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Daily Mischief

Story One - Midnight Snack

By Jackmink the hungry, hungry wolverine

In most worlds there is a different kind of pest. Rodents, insects and other small creatures that are seen as unsanitary and usually rightfully so are in our own. In this world there is something slightly different. No real name has been given to them but they have been dubbed Micros. Tiny people is another name they are known as but most refer to them as pests. They are looked down on, both literally and metaphorically, by society and all but ignored as nothing but unwanted guests in homes, restaurants and others areas; stealing food, supplies and going where they are not wanted an unnoticed.

This is a short story series about various, unfortunate things happening to these tiny people just trying to survive.

******

Gabriel waited for the lights to flick off in the kitchen before coming out from behind the flour jar. A tiny hole had been carved through the wall allowing the petite raccoon to sneak through and into the kitchen. It was a little after Ten and the small burglar knew those of the apartment would be in bed by now. He never hit the same place twice in a row, making sure to give a few days span before coming back. Sometimes he only scoped things out, get a feel for it so when he needed to come in and get something there wouldn't be any unexpected problems.

Mainly no pets.

Cats were the worst news and something that wasn't even worth risking an effort on. Dog's could be fooled and usually were stuck on the ground but still not a safe option most the time. Some of these apartments were free of any of these would be nuisances and dangers and so the tiny masked bandit tip toyed his way out to the edge of the counter and look around.

A normal kitchen with a U shape design stood before him. There wasn't a table in sight but the other side of the kitchen counter had several stools pushed up to the edge so the residence could sit down to eat. Or move to the living room and do the traditional thing of America. Stuff your face while zoning out in front of the tv.

Gabe shook his head from one side and quickly to the other, heart pounding in his throat trying to listen to the tiniest of sounds. He smiled though seeing and hearing no one and began almost skipping along the edge of the kitchen and towards the fridge.

He was small, only four feet tall but his long striped tail swayed behind him. The raccoon was gray fur with black markings and would be able to blend in with any other raccoon (of his size). No special markings or qualities. Gabe had been spoiling himself lately and had gained a belly from snacking so much during the night. The raccoon was a glutton though and couldn't turn down a tasty treat.

Unlacing the string at his side, a paper clip tied to one end, he began swinging it at his side and like a grappling hook tossed it around the door of the fridge. He took a few steps back along the marble counter and with a running leap jumped, using his extra weight to pull on the string and as the rope began to rise back up he was rewarded by a ray of light from the fridge, landing on the other counter.

Gripping the rope with both hands he used all his muscle to pull it open a little bit more, the suction on the door had released and it was slowly sliding open even if the raccoon wasn't pulling on it. Glad to have that obstacle out of his way, Gabe slowly swung back down on the string and waited for it to stop rocking. Climbing up the string as if it were a tight rope, the raccoon looked around the corner before smiling widely.

Rows of freshly stocked produce and packaged food stood before him, glowing in the light of the fridge. There was a stirring sound from one of the other rooms but no lights were turned on. Gabe just listened to his hungry belly ignoring the warnings in the back of his head, not even waiting to discover the source as he moseyed his way around the corner, tugged on the string until it undid itself and began heading into the fridge along the inner shelf of the door. Mayo, mustard, relish and a few jars of other condiments were stashed inside the door.

The raccoon quickened his pace, reaching the edge of the door and jumped onto the bars of the first shelf. He grabbed onto a package of fresh lettuce and took a slow steady breath of it, drooling already. Fresh from the market, his favorite. And not the water fiber blend without any real substance to it. This was the real stuff.

He looked around a bit spying carrots, tomatoes and an assortment of vegetables. There was a package of meat on the shelf below him and milk and orange juice below that. As any good thief Gabe knew the first rule was to go unnoticed, to head into the back of the fridge and eat the older food that would get thrown out anyways within the next week or so. He'd take just what he'd need, make sure it wasn't too obvious and leave. It was easier said than done. His hungry belly growled wanting the good risky fresh stuff in the front than the safe old stuff in the back. Even before the raccoon managed to start, rubbing his hands together and licking his lips, his belly began to grumble. Then there was another loud rumble and the door behind him shook a bit.

Gabe stopped at that lifting up his ear, eyes widening in a shocked horror. That sound wasn't from his belly but from somewhere in the apartment behind him. The rumble continued and powerful footsteps began coming his way. Unsure what to do Gabe quickly opened the package of lettuce and hid inside, trying to seal it up afterward. Who eats lettuce in the middle of the night anyways?

He frowned as he saw a rather large brown horse come around the corner of the fridge and come stomping his way wearing nothing but a pair of tight fitting briefs. Of course he was in the apartment of a herbivore. Gabe looked down and saw that the package of meat below was actually tofu. Swallowing loudly, the raccoon hid further inside the package hoping the horse didn't want any fresh salad in the middle of the night.

Andy scratched his muscular belly and let out a low whiney of a yawn. He shook his black mane side to side, smacking his lips before staring at the open fridge. He shrugged it off assuming he didn't close it properly or his other roommate had and tossed the door open to look inside. He lowered his head down and was staring into the fridge.

Gabe could see the orange juice below being pulled out and let out a soft sigh of relief, he was only trying to get a drink. Then the package of lettuce he sat in shook and was roughly pulled out and tucked under an arm. Mustard and relish were pulled out with one package of tofu chicken as the raccoon struggled to not get crushed. These were all dropped onto the counter and the bread was pulled out from the top shelf of the cabinet. The horse flexing a bit as he stretched to reach it. Gabe could make out the muscular chest he was next to and see just how fit the horse was.

The package of lettuce was still held tightly in hand and the top ripped off by the horse's teeth. The bread was opened and before anything else was added, mustard and relish were squirted onto it. Not even bothering to spread it the horse pulled out a few slices of meat and draped them over the wonder bread. The package under his arm was soon pulled free and opened all the way.

Gabe fell to the bottom and was nearly saying his silent thank yous for that. At least at the bottom he was out of reach. Andy tried to pull some of it loose from the stalk but only managed to rip the end of it into small pieces. Grumbling the horse turned the package over and ripped a large piece of lettuce free, all the crumbs and bits falling on top of the sandwich, Gabe with it.

The raccoon landed on his back, the soft tofu meat under him cushioning his fall. He breathed heavily as large pieces of lettuce fell on him blocking him from view. Thinking quickly he forced his legs to move and began crawling away from the sandwich thinking of nothing but to get out of here. The other slice of bread was soon forcibly pushed down on top squishing everything inside together with a hoofed hand and keeping anything from getting out.

Andy licked his lips, taking his sandwich in one hand and a glass of juice in the other and made his way around to the counter. He didn't plan to stay up long, just a midnight snack and then back to bed. Even before he reached the counter top the horse took a large bite of the sandwich.

Gabe managed to pull himself back as the fingers lessened on squeezing him to death. Just in time as the whole front of the sandwich was bitten clean off. The raccoon shuddered as he watched the maw chewing what could have easily been himself before watching a large bulge slide down the horses long, powerful neck.

Andy sighed, taking a good long drink of orange juice afterward. Continuous wave like pulsing swallows ran down his throat as he drained half of his glass. With another loud sigh he slammed the plastic cup onto the counter, gripping the sandwich with both hand and opened his muzzle wide.

Gabriel scurried to the side, fighting against those powerful fingers and had a half second to pull his tail out of the way before those teeth came crashing down once more. Andy didn't pull away as he chewed the next bite and to the raccoon's horror the horse opened his muzzle wide once more and with an equally large bite took out the whole side of the sandwich. The very one raccoon had been hiding in.

The horse's tongue rolled him further inside, the saliva of the maw already making the bread soggy and the raccoon found himself on a pile of partially chewed food. The smell of tofu, lettuce and bread were strong on the horses breath combined with mustard and relish, making the raccoon gag. He tried to get out but his exit had already sealed and with it the rotating jaw began to chew the bite of food. Like a horse chewing cod.

Gabe feared the worse as he was carried towards those powerful molars primarily used for chewing grass and hay. The raccoon managed to slide down right next to them as the piece of lettuce above him was soon turned into nothing but paste. The raccoon watched in horror as the whole maw shook and a good portion of the meal was swallowed away forever into the black, gaping abyss of the horse's throat. The raccoon was pulled with it but only half way into the maw before it relaxed once more.

Gabe got a moment of relief as the jaws stopped and he moved towards the entrance hoping to at least get on the other side of those teeth. The ground beneath his bare naked paws was covered in chewed food, saliva and the warm feel of the horse's lower jaw. The horse had opened his muzzle trying to stifle another yawn and the raccoon had one chance. And so he took it.

With a semi running start he jumped out of the maw and began plummeting towards the earth far below.

Andy didn't even hear the splash the raccoon made as he fell into the half full cup of orange juice face first. Andy chewed for a few more second before grabbing the glass, swallowing half of what remained before taking a nice, slow long drink.

Gabe had jumped out of the frying pan and into the fire. He thrashed around trying to get out or to hold onto the side but only bopped up on top of the orange water around him as it tilted, incline downward and into the horse's open maw.

In a way it was better than the alternative. The liquid poured onto the horse's tongue and glided down into his throat, bulging his neck once more as it was quickly consumed rather than slowly being chewed up into a mangled paste. The raccoon managed to get one final glimpse of the outside world as he slid feet first onto the slip and slide tongue before plunging into the tight throat, down it and into the horses belly far below. A larger bulge than any other formed in the top of the horse's throat and slowly glided down it, stopping for a second before vanishing into his chest.

Andy finished the sandwich and drink, let out a low burp and pounded his chest a bit. He patted his belly unaware of the extra piece of protein he had added to his midnight meal.

****

Gabe slide down the esophagus. The muscles around him squeezing tightly. He could hear the loud, wall pounding thumping of Andy's heart and feel another steady breath getting sucked into his room sized lungs before finally being deposited into the horses stomach.

Pieces of lettuce and bits of soggy bread and tofu floated around him. Gabe could barely see the living world around him his night vision kicking in with the combined light outside the stomach. He thrashed around a bit like a man unable to swim hoping the horse could feel him. He was a herbivore he wouldn't want to eat him, surely once Andy found out about it he would spit him out.

Last desperate hopes of a raccoon. Gabe shook as the belly around him rumbled as the horse burped loudly the rush of air escaping the stomach that contracted slightly from the force and pressure. The living walls around him relaxed once more giving him enough space to move. Gabe moved over to the wall and began pounding on it, punching and kicking as hard as he could. It only seemed to cause more liquid to pour from the wall.`Oozing and seeping out from the rippled surface and soaking his fur with it.

It made his body tingle and he began coughing moving away and falling back onto a floating raft of lettuce. He shivered hugging himself and curling his tail around his tucked in legs.

Andy was thumping back to his room, scratching his belly a bit that continued to gurgle loudly. He had a semi-upset stomach. Like the time he had accidentally mistaken a normal hamburger for a tofu burger. He had only taken a bite of it then and it had a similar reaction now. Maybe the tofu wasn't all tofu after all. Andy shrugged it off as he climbed back into bed, resting back and turning his bedside lamp off. His stomach began to gurgle loudly once more, rumbling as its contents began to slowly digest.

Gabe could feel a large hand resting on the stomach, pushing him down against the bottom and holding him into the rising liquid. Gabe sputtered, gagging and trying to keep his head up.

His fur was already shedding off and his arms and legs felt numb. The world around him shook once more as the horse gave another burp, rubbing his stomach as it continued to gurgle in protest to the extra bit of food in it.

All throughout the night the horse's belly gurgled but Andy had fallen asleep with a large grin on his face enjoying his midnight snack.