Honey Cat and the Secret of NIMH

Chapter 6

The moving of the Brisby house was underway. The rats set up an elaborate system of ropes, pulleys, and a huge wheel powered by about 30 rats marching in a circle. Slowly, the cement block started to rise out of the mud. Inside the Brisby house, the children were trying to keep things from getting knocked about too badly while Auntie Shrew was having a panic attack. "Teresa!" Auntie Shrew called out only to get knocked out cold as a marble fell on her head. "Martin!" Teresa called out. "Auntie's afraid!" Cynthia grinned. The house reached the necessary height as the rats began to move it transversely. "Pull on the end-haul. Careful," Justin instructed. "Careful! Easy does it... Keep it up!" Nicodemus was standing on the stone, supervising the operation. Jenner and Sullivan lurked near the ropes anchoring the apparatus to the stone and they all carried their own swords. "Nicodemus is cooperating beautifully..." Jenner remarked. "Jenner?" Sullivan spoke up nervously. "He's standing in just the right spot!" Jenner continued. "Jenner, I... I can't do it!" Sullivan gulped. "When that block reaches midway, you cut the line." Jenner told his right hand rat. "Come on, mates!" Justin soon called out. "Put your backs into it!"

Maika, Ema, and Mrs. Brisby soon found a paperclip and tried to use it against the door. "Come on, come on, come on!" Maika pleaded as Mrs. Brisby tried to use the paperclip. But unfortunately, it didn't work as it cut Mrs. Brisby. Mrs. Brisby held her paw, seeing blood on her. Then Ema noticed a water dish and had an idea. She started to push the water dish out. Ema jumped into the water, but the dish was pushed too far forward for her to fit through the gap on the other side. Then she got out, ran to the far side of the cage, and took a flying leap at the dish. "Oh, dear, be careful!" Mrs. Brisby warned Ema. Ema nodded to Mrs. Brisby, telling her that she would be careful. The dish shifted a little, and Ema made it out. Maika made it out too, but Mrs. Brisby was unable to make it through. "Maybe I can bend a way open." Ema said before doing just that. Mrs. Brisby stepped back a bit. "Don't worry, I'll get you out of there soon." Ema promised before she finished. After Mrs. Brisby was let out, the three mice got themselves down to the floor and luckily, Dragon wasn't going to wake up for a while. "Now that was bravery, Ema." Maika said. "Thanks Maika" Ema smiled.

Jenner watched the block's process carefully. "Ready with the knife..." Jenner said. "Ready... Cut now!" "I... I..." Sullivan stammered. "Now! Cut it!" Jenner demanded. "No!" Sullivan protested. "Then I'll do it myself!" Jenner said as he began to cut the mouse-sized rope. The Brisby home crashed to the ground. Inside the Brisby home, all was bedlam with the furniture flying. A candle tipped over and it began to set the home on fire. Luckily, a washbasin slid the same way as the candle, and overturned, putting out the fire. Outside, a crowd of rats, led by Justin and Mr. Ages, desperately fought their way into the wreckage. "Okay, help. We've got to hurry! Come on, come on!" Justin said before stopping dead in his tracks in horror. "Nicodemus... Oh, no! NO!" Nicodemus's paw was shown, limping from within a pile of rubble. The three mice made it out to safety from the Fitzgibbons' home. "We should be close to my home soon." Mrs. Brisby said. "I sure hope so," Maika replied. "I also hope your son Timmy is okay." "Oh, I hope so too, dear." Mrs. Brisby said. "He has to be." said Ema. Then they yelped as they came face-to-face with Dragon. Luckily, Dragon was still fast asleep and didn't even see them, giving them a breath of relief. "Whew..." Maika sighed. "That drug is doing great." The three mice got closer into the kitchen before they would leave the house. Mrs. Brisby took that time to stop to collect her belongings.

Meanwhile, the rats had met around the Brisby home. "Friends, we cannot move the Brisby home." Jenner told his fellow rats. "The equipment is a shambles." "Justin!" Mrs. Brisby's voice called out in the distance. "One day we shall journey to Thorn Valley just as Nicodemus wanted, but not now." Jenner continued. "Mrs. Brisby...?" Mr. Ages asked. "Come. Let us return to the rosebush," Jenner suggested to the others. "Where we belong." "What happened? Where's Nicodemus? And Mrs. Brisby's children?" Ema asked. "They... They're fine," Mr. Ages replied. "Nicodemus is... Dead." "Oh... Oh, no..." Mrs. Brisby grew distraught. 'If only we had gotten out sooner.' Ema thought to herself. "We don't have much time to waste. NIMH is coming!" Maika reminded everyone. "Come, come, let's return to the rosebush..." Jenner quickly told the others to distract them. "Maika is right," Mrs. Brisby said. "NIMH is coming!" "NIMH?!" One of the rats asked out of fear. "In the morning!" Mrs. Brisby soon exclaimed. "NIMH?" A rat asked nervously. "Yes. You will all die unless you leave the farm tonight." Ema told them. "Lies!" Jenner glared. "We're telling you the truth!" Maika told them. "Please! You must believe us!" Mrs. Brisby added. The rats got into a panicking clatter. "What if it's true?" "We'll all be killed!" With a vicious backhand, Jenner sent Mrs. Brisby flying, shucking his cape and soon drew his sword. "You get out!" he glared at the widowed mouse. "I've had enough!" "Mrs. Brisby!" Maika and Ema cried out. "Jenner!" Mr. Ages cried out as he tried to block Jenner's path. Jenner swept him to one side with a snarl and lunged after Mrs. Brisby as Sullivan ran to get Justin. "Justin! Justin!" Sullivan cried out to the brown rat. Justin saw what was happening, and ran between Jenner and Mrs. Brisby. "Jenner, stop this!" he glared at the evil rat.