced him to leave when Mike went to lunch. I said, “We can come back tomorrow. This way, Brownback will see you're being cautious.” Then I added, “If we stay too long, every mouse will worry and Brownback might not let us out again.”

That did it. We slipped under the door and into the parking lot. The sun and wind felt good on our fur. Grayson nodded at the dumpster. “Let's take a look!”

I shook my head. “You know the rule. We must tell Brownback where we're going and have a lookout to watch for people and other dangers.”

Grayson looked disgusted. “Someday I'm going to make the rules. And the first rule will be, ‘no rules!'”

I laughed.

Grayson grumbled. “What's so funny?”

“Leaders make rules,” I said.

Grayson shrugged. “I'll be a different kind of leader.”

I said, “Maybe. Meanwhile, let's get home.”

Our nervous friend, Twitchy, spotted us first. He squeaked, “They're here!”

Twitchy sniffed our noses and then squealed. “It's really you! You're okay!”

Brownback stepped forward. “I was just starting to worry.”

I winked at Grayson. He winked back.

Chapter 2  
“We're Doomed!”

From that day on, Grayson and I visited the post office often. I came to love the place—not just the cheese crackers and music, but also the people!

They seemed so nice. I had to remind myself that these were the same creatures who made traps and poison bait.

People even keep cats as pets! Grayson and I saw cat magazines, postcards, and calendars. We learned that many people find cats cuddly and cute.

This only makes sense when you realize a cat is about the size of a human baby. And even I could see the cuteness of small humans.

Children wore colorful clothes and laughed easily. They explored everything with their busy front paws, just like mice.

Grayson and I found we could slip flat things under the door. We took newspapers from the recycling bin. Brownback loved reading them. The rest of the colony just liked to rip them up for nesting material.

The papers were full of threats about wars between human colonies. They also had stories about movies, books, and TV shows. Mice don't do anything for entertainment. We just live.

Grayson loved the idea of sports. But if I'm going to run and jump that much, I want some cheese for my efforts.

One morning while Grayson and I shared a cracker, we overheard Mike talking on the phone. His voice suddenly sounded different, choked with strong emotion. “They've decided to close the Crittertown office?!”

We stopped chewing.

“I know mail volume has been down, but…I see…well, what about the people?” Mike listened, and then went on. “Driving an extra ten miles may not seem like a lot to you, sir, but…I know…nevertheless…How soon?”

After a brief pause, Mike sighed. “That soon?! When can I tell the carriers? I see. Well, I hope we have a busy holiday season, too, sir!”

Mike hung up the phone and turned off the music. The office fell silent, except for the rattle of a box holder turning the key in his lock. The man's footsteps retreated. The door closed. Silence fell like a trap.

Cracker crumbs stuck to my tongue. With great effort, I swallowed them.

Grayson's eyes darted from me to the door. But we couldn't go yet, or Mike might see us!

We had to wait for some noise, some distraction. In that horrible quiet, we both thought the same gloomy things. If the post office closed, where would we go? What would become of our colony? Would the humans tear down the old building? Would they rebuild? How long would that take? Would the new building be mouse-friendly?

Mike paced in front of his desk for a few minutes. Then he called his wife. After his first few words, Grayson nodded. I knew what he meant. This was our chance!

As we sneaked past him, we heard Mike say, “I'd be moved to another office. The commute might be easier. But it won't be good for the carriers or the town.”

Or the colony!
I thought as we slid under the torn rubber door trim.

We scrambled into the cellar and blinked our eyes in the dark. Twitchy squeaked loudly, “They're back early!” As he sniffed my muzzle, my nervous friend peered into my eyes. “What's wrong? Something's wrong!”

Twitchy always thought something was wrong. I wished I could tell him he was panicking over nothing again. But this time…

Brownback stepped out of the shadows and asked, “What is it, boys? Give me the news.”

When we repeated what we'd heard, Twitchy took a deep breath and squeaked loudly in my ear.. “WE'RE ALL DOOMED!”

“Now, now…” Brownback tried to calm him.

Twitchy didn't listen. His eyes rolled up in his head and he fainted! Luckily, he landed on a pile of shredded newspapers. Twitchy wasn't hurt. He just looked like something a crow would pick off the pavement.

I shuddered. Was my high-strung friend right? Were we doomed? Could we find a new home before winter? Moving into another colony's territory could lead to war. Would we win…or die?

Brave mice like Grayson might find war exciting. Just the thought made me quiver with dread. I tasted cheese in the back of my throat. Normally that would please me. Instead, it made me nauseous.

I refused to faint like Twitchy. But I gladly would've burrowed under some nesting for the rest of the day.

Unfortunately, we were no longer alone. Twitchy's squeaks woke the rest of the colony. Everyone crowded around, wondering what was wrong.

Brownback told Grayson and me, “Thank you for this news. It gives us time to make plans.”

“What plans?” squeaked our friend Nilla, as she wiggled to the front of the crowd.

“We have to move!” someone replied.

Grayson looked excited. “This could be great! I've always wanted to explore beyond this basement.” He asked, “Who's with me?”

The frightened crowd stepped back. The only mouse who didn't retreat was Nilla. She asked, “When do we leave?”

Grayson sighed. “I didn't ask for a girl.”

Nilla's bright eyes narrowed with menace. “Well, you got one!”

Grayson shrugged. He knew arguing with Nilla was a waste of squeaks. Her fur might be the color of vanilla ice cream, but Nilla was not bland! She was just as brave and stubborn as Grayson.

He turned to me. “What about you?”

Every eye in the colony stared at me. How could I say no? How could I admit that I wanted to stay safely at home while a girl walked willingly into danger?

I felt Brownback's paw tighten on my shoulder. I knew what that meant. He wanted me to keep Grayson from rushing into danger.

I swallowed the sour taste that had crept back into my throat and said, “I'm with you.”

Grayson grinned. “Good old Cheddar. Let's leave right now!”

Brownback sighed. “Why don't you decide where you're going first? Come to my nest to plan.”

On the way, we passed Twitchy. A circle of females fussed at him to “take it easy” and “don't stand up too soon.” Twitchy asked, “What's going on?”

As I replied, the terrifying truth sank in. “Grayson, Nilla, and I are going to look for a new home.”

Twitchy squeaked. “All by yourselves—among the cats, cars, and rival colonies?” His eyes rolled back into his head. Then he fell against the soft bulk of the nearest female. I thought,
poor Twitchy
. Then I changed my mind, reasoning,
Twitchy's fine. Poor me!

Chapter 3  
What's in Store?

In Brownback's nest I focused on keeping breakfast where it belonged. Grayson and Nilla consulted with our leader.

Grayson said, “The store colony is small. We could beat them in a war.”

Nilla asked, “How do you know it's small?”

Grayson replied, “I've never seen more than three of them at the dumpster.”

Brownback shook his head. “That proves nothing. We only send out a few scouts at a time, too.”

Grayson shrugged. “Let's at least find out. The store would be an easy move, even for the nursing mothers.”

Brownback smiled. “That's good thinking, my boy! The shorter the distance to travel, the better.”

Nilla wondered, “Could we live under the dumpster?”

Brownback said, “That would put us near the food, but we'd be too exposed.”

The others looked at me. What could I say? “I guess…we should go now.”

I meant that we'd taken up enough of Brownback's time. I thought we should leave him to his mid-morning nap and talk again later. Instead, all three grinned at me. “That's the spirit, Cheddar!” Brownback exclaimed. “When there's a job to do, you might as well start right away.”

I felt the crackers clawing their way up my throat. I wanted to scream
Wait!
But wait for what? Exploring the store wouldn't get any less dangerous. And I wasn't going to suddenly sprout courage.

As we left Brownback's nest, Nilla squeaked, “This is so exciting!”

Grayson echoed. “It sure is! I wonder if there'll be war. I don't care what Pops says. I'm sure we could win!”

I felt sure of nothing. My paws shook. My stomach ached. My life flashed before my eyes. And here's the truly embarrassing part: It wasn't much.