Chapter 36: Loot Roll

Chapter 36: Loot Roll

Everyone stood around trying not to look at the bodies of the mice. Wed managed to keep going on pure adrenalin during the fight, but now it all looked very real, and very much like a crime scene.

Dudley, you know the washing line outside? Pull it down and bring it in here. Maurice, go get the sacks from the island. Claire, take Flossie to the pond and wash her eyes out, she looks like shes still got some of the dust in there. Ill take care of this. I pointed at the bodies without looking at them.

They all stood still for a momentI thought they were going to have a go at me for trying to boss them aroundbut they turned and went off as instructed. I didnt particularly feel like giving orders, but they needed to stop dwelling on what wed just done and I think they were glad to have something to do. The other reason for my sudden take-charge attitude was that I really needed to be alone.

As soon as theyd gone, I sat on the ground with a bump and burst into tears. I know, just when you think I couldnt get any more manly. It wasnt really crying, more shuddering sobs that lasted for about ten seconds and that was it. I think my body just needed to get it out.

Once it was over, I stood up feeling calm. No, not calm, numb. An emotion I welcomed.

Getting the spear out of the female mouses head was a nightmare. It wouldnt come out the way it had entered, so I had to push it all the way through and pull it out the other end. Even more horrible than it sounds.

I put the bodies next to each other. Dudley came in carrying the rope with laundry still attached. I took the cloths and laid them over the mice, not out of respect, just so we wouldnt have to looked at them.

The others arrived a few moments later. The atmosphere was pretty wretched and they were all waiting for me to tell them what to do. I took a torch out of the sack and lit it off the fire. It burnt quite well, although I could tell it wouldnt last long. I had a look down the hole. It was deeper than Id expected although wide enough to allow me down. Someone smaller would probably have an easier time, but I couldnt see either or the girls volunteering.

Before I attempted it, I did a quick survey of the other rooms. They had been too dark to search before, but now I had the torch. I didnt bother explaining what I was doing, the others just followed.

Do we really have to? asked Claire.

Yes. I dont know what theyre worth, but Im not skinning them. We still need money though, unless you want to eat more turd-bunnies.

That thought was enough to convince them to grit their teeth and just do it.

We bound the mice up in their cloth shrouds and grabbed an end each. The female turned out to be heavier than the male, so me and Dudley took her. The other three carried the male by pushing the spear through the rope bindings and lifting it, with Maurice at one end and the girls at the other.

It was later afternoon when we set off around the pond with two dead mice and a broken lantern. If that had been my reward for a quest in an RPG, I think I would have uninstalled the game. Sadly, I didnt have that option.

It was only when we reached the clearing that I remembered the bunnicorns. The last thing we needed was to be attacked by them. I signalled the others to stop and crept forward to see if they were still about.

They were. The clearing was full of them, lying on their backs, snuggling with each other. Whatever disagreements theyd had, they seemed to have sorted them out.

Very quietly, we skirted the edge of the clearing and found our way out of the forest. Despite my concerns, it was fairly easy to recognise the way wed come, the marks wed left on the trees providing reassurance we were going in the right direction, but that was all.

Out in the open, with a gentle breeze cooling us off, I was able to relax a little. I hadnt realised how tense I had become until then. We could have taken a break but no one wanted to stop.

By the time we reached Probet, the light was starting to fade. I headed for the shed. If Grayson was still there I had some questions to ask him, finally.