Magenta Mine (Invertary 3)

“Yeah, let’s trust Betty. That always goes well,” Magenta said.

The twins ignored her. Instead they spent a few minutes arranging the rats around the room to make them look more realistic. They seemed pleased with the result. Magenta had to admit: in the dim light, the toys looked pretty real.

“Your turn,” Claire told Magenta.

Magenta walked to the bed carrying the cage. She pulled two balls of tightly wrapped fat, seeds and meat from a plastic bag in her pocket. She put one on top of the bed covers and one under the covers. “Here goes nothing,” she muttered as she opened the cage.

Three large rats, straight from a pet store in Fort William, ran for the ball of food.

“Quick. Out of the room,” Megan said. “We don’t want them to escape.”

The girls ran for the door, slammed it shut behind them and sprinted down the stairs. Only when they were far away from Matt’s house did they stop to talk.

“Do you think anyone saw us?” Claire was wide-eyed with worry

.

“Does it really matter?” Magenta said. “As soon as they see what’s in there, they’ll know it’s us.”

“Good point,” Claire said.

Megan linked her arms with her friend and sister. “I guess all we can do now is find a spot to watch and wait.”

“You’re sure he’s coming home after seeing Lake?” Magenta uncharacteristically gnawed her lip.

“Yep, he arranged to meet Matt there. I heard them set it up.”

Magenta let out a breath.

“Pub for dinner?” Claire said.

There was a nod of agreement. Still holding each other, the girls headed the short distance to the high street and Invertary’s only pub.

16

“Let me get changed,” Harry shouted to his cousin as he entered the house. “Then we can go get something to eat.”

“Why bother? You’re only going to swap one inane T-shirt for another.”

Harry ignored Matt, who was watching CNN on the widescreen in the living room. He didn’t have time to deal with him. His hands were full coping with Magenta. He’d left her alone long enough to calm down. She got one more night. Then he planned to hunt her down and make her talk to him. Even if it meant tying her to a chair to do it. Or the bed. Mmm, yeah, tying her to the bed was a way better idea.

He swung open his room door and flicked on the light. Darkness prevailed. “Bring me a light bulb, will you?” he shouted to Matt. “The one in my room has blown.”

He heard grumbling, but assumed Matt was digging out a bulb.

His mind on Magenta, Harry strode into the room, reached for the bedside lamp and was about to press the switch when he heard it. Scraping. Gnawing. His hand stilled. His body froze. Slowly, he turned his head towards the bed. Something moved. His heart shot to his mouth. Moving nothing but his finger, Harry switched on the lamp. The blood drained from his body.

Sitting in the middle of his bed was a huge white rat. It stopped nibbling on whatever the hell it was nibbling on, and its beady pink eyes stared at Harry. Evil eyes. Red like the devil. Harry couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. Then he saw movement under his duvet. He sucked in a breath. His eyes shot to his pillow, where yet another tail twitched. His heart stopped beating altogether. He caught sight of something on the floor. His eyes flicked to it. Huge grey rats, under the furniture, peeking out from behind the chair. His heart restarted. His feet shuffled towards the door. He felt something squish under them, and looked down to see a rat’s tail poking out from beside his boot.

And then he did what every man in the same situation would have done. He screamed like a baby, while throwing himself in the direction of the door. A doorway Matt had just appeared in, looking dumbfounded and carrying a light bulb.

“What the hell?” Matt said as Harry pushed him out of the way.

He tripped over his cousin to land on his knees in the hall.

“Rats!” He was beyond caring that he was hysterical, shouting his lungs out. “Rats in my room. Rats!” He stopped shouting and started to rant. “Shut the door. Lock the door. Don’t go in there. I’ll call the rat guy. We’ll kill them all. Hairy little freakoids with their Satan-red eyes and germ-carrying teeth.”

Matt shook his head and stepped into the room.