The Mouse - Alternate Ending

By

Jane Royce

"Oh man, I hate mice" moaned Johnny as he and his crew-mates pondered over how to best get rid of this pest in their station.

"I vote we set traps all around the dayroom and catch the little critter that way" suggested Chet.

"Not a bad idea really Chet, lets try it tongiht and see what happens,. We can stop by the hardware store on our next run, unless there are any volunteers to go now....: Captain Stanley eyed his team.

Everyone looked at one another, no one had the energy to do it, so all looked at the floor.

~~~~~~~~~~

That night all was quiet. Twenty mouse traps had been purchased at the area hardware store and all were strategically located with cheese to attract the little critter.

Later that night after a long and arduous run, the men all slept soundly. Not a creature was heard, except for John Gage's stomach.

Knowing that he wasn't going to get any sleep with this stomach of his being so empty, he trudged to the dayroom in his skivvies to get some milk. That usually did the trick for him.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Ow! OWWWW! OW! Ow" Shouted Johnny, who promptly woke the remaining team members from their slumber. All the men of course, came running at full speed to see what had happened but all stopped at the door and bit their tongues at the sight before them.

There, on the floor, lay John Gage with mouse traps attached to various parts of his anatomy, with cheese scattered all around the area.

The mouse? He scurried out of the far dayroom back door, never to be seen or heard from again.