20 Aug 2025, 10:11
A rat as a friend
Edith couldn't sleep. Tomorrow was her birthday, and her foster mother, Elia, was promising her a pet. Edith was not too keen on cats, and spiders scared her. But she was hoping that Elaia would give her a rat. That was the pet she had wanted for her whole life, and when she was younger she would always beg her foster mother to buy one for her, but she kept on saying that no one would want a dirty rat in the house. She offered a goldfish, a cat, and even a lizard, but Edith had always refused. She wanted a rat.
She closed her eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep, and even didn’t wake when Ellia returned from the pet shop later in the night or when Holly, Ellia’s daughter, woke her up at 6 am. Happy Birthday, Edith! she said, jumping up and down on her bed. Edith slowly opened her eyes, and, after brushing her teeth, she rushed downstairs to await her pet.
It was a small cage, covered with a cloth and with a note on the top. “Happy Birthday,” it said, and she pulled off the cloth, and gasped.
Edith had never gotten any presents, but she had never been upset either. This was her first present she had gotten in a long, long time. At first, Edith couldn't see anything, but that was because it had made itself a nest in the straw, and was sleeping. Cautiously, Edith opened the cage door and took him out. It was a beautiful grey rat. It was soft and sweet and Edith knew that this was the most wonderful present she had ever gotten.
What will you call it? Holly jumped up and down from delight, but Edith noticed that she was slightly far away from the rat, as if scared.
Hmm. I don't know, Edith was careful to talk quietly not to wake the rat. Maybe... Buttons? Patch?
Holly wrinkled her nose in dislike. No, she said you need something unique. And, after pacing up and down, finally she made out a word. It sounded something like Loopy. Edith stayed silent. There, I've got it! Holly exclaimed in delight. Lopsie!
Edith laughed, not unkindly. All right, she said, I'll call him Lopsie.
Edith made friends with Lopsie, and it was unlike any human relation she had ever had. Lopsie couldn't talk, and yet he could understand her better than Holly ever could. When Edith was sad, he would curl up on her shoulder and she would feel it's warmth under her ear. He was all Edith would ever need. Forever.
Word Count: 436 words
She closed her eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep, and even didn’t wake when Ellia returned from the pet shop later in the night or when Holly, Ellia’s daughter, woke her up at 6 am. Happy Birthday, Edith! she said, jumping up and down on her bed. Edith slowly opened her eyes, and, after brushing her teeth, she rushed downstairs to await her pet.
It was a small cage, covered with a cloth and with a note on the top. “Happy Birthday,” it said, and she pulled off the cloth, and gasped.
Edith had never gotten any presents, but she had never been upset either. This was her first present she had gotten in a long, long time. At first, Edith couldn't see anything, but that was because it had made itself a nest in the straw, and was sleeping. Cautiously, Edith opened the cage door and took him out. It was a beautiful grey rat. It was soft and sweet and Edith knew that this was the most wonderful present she had ever gotten.
What will you call it? Holly jumped up and down from delight, but Edith noticed that she was slightly far away from the rat, as if scared.
Hmm. I don't know, Edith was careful to talk quietly not to wake the rat. Maybe... Buttons? Patch?
Holly wrinkled her nose in dislike. No, she said you need something unique. And, after pacing up and down, finally she made out a word. It sounded something like Loopy. Edith stayed silent. There, I've got it! Holly exclaimed in delight. Lopsie!
Edith laughed, not unkindly. All right, she said, I'll call him Lopsie.
Edith made friends with Lopsie, and it was unlike any human relation she had ever had. Lopsie couldn't talk, and yet he could understand her better than Holly ever could. When Edith was sad, he would curl up on her shoulder and she would feel it's warmth under her ear. He was all Edith would ever need. Forever.
Word Count: 436 words
2 Sep 2025, 01:02
A rat as a friend
Done
There is something about ambition, how it not only propels you but also defines you.