The Rat Waits

A rat watches, waiting for dinner.

The rat watches; hungry, malevolent eyes bore like an auger into my consciousness. It knows it won’t be much longer. I can feel its hunger even as tired, oh, so tired... Bone-weary exhaustion hangs from every breath I struggle to take.

We’re both waiting, the rat and I. I‘m trapped in this godforsaken hole, hoping for a miracle. I have lost too much blood. The mine collapsed and only I know where I am, no one knows to come looking. My arm is the only thing free. My legs and chest are pinned under the rotten timber that once held up the ceiling of this long forgotten shaft. Stupid. I know better. I laugh bitterly. The rat moves closer.



Word count: 119