Flushed Chapter 4: Meeting the Family

Flushed

Chapter 4: Meeting the Family

Jamie, footsore and still slightly damp, followed Rose from the Bad Wolf. She had tied off to a rickety jetty that swayed with every step. Directly ahead a dinghy, worn out roller skate rocked front to back, adding a slight nausea to Jamie’s trepidation about meeting Rose’s family.

Once inside, Rose took Jamie into the kitchen where she introduced him to everyone gathered at the pink plastic dollhouse table.  Rose pointed to an older rat with the same golden fur and wearing a pink track suit. “That’s me mum, Jackie. And there in the full body cast is me dad, Pete.” Easily moving with the rolling of the skate, Rose crossed to the high chair sitting next to Pete. “This little terror is Tony” Rose hid a smile at the look of alarm on Jamie’s face, “my little brother.” Jamie didn’t quite hide his relieved exhale, causing a round of quiet giggling from the group.

Pointing to a medium sized, lanky rat with a tuft of blond hair above his ears, Rose continued “this is Jake. He’s a fence for the Preachers. Dad sells things he finds topside to ‘em sometimes. Over here is Sarah Jane, she investigates any of our contacts so Rassilon and Lumic and the like don’t nab our dosh.” Sarah Jane, a lovely mature rat in red and white stripped dungarees, nodded to Jamie before returning her attention to the group.

As the rest of the table went back to their conversation, Rose and Pete shared a look before disappearing into the den, closing the door behind them. Jamie, a little overwhelmed by all the hustle and bustle, took an empty seat at the table.

“So how’d ya meet our Rose then?” Jackie asked, settling into the chair next to Tony with some mushy peas to feed him. “It’s not often she brings a bloke home, after all.”

Jamie sputtered, quickly trying to explain. “Oh no. I’m not Rose’s bloke. I mean, I am a bloke. And I did come here with Rose. But we’re not together. She’s taking me back to my home topside. It’s just a business arrangement.”

Jackie grinned at Jamie’s discomfort for a moment before narrowing her eyes and leaning threateningly in his direction. “Why do you live topside, Mister? Only pets live topside. I can’t abide the thought of ‘em. Putting on airs and graces, like they’re too good for us common rats. Alone all day, every day, in their fancy cages. Gives me shivers just to think about ‘em.”

Jamie gulped, leaning away from the incensed matriarch while trying to think up a quick escape. “What’s that, Rose” he called over his shoulder before hopping up from the table and edging towards the door Rose and Pete had withdrawn through. “Yep, be right there! Lots to discuss. Maps! And routes and . . . things. So sorry Jackie, must go” Jamie sped through his explanation and broke for the door.

As he reached for the knob, Jamie overheard “But do you even know who this guy is, Rose? Look. Rassilon is looking for him. His name isn’t even Jamie. It says right here, his name’s ‘the Doctor.’ You can’t trust him. So, I say we turn him in to Rassilon and collect the reward money ourselves. It’ll be enough to get us through while you recover, Pete.”

Jamie turned, anger and betrayal flashing in his eyes, before slipping out of the house and back onto the Bad Wolf.

In the den behind him, Rose let out an aggrieved sigh. “Jake, that is the dumbest plan I’ve ever heard. I’m not gonna turn Jamie over to Rassilon. And we both know, Rassilon won’t actually give anyone any money.”

Pete cut in “I bet he means ‘eternal reward.’ He exterminates anybody he doesn’t like. Rose, what I want to know is if we can trust Jamie.”

Dad, we can trust him. He just wants to go home. And he promised to replace that white point star with a real one.”

“He’s stealing your boat, Rose.”

“Shut up Jake. No, he’s not.”

“He just stole your boat. You gonna go after him?”

“Buggar! That plonker stole my boat! Don’t do anything stupid, Jake! See ya Dad!” Rose ran out of the roller skate, grabbing a spoon for a paddle and hopping onto Tony’s rubber duck, madly trying to catch up to her boat and the unwelcome thief that had taken her.  

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