Ray the Rat

“Listen Jeff, I am only telling you this because you’ve been good to me.”

I must be too damn high! Jeff is thinking to himself. This damn rat cannot be speaking to me! What the hell was in that weed?

“Jeff, dammit, we don’t have much time! I’m not supposed to warn you about the attack. But it’s coming and it’s coming fast! You have to listen, and you have to be ready to go.”

Holy shit, this isn’t real! It can’t be. I better go sleep and let this buzz wear off. But damn this seems too real. Jeff tries to sit back in his chair and takes a deep breath, but his chest is tightening with fright as this huge rat seems to stare right into his eyes.

“Okay Jeff, I know this situation must stretch your reality to the breaking point, but time is running out for you and most humans to be blunt. I know this must be hard for you to grasp. You dumb humans always want to believe you are the superior animals on this planet. However, you and all these damn fools are sadly mistaken.”

Jeff finally musters the courage to answer the rat. “This has to be some kind of trick. I bet Tony is behind this! Right?”

“Jeff, this is no trick and Tony has nothing to do with this. Hell, I have seen you and Tony together and what the hell would make you think he would be smart enough to pull off any prank much less me talking to you?”

Wow, just wow. That was the extent of Jeff’s thoughts.

“Now, time to get it together Jeffrey. This is what you have to do, get your basic needs in your gym bag. Right fucking now. Just the basics. You need to be able to survive at least one week. You will need to keep warm, you're basically furless and will need to stay in your car during the week. You will need….”

Finally, Jeff really engages the rat, and cuts it off mid-sentence. Finally sensing that something horrible is coming, Jeff realizes he has to find out if this is real or not. Why else would this dusty fucking rat be able to speak?

“What’s your name? Where to you come from? How do you know me?”, Jeff is nearly screaming in a pitch he hardly recognizes.

“I don’t have a name, at least in the way you would recognize. But if you must call me something you can call me Ray. I’m from here, I have lived in this house as far as I can recall. I know you because, well, we are basically roommates.” Ray pauses, turns his head to listen to something beyond the hearing of Jeff, if he’s hearing anything at all. Then resumes, “We are running out of time Jeff. While you may not understand, I appreciate everything you have provided to me and my family.”

Jeff then thinks, that must have been the noise he has heard in these walls all these years. Sneakily quiet, but always there.

“The animals have finally reached a tipping point Jeff. I believe that is what your kind calls it, and we have finally come together to take back this world. We will allow some of your kind to live, it is necessary, but there will not be many. Because I have seen your kindness to people and animals alike, you are one of the few who will be given a chance to live. It is not a promise, but a chance. You have to remember that. You may have to fight your kind or animals to survive Jeff, but it is what it is.” Ray hated hearing himself say that tired phrase.

Jeff looked scared. Why should he believe a damn talking rat? Again, he thought he was high but that high wore off quickly with his adrenaline flowing steadily at this point. “Ray, what am I supposed to do?” Jeff’s voice was quivering but a sober reality was coming into focus. Can this truly be the end of life as I know it? Jeff thought and his heart continued to pick up its pace.

Ray seemed to understand the shift in Jeff’s emotions.

Both Jeff and Ray are adjusting to this new reality and Ray breaks the silence.

“Jeff, here is what you should know to have a chance to survive, if you even want to survive this situation. Get essentials and put them in your car. Warm clothes, blankets, a weapon, food that will not spoil, enough to last at least a week, something to make fire, water, as much as you can bring, and go to the hills. Do not stop, do not pick up anyone, you can warn your friends if you choose, but you will be wasting your time. Find a place to park and only leave your car when it is absolutely necessary.”

Jeff finally gets out of his chair to gather what he can, still unsure if he should truly listen to Ray but with the overwhelming feeling that he wants to survive.

“You have to understand, that I bought you some time Jeff.” Ray seems to be intent on delivering this last bit of the message. “There is no guarantee that an animal will not attack you, but it is unlikely. Your biggest threat will be from humans. The last of them trying to survive, they will do anything to survive. They will kill you to take your supplies. Since you do not own a gun, you have to hide when you can or be on the attack. It is ugly, but that is the only way to survive.”

Jeff takes one last look at Ray then he is on the move. He has a slim chance, but a chance none the less. The first humans are under attack. So, it begins.