Nathan wasn't the only hallway occupant surprised. As he made it to the landing at the top of the stairs, the 11-year-old boy's gaze fell right on the tiny white mouse in the middle of the hallway. The boy went into a crouch and spoke softly.
"Pequeño ratón!" The boy said. Nathan's Spanish wasn't all that good, but he recognized the word for small. "Ven aca. No te lastimaré."
As the Spanish words came out of the boy's mouth quicker, although still in that soft tone, Nathan decided to get proactive. With a shrill squeak, he turned tail and ran for his room as fast as his four tiny legs could carry him.
He heard the boy's startled gasp, and then felt the floorboards vibrate as the boy stomped in pursuit of him. Nathan scooted under his door as quick as a wink. His tiny heart was pounding in his chest. He knew that had been a close call!
But it was about to get closer. The door knob twisted and the boy pulled the door open, catching the little white mouse in the open again. In the dimly lit room, Nathan's white fur worked against him, letting the sharp-eyed kid keep track of his frantic search for a hiding place.
Nathan dashed into the closest shelter at hand, which turned out to be one of his sneakers dropped at the foot of his bed. His tiny nose twitched from the rank smell in the long-worn sneakers, but he felt safe. Just not for very long.
The boy started to continue his pursuit of the mouse when he saw something else that caught his eye. He picked up the shiny Chronivac freshly brought out of storage. "Fantástico," he proclaimed as he took the device in hand.
He crouched again, getting closer to the shoe. He had seen exactly where the frightened white mouse had hidden itself. Once he knelt at the foot of the bed, he detached his backpack and opened the flap, in preparation. Once ready, he picked up the entire sneaker, including its little occupant.
Nathan squeaked. "Put me down! Get out of my room...ahhhh."
The boy overturned the sneaker and watched the tiny mouse fall into the side compartment of his pack. Nathan had time to only gaze upward at the boy's huge face before a massive hand zipped the compartment closed. The boy then placed the Chronivac into the main pack with his textbooks and writing pads.
He finished not a moment too soon. His mother appeared in the open doorway. "Nicolás!" His mom reprimanded him. "You can't be in the family's rooms."
Nicolás put on an innocent face. "¡Perdón!"
She escorted her son back downstairs and seated him at the kitchen table while she finished his work. The entire time Nathan cowered, imprisoned in the enormous backpack. What the hell? Did the universe hate him? He hadn't even had 10 minutes in his mouse form before a fresh holiday season disaster struck. How was he going to get out of this?