"Cluny and the Rats of NIMH."

(Scene: It's night time and after hours at the NIMH Research Institute. We see inside the room where all the labratory mice and rats are kept. The rodents have realized that thanks to the experimental drugs they've been injected with they are now as intelligent as man and can think, reason and even read. They have now read the words below their cages and know how to open their doors. Some of the rats are trying this, two rats in particular.)

Cluny: "Stop dawdling and open the door!"

Cheesethief: "Sorry. It's a bit tricky y'see."

(Cheesethief gets the door open and he, along with their self-proclaimed leader, Cluny, step out of the cage. They are followed by the several rats who were imprisoned in the cage with them.)

Cluny: "Some of those fools can't reach the cage latches. You lot help them. And mind you-no noise! Otherwise I'll help you make some real noise."

(Cluny swished his whip-like tail near the footpaws of his nervous rats.)

Cluny: "Now get going!"

(The rats hurried towards the numerous cages. As Cluny stood watching them his one eye focus on a rat called Kilcony. He was freeing rats but also mice. Cluny strode angrily towards him. The mice saw him coming and scampered away to help the other mice. Cluny grabbed Klcony's ear and shook him violently.)

Cluny: "Fool! Traitor! Who told you to release the mice!?!"

Kilcony: "But, yer honor! The mice are like us! They can think and read-just like us! What 'arm could they do?"

(Cluny threw Kilcony from him. Kilcony sat clutching his ear.)

Cluny: "Because, you idiot, they'll get in our way! How do you expect us to escape with a bunch of mice tripping us up. Now get off your tail and free those rats!"

(Cluny raised his menacing tail towards Kilcony. Kilcony leaped up and scampered away to free the remaining rats. The free mice had been watching the goings on and shook their heads.)

Mr.Ages: "That Cluny is dangerous. I say we steer clear of him."

Johnathon: "I agree. See that rat, Justin? He's nice. Im sure he'll help us escape from here. I think we might be able to escape through the air conditioning ducts."

:Justin: "Hello there, you mice! I couldn't help hearing you say something about the air conditioning ducts. If youre thinking about getting out that way I think Cluny's way ahead of you.Take a look."

Justin points with his paw over to the air conditioning grate in the wall that is a foot or so above a small refridgerator. The mice watch as Cluny and his rat followers climb up books, folded lab coats and other things that are stacked next to the refridgerator to get to its top. Using a couple screwdrivers at each bottom end of the grate, rat muscle, lots of levering and the shadow of Clunys whip-like tail hovering over them, the rats are able to loosen the grate enough for it to fall out and away from the wall. Several rats catch it before it hits the top of the refridgerator and makes a bang. Cluny then leads the way into the long shaft of the air conditioner. By now all the mice had been freed, some of the rats didnt like Cluny and wanted no part of him so the rats and mice stood together and watched Cluny and his followers leave.)

Justin: "If they can do it, so can we. C'mon!"

(Justin leads the way to the top of the refridgerator and into the shaft the way Cluny had gone. They soon catch up with Clunys bunch which was made up of so many rats that when Cluny spots the new group of mice and rats behind him its so crowded that he cant go back to talk so he has to shout.)

Cluny: "You there! What do you think you're doing?!"

Justin: "Oh,just going the same way you are!"

Cluny: "Oh is that so!? Well, you and your mice had better stay out of our way! Why dont you rats come join me!? Once we're out of here Im going to lead my army to treasures they can only imagine!"

Justin: (Laughs) "Haha! You're power hungry, Cluny! You'll say anything to get them to follow you! The only treasure they'll get is a decent burial-if they're lucky."

(Cluny half-cracked his tail, it was impossible to really let it fly in the confined space they was in,)

(A rat in Justins group named Jenner came to stand beside Justin and spoke to him earnestly.)

Jenner: "Cluny's right. We're rats. What are we doing hanging about with a bunch of mice? I say we join Cluny."

(None of Justins rats lke this idea.)

Justin: "Jenner, Cluny is insane, he'll onl-"

(Suddenly a loud humming could be heard and the metal shaft began to shake under their footpaws.)

Cluny: (To his group) "Run! Run, you fools!"

Clunys army runs down the shaft as do Justin and his friends. A large, heavy, cool wind begins to blow through the shaft. It knocks several rats and mice from both parties off their footpaws. Those who could'nt find what little paw-holds there were in the sides of the shaft were blown back down the shaft and into the various others which led to the air conditioner itself and of course death. When the breeze stopped most of the rats survived but the only mice that were left were Mr.Ages and Johnathon. They all made their way again, not speaking and not knowing excatly which way to go. At last they got to what they were looking for. A way out. Unfortunetly, it was blocked by a small, aluminuim grating. It had a latch at the top on the outside, to open it they merely had to undo the latch. However, even though there was a hole in the bottom of the gate none of the rats could fit through it. Cluny looked at the two mice. Mr.Ages was too old, but Johnathon was young and nimble. He shouted to Johnathon.)

Cluny: "You there! The young mouse! Come!"

(Johnathon hesitated a moment then began to walk past the long line of rats to stand by Cluny.)

Cluny: "Do you see our problem, mouse? We can't get out because of this grating. See that hole there? You are just small enough to fit through it. You must go through that hole, climb to the top of the grating and undo the latch. That we'll get us free."

Johnathon: "HMPH! I thought you could do anything, Cluny. But it seems you and your almighty army does need a mouse after all."

(Clunys tail cracked loudy and wound itself quickly around Johnathons neck. As Johnathon gasped and tried to break free Cluny pulled Johnathon to him so that he and Johnathon were whisker to whisker.)

Cluny: "I don't need you mouse. I could figure out a way out of here eventually but that would waste time. You go out and open that grating or I'll kill your precious friend Mr.Ages."

Mr.Ages: "Did I hear him right, Johnathon?! Whatever it is he wants you to do don't do it!"

(A rat in Clunys army snarls at Mr.Ages. Justin comes between them and glares at the rat who nervously looks back towards Cluny.)

Jonathon: "Alright, alright! I'll do it. I want out of this place as much as you."

(Cluny releases Johnathon. Johnathon then crawls through the hole in the grating. Once outside he climbs the metal grate like a ladder all the way to the top. He sees the latch and using all his muscle he undoes it. The grating door falls open and all the rats and Mr.Ages come out into the cool night air. They are now on the roof.)

Mr.Ages: "Well, Justin? What do we do now? Where do we go?"

Cluny: "I don't know about you lot but my army and I are going out to get us some treasure. We're going to loot and plunder the first place we come to."

Justin: "You're going to have a short life Cluny. You and your "army"."

(The two groups then split up to find their own way down from the roof and onto the ground. Once was the ground Justin, Mr Ages, Johnathon and several of the rats watch as Cluny finds a old haycart with a horse in the field across from NIMH. Cluny and his horde get into it and sit among the hay. Justin and his group watch as the terrified horse gallops wildly out of the pasture and down the road.)

Mr.Ages: (shaking his head sadly) "I pity those who are in Clunys path."

(On the road the horsedrawn haycart is bouncing madly as the horse races down it. The cart passes a small signpost. The sign on the post reads: "Redwall Abbey 25 miles."

The end.

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