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Post by justin on Feb 8, 2011 19:17:32 GMT -5
Justin sighed as he sat on the edge of the large stone in Farmer Fitzgibbons' field. His brown eyes focused on a particular spot below him, where one year ago today, Nicodemus had been killed, murdered by Jenner. The rats managed to clear the wreckage and buried their former leader in the spot where he'd fallen. Justin came here often, to visit Mrs. Brisby and her children... but today, he'd come for a different purpose.
"I miss you, old friend." Justin whispered into the wind. Tears began to leak out of his eyes, soaking into his fur. If only he'd taken Jenner seriously before, if he'd taken the time to realize how serious he was about not moving to Thorn Valley... Mr. Ages even said it, that Jenner would be their undoing, but Justin had brushed away his concerns, and it was too late for Nicodemus.
Unlike last year, winter was still in full force, and though there hadn't been any snow on the ground for several weeks, the earth was still hard and frozen, much like Justin's heart felt right now. It was rare for it to feel so heavy, and the pain of it was almost more than Justin could bear.
A cold breeze ruffled his fur as he pulled his jacket closer, trying to keep warm. Still focused on Nicodemus' grave, silent tears continued to fall as he found himself wishing to hear his voice... just once more...
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Post by Mrs. Brisby on Feb 9, 2011 20:21:41 GMT -5
Mrs. Brisby had to admit that it was nice to not have to worry about moving day for once. Exactly a year ago today her house had been moved to a location on the rocks where the farmer’s plough couldn’t reach, thus allowing her family to live there in peace throughout the year. She was just pondering this thought as she made her way back home (at a far more leisurely pace than she would have been able to last year) when she caught sight of Justin out of the corner of her eye. Turning, Hope noticed that he was standing by the spot where, for a terrible few seconds she’d believed that her children were doomed, and immediately she felt guilty for having been thinking positively about that day only seconds before, when so much tragedy had occurred.
“Justin?” breathed Mrs. Brisby as she approached, keeping a slight distance away from the rat in case he wanted to be alone in this place. As she drew closer she noticed tears rolling down his face, and immediately felt another pang of guilt for having momentarily forgotten the death of the former leader of the rats of NIMH. Even though she’d only really met him once, she’d been able to tell that he was a truly brilliant man, and had been deeply sorry when he died (especially as it was only because of him that she’d managed to save her children at all).
“Are you... are you alright?”
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Post by justin on Feb 11, 2011 3:58:23 GMT -5
"Mrs. Brisby..."
Justin turned to face his friend. He was so deep in his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed Mrs. Brisby's arrival until her soft voice reached his ears. He wasn't quite sure what to say to her when she asked if he was alright. He couldn't tell her that he was alright... it'd be such a lie, and one that she'd easily see through. But could he burden her with all that was weighing on him?
"I... I think I will be." He said finally. "It's just... a hard day."
Not that everything that had happened a year ago was tragic. Justin had admired her courage even before that, when she offered to drug Dragon, with hardly any thought about the matter. But when she saved the lives of her children, Justin's admiration of her had swelled. Not only that, but she'd ended up saving the entire colony by warning them of NIMH's arrival. She was a hero.
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Post by Mrs. Brisby on Feb 12, 2011 22:37:00 GMT -5
Hope was taken aback as Justin turned to face her, for the look of pain in his eyes was far greater than she had pictured it to be. It was clear that Nicodemus’s death still severely haunted him, and once again she felt remorse for having skipped that detail in her mind.
“The hard day was a year ago,” corrected Mrs. Brisby in a sympathetic tone, “I think Nicodemus would want life to go on without him...” She trailed off into silence, painfully aware that she’d barely known the wise old rat, and thus was not in the best position to be saying something like that.
“That is,” she quickly continued, wanting to clarify her previous words in case Justin was offended by them, “that’s what I told myself when Jonathan died... so that I could stay strong for my children." When her husband had passed away she’d forced herself to not cry in front of their children, hoping that by showing them that she was carrying on she would make it easier for them to as well.
"I didn’t know Nicodemus well enough to really say it for him.”
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Post by justin on Feb 13, 2011 21:54:38 GMT -5
Justin was a little taken aback by her directness. She was right, of course... Nicodemus wouldn't have wanted him to mourn. He would have wanted him to stay strong, to carry on living.
He turned and looked out over the horizon, where the sun was starting to rise. She continued to speak, her words filled with a gentle wisdom.
Their situations were remarkably the same... she had to be strong for her children, and he had to do the same for his colony. The council elected him to lead, and despite the fact that they were living comfortably in Thorn Valley, they could never take it for granted. He had to be strong, so that they in turn could also be strong.
"No..." Justin said finally, turning to face her again, his characteristic easy smile coming back. "You're right. Nicodemus would want us to go on.
"Thank you, Mrs. Brisby."
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