The Adventures of Rat Man Du: Episode 1

By Thomas Kozmiuk

Traveling the world together, their creative and vivid imaginations combine to transport young minds to places dreams are made of. Look for more Bohemian adventures and indelible personalities in all their future collaborative works.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Nov 14, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499085402

Book preview

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Chapter 1

Our story begins more in the middle rather than in the beginning like most stories. Some history is necessary to set up the story and the motivation for our character. Suffice to say much had happened to our leading man, or should I say rat. That’s right, the story is about a rat. Now unlike other rats, Rat Man Du was a dreamer. He was constantly chasing his dreams of being in places that other rats had only dreamed of. His dreams, though lofty as they were, made him work hard and dedicate his life to conquering them all. Lessons were the morals of the stories he would tell as the other rats gathered around to hear firsthand of his exploits. Rat Man had some scars from many of his more dangerous escapades but none like the one he would have to leave home for.

In short, love had blinded the rat. Having checked off the life list of events he had been a part of, Rat Man had one giant space yet to fill. The space was in his heart, and it didn’t take long for another rat to notice his exalted status in the community. Now when we define what makes a bad rat, there are qualities that always show up. Untrustworthiness, dishonesty, greed, and selfishness come to mind. These were not qualities Rat Man possessed, but rather his mate. She had him fooled and turned his creativity and ceaseless efforts to better himself into a rat on a wheel for her own benefit. Time was no longer allotted to his personal success or profitable career. Sometimes when somebody mistakes usefulness for companionship, their limited view of reality is no longer attuned to the overall big picture of what’s really happening.

Rat Man’s friends could see he was blind, like the three mice they used to make fun of when they were kids. She was taking advantage of his good nature and talent for her own profitability. He was unable to see the big picture as it crumbled behind him.

This answers the question, Why would a rat jump ship? or, rather, jump on a ship? The relationship that he had worked so hard for had ended up costing him his big front tooth, not to mention his heart, his house, and all the cheese he had so carefully collected over the years.

Everything is gone! he cried. I have nothing to show for the life of effort, and I haven’t shared anything worthwhile with any other rat. I have my life in trash bags mixed in piles, like a book with all its pages ripped out and strewn about. I look across the sewer line and I see all kinds of rats running to keep her company. Her light is on, and there is always a new rat.

Self-pity and remorse filled his head, and for some time, he was a mess. If there were a big rat in the sky, he would have to take pity on me! he exclaimed. I have been a good rat, kind and generous to all my friends. I need a break, but I have to make it myself! Nobody is going to do it for me.

Back in the day when he was a young rat, his father used to take him to the docks to watch ships come and go. All day, he would dream of where they just were and where they were going. Someday, I’m going to go on a long voyage far from here, he dreamed.

"The docks …