RAT INFESTATION

After my grandma woke up and we calmed her down and explained everything to her, she fixed up the bite on my shoulder, putting alcohol on it and bandaging it up. That hurt more than the bite

Grandpa showed me how to clean the bat carcasses after I was done with that. He used to hunt a lot. I was too wrapped up in my books to pay much attention before. We took the fur off the body and the meat off the bones, the charred one we just gave to his dog, a huge dalmatian named Roscoe. Why do I feel so apprehensive about that?

During the process I earned the [Skinning] skill.

[Skinning lvl1. 0/100: You can now clean what you kill, a skill every hunter needs. Increases dexterity by a small amount]

Now would be a good time to check my status

“Status”

STATUS

Hp 100/100

Mp 55/55

Sp 70/70

STATS

Mental Fortitude: 11

SKILLS

[Berserk]

[Merciless]

[Skinning]

Hmm my mp went up a little.

After getting bandaged up,checking my status and having the bat carcasses taken care of, I was ready to go back to training. I set off back into the woods when a small hand suddenly grabbed me.

“Where do you think you're going young man? You almost died! And now you want to go back!? No more today!” My grandma fussed at me. I guess it's my fault for making her worry. I looked over to my grandpa for help and he just shrugged. Thanks grandpa I knew I could count on you.......

“Sorry grandma” I said with a smile on my face. We walk back to the house, Nessie still resting on my shoulder.

“What's for supper?” I asked my grandpa after we got back

“Whatever you plan on making with those bats. Fried bat, grilled bat, barbeque bat, it's been a long time since I had barbeque bat.”

I looked at him and continued on. I knew grandpa was just messing around….. at least I think he was.

“Oh don't worry about him, leave the cooking to me. How else can you become a big strong man. “ She said that as she was pinching my cheek.

I figured I had a little time to kick back and relax so I grabbed the book I've been reading and layed in the field reading. Nessie was on my head, basking in the sunlight.

It wasn't 20 minutes before I heard a scream coming from the house. People always say that you when something good happens you gotta be prepared cause something bad always follows…..

I get up and ran as quick as I could. I was about 50ft away. When I got there I yanked the door open. When I got in I smelled two distinct smells. First it was the fine smell of cookies in the oven baking. My grandma absolutely loved to bake. The other thing I smelled was even more fresh.

“Blood”

I look towards the kitchen and see five huge, red-eyed rats gathered around the bleeding figure of my grandma, with more jumping down from tge roof and out of the walls. The rats were munching on my grandma like she was a snack, chewing and eating her flesh, ripping it apart with their bloodstained teeth and lapping up her blood with red tongues. It was disgusting but I kept a clear head thanks to [Merciless] . I took a hold on the handle of my knife and rushed forward. Nessie, who was sitting on my shoulder, jumped off and began charging a [Solar Flare].

"What the fuck happened?" I scream. I look around at the rats pouring from the walls. I yell out in frustration and charge.

I kick the rat closest to me and launched a stab towards another one. The rat dives from under my blade and bites my left calf. I fall and the rats swarm around me. I see one burst into flames but it wasn't enough to stop all of them. I felt desperate, I thought I would have actually died.

WHAM!

A chair knocked the other rats off me. I look up and see my grandpa, holding a chair with 3 rats biting on him.

“Run, I'll hold them off.”

I looked at his deep blue eyes, a small tear dripped down the side of one. I started to come towards him, I didn't want him to die.

“I SAID GO” He yells as he pushes me towards the door.“

TORCH THE HOUSE, BURN THESE BASTARDS TO HELL!”

I reluctantly run out of the house, crying my eyes out. The two people I loved the most in my life, one dead, one dying. As I stand outside the house I can hear the struggles. I did as my grandpa said. I grabbed the gallon of gasoline he kept in his barn. I then proceeded to drench the front and sides of the house with the gas. After I did the, I had Nessie charge a [Solar Flare] and fired at the gas-covered trailer. As soon as the ball of heat touched the house it began to burn wildly. I watched with teary eyes as my favorite place in the world burned down. I saw a few rats scrambling to get away. I tried to will myself to kill them but I think I'm already to the extent of what [Merciless] can do. I let them go, I let my grandparent’s killers run off.

I sank down to my knees, crying. Tears after tears rolled down my face. The only thing I felt was the pain and loneliness of losing the two most wonderful people in my life. I felt like I wanted to die. I finally realized something at that moment.

“This isn't a game.”