Story extract

From The Rat who Dreamed of Strawberries and Cream

© Kate Lee

Chapter 1 Ditches and dreams

Rodney sat in his ditch, eating scraps. As he chewed the tough end of an old sausage, Rodney imagined the delicate taste of lobster salad. And as he nibbled a hard, sour apple core, he dreamed of plump, fresh strawberries dripping with cream. When he curled up on the soggy leaves that lined his ditch, Rodney did his very best to pretend that he was dozing on a satin-edged blanket as soft as snow. Rodney smiled. He liked day-dreaming. It helped him forget that he was a plain, ordinary rat who lived in a ditch and ate scraps.

A sudden sound shook Rodney from his dreams of a better life. It was a bing-bong, ding-dong, exciting sort of sound. Rodney climbed out of his damp old ditch and headed off in the direction of the sound. He soon saw where it was coming from. A messenger-rat in a leaf-green tunic edged with gold braid stood in the road. He was swinging a large silver bell. A little crowd had gathered.

“Hear ye, hear ye!” bellowed the messenger. “I hereby give notice of a Once In A Lifetime Opportunity! We need a rat – a strong, smart rat – for a secret, magical mission. It says so here,” he added, waving a piece of paper.

Rodney’s heart thumped.

That’s me, he thought.

I am that rat!