A Dead Rat For Dinner

It was a crazy world. What I’d done had led me here. To this barn. In the middle of nowhere. On a cold winter night. At least it would provide shelter. And a little warmth.

I sat myself down in a corner, and thought about it all. He deserved it, didn’t he? I thought he did. That’s why I did it. I guess others felt different. That’s why they were after me. That’s why they had chased me across the city and out into the country. I was better though. Faster. Which was why I was now sat here, in relative safety. It wouldn’t last though, would it? I couldn’t stay here forever. Sooner or later they’d get around to checking this area. And by that time, I needed to be gone. For now though, it was ok.

Why? Why did this have to happen? Everything was fine. It was fine until it wasn’t. Just one simple little thing, and everything changed in an instant. I went from a happily married man with everything, to a man on the run, with nothing. And for what? For ridding the world of that scum? Really? Ok. I get it. It’s ok for some, but not for others. Rules for me but not for you. Ha! What a joke. That’s the way of things though, I guess. Civilised. Right?

I broke down crying for the first time since it happened. Not over the thing that I did. No, the thing HE did. Before. The thing that started it. She was an angel. And he snuffed her out. For a few valuables. Nothing life changing for him. Well, it had changed his life now, hadn’t it? Yessir. I’d left him dead on the sidewalk, for all to see. I had planned something different, but I had been overcome. Overcome with rage when I saw him just standing there, laughing. How dare he? It was a need. A primal need. And I took what I needed.

What a turn of events. What was I going to do now? I had no idea. Run forever? Be caught? Be unjustly punished for something I had every right to do? My mind was racing a million miles an hour. I couldn’t handle it. I put my hands up to my face, and wept some more.

What was that? A noise. I lowered my hands and looked.

“Oh hello,” I said, aloud.

The owl just looked at me. And I just looked back. Something was between us already. An understanding. If the owl could have a facial expression, I knew it would be friendly.

“All right for you, isn’t it?” I asked.

The owl said nothing in reply.

“Sure, I get it,” I said. “Nothing to say, is there?”

Yep. Still nothing. But I didn’t mind.

“Having dinner?” I asked, noticing the dead rat on the ground in front of my new feathered friend.

“Hoo,” it finally offered.

I laughed. The response was both perfect and ridiculous at the same time.

“Sure,” I said again. “Ok for you, isn’t it?”

Nothing again.

I pressed on. “Nobody’s gonna come after you, are they? Nobody cares about a dead rat for dinner.”

The owl shook its head slightly. And I knew it agreed. I knew it understood the double standard. It was hungry, so it killed. Justified. A primal need. Satisfied. But me? Nope. Satisfied, sure, maybe, but never justified.

“What’s the difference?” I asked.

The owl had no answers. Just its hunger. It started pecking at the rat. Trying to strip that meat from the bone. Or whatever owls do. I’m not an expert.

“Enjoy it,” I said. “Indulge yourself.”

“Hoo,” it replied, again.

And I laughed again. And then it was gone. It grabbed that rat, flapped its wings, rose to the rafters, and disappeared out of a window high up on the barn wall.

“See?” I called after it. “You can just fly away. Who can ever catch you?”

And that was that. I fell asleep soon after. And I slept too long. I was awakened by someone prodding me with an automatic rifle.

“Get up, buddy,” the voice said, quietly, so as not to startle me.

I sat up, and raised an arm.

“HOLD IT!” the voice said, louder, almost screaming. “DON’T MOVE!”

I moved though. Just once. Just slightly.

CRACK!

Ouch! That hurt.

I slumped back down.

It was over.

I rose to the rafters, and drifted out of a window high up on the barn wall.

Ha! Not so different now. Just like you now. Free.