Catastrophe

The alley was damp, dark, smelled of rotten vegetables and fruit, rats scurried across the cobbled stones to search each pile of refuge scatted throughout the length and breath of the darkness, greedy eyes shone in the pitch caused by the tall buildings on either side. Scrawny cats crept in the squalid ground searching for more appetizing morsels of food, vegetables and fruit not on their menu, tonight the felines wanted fresh meat, no matter it was covered with foul smelling fur, their stomachs grumbled of the amount of rooting vegetables that had passed through over the past weeks. The advantage of a surprise attack was fast passing and the free meat ready to scamper to reach the rat holes before sun reached there whereabouts in the alley.

With the sound of approaching footsteps, felines and rodents held their hidden positions, listened, watched and waited, to be the first to attack if the humans left a scrap of decent food for them to eat. A lot of grumbling complaints came from the unseen, dark clothed owners of the footsteps, there came one thump followed by another, more complaints and rustling of clothes, then the sound of squishing footsteps receded away from the darkest part of the alley, leading to the busy thorough fare, car doors slammed, tiers squealed as the car was driven away.

Silence. Not a movement in the alley while both sides of the combatants ensured no third party threatened their existence, with stealth the felines advanced toward their chosen target, eyes nearly closed to hide their approach. Battle lines drawn, the rats sniffed the air sensing danger headed in their direction, ready to run at the slightest movement. A couple of moans and unusual smells evaded the noses of the warring sides, a fragrance not of their region, some unknown invader had entered their territory.

Cats pounced from all directions, rats scrambled for an escape, screams rent the early morning air, feline, rodents and human, arms thrashed swiping at the many fury feet trampling over the bodies stretched out on the ground, the worst nightmare bringing the men back from their unconscious, drugged state, heads thumped, drummers beat a loud tune behind their eyes, hands covered ears to block out the noise of a world gone mad.

Sun rays peaked over the shorter of the buildings to light parts of the d grungy, messy alley way, the putrid smell reached the nose of the now surfacing humans. Sitting up every part of their body ached, eyes sandy hurt when opened to the dawn of a new day, both cursed at the predicament they found themselves in. Whereabouts had their night out turned to disaster. How had they arrived in this slum area of the city. Minds blank they stared at each other in the event on of them had the answer.

Their new clothes now embedded with the stench from the garbage where they had been dumped, the sleeves of their shirt shredded, the jacket of the suit missing, feet bare and blood congealed on arms but not an injury to be found, money belts missing, this sunrise brought more questions than answers with no one around to help solve what trouble had found them.

Some rodents never made home, had become the first substantial meal for felines with flagging skin covered bones, satisfied stomachs pleased to be so full at last. Rats displeased to have been attacked from all directions by different enemies, ones none knew how to fight.