10-TRULY A RAT'S NEST

TRULY A RAT'S NEST Ten minutes later, I was PEDDLING AWAY into the night. I really needed to talk to my therapist about becoming MORE ASSERTIVE. The rain pounded down on my head. I choked back tears. My best suit was getting ruined. How would I explain this one to Starchette? Do you know her? She's the cute mouse who works down at my dry cleaners'. I started off on the main road but soon found myself on a dirt path. It led into a deep, dark forest. Rat-munching rattle- snakes! Things were going from bad to worse! The sky grew darker and darker. I tried to light the way with the tiny flashlight

attached to my key ring. It didn't work. I felt like my cousin Squinty before he got glasses. Everything was pitch-black. Suddenly, the bicycle's front wheel hit a stone. The cart turned over. My suitcase flew into the air and landed on my tail. "Cheese niblets!" I squeaked. "I KNEW I SHOULDN'T HAVE TRUSTED THEM!" Right then, I heard the SOUND OF FARAWAY MUSIC. It gave me hope. Guided by the music, I pedaled for another fifteen minutes. Then I reached a clearing in the forest. I noticed a weathered old sign. It read: RATHOLE HOTEL

"Safe at last!" I murmured happily. But my happiness didn't last long. I pulled up to the hotel. It was a THREE-STORY WOODEN SHACK with a collapsed roof and broken windows. At the entrance lay a doormat full of holes. From the doorknob hung an ELCOME sign.

The "W" was missing. I stumbled off the bike. I was dizzy from all the exercise. Spots swam before my eyes. Still, one thing was clear to me. The RATHOLE HOTEL was definitely a rat hole!