told myself, feeling hopeless and angry.
As I sat there I wondered why I cared so much about the dumb rat. After a while I decided it wasnât the rat, really, it was the exterminator. Right. I cared about Anje because he was scary. What was he trying to do to me? I mean, who was he?
Disappointed in myself for not being able to think of answers or any plan about saving the rat, I walked back toward the elevator, stopping in front of the storage bays. Which was ours? Thirteen?
I counted out the bays. Thirteen was the next to the last. I peered through the steel mesh. Yep. I recognized Dadâs numbering system.
As I gazed at it, I had this idea that if I could lure the rat into the bay, and lock him inâthe mesh was fine enough to hold himâI might keep him safe. Then I remembered that he had gotten in on his own. I mean, he had been chewing that angel. So maybe he could get out. But if there was a hole somewhere maybe I could plug it. Anyway, I figured my idea was at least worth a try. I decided to explore the possibilities.
I reached into my pocket and, sure enough, there was the key to the storage bin. I had never put it back in the drawer.
I unlocked the door and swung it open, then started moving boxes around to see if there was a hole the rat had used.
I found it pretty quick.
It was in the back wall, near the floor. I mean, I couldnât be sure it was the way he got in, but it was the only way I could figure it. Anyway, I opened one of the boxes, poked around, and found this small metal cup. Maybe it was my first drinking cup. It was pretty dinky. But guess what? I shoved the small end into the holeâand it fit. Then, with my fist, I sort of pounded it. Like putting a cork back into a bottle.
Now, the bay would hold the rat but how could I lead him into it? Maybe if I left a food trail or . . . the radio-controlled car! Awesome! A totally cool idea.
But . . . wouldnât Anje be able to open the bay door with his keys? Not if I broke our key off in the lock. No way.
Excited, I hurried back to the apartment and pulled my parentsâ gift out from under their bed. Like the first time, I unpacked it very carefully. Then I found some cheese in the fridge. I took everything back to the basement.
Now I had no clue where the rat might be, so I set the car on the floorâcargo side up. I tore the cheese into bits and loaded them on. With everything ready, I flicked the switch. The battery light flickered, then turned bright, just like with Peteâs. Then I stepped back and moved the toggle switches. The car sped off, much too fast. I adjusted the toggles so that it moved at a slow crawl.
Making sure the bay door was open, I stayed as far behind the car as possible while keeping it in sight, driving it along the corridors to the place where the rat had its hole, the one Anje had sealed up. There, I spun the car aroundâone toggle forward, one backâso that it faced away toward #13. Then I turned everything off. The whole idea was this: If the rat was somewhere close it would smell the cheese and come out, then follow the carâwhich Iâd control down the corridor and into the bay. I loved it.
Ready to wait a good while, I turned off the basement lights. Using Anjeâs flashlight, I found my way back to where Iâd put my army, then sat cross-legged on the ground. The toggle box was in my lap, the flashlight beam pointing forward, my eyes fairly well glued to the car.
Iâm not sure how long I waited. I might have dozed. I mean, I hadnât slept so great the night before. But all of a sudden the rat was there, sniffing around the cheese in the back of the car. I could see his nose wiggle as he drew closer to the food.
Startled, I almost dropped the toggle box. Good thing I checked myself. I needed to act carefully.
So I waited. As I did, I saw the rat rise up on his hind legs, paws on the car, sort of investigating. He leaned further
As I sat there I wondered why I cared so much about the dumb rat. After a while I decided it wasnât the rat, really, it was the exterminator. Right. I cared about Anje because he was scary. What was he trying to do to me? I mean, who was he?
Disappointed in myself for not being able to think of answers or any plan about saving the rat, I walked back toward the elevator, stopping in front of the storage bays. Which was ours? Thirteen?
I counted out the bays. Thirteen was the next to the last. I peered through the steel mesh. Yep. I recognized Dadâs numbering system.
As I gazed at it, I had this idea that if I could lure the rat into the bay, and lock him inâthe mesh was fine enough to hold himâI might keep him safe. Then I remembered that he had gotten in on his own. I mean, he had been chewing that angel. So maybe he could get out. But if there was a hole somewhere maybe I could plug it. Anyway, I figured my idea was at least worth a try. I decided to explore the possibilities.
I reached into my pocket and, sure enough, there was the key to the storage bin. I had never put it back in the drawer.
I unlocked the door and swung it open, then started moving boxes around to see if there was a hole the rat had used.
I found it pretty quick.
It was in the back wall, near the floor. I mean, I couldnât be sure it was the way he got in, but it was the only way I could figure it. Anyway, I opened one of the boxes, poked around, and found this small metal cup. Maybe it was my first drinking cup. It was pretty dinky. But guess what? I shoved the small end into the holeâand it fit. Then, with my fist, I sort of pounded it. Like putting a cork back into a bottle.
Now, the bay would hold the rat but how could I lead him into it? Maybe if I left a food trail or . . . the radio-controlled car! Awesome! A totally cool idea.
But . . . wouldnât Anje be able to open the bay door with his keys? Not if I broke our key off in the lock. No way.
Excited, I hurried back to the apartment and pulled my parentsâ gift out from under their bed. Like the first time, I unpacked it very carefully. Then I found some cheese in the fridge. I took everything back to the basement.
Now I had no clue where the rat might be, so I set the car on the floorâcargo side up. I tore the cheese into bits and loaded them on. With everything ready, I flicked the switch. The battery light flickered, then turned bright, just like with Peteâs. Then I stepped back and moved the toggle switches. The car sped off, much too fast. I adjusted the toggles so that it moved at a slow crawl.
Making sure the bay door was open, I stayed as far behind the car as possible while keeping it in sight, driving it along the corridors to the place where the rat had its hole, the one Anje had sealed up. There, I spun the car aroundâone toggle forward, one backâso that it faced away toward #13. Then I turned everything off. The whole idea was this: If the rat was somewhere close it would smell the cheese and come out, then follow the carâwhich Iâd control down the corridor and into the bay. I loved it.
Ready to wait a good while, I turned off the basement lights. Using Anjeâs flashlight, I found my way back to where Iâd put my army, then sat cross-legged on the ground. The toggle box was in my lap, the flashlight beam pointing forward, my eyes fairly well glued to the car.
Iâm not sure how long I waited. I might have dozed. I mean, I hadnât slept so great the night before. But all of a sudden the rat was there, sniffing around the cheese in the back of the car. I could see his nose wiggle as he drew closer to the food.
Startled, I almost dropped the toggle box. Good thing I checked myself. I needed to act carefully.
So I waited. As I did, I saw the rat rise up on his hind legs, paws on the car, sort of investigating. He leaned further
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