Event+5


 * Samantha Ward, Draft 1**

Silence was evident. Only gears and conveyor belts made creaks. Star, Tom and Charlie worked, without making conversation. An aura of discomfort floated around their station. Toms rat, Scabbers, the only company he had in a crowded factory. Scabbers and Tom were in deep conversation while Charlie and Star worked on. Tom made sure to keep Scabbers out of harms way but perching him proudly on his shoulder. Star curiously gazed on, but minded not to stray from her work of turning the traps on the conveyor belt. Charlie himself was a little confused. As Toms best friend he knew of Tom’s strange fondness for rats. What he didn’t understand was why he was working in a factory that created death machines for rats. He never asked though, he didn’t want to hear Tom ramble on about rats, although it was inevitable. Tom’s knowledge of rats was inconceivably vast and unique. Tom often spilled his thoughts, even though no one really cared to listen. Tom was the kind of man who rode alone. He was fond of company, though not usually the human variety. “Did you know, there are more rats than people in Britain?" Tom began his rant. “This is probably because a female rat can produce around 2,000 pups per year.” No one said anything; no one knew what to say. Charlie shuddered at the thought of rats taking over his beloved country. “Although rats often live in dirty places, they are actually clean creatures who spend much of their day grooming each other.” “Well that is just delightful.” Star rudely remarked. “You would think so.” Tom whispered under his breath. In a soft tone only Scabbers could here. He squeaked back and Star gawked their way. The truth was, Tom thought there was something a little ratty about Star. Something he couldn’t understand. Star had an odor, a smell of rodent. Tom didn’t know how he could smell it, nor how he could explain the smell. He just knew it was there. “Rats will eat anything from soap to dead bodies, though they especially like the taste of chewing gum. Star, you enjoy to chew gum.” “Yes,” She replied. “Many people do.” Star didn’t like Tom. Tom didn’t like Star. Tom was too nosy for Stars liking. He knew too much, he wanted to know too much. He was a quiet, sly, busybody, and she didn’t care for his presence. Her uncomfortable response halted the conversation, at least between the humans. Scabbers and Tom continued to enjoy each other’s company. Charlie had been rather quiet that day. His dinner last night with Star had left a bitter taste in his mouth, and in his mind. Maybe Star was right? Maybe Tom really was the killer? Charlie’s mind begun to spin like the gears in his machine. “Tom has always been a little strange, a little abnormal, a little off the beaten trail. Maybe his queer ways are queerer than they seem? But how did Star know? She always knows what is going on, she always has an answer for everything?” His gears begun to spin faster. “Nothing is wrong with Star. She is the love of my life. She is beautiful, kind and loving. But Tom is my friend. Yes, he is a little weird but a true friend he has always been.” All of a sudden all the gears stopped. Scabbers had fallen onto the line. His leg hit one of the traps and snapped instantly in half. Little trickles of rat blood began to flow across the machine. Tom cried out but Star cried louder. She fell grabbing her leg. Immediately Tom reached for Scabbers, as Charlie reached for Star. “Ohh Star, what happened? Are you alright?” Star clutched her knee as Tom worked frantically, but carefully, to free Scabbers from the trap. “Well I went lunging to save Scabbers, uhh the rat, and I must have twisted my knee or something.” Charlie bent down and heroically scooped Star up. She continued to clutch her knee as Tom finally freed the limp, gray rat. Everyone watched stunned as Star was taken to the nurse. To her fellow factory workers, Star was brave. Only one being knew the truth, and he could not talk anymore.

**Samantha Ward, Draft 2**

Silence was evident the following day at the Rat Trap Factory. Only gears and conveyor belts made slight, yet loud, creaks. Star, Tom and Charlie toiled, without making conversation. An aura of discomfort floated around their station. Tom’s rat, Scabbers, was the only company he had in a crowded factory. Scabbers and Tom were in deep in conversation while he worked on, fixing the machines. By perching Scabbers on his shoulder, Tom did his best to keep him out of harms way. Star curiously gazed on with her glassy eyes, but minded not to stray from her work of turning the traps on the conveyor belt. Charlie himself was a little confused. As Tom’s best friend he knew of Tom’s strange fondness for rats. What Charlie didn’t understand was why Tom was working in a factory that created death traps for rats. He never asked though, he didn’t want to hear Tom ramble on about rats, although it was inevitable. Tom’s knowledge of rats was inconceivably vast and unique. Thousands of facts, of rats and their kin, floated around in Tom’s mind, 8,760 hours of the year. Tom often spilled his thoughts, even though no one really cared to listen. Tom was the kind of man who rode alone. He was fond of company, though not usually the human variety. “Did you know, there are more rats than people in Britain?" Tom began his rant. “This is probably because a female rat can produce around 2,000 pups per year.” No one said anything; no one knew what to say. Charlie shuddered at the thought of rats taking over his beloved country.  “Although rats often live in dirty places, they are actually clean creatures who spend much of their day grooming each other.”  “Well that is just delightful.” Star rudely remarked.

=
“ You //would// think so.” Tom whispered under his breath, in a soft tone only Scabbers could here. He squeaked back and Star gawked their way. The truth was, Tom thought there was something a little ratty about Star. Something he couldn’t comprehend. Star had an odor, a smell of rodent. Tom didn’t know how he could smell it, nor how he could explain the smell. He just knew it was there. ====== “Rats will eat anything from soap to dead bodies, though they especially like the taste of chewing gum. Star, you enjoy to chew gum.” “Yes,” She replied. “Many people do.” Star didn’t like Tom. Tom didn’t like Star. Tom was too nosy for Star’s liking. He knew too much, he wanted to know too much. He was a quiet, sly busybody, and she didn’t care for his presence. Her uncomfortable response halted the conversation, at least between the humans. Scabbers and Tom continued to enjoy each other’s company. Charlie had been rather quiet that day. His dinner last night with Star had left a bitter taste in his mouth, and in his mind. “Maybe Star was right? Maybe Tom really was the killer? “ Charlie’s mind begun to spin like the gears in his machine. “Tom has always been a little strange, a little abnormal, a little off the beaten trail. Maybe his queer ways are queerer than they seem? But how did Star know? She always knows what is going on, she always has an answer for everything.” His gears began to spin faster. “Nothing is wrong with Star. She is the love of my life. She is beautiful, kind and loving. But Tom is my friend. Yes, he is a little weird but a true friend he has always been.” All of a sudden all the gears stopped. Scabbers had fallen onto the line. His leg hit one of the traps and snapped instantly in half. Little trickles of rat blood began to flow across the machine. Tom cried out but Star cried louder. She fell grabbing //her// leg. Immediately Tom reached for Scabbers, as Charlie reached for Star. “Ohh Star, what happened? Are you alright?” Star clutched her knee as Tom worked frantically, but carefully, to free Scabbers from the trap. “Well I went lunging to save Scabbers, uhh the rat, and I must have twisted my knee or something. Bloody hell.” Charlie bent down and heroically scooped Star’s delicate body. She continued to clutch her knee as Tom finally freed the limp, gray rat. Everyone watched stunned as Star was taken to the nurse. To her fellow factory workers, Star was brave. Only one being knew the truth, and he could not talk anymore.


 * Samantha Ward, Draft 3 **

Silence was evident during the afternoon shift. Only gears and conveyor belts made slight, yet loud, creaks. Star, Tom and Charlie toiled, without making conversation. An aura of discomfort floated around their station. Tom’s rat, Scabbers, was the only company he had in a crowded factory. Scabbers and Tom were in deep in conversation while he worked on, fixing the machines. By perching Scabbers on his shoulder, Tom did his best to keep him out of harms way. Star curiously gazed on with her glassy eyes, but minded not to stray from her work of turning the traps on the conveyor belt. “What a horribly strange man.” Star slyly thought to herself. “Why can’t he make any human friends? He is just so irritating and odd” Charlie himself was a little confused. As Tom’s best friend he knew of Tom’s strange fondness for rats. What Charlie didn’t understand was why Tom was working in a factory that created death traps for rats. He never asked though, he didn’t want to hear Tom ramble on about rats, although it was inevitable. Tom’s knowledge of rats was inconceivably vast and unique. Thousands of facts, of rats and their kin, floated around in Tom’s mind, 8,760 hours of the year. Tom often spilled his thoughts, even though no one really cared to listen. Tom was the kind of man who rode alone. He was fond of company, though not usually the human variety. “Did you know, there are more of you rats than people in Britain?" Tom began his rant, but focused his words to Scabbers. “This is probably because you could produce around 2,000 pups per year.” No one said anything; no one knew what to say. Charlie shuddered at the thought of rats taking over his beloved country. He also quivered at Tom’s raising level of strangeness. He liked Tom but he was beginning to really act abnormal, to a level that made Charlie question their friendship.  “Although your relatives often live in dirty places, they are actually clean creatures who spend much of their day grooming each other. But you know that you clean little chum. ”  “Well that is just delightful.” Star rudely remarked.  “ You // would // think so.” Tom whispered under his breath, in a soft tone only Scabbers could here. He squeaked back and Star gawked their way. The truth was, Tom thought there was something a little ratty about Star. Something he couldn’t comprehend. Star had an odor, a smell of rodent. Tom didn’t know how he could smell it, nor how he could explain the smell. He just knew it was there. Tom also wasn’t keen about Star because of her influence on Charlie. Before Star entered the picture, Charlie had always been kind and respectful towards Tom. Now he spent a large amount of his time with Star. Tom, in order to stay a faithful friend to Charlie, placed all the blame to Star, and probably rightly so. Unknown to Tom, but fully known to Charlie, Star had been thinking, and widely proclaiming, her thoughts and opinions about Tom. Although Charlie didn’t intend on it, his thought and opinions had changed to. He was no longer fully honest with Tom, and Tom knew. Despite the all the hard feelings, Tom knew he must focus on what put him in high spirits; he had to stay true to himself. “You will eat anything from soap to dead bodies,” Tom returned to his banter with Scabbers. “All though you especially like the taste of apples, like Star.” “Yes,” She replied. “Many people do.” Star didn’t like Tom. Tom didn’t like Star. Tom was too nosy for Star’s liking. He knew too much, he wanted to know too much. He was a quiet, sly busybody, and she didn’t care for his presence. Her uncomfortable response halted the conversation, at least between the humans. Scabbers and Tom continued to enjoy each other’s company. Charlie had been rather quiet that day. His dinner last night with Star had left a bitter taste in his mouth, and in his mind. “Maybe Star was right? Maybe Tom really was the killer? “ Charlie’s mind begun to spin like the gears in his machine. “Tom has always been a little strange, a little abnormal, a little off the beaten trail. Maybe his queer ways are queerer than they seem? Could he have committed such a sin? Is he really a sly and foul person? But how would Star know? She always knows what is going on, she always has an answer for everything.” His gears began to spin faster. “Nothing is wrong with Star. She is the love of my life. She is beautiful, kind and loving. But Tom is my friend. Yes, he is a little weird but a true friend he has always been.” All of a sudden all the gears stopped. Scabbers had fallen onto the line. His leg hit one of the traps and snapped instantly in half. Little trickles of rat blood began to flow across the machine. Tom cried out but Star cried louder. She fell grabbing // her // leg. Immediately Tom reached for Scabbers, as Charlie reached for Star. “Ohh Star, what happened? Are you alright?” Star clutched her knee as Tom worked frantically, but carefully, to free Scabbers from the trap. “Well I went lunging to save Scabbers, uhh the rat, and I must have twisted my knee or something. Bloody hell.” Charlie bent down and heroically scooped Star’s delicate body. She continued to clutch her knee as Tom finally freed the limp, gray rat. Everyone watched, stunned, as Star was taken to the infirmary. To her fellow factory workers, Star was brave. Only one being knew the truth and he couldn’t talk anymore.