Can You Keep a Secret?

One day a small boy sat on the pavement crying, his face red and sore. As he sat he heard a voice saying “what’s the matter?” He looked round and saw nothing. The boy dropped his head in his hands. “I’m down here,” called the voice and the boy jumped up. “Don’t be afraid I won’t hurt you,” said the voice. The boy looked down and saw a big rat. “Why are you crying?” asked the rat. “What’s your name?” The small boy looked down trembling. “Tommy,” he replied. “Well Tommy, tell me why are you crying?” Tommy looked at the rat. ”I didn’t think you could talk,” he said. ‘’Oh yes we can,” nodded the rat. “People don’t know this. We keep it a secret. Tell me what your problem is.” “I live with my Mum. We are on our own and we don’t have much money,” Tommy cried. “Mum works hard but there is never enough to go round and the landlord says if we don’t pay our rent we will be chucked out in the street.” “Oh did he?” said the rat. “Follow me. Well come on. We don’t want anyone to see us.” So Tommy followed the rat down the muddy lane. “Come on in here,” called the rat. “Get on your tummy and crawl in this small space. That’s better. No one saw us. Come on follow me.” Tommy followed the rat down a long dark tunnel and they came to a big door. The rat went under the door and left Tommy standing alone. Suddenly the door opened and the rat called “come in.” Tommy slowly walked into the room. “Sit down,” said the rat. “I will light some candles.” With the candles lit Tommy could not believe his eyes. All of the room was full of gold chains, rubies, diamonds and boxes and boxes of money. “What do you think?” he asked Tommy, who stood with his mouth wide open. “Say something please.” “Where did it all come from?” Tommy wondered. “Well, I will tell you”, said the rat as he pulled up a chair. “On one condition. You must tell no one, no one at all. You see Tommy people are very careless with their possessions. They show off to other people and forget what they’re doing. You know that casino up town? Well they come out of there running around and shouting when they have won a bit of money. You see those gold bracelets?” Tommy stared at the huge piles of gold around the room. “Well they slip off their wrists when they’re waving their arms about,” the rat laughed. “They fall into the gutter. They don’t even know. That’s where we come in. We collect all the coins, bracelets, chains, rings and money that they drop. All the paper money comes in handy in the winter. We burn it to keep warm.” “Who’s we?” asked Tommy. “My people,” the rat told him. “Your people?” Tommy wondered as the big rat banged a stick on the floor. In one second the big room filled with rats. “Why are they bowing down?” said Tommy. The big rat smiled. “I am their King. They will do anything for me. Now about your problem. Tell me, where do you live?” Tommy told King Rat. “Right, go home,” said King Rat. “Don’t worry. And remember don’t tell anyone about us, not even your mother. This is our secret.” Years later... Tina employed a nanny to help look after the children while she was running the hospital. The little boy was a handful. He got into trouble at school and answered his mother back. The little girl was kind and gentle. She was always helping her and the nanny. One night Tina came home from the hospital. She was very tired so she sat in the chair and the nanny brought her cup of tea. The little boy came running in knocked the tea out of her hands. He ran from the room laughing. He was very naughty. Tina was very upset. ‘What will people think of me? That I cannot manage my own children. What will they think?’ she thought. There was a loud banging at the front door. “Who can that be at this time of the night?” said Tina. “I’ll go,” shouted the boy and ran to the door and opened it. “Who is it?” called Tina running to the door. “I don’t know,” said the boy. He was as white as snow and shaking. Tina stood behind her son then smiled and stepped back and said nothing. At the door stood a big black rat. At each side of him stood three brown rats. The black rat wore a long black coat, his eyes shone like diamonds and he held a big stick in his paws. He looked into Tina’s tired eyes and smiled. “Hello Tina. Need any help?” The black rat asked. “Hello. I thought guardian rats were white,” Tina said as the rats entered the house. “No, no Tina. I am not your daughter’s guardian. I am Victor. Son of King Rat. I am here for you little boy. Can you keep a secret?"