Bags stared at the two legs hanging from the ropes in front of the bank. The men were stiped of their orange coats. The men dangled necks burned in their white underclothes. Looks of fear and sadness were plastered on their faces. There was more than last time. She felt her master look through her eye. She felt his approval.
"They cut the last one down," commented Albie. "I recognize one of those men from last night. I don't recognize the two who look like they died blubbering. Scab will be happy to know letting the one get away killed two more. What do you think Bags?"
"Blubbering?" asked Bags hiding in a gutter across the street. "Is Blubbering food?"
The young rat jumped out of the dry gutter and crossed the stained street to the compound gate. She squeezed into the bank courtyard. Keeping her right side to the wall she crawled to the large building. Bags made herself small. The two legs were predators and would not take kindly to her intrusion.
"No Bags," answered Albie in a soothing voice. "Blubbering is when a grown man cries hoping that others pity will save him."
"It's not food," affirms Bags. "Other two legs kill him hungry then."
Albies voice paused for a moment.
"Yes, he died very hungry," answered the young man.
"Bags hope she wont die blubbering," thought the rat to her master. "Want to die with full stomach."
"If I can help it Bags," said her master. "You will meat the border with a full belly, In a warm place surrounded by your family."
"Okay," responded Bags not giving it another thought.
Bags noticed a lot more solders here than yesterday. Extra tents where being set up inside the bank's walls. Two legs were giving orders and walking in straight lines. The center of the bank was full of them. They all walked in groups of five or six. At least two stood at attention by every door and gate. All the men had the loud fire sticks.
"Looks like they've called all their men back in," Albie commented. "At least a few hundred men are crammed inside the walls. It would be nice if a fever swept the place. They'd all have it in two days."
Bags squeezed through a hole in the banks wall to get inside the building. Cots and bedding filled the building. About half had sleeping men in them. Bags felt Albies distain through their link.
She still didn't understand why he wanted to eat the other two legs so bad. He had plenty of food and they're was a lot of territory for two legs in the city. The Orange two legs seemed to have lots of space. It seemed to be a two-leg thing.
Bags slipped into the rafters were the two legs were talking yesterday. The room was also filled with bedding. It was quite the two-leg nest. Bags thought about what kind of nest she would like to build in the kitchen.
"Master?" asked the rat. "Can Bags have a two legs sleeping thing?"
"A mattress?" asked Albie confused.
"The things the two legs sleep on," declared Bags. "Can one be moved to the food room?"
"I don't see why not," responded the confused young man.
"YAY!" squeaked bags. The two legs liked to fill the sleep things with good nesting stuff. Bags would be able to make a good nest out of that.
"I don't see Brand or his officers," thought Albie. "It also looks like they moved the meeting place. I wanted to hear their response. Come home Bags I'll have Lurker move s mattress to the kitchen.
Bags didn't understand what her master had said but he seemed happy. If he was happy that was a good thing. Whenever master was unhappy, he seemed to make the dead move, scream or scream while making the dead move. He was not a fun two leg to listen to when he was like that.
As Bags left the building, she heard a group of the orange two legs talking. Her master ordered Her to stay hidden and listen in.
"So, you think it's true about the dead men?" asked one of the solders.
"I think talking about it will get you hanged," said the other.
"But they wouldn't hang men for talking about it if it wasn't true right?" asked the first.
"The old man could be around the corner right now and he said himself he'll hang anyone he catches talking about it," said the second.
"Are you more afraid of the old man than the spirit?" asked the first solder.
"The old man will hang you," answered the second solder. "The spirit doesn't exist."
"Then why can't we talk about it?" asked the first solder.
"How about you shut up before someone hears you," responded the second man.
"You're no fun," said the first before the two fell into silence.
Bags made her escape out of the compound and began making her way home. The sun was high in the sky. Night would come by the time she got home. She hoped the master would let her sleep tonight. All this running around had left her tired.