Worst-case scenario

CHAPTER 12

There was always a worst-case scenario and it was this: Eventually we would just stop hearing our upstairs neighbor but never find any remains in the traps. Such a scenario could only mean two things. One was that the rat is dead, but in a deep, dark corner of the attic, unreachable by human hands. Two was that it went away, never to return, until, say, a month or a year or two years from now when it reminisced on its torturous days in our home and decided to come back for more.

And now, it would appear, we are at our worst-case scenario.

Trevor arrived with his ladder and his flashlight and dutifully scaled the steps for the fourth time in our house since our friend arrived. As Trevor's body ascended through the attic door, my hopes were high. But instead...

"Nope, it's not in the trap," came the word from above.

Trevor poked his head back through and gave me a defeated look. I started to walk through the possibilities.

"So, is it possible it's dead up there but not in the traps?"

"Sure, that's possible."

"So, is it possible that if it's dead, we might smell some funk at some later point?"

"Sure, it's possible."

"So, is it possible that if it's dead that we may never smell any funk?"

"Sure, it's possible because you've got good ventilation up there. You may never smell it."

"So, is it possible it somehow got out and just couldn't find its way back?"

"I don't see how that's possible."

Aha! At least we were narrowing things down.

"I don't understand why it hasn't gone for the trap," Trevor said, "but it's good that you haven't heard it for a few days. That means it's probably dead."

There was a comfortable silence after that and then, unexpectedly, Trevor opened up his vulnerable side.

"When you called, I was like this," he said, showing me his crossed fingers, "hoping you were going to say that you hadn't heard anything for a while. Because I honestly didn't know what else to tell you if you said you were still hearing it."

It was nice seeing the softer side of Trevor, but still, I was hoping even more to see him come down with a bag full of rat.

And with that we cut a deal upon his recommendation. One more week of keeping the trap up there -- just in case. And if we hear and smell nothing after that? Then our upstairs neighbor may be playing the cruelest trick of all. He may just be with us for good.