Dr. George Yardley sat in his office looking out the window at
some birds in a tree, wondering what was going on in their minds,
wondering what they were plotting. He glanced at the empty chair
that was on the other side of his desk, a chair where his friend
and drinking buddy Dr. Julie Kemerer had sat. A few months ago
she had just up and walked out the door, never to be seen again.
Now he was alone, even though his lab was as active as ever. No
one else on Earth knew what he knew and no one else could share
in the pain. No one else knew, except the rats...

The last few months since the nightmare came to a head had
been pretty good, much to his surprise. He’d had time to
think and ponder the place fate left him. He had been thinking
about the rats a lot lately. Dante’s assurances that they
were not stalking him had been very comforting. It seemed they
were not the monsters he had feared they were. That revelation
brought strange and frightening possibilities to mind.

“Man, I hate being sober,” he murmured as he
watched the birds fly off.

For days now he had been practically living in his office,
struggling to make a very important decision. He would from time
to time look at his computer and reach for the keyboard, but then
he’d draw back, terrified of what might happen if he did
what he planned.

He opened a drawer on his desk and drew out his last bottle of
scotch, pouring himself a shot and downing it in one fluid
motion. Then he sat in front of the computer and wrote an
email.

Hello Dante,

I hope things are going well with you and your friends. I
would like you to set up another meeting like the one we had
before. I wish to speak to the leader(s) of your community, I
have something very important to discuss. It is not in regard to
your safety or security, but it is important nonetheless.

George

George sat around his office for the rest of the day, waiting.
When night came he greeted the security guard that did the
rounds. He locked his door and put his head on his hands and was
soon asleep.

“Uncle George,” Dante said. George quickly lifted
his head and sat up in his chair and looked around.

“Dante?”

Dante waved his arms and George looked down at the collection
of rodents on his desk. He rolled his chair away from the desk in
alarm.

“Uncle George, it’s me, Dante. You said you wanted
to speak to the leader of the community, here he is, President
Justin,” he said, gesturing to Justin. “This is Vice
President Timothy,” he said and indicated to Timothy.
“This is Jonathan. You sort of met him the last time we
spoke.”

After a few moments of panic George rolled his chair back to
the desk, he hesitantly leaned forward to get a closer look.

“Amazing,” he said and looked closely at them.
George could sense the fear of those present, even though they
knew this was a dream and they couldn’t be harmed, just
being in his presence was frightening to them, even Timothy who
only knew George through reputation. "I recognize you and you,
Justin and Jonathan, but who is this?”  he asked,
peering at Timothy. George noted that the mouse had the look of a
deer caught in the headlights of a speeding car, but he quickly
regained his composure. Timothy quickly recovered and met
George’s gaze defiantly.

“I’m Jonathan’s son”.

George recoiled in shock. “It’s hereditary,”
he said in despair, banging his head on the desk, causing
everyone to jump in alarm.

“Neither of us wants to be here, George. What is this
important matter you wish to discuss?” Justin asked. George
lifted his head and sat up.

“I recently got out of the hospital. I learned something
while there: if your doctor uses profanity when reviewing the
results of your blood tests, it’s generally a bad thing. He
told me to give up booze. Now that I have been almost sober for
the last few months I have had lots of time to do something that
I used to do years ago, think. I have been thinking a great deal
lately, about all of you. I have thought much about what Dante
said to me the last time we spoke and the part about second
chances and new beginnings keeps echoing in my ears. Then I had a
thought that both frightened and thrilled me at the same
time."

George paused, trying to keep his thoughts together despite
the effects of the intoxicant in his system. “I want to
tell you something. I surrender. I am sick of all this--the fear,
the despair, the nightmares. Sick of looking over my shoulder
every time I hear a noise in a quiet room. I wish to join
you.”

Before they could react, George continued, desperation marking
his words. “I realize that I’m asking for the moon
and stars, but frankly as I sit here amidst the ruins of my life
I realized that without Julie, Rita and Dante life is kind of
lonely. The only company I have now are my old friends, Jack
Daniels and Jim Bean. So what have I got to lose by
asking?”

George moved his face closer, his voice becoming stronger and
more demanding. “I know all about you. What’s left of
my abilities I offer to you. If you even want me for a prisoner,
so be it. Fair’s fair--you were ours. I’m sick of all
of this. Whatever you would do with me is better than what I have
now.”

Timothy looked back, suspicion clouding his vision. “And
what guarantee do we have that you won’t start up the
experiments again? What possible reason can you give us to trust
you?”

“The last thing on earth that I want to do is to revive
the monster that was this project. I wish it dead and buried, but
preferably not with me. I just want to start over, like Dante or
the rest of you for that matter. If you refuse, and I certainly
couldn’t blame you, there will be no retaliation or
anything like that. Believe me, the irony of what I’m
asking isn’t lost on me--the creator begging to become one
of the created. Also remember that it was Dr. Schultz who was
your pursuer all these years. My only contribution to the search
consisted of looking behind a filing cabinet at the
lab.”

“Jonathan and Justin looked at each other. “Are
you joking?” Justin asked. George looked back at them
gravely. “Project Titan took my dignity, my career, my
hope, my sanity, my friends and family, my self-respect and my
future. I was not exaggerating when I said I have nothing to lose
by asking.”

“Some of what you said has merit,” Justin said,
“but this is not something that can be decided here and now
I may be president, but I would not presume to make such a
decision without consulting others,” Justin said and
thought for a few moments. “I will state these conditions
now, if the others agree you must abide by these rules. If they
decide to allow you to join us, as one of us , you will stay
forever You can never go back,”

“Go back to what?” George asked, covering
his face with his hands. Justin crouched down and had a whispered
conversation with Jonathan. George leaned close to Timothy again.
“Can you really speak or is it something to do with this
dream?” he asked.

“We can speak,” Timothy said. George closed his
eyes and groaned again. “That’s impossible,
it’s just completely impossible, but so is everything else
you can do,” Dante cleared his throat. “Uncle George,
have you heard anything from Julie lately?”

George looked sadly at him. “Not a peep. She
doesn’t answer her phone, e-mail or pager and hasn’t
been to her apartment for months. It’s like she fell off
the face of the earth. I’m very worried about
her.” George sighed and looked out the window for a
moment, then took a sip from the bottle in front of him. He
forced a small smile and looked down at Dante. “So Dante,
how are things going in your world?”  George
asked.

“Things are great. I’m settled in now. I have a
job and a place of my own. Life has never been better,”
Dante said.

“I guess the only escape is to stop running and face the
music,” George said.

“Dr. George, we are not pursuing you. We never
have. How could our mere existence have such a devastating effect
on your life?” Timothy asked.

George just looked at him with an emotionless expression.
“Don’t you get it? As I said, you can’t
possibly exist, not even theoretically. You walk, talk and have
magical powers even! You’re simply not within the realm of
scientific possibility. In reality, there are certain immutable
rules--you and your people exist in direct violation of those
rules. We crossed a line that should never have been crossed and
I’m partly responsible for your creation. That’s what
haunts me day and night. I just can’t take it
anymore!” he said and drank from a bottle of scotch.
“I should’ve listened to my father and become a
welder,” he muttered.

Justin stood up and turned to George.

“The time has come to end this. I will take your request
to the remaining members of the 28. If the vote is unanimous
agreement, then we will allow you to join us. If even one objects
you will be left to suffer the fate you brought on
yourself,” Justin said sternly. George looked
indifferent.

“Agreed,” he replied.

“Goodbye, Uncle George, I hope to see you soon,”
Dante said as they faded away.

George was in a state of nervous anticipation for the next few
days, checking his email every few minutes. Finally, the reply
arrived.

Uncle George,

Offer accepted. Be ready at any time. Pack light.

Dante

He quickly typed a reply.

Dante,

My heartfelt gratitude to you and your friends. I’ll
be ready.

George leaned back in his chair and smiled. After a few
moments he turned to his office safe. He opened the safe and with
trembling hands removed the items inside--a revolver, shoebox, a
thick folder and a spool of thread. He put the folder in the
duffle bag and he opened a drawer on his desk and withdrew a
shoulder holster for the revolver. Once the shoulder holster and
revolver were securely hidden under his jacket, he picked up the
bag and the shoebox and headed for the large garbage compactor
behind the lab. When the coast was clear, he threw the box in and
with great delight ran the machine through three crushing cycles
to make sure the box and its contents were completely
destroyed.

Over the next few days he oversaw the transfer of his company
to a few trusted friends. As he was shuffling papers in his
office, a message came over the intercom.

“Dr. Yardley, Dante Shultz and a guest are here to see
you.”

“Excellent, send them in, right away!”

He couldn’t guess as to whom the guest was, but at this
point he didn’t care. Shortly the office door opened and
Dante and a short, young man with seemingly premature gray hair
entered. When they entered the office George noticed Dante do a
particular thing: rather than just closing the door behind him as
he entered, Dante distinctly turned to fully face the door before
closing it. George waited until he turned back around then rushed
up and hugged him.

“Boy, it’s good to see you again!”

“Thanks, Uncle George. I’ve really missed you too.
You look good. Off the sauce now?”

“I haven’t had a drop in days. So, who’s
your friend here?” George said, offering his hand to the
other man. The man looked at the hand for a moment and then shook
it. Then his eyes returned to George’s face.
“I’ll give you a hint: squeak, squeak.”

George gasped as he realized who it was. The human smiled.
“That’s right, George, the transformations work both
ways!” Dante decided to try to calm the situation and his
uncle. “Uh, Uncle George, you remember Jonathan
Brisby.”

George’s eyes went wide with alarm. “This
is...this is monstrous.”

Are you ready to go, Uncle George?” Dante asked, trying
to snap him back to reality.

“Yes,” George said, wishing he hadn’t given
up drinking quite so soon. “Just give me a few moments to
get my head in order.” He walked over to the coffee machine
and selected the blackest choice on the menu. Dante joined him
for a cup.

“Ah, to return to the land of dairy products again...oh,
how are you feeling, Uncle George?” Dante asked.

“Dante, I haven’t felt this good in years. This
last week has been the best week since this ordeal began.
I’ve had days of nightmare-free sleep,” George said,
taking another sip of his mug.

“You act as though you were positive we would accept
you. We could have easily said no,” Jonathan said.

“I didn’t believe for a second that they would
have declined,” George replied.

“And why is that?” Jonathan asked.

“You’re not stupid. You were always one step ahead
of us the whole time, in the lab and on the run. You want
security and I want escape. It’s a perfect bargain,”
George said with a satisfied smile. “I’ve been
preparing for this trip since I woke from our last meeting. I got
my affairs in order, I have left the company in capable hands,
and you can continue to use the Internet account and the cell
phone hook up. I buried the expense deep in the paperwork, so it
won’t be noticed for a long time. I have mine set up the
same way. I also took care of your debts so no one should come
looking for you anytime soon. I tried one last time to get in
touch with Julie, but no luck.”

Dante stepped between Jonathan and George. “Okay,
that’s a good idea, thanks. We should think about leaving
soon. It’s strange, I don’t feel comfortable here
anymore.”

“Really? That’s fascinating. Do you think
it’s an outgrowth of your feelings of isolation as a child
or a wariness of humankind that you’ve picked up?”
George asked.

“I don’t know,” Dante replied.

“And I noticed that when you came in you turned to face
the door before closing it, I’ve never observed you doing
that before,” George said. Dante smiled and leaned close to
George. “When you have a tail, you learn very quickly not
to close a door before you’re all the way
through.”

George looked away in realization. It hadn’t occurred to
him that the animal instinct would’ve accounted for that.
“I am a scientist remember. I once had a curious and
inquisitive mind. That’s slowly been coming back since our
first meeting after you left. Going with you will be like going
to a whole other world. I can’t wait!” he said.

“Just be ready to go when I say,” Jonathan
said.

“I’m ready now. Just say the word.”

Dante started for the door. “Uncle George, I need to
stop by the house and get some of my stuff before we go. Then
we’re free to hit the open road.”

“Sounds good. I have my stuff here in the
office.”

Dante picked up the suitcase, but George wouldn’t let
him touch the duffle bag.

George followed them out to the parking lot and was amazed to
see Dr. Shultz’s old Cadillac, now almost completely
restored. “It still runs?”

“Yeah, like a dream. There are some good mechanics back
home who’ve taken a liking to her,” Dante said with a
smile. Dante took the driver’s seat and Jonathan took the
passenger seat, leaving George to cram himself in the back seat.
It was a bit cramped, as there were numerous boxes and bags in
the car.

“Doing a bit of shopping?” George asked.

“Yeah, it’s nice to be able to visit stores
again.”

On the trip to the house, George tried to draw them into
conversation, only Dante would speak, but would say nothing about
the rats or his new home. Jonathan wouldn’t say a word; he
just kept intently studying his surroundings.

George leaned forward so he could talk to Jonathan. “It
must be pretty strange, being able to move freely in the human
world. Does it excite you, knowing you can move among us with
impunity?”

“Frankly, it is strange,” Jonathon said.
“Very strange. The first time I went into a crowded store,
I was treated just as rude as everyone else. It was exciting in a
way, having an incredible secret and none of them aware of what
walked among them. My first taste of the human world as a human
was very different from what I expected.”

“We also stopped at a Waffle House in Maryland to
celebrate Jonathan’s first time in human form,” Dante
said. Jonathan grimaced at the memory. “Yes, that was very,
very strange. I had my first encounter with the human delicacy of
‘grits’.”

Shortly they arrived at the house and when they exited the
car, a stray cat hissed at them. George watched in amazement as
Dante instantly reached over his shoulder as though for a weapon
and more alarmingly, Jonathan’s eyes and hands glowed.
Jonathan uttered a few words to the cat and the unexpected effect
of those words allowed George the rare opportunity of watching a
cat faint. Its eyes went wide and then it just collapsed.

“Well, that cat wasn’t quite expecting that. I
think he’ll be more wary of humans and mice from now
on,” Jonathan said and walked on.

“As you can guess, cats aren’t our favorite
animals,” Dante said as he unlocked the door.

“I guess cats must be huge compared to your regular
forms.”

“Uncle George, you’ve seen ‘Jurassic
Park’. It’s like trying to run from a T-Rex.
They’re huge and they’re very hungry and can swallow
you in one bite.”

George winced at that notion. A large pile of mail had
accumulated under the door’s mail slot. Dante quickly
shuffled through it and then tossed it back on the floor.
“Won’t have to worry about any of that where
we’re going.”

George put a hand on Dante’s shoulder. “Dante, on
the bed in your room is a box that belonged to your father. I
found it in his safety deposit box. I thought you’d want to
have the stuff if you ever returned.”

Dante raced up the stairs and came back shortly with the cigar
box in his hands. The box had been wrapped in duct tape, but was
now cut open. Dante sat on the couch and went through the stuff.
Mostly it was photographs of him and his parents--one was of
George, Julie and his father--and even some of his
grandparents. An antique gold pocket watch, his
mother’s engagement ring and few love letters that his
parents had written to each other in their youth.

George and Jonathan sat quietly by as Dante looked over the
items and after a few moments of silence he composed himself and
smiled. “Thanks, Uncle George. It’s nice to finally
have something of his that isn’t insane or evil.”

Dante began searching the house for anything he wanted to take
with him. Jonathan sat and just glared at George the whole time.
George paced nervously under Jonathan’s scrutiny. Soon,
Dante returned and again stepped between them. “Okay, I got
what I need. Jonathan came to help you get acclimated to your new
form before we get home,” Dante said.

“Are you ready to say goodbye to all of this,
George?” Jonathan asked.

George chewed on his lower lip, thinking a moment or two
before he replied. “It’s strange; I have many
different feelings and emotions about this situation. On the one
hand I feel like Neil Armstrong about to land on the moon and on
the other hand I feel like Adolph Eichman on his way to Israel.
For better or worse this nightmare is over and I can finally have
some peace.”

“I think your reception will be somewhere between those
two extremes, George,” Jonathan said.

“Let’s hope that’s the case. I’ve
squandered my days and I would love the chance to do something
meaningful with the rest of my life.”

“I must warn you, George, it’s going to be rough
sailing for you. We like to think of ourselves as an open-minded
and forgiving people, but you are going to be pushing the
envelope of tolerance for us,” Jonathan said seriously.
“And something else I’ll warn you about. Your
transformation, it’s going to be rough. Dante’s was
easier because he knew what to expect, so after a short time he
grew accustomed to his new form. But with you I don’t know
if it would be better to do everything at once or go with small
size and then shape change, either way its going to be very
difficult for you. Something for you to think about also is what
you want to be and what color,” Jonathan added.

“I hadn’t even thought of that, actually,”
George said, reflecting. “What do I want to spend
the rest of my life looking like...”

“Well, for pure convenience sake, a rat would be better.
The community was initially built for rats and had to be
retro-fitted for the mice,” Dante offered.

“How do you like your form?” George asked.

“I love it. There isn’t any species intolerance.
The collective history of both people is too closely tied
together and it has shown on numerous occasions that each kind is
invaluable in certain situations,” Dante replied. Jonathon
thumbed at himself. “If it hadn’t been for me, we
never would have escaped from NIMH. I was the only one small
enough to fit through the grate over the air-conditioning vent on
the roof.”

“Do you have any regrets, Dante?” George
asked.

“None whatsoever,” Dante replied.

George sighed. “I have many regrets even now. I have no
one to blame but myself for them, so there is nothing more to
say.”

“George, there are worse fates than the one you’re
getting. Imagine what would have become of you if you had never
sent that message to Dante,” Jonathan said.

“I would've drank myself to death in another year or
so.”

“I’m very glad you’ll be joining us, Uncle
George. It really killed me to see you destroying yourself all
these years. I was wrong, there is one regret: I wish Julie could
be here with us.”

“I think we all wish that,” George said, looking
at Jonathan.

“Indeed,” Jonathan said.

George grimaced, and brought the group back to reality.
“Well, there’s no use delaying this any longer than
necessary. Jonathan, do what you have to do. I’m
ready,” George said.

“Lie down on the floor and close your eyes,”
Jonathon said. “This is going to be very disturbing. I will
first just make you small.” Jonathon's eyes glowed bright
and George closed his eyes. He felt strange--it was uncomfortable
but not painful, and he felt like he was being pulled along the
carpet.

“Now prepare yourself, George, and then open your
eyes.”

He hesitantly opened his eyes. He was now only about four
inches high. To his surprise he wasn’t really afraid. He
looked up at the towering forms of Jonathan and Dante, and
Jonathan placed his hand on the ground, palm up. George knew
immediately what it implied; it was a test. He hesitantly stepped
into the hand and Jonathan raised him, slowly closing his fingers
around George, causing him to quickly grow alarmed.

“How does it feel being on the other end, George?”
Jonathan asked, a hint of hostility in his voice.

“Jonathan!” Dante said sharply. Jonathan placed
George back on the floor. “Sorry, I got carried away. How
does it feel, George?” Jonathan asked.

“Strange, to say the least. Frightening,
definitely.”

“I’ll let you get used to that size before I go to
the next step.”

Over the next hour George grew accustomed to his new size,
strangely, he didn’t find it as terrible as he had
expected. “I see why your people choose to live away from
human kind. Its sucks being so small in a human world,”
George said.

“You have no idea, George,” Jonathan replied.
“Comfortable enough to go to the next step?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Have you decided what you want to be?”

“Yes, a rat, battleship gray.”

“Very well, lie down again. This is really going to be
bad and I’m not exaggerating. Your mind is going to be
overloaded with a sudden flood of unfamiliar instincts, and
you’re going to be very afraid. Dante recovered the first
time in about fifteen minutes, but with you it may be much
worse,” Jonathan said seriously.

Dante knelt down by his uncle. “He’s right,
it’s going to be nasty, but when it’s all over
it’s actually pretty neat. Jonathan, change me over. I
think it might help if I’m down there with him, rather than
towering over him.” Jonathan nodded and George watched in
astonishment as Dante transformed into a white mouse.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Ready.” he replied.

“Close your eyes, George,” Jonathan said.

He did so, and George could feel his body change again. He
felt like he was growing, his entire body beginning to hurt,
especially his spine. The pain quickly faded, to be replaced by
fear--terrible, all-consuming fear. He curled up into a ball and
lay there, trembling.

Jonathan returned to his normal size and shape and also sat by
George. Dante spoke comfortingly to him. George was in a haze of
panic bordering seemingly on madness. He had no idea how long it
would last, when his senses slowly began returning to him.

“That was terrible,” he mumbled.

“Told you,” Jonathan said.

“The worst is over. Soon you’ll be able to enjoy
your new form,” Dante said.   

“How long has it been?”

“You’ve spent nearly two hours curled up like
this.” Dante patted George on the shoulder
comfortingly. “But at least the worst is over.”

After a short rest, Jonathan and Dante helped George to his
feet. The first thing he did was grab his muzzle. “This is
going to be annoying,” he said, then grabbed a whisker.
“And these are going to be really annoying
too.” He looked himself over and realized that his
human clothes had adjusted themselves to his new body shape. He
took a few hesitant steps and then looked at his tail.
“That’s going to take some getting used to. Dante,
how long did it take to for you to grow accustomed to these
things?” he asked.

“Not long, you get used to them fast; they’re part
of your body now, after all.”

They gave George a few hours more to adjust to his new body
before they prepared to leave. Jonathan returned Dante to his
normal size so he could gather his personal belongings. Dante was
packing stuff in the car when Jonathan, still in rodent form,
joined George in the living room.

“George, this is it. I’ll give you one last chance
to back out. Beyond this point there is no turning
back.”

George's reply was certain. “Jonathan, I am ready to
begin my new life.”

“Are you really that excited to be going, George?”
Jonathan asked.

“I’ve been waiting for this escape since the day
you escaped! The human world holds nothing for me
now.”

“I agree with you, Uncle George,” Dante said from
the doorway. “I now feel that way more than ever. I
can’t wait to get home again,” Dante said, entering
the room.

“Hopefully, this will be the last time any of us
ever have to be in the human world ever
again,” Jonathan said. Dante gently placed Jonathan
and George in his hand and carried them to the car.

Jonathan chose to sleep under the passenger seat to build his
strength and George sat on the floor with a bath towel nearby so
he could use if for cover if there was an emergency.

“Get comfortable, Uncle George, this is going to be a
long trip,” Dante warned him. It was indeed a long trip,
interrupted only by stops for gas and food. At each stop, Dante
would go on a buying frenzy of candy and other luxury goods that
didn’t exist at Thorn Valley. George also noticed that
Dante always had an open carton of milk nearby, and would drink
right out of it.

Only now did George begin to feel nervous. It was finally
sinking in that he was leaving the human world behind. Everything
he was accustomed to and almost everyone he knew was being left
behind and he was heading to a world that was filled with people
who might hate him. He pushed those thoughts aside and tried to
focus on the fact that at last he was past his own past.

As day turned to night, George laid back on the floor and
stared up at the stars in the sky. He looked at his hands, hands
that had once held Jonathan and the others. Hands that had given
them the injections that had caused these unbelievable mutations,
and these awesome powers. He thought about the experiment and
about Julie and felt depressed; this was certainly not the way he
had imagined his life would turn out.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

George had been sleeping soundly when Dante announced they had
arrived. The car was still moving and George rubbed his eyes to
see that it was still night. He looked under the seat and saw
Jonathan still sleeping. “Hey, Jonathan, Dante said
we’re here.” Jonathan stirred and soon emerged from
under the seat, inhaling deeply. “Thorn Valley at
last.”

George hadn't realized the place had a name. “Thorn
Valley? That has a nice ring to it.” A short time later
they pulled into the empty rest area. Dante stopped the car and
flashed the headlights several times, and from the woods a tiny
dot of light flashed several times in reply.

“All clear,” Dante announced and picked up
Jonathan and George, placing them on the pavement.

“What do we do with the car?” George asked.
Jonathan smiled.

“The same thing I did to you and Dante, make it
small,” Jonathan replied and showed George the small box
that the car would be kept in.

“Before you do that, there is something in there that I
would prefer to carry with me rather than leave it,” George
said, and had Dante retrieve a duffel bag from the back seat.
Dante also took one of his own before Jonathan changed him over.
George just stood in amazement at that and moreso when Jonathan
shrank the car.

“I just can’t believe you can do that! It’s
just impossible!” George said. Jonathan just smiled as he
picked up the tiny car, putting it in its box, and tucked it in
his pocket. “Nothing like a compact car.”

Moments later they heard the sound of the guards approaching.
“Brutus?” Dante called out.

“Yes,” was the reply. Suddenly about a dozen rats
appeared from the grass and joined them on the pavement. To
George’s amazement the rats were wielding flashlights and
muskets, and all were wearing camouflage fatigues. George tried
to disappear into the background, and Jonathan noticed this.

“Come on, George. This is what you wanted,” he
said. The rats were talking with Dante, but when George walked
forward they all fell silent. He could sense a wave of hostility
flow through the group.

“My friends, I would like you to meet my Uncle
George,” Dante said, then introduced by name all the
guards. George and the guards remained silent, and it was
Jonathon who broke the ice. “Have you guys made food yet?
I’m starving.”

Brutus nodded. “Yes,” he replied and the group,
thankful for a break in the tension, followed him off the
pavement. George stuck close by Dante the whole time.

“Well, that went well,” George said
sarcastically.

“You’re going to have to grow a thick skin very
quickly here, George,” Jonathan warned. Brutus led them to
a large cluster of rocks. In a large open area inside the cluster
there were several tents set up and in the middle was a camp
fire. Dante led George to one of the tents.

“Its probably best if you stay out of sight. I’ll
talk to them and try to cool them down,” Dante said and
handed George his duffel bag.

“Is my being here really that big a deal?  They
must be second or even third generation,” George said.

“Uncle George, from the time they were all little they
have heard the stories of NIMH and of the escape. They know it
all by heart. It’s their history,” Dante said.
Jonathan appeared at the tent flap, a smirk on his face.
“‘Jonathan Brisby made possible the rats’
escape from the terrible cruelty of NIMH’, as the Book of
Nicodemus reads,” Jonathan said. George looked angry and
opened his mouth to say something, but held his tongue.

Dante knew his uncle’s feelings, and gave him an out.
“Uncle George, just stay here. I’ll bring some food
for you. Jonathan, come with me.” A short time later Dante
returned with some food and a cup of coffee.

“Dig in, Uncle George,” Dante said and handed the
plate to George. George took it and examined its contents; it
appeared to be lobster tail and salad. George looked at
Dante.

“Its crayfish,” Dante said. George looked
relieved. “I guess you eat weird things out
here.”

“Actually, we don’t eat much out of the ordinary.
We raise crops here, so our diet is fairly standard. But being
omnivorous makes us kind of curious as to what everything tastes
like. Roasting over the fire as we speak are grilled salamanders
with barbecue sauce. I thought about bringing you some, but I
figured it would be best to keep the menu to things you could
recognize by sight,” Dante said.

“That is much appreciated, thank you,” George said
and tasted the crayfish. It was remarkably good.

Dante grinned at his uncle’s reaction. “I’ll
check in with you a little later and I’ll bunk with you
tonight. Tomorrow morning we head for the valley. We’ll be
there by nightfall.”

Dante left him to eat, and after he had finished George got
his laptop out of his duffle bag. Upon opening the computer, the
first thing he noticed was his reflection on the screen. It
suddenly occurred to him that he had not even bothered to see
what his new appearance was like. He studied his rodent features
closely, feeling a sudden surge of panic as he looked upon his
face with new eyes. It really began to sink in what he had
done.

I’m not human anymore. I will never be human again.
I’m going to look like this for the rest of my life and
I’ll die like this, like an animal. If NIMH or anyone else
ever finds us I’ll be put in a cage and treated no better
than any of them. What have I done? What on earth was I thinking
when I agreed to do this!

He sat there silently clutching the computer to his chest, his
last link with the world he was forever leaving behind. Dante
came back to check on him one more time before retiring, finding
his uncle in that peculiar state.

“Uncle George, are you okay?” the youngster
asked.

“What have I done!” George said, looking again at
the strange being in the laptop. Dante cocked his head, confused.
“What do you mean?”

“Look at them, Dante!” George said, pointing
through the tent's flap. “They were just animals once, and
now look at them! Look at me, and you. What in heaven’s
name have I done!” Dante grabbed George by the shoulders
and shook him. “Uncle George, get a hold of yourself! You
know exactly what you did. You helped create a new life form.
Don’t get cold feet now. It’s too late for that. You
asked to be here, so sit back and enjoy the ride. Now get ready.
We have an all day march to the valley ahead of us.”

“I’m sorry, Dante,” George said. “This
is just turning out to be a harder transition than I expected. I
thought I was so cynical and jaded that there was nothing left
that could shock or surprise me. I even thought I could do this
easily. I was wrong--I’m scared of what I am now and of
what they’ll do to me when we get to the valley. It seems
that all I did was trade one set of worries and fears for
another.”

“Uncle George, I know this is tough. They are not going
to kill you, but don’t expect the red carpet, either. They
are reasonable, intelligent people, they’re not...well,
animals...anymore. I talked to the others outside and calmed them
down, plus passing around a bag of Oreo cookies worked wonders
too.”

George had little to say after that. He put his laptop down,
doused his light, and never dared to sleep. When morning came he
stretched, the grogginess telling on him, and made his way
outside the tent. Again he was greeted with the silent treatment
he had gotten the day before. They ate a quick breakfast and the
guards quickly packed up the camp and they began their march to
the valley. George and Dante stayed at the back, Jonathan shortly
falling back to join them.

“How did you sleep, George?” Jonathan asked.
George grimaced.

“Horrible. I’ll just be glad when we get
there.” The new rat rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he
walked. Dante easily kept pace with the larger rat. “I wish
I could give you an idea as to how long it will take you to get
adjusted to your new body, but we are the first two humans to
ever have to deal with this and in a sense I was already
accustomed to this size and shape, so it was as easy for
me.”  

“I’m sure I can do it. It’s just that
it’s such a dramatic change. It’s the same world and
yet it’s not the same world.”

They would have been making good time except for George, who
had to stop frequently to rest. Dante even ended up carrying
George’s duffel bag to make the trip more bearable for
him.

George was grateful that Jonathan was willing to at least talk
to him, even though his comments occasionally took on a biting
edge. It was obvious to him that the mouse was trying to be
civil. The guards, on the other hand still would not even make
eye contact with him. George had managed to briefly exchange
glances with Brutus and had been startled to see those eyes take
on a fiery glow. He quickly fell back with Jonathan and Dante
again.

“I really don’t see what the big deal is,”
George quietly muttered as they walked.

“What!” Jonathan sputtered and at Jonathan’s
exclamation the group came to a stop. Jonathon pointed an angry
finger in his face. “George, you took us from our homes and
families, kept us prisoner for years and mutated us into a
different animal and then when we escaped we were hunted and
faced with death or a return to the lab. You put us through
hell!”

Jonathon took a moment to calm himself, realizing the guards
might take his ire as a signal to kill George. “I had a
mate and children back in New York, many years ago. They’re
long gone. I’ve been separated from two families and have
had more pain than one mouse should have to endure. Don’t
look to me for sympathy.”

Jonathan stomped angrily past George and the rats followed
him. George was left with only Dante, who crossed his arms.
“I said it wouldn’t be easy, Uncle George.”

It was well after dark when they reached the guard post at the
rim of the valley. A message was sent to the communication center
at the colony telling them to be ready. The guards at the post
just stared at George with a mixture of fear and amazement, but
remained silent. George looked around in wonder as they walked
down the wide path that had been cut into the side of the cliff
face. When they reached the bottom they walked across an open
plain toward a wide bell shaped opening in the side of the cliff,
at its end was a ramp leading up to an illuminated doorway.

George saw a small group of rats and mice standing there
waiting, but he only recognized Justin. George was stunned when
he saw the luminescent glow of electric lights. When they got to
the base of the ramp, Dante suddenly rushed up the ramp and into
the arms of a female mouse in a green dress.

“Dante, I was so worried about you and dad! I missed you
both so much. I’m glad you’ve both returned
safe!”

Dante held her close. “I missed you so much, Cynthia. As
soon as Uncle George gets settled in I need to talk to you about
something very special,” Dante said, and then they kissed.
George just stood there, shocked and appalled.

Justin shifted his attention. “George, welcome to Thorn
Valley.” The rat extended his hand to him, and George
hesitantly shook it. “Thank you, Justin. I’m grateful
that you let me come here.” Justin fell into a
matter-of-fact conversation with him. “I hope your
transformation wasn’t too difficult.”

“It’s going to be a while till I can say I’m
comfortable with anything. The physical transformation was easy,
but mentally adjusting to the transformation is going to be the
hard part.” He glanced back over to Dante and was stunned
to see that the kiss was still in progress. Justin saw it too and
laughed. “Hey Dante, am I going to have to throw a bucket
of cold water on you two?”

They broke their embrace and looked around with embarrassment
when they saw the others had been watching them. Dante drew
Cynthia over to George, who looked up at him nervously with her
big mouse eyes. “Uncle George, I’d like you to meet
Cynthia Brisby, the love of my life,” he said.

She smiled and extended her hand to him.
“It’s...nice to meet you Dr. George,” she said
hesitantly. He just looked at her and was too stunned for words.
Dante, are you mad! Surely you can’t seriously
mean that you’re in love with her? Cynthia
couldn't read his thoughts, for which George was grateful, and
his spoken greeting was cordial. “It’s a pleasure to
meet you. You must be a truly remarkable woman to have won
Dante’s heart.”

She relaxed at this and smiled. “Thank you, Dr. George.
We were worried about how you’d feel about...Dante and
I.” The gratitude he saw in Dante’s eyes said all
that needed to be said between them. “If you’ll
excuse us, Uncle George, Cynthia and I need to talk about
something.”

Dante took Cynthia’s hand and they walked further down
the corridor and were soon out of site. George just watched them
walk away.

“You don’t approve?” Jonathan asked, coming
up next to him.

“It’s nothing against your daughter, Jonathan. It
just goes back to those immutable laws of reality that I spoke
about during the last meeting in my office. I mean no offense by
what I’m about to say, but in my mind you’re still
just animals and Dante and I are still humans. I realize
that’s no longer the case, but it’s going to take
quite a while to grow accustomed to this new
life.” 

Jonathon mulled it over for a long minute before he spoke
again. “I’ll do what I can to help you,
George.”

“Thank you. I understand and appreciate the tolerance
you and Justin both are showing me. I know that my being here
burns you both up inside. I just hope that one day it will be
genuine tolerance.”

Justin was standing by as well, and now added his two cents.
“That is going to take time, George. But it’s not
impossible.” Deep down, George appreciated Justin’s
forced diplomatic courtesy. He looked around, most of the others
that were at the front gate just standing at a distance watching
him in stunned silence. As he studied them, he recognized some of
them as members of the NIMH animals.

Nearby was a brown and white female mouse with a baby girl
mouse in her arms, both dressed in red. For some reason she
seemed familiar to George, but he couldn’t imagine where he
would have seen her before. She was certainly not one of the NIMH
animals.

He thought for a moment, and then gasped. “You!”
he said, pointing at her. “You were the giant rodent from
Dr. Schultz’s dream. You had a red cape and a red
stone...and you looked a lot different then.” George
suddenly realized he probably shouldn’t have referred to
her as ‘rodent’. “I’m sorry, giant
‘mouse’ from the dream,” he added. The mouse in
question appeared surprised at his recognition. “Yes, it
was me. How did you see the dream?”

“I don’t know, but Julie and Rita were there with
me also,” he replied.

“It’s odd. I didn’t feel your presence
there,” she replied. After a brief but awkward silence
Jonathan spoke. “Rose, I’d like you to meet
Dante’s uncle, George. George Yardley, meet my wife,
Rose.” 

George was surprised when she smiled pleasantly and shook his
hand. She didn’t seem to radiate the hostility that
everyone else had, which he found most refreshing. “Hello,
George. I hope you enjoy Thorn Valley as much as we
do.”

“It’s a pleasure, Rose and I sure hope I like it,
I’m stuck here whether I like it or not.”

“George, this is our daughter, Violet,” Jonathan
said. George crouched down to get a look at the little girl. He
still found it amazing that the changes in these creatures
appeared hereditary. The baby acted like a human child, and in
fact he found it disturbing how humanlike her own behavior
was.

Justin put his hand on George’s shoulder. “George,
we have a place set up for you. If you’re tired, I can show
you the way,” Justin said.

“I’m exhausted. Let’s go.”

As he followed Justin he was awed by the colony. It was far
more advanced than he ever would have imagined possible. He had
expected them to have medieval level technology, but it was in
fact mid-twentieth century. Justin gave him a running commentary
as they walked, and he was obviously proud of the accomplishments
of the community.

“See, George? Coming here won’t be much of a step
down in comfort from what you’re used to,” Justin
said.

“It’s absolutely amazing. I never imagined you
could have achieved so much,” George replied.

“If you think this colony is amazing, the things we had
in the rosebush colony could only have been described as
otherworldly. But between you and me, I actually prefer the
somewhat more basic world of Thorn Valley.”

Moments later Dante came running up to them. He appeared to be
bursting with excitement. “Sorry, Uncle George, I had to
take care of something.” The three walked to an elevator
and waited for the door to open. When it did, Justin continued.
“George, we have a place set up for you on the uppermost
level of the residential wing, it’s a decent size apartment
and it’s in an unoccupied corner. There will be several
guards posted for your protection.”

“For my protection?”

Justin eyed him seriously. “George, I want to be as
optimistic as possible about your reception here in the valley,
but until the initial shock is over I’m taking no chances
with your safety. I’ll say this now--you’re not here
as a prisoner and there will be no trial. You are free to come
and go as you please, but take Dante with you if you go anywhere,
just in case.”

As they left the elevator, Justin and Dante turned toward the
door when they exited, but George did not. He let out a cry of
alarm as the door closed on his tail, and it quickly opened as he
yanked his tail into the elevator. Justin and Dante stifled a
laugh. “I warned you about that, Uncle George,” Dante
said, merriment in his voice.

George just gave him a stern look. “I can’t hide
forever up here. What’s the plan? Surely you have something
mapped out already?” George said.

Justin led the way down the well-lit hallway. “Well, it
all depends on you. I have had requests from our experts in the
scientific and medical field who want to interview you. I have
the chief reporter from the Thorn Valley Herald who wants to do a
cover story on you, and our historian wants to record your
impressions of the experiment, the escape from NIMH, the time you
spent with Dr. Schultz and the difficulties of your adapting to
life here. But something I must insist on, and I have discussed
this at length with the other NIMH escapees, is that we want a
face-to-face meeting with you.”

George’s heart froze in his chest, and Justin could see
the effect on his features. He continued talking, giving the
newcomer time to recover. “From what I’ve been told
about you by Dante, it seems like you have a lot to get off your
chest too and we certainly have some things to say to you. What
we have decided is to try an all-inclusive series of meetings, as
this is a unique event. In other woreds, we have decided to make
this a historical account.

“You will recount the history of the experiment, as we
are curious to know many of the details behind it, and we will
recount our history which I’m very sure you are also
curious about. Our historian will be on hand along with several
stenographers to record everything. Hopefully, all questions will
be answered there.

Justin put a hand on George’s arm to stop his progress.
“Bear in mind that this is not a trial of any sort. No
judgment will be handed down. It will be ugly, but I think even
you would have to admit that it is something best dealt with now,
rather than left to fester. After the anger and harsh words,
perhaps the healing can begin. The first meeting is scheduled for
the day after tomorrow, if that is acceptable.”

George had listened as well as he could, and nodded at the
end. “I agree, the sooner we face each other then the
sooner I can get settled in. The day after tomorrow is fine with
me. Do you really have a newspaper here?”

Justin smiled, amused at that particular question. “Yes,
we’ve had it since the colony was founded. I have last
week’s issues in your apartment. We announced through it
that you would be arriving here the day after Dante and Jonathan
left to get you. As you can well imagine, the public was startled
by the announcement, but after the shock had worn off they came
to grudgingly realize it was for the best. The editorials will
give you an idea as to public opinion,”

When they reached the room assigned to George, several armed
rats were standing nearby in the hallway. “Dante! Great to
have you back!” the lead rat said as the group approached,
and addressed himself to the newcomer. “You must be George.
I’m Killian, Captain of the guard. Welcome to Thorn Valley,
sir,” Killian said, extending his hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Captain
Killian,” he replied, shaking the rat's hand, but was
surprised that he had been addressed as “sir” by the
rat.

Justin regained George’s attention. “I’ve
had Killian place a group of hand-picked guards to look after
you, Dante being one of them.” Killian opened the door to
the apartment, and Dante came up close beside George, whispering.
“Killian’s a friend of mine. You can trust him with
your life.”

“I hope so,” George whispered back.

The apartment was large and comfortably furnished. Killian
quickly showed George around the place, similar to what one would
expect in a mid-grade hotel room. “Tomorrow we’ll
have the rest of your stuff brought up here. Are you hungry? We
can have some food brought up.”

“No, I’m just exhausted,” George said.
“If I may, I would just like to turn in for the
night.”

Dante said and gave him a friendly hug. “Goodnight,
Uncle George. Trust me, you’re going to like it here,
eventually.” He handed George his duffle bag and then left
the room, Justin and the others leaving as well and closing the
door behind them. George heard them talking on the other side, he
put an ear to the door to listen.

“She said ‘yes’, she’ll marry
me!” Dante said excitedly.

“Congratulations, Dante,” Killian said.

“I’m sure the two of you will be very happy
together,” Justin said.

George heard them walk down the hall. He sat on his couch and
opened his duffel bag, withdrew a notebook and pen and began to
write.

Day One,

Have arrived in Thorn Valley to chilly reception (as
expected). Have briefly met the president and captain of the
guard among others. They have been surprisingly civil. Rose
Brisby and Killian have been the most tolerant. Fortunately,
Dante has friends, so that’s making my presence bearable
here.

Justin and Jonathan have given me hope that I can one day
be able to walk around without having to look over my
shoulder.

I look with concern upon the planned meeting with the
escapees. I have a feeling that it will be a bit intense, but it
will be truly cathartic.have provided me with remarkably
comfortable accommodations. It will remain to be seen if they
will continue to be such good hosts.

I fear that Dante has willingly abandoned whatever humanity
that he had retained. He has become engaged to one of them.
It’s odd that as I sit here in my new body, in my new home
in this new world that I still think of the rats and mice as
‘them’ when I am now one of
‘them’.

She seems like a nice girl, from a good family. Dante would
be devastated if I rejected her. I have no doubt that he worked
hard to bring me here, so I owe him a great deal. For his sake I
must try to accept them all.

As I look upon my brief time among them, I am suddenly
aware that it has been done without the anxiety and fear that has
haunted me for years. I dealt with them as people, not animals.
Just a few days ago I wouldn’t have been able to look at
any one of them without the aid of booze.

He closed the notebook and walked to the bedroom and prepared
for bed. He turned on the light and looked at his reflection in
the dresser mirror. He was fascinated and horrified at the same
time. Well George, you wanted to do things no other scientist
ever did, and boy you succeeded.

George dragged himself out of bed the next morning. He hadn't
slept well, the tail constantly twitching and waking him. He
walked to the closet and opened the door to find a variety of
clothing of different sizes, all medieval style shirts and
tunics. He traded his human clothes for the local style, looking
at himself in the mirror. It occurred to him that he didn’t
even know how the others perceived his appearance--did he look
handsome, average, homely or ugly? Jonathan could easily have
played a cruel joke on him.

He walked over to a window covered by curtains and threw them
open, flooding the room with sunlight. He looked out over the
valley, where he could see the tilled fields and many rats and
mice scurrying abouttheir business.

Get used to it, George. You’re here to stay. He
walked to the couch and sat, finding a stack of newspapers on the
coffee table before him. He took one from the bottom and started
reading with a mix of wonderment and apprehension.

He found they were capable of deeper and more complex thought
than he would have imagined, and he did enjoy the crossword
puzzle. He continued through the pile and read with great
interest the announcements that he was coming to the valley,
along the firestorm of controversy it created. The editorials
were scathing, but as the days drew on the people had come to see
his arrival as the lesser of two evils. He heard a knock on the
door.

“Uncle George, can I come in?” Dante asked.

“Sure.”

Dante walked in, a sword strapped over his shoulder. George
suddenly found himself wondering why on earth Dante had chosen to
become a mouse instead of a rat, but then he remembered Cynthia.
“The breakfast crowd has gone; I was wondering if
you’re ready to eat?”

“Sure, but I’ll need you to back me up in case of
trouble,” George replied and followed Dante out the door.
At Dante’s request he took his laptop computer along.

Almost everyone they encountered stared at him with alarm and
fear, some adding anger to that mix, but none spoke to him. He
felt very uncomfortable under their scrutiny, and when they
entered the cafeteria George was relieved to see it almost
deserted. They filled their trays, the kitchen staff also giving
George the silent treatment. Dante sat down at one of the
rat-sized tables with George and the other and despite barely
being able too see his food tried to eat with as much dignity as
he could.

“Dante, is it just because of your girlfriend that you
wanted to be a mouse rather than a rat?” George asked,
looking down at him.

“No, this is the first form Jonathan gave me. I just
grew accustomed to it. Jonathan gave me the option later to
change to a rat, but I was used to it by then. Plus as you know,
by that time I was already falling for Cynthia. However, times
like this remind me of some of the disadvantages of the smaller
size.”

George felt guilty for putting Dante in this uncomfortable
situation. They moved to a smaller table and George sat on the
floor. As they resumed eating, a lady rat joined them at the
table. “Greetings, Dante. Dr. George.”

“Hi, Lilandra,” Dante said, seemingly familiar
with her.

“Congratulations, Dante,” she replied with a
smile.

“Thanks. Uncle George, this is Lilandra, head of
scientific research in Thorn Valley.”

George immediately got off the floor and shook her hand.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lilandra.”
Lilandra looked him over speculatively. “How do you like
our valley, Dr. George?”

“It’s amazing. I’m overwhelmed by your
accomplishments. Dante had not been exaggerating when he said
that you were building a civilization here.”

Lilandra looked into his eyes, the challenge in her voice
evident. “Do you feel that it’s a good thing or a bad
thing?”

“I haven’t made up my mind yet,” George
said, tasting his coffee. “Your people make a great cup of
coffee, though.”

Lilandra let out a half-amused laugh. “How have people
been treating you?”

“Like a leper. Most won’t even speak to
me.”

“Well, in time they will probably get used to you.
We’re a small colony, so it’s hard to stay hidden
here.”

They chatted for a time as Dante and George ate their
breakfast. George was particularly grateful that Lilandra was
being so open to him. It was a nice change from the unrestrained
hostility he had been getting from most of the others. After they
had eaten, Lilandra offered to show George the lab, which he
eagerly agreed to, though he again encountered the fear and
silence that he had experienced before.

Lilandra ignored the reactions of her colleagues. “I see
that you brought your laptop, good. We can set up an electrical
hookup for you. If you trust us that is.” He reluctantly
passed her the computer. “I have to learn to trust sooner
or later.” 

Lilandra began setting up the connection. “Relax,
nothing will happen to it. This is where we keep Dante’s
computer.”        

“What kind of research do you do here?” George
asked, looking around the strange laboratory.

“Anything that needs to be done. I wear many
hats,” she replied proudly. “If I may ask, what is
your scientific background?”

George relaxed a little, sensing another educated mind.
“I have a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Princeton, with an
incomplete medical residency thrown in before that.”

“Ph.D. from Princeton? Impressive. What of Dr. Schultz
and Dr. Julie?”

“Dr. Schultz had an MD from Johns Hopkins and a PhD in
Genetics from Harvard and Julie had a doctorate in molecular
biology from Stanford. When I say doctorate, Julie and I were in
fact just grad students working on our PhD’s at the time.
After the escape we were fired from NIMH and we both went back to
school. But the enormity of what we had created just ate away at
us over the years. After Julie and I graduated, the three of us
started a research company. Dr. Schultz kept up his obsessive
search of you people and Julie and I became alcoholics--well, she
became an alcoholic and a chain smoker--I was just an alcoholic,
until very recently.”

Lilandra had listended while she checked his computer over,
her response showing her ability to be an objective scientist.
“After you get settled in here, perhaps we can find some
work for you in one of our labs.”

“I have a feeling that it will be a while before anyone
here trusts me enough to let me do any work in the biological
sciences.” 

“That is probably true. I’m sure there is a great
deal we could learn from you, however. Your specialty is
something that we are weak on. You could be a great asset to
us.”