Rat Gang Crew: Synthia's Not Normal

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Wednesday, July 2, 2025

Chapter 2: The Rat Gang’s Secret Meeting, Rat Gang Crew and the Overgrounders by Sarnia de la Mare

Chapter 2: The Rat Gangs Secret Meeting


Amelie Fastrun didnt make it all the way home before the weight of her secret became too much to bear. She darted through winding alleyways and slipped into the hidden entrance of The Burrow—an underground hideout known only to the Rat Gang Crew. It was a safe space where mouse-kids and rat-kids whispered plans, dreamed big, and occasionally gobbled up cheese puffs by the pawful.

Waiting for her were her sisters, Scarlett and Ivy, and her cousin, Atlas—a handsome and clever rat-boy with a talent for sneaking up on anyone. He had started the Rat Gang Crew when he was four years old and decided that calling it the Rat and Mouse Gang Crew was a bit long but that mice could join too. Besides, all his girl cousins were mice and they were a bit bossy. 

The moment Amelie entered, Scarletts ears twitched with excitement. She had been practicing her investigator stare,” but she still looked like she was trying not to sneeze.

Well, well, if it isnt Amelie Fastrun, terror of the streets!” Scarlett teased, while Ivy, the quieter one, fiddled with her pencil, colouring in her Big Book of Famous Mouse Singers. She really loved Mousey Swift.”


You wouldnt be running like your tail was on fire unless there was serious trouble,” Atlas said, trying to appear cool but dropping a cheese puff.

Sit down, Amelie, and spill it,” Scarlett added. Dont leave out a single whisker-twitching detail!”

Amelies paws were trembling. She took a deep breath and began, describing everything from the yellow monsters enormous teeth to its terrifying roar. As she spoke, Scarletts eyes widened, Ivy dropped her pencil, and even Atlas stopped munching.

D-diggers?” Ivy stammered, her voice barely a squeak. Are they going to—”

Knock down our burrow?!” Scarlett interrupted. Not on my watch.”

Thats what Inspector Cluehunt thinks,” Amelie said, her voice heavy. He said I should go home and let the grown-ups handle it. But I think hes scared.”

The four fell silent for a moment, processing what this meant. If the diggers from Smithies Construction really were coming, it wasnt just any threat, it was a threat to their entire underground world.

Atlas broke the silence, his eyes flashing with determination. Grown-ups? Pfft. They always say theyll handle things. But this is our home too! If we dont act, who will?”

Exactly!” Scarletts voice rose, filling the room. We need a plan!”

What kind of plan?” Ivy asked nervously, doodling a tiny yellow monster in her book. Its not like we can just march up to Smithies and demand they leave…”

Why not?” Atlas said, puffing out his chest. Well outsmart them. Rats are smarter than people think!”

Amelies mind raced. Wait! The old tunnels, the ones under the construction site! We could use them to get close and see what theyre planning.”

Brilliant!” Scarlett declared, clapping her paws. Operation Tunnel Sneak is a go!”

Everyone cheered. Well, almost everyone. Ivy raised a paw timidly. Um… what if they catch us?”

Scarlett draped an arm over her sister. They wont. Not if we stick together.”


That night, the Rat Gang Crew gathered supplies: flashlights, a map of the old tunnels, and, of course, cheese puffs for emergency snacking. They slipped out of The Burrow and crawled through a narrow passageway leading to the forgotten tunnels.

As they crept forward, the air grew thick with dust, and their flashlights flickered eerily. Shadows danced on the walls, making it feel as though a hundred watchful eyes were upon them.

Shh,” Scarlett whispered. Listen.”

From somewhere above, there was a rumbling sound—the unmistakable growl of the yellow monster. It made the ground vibrate, sending a shower of dirt and pebbles down onto their heads.

Its right above us,” Atlas whispered, his voice trembling. Be brave, everyone.”

They crawled closer, pressing their ears to the cold stone walls. Voices echoed from above. It was the workers from Smithies Construction. The rats strained to listen.

We start at dawn,” one voice said gruffly. All burrows cleared and flattened. No exceptions.”

Scarletts paw shot into the air. Thats our cue! We have to stop them.”

But how?” Ivy asked, eyes wide with fear.

Amelies eyes glinted with determination. 

By showing them were not just any rats. Were the Rat Gang Crew, and this is our home!”

The group nodded, hearts pounding. Whatever came next, they knew one thing for sure: theyd face it together.

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Chapter 1, Amelie and the Yellow Monster The Rat Gang Crew and the Overgrounders



The Rat Gang Crew

and the

Overgrounders


By 

Sarnia

De la Mare 

This book is a Tale Teller Kids Publication by Tale Teller Club

©2024 Sarnia de la Mare

All rights reserved



Chapter 1, Amelie and the Yellow Monster

Chapter 2: The Rat Gang’s Secret Meeting

Chapter 3: The Overgrounders’ Warning

Chapter 4, Convincing Tommy Smith

Chapter 5: The Warning in the Walls

Chapter 6,Wings in the Night

Chapter 7, Amelie Takes the Lead

Chapter 8, Atlas and the Rat Biker Crew

Chapter 10, Ivy’s Breakthrough

Chapter 11: The Guardians of the Nexus

Chapter 12, The Choice of the Nexus

Chapter 13, The Power of Dreams



Chapter 1, Amelie and the Yellow Monster


Amelie was running fast, faster than she ever knew she could run. Even though her full name was Amelie Fastrun she had never run this fast!

“Oops! Sorry madam, miss, misses, lady. So sorry!”

The lady was cross.

“Well, I never did, not ever in my life, young ruffians these days, really, no manners! Did you see that?” she asked her friend from the parents' association who was clutching her black patent bag so hard her knuckles were white.

“Do you suppose she was about to rob us, Doreen?”

“Well, I always say, leave your valuables under the bed and don't let strangers into your burrow. You can't trust anyone!”

The two rat ladies carried on their journey to the bakery for rat and mouse treats for supper still mumbling and moaning.

Amelie was long gone, still running.

She arrived at the police station huffing and puffing. Inside and now sitting on a chair, she was still coughing and spluttering.

“Whatever is the matter Amelie Fastrun?” Asked a concerned rat-cop called Inspector Cluehunt.

“Cough, cough, splutter, splutter,” Amelie was struggling to get her words out. 

“Get the girl some water! I think she may be about to pass out,” said the Inspector to another rat-cop who was looking worried.

“Should we call the mouse-nurse,” she asked as she handed the water to Amelie.

“No, no, I'm fine, honestly, but something terrible is coming!”

“Whatever is the matter mouse-girl?” Asked the Inspector who had never seen such a panicked mouse in all his years keeping criminals out of the burrows in Ratropolis.

A small crowd had formed around her, all looking very worried and twitching whiskers.

“There is a huge creature, a monster, it is bright yellow with enormous teeth, as big as a dinosaur!”


“Ah,” said one of the onlookers, “a vivid imagination, there is a pill for that.” 


Haha, everyone was laughing.


“I am not joking, and I do not have a problematic imagination! You always think the mouse-girls are a bit crazy with our clothes and our colouring in but I tell you, the monster is real!”


“Ok,” said the Inspector, “tell me more. What was the real size, and what noise did it make?”

Amelie thought for a very long time.


“Well, it really was yellow, and it had a huge mouthy thing that went up and down, with giant teeth. And it made a noise like a deep sounding motorbike. Like the rat-girl vehicles but louder. And it had a word on its door that said…”


The Inspector butted in…


“Smithies Construction,” he said.


One of the older rat-cops gasped. 

“Yes! said Amelie, “now do you believe me?”

“Yes, yes, my dear. Now listen, you have done the right thing. I want you to go home and leave this with the grown-ups.”

“But what about the yellow monster?”

“You go home, like I said, and don't mention this to anyone else. I will sort the problem out this very evening.”

Amelie walked home thinking hard. She was still worried and now she was wondering how she would keep it from her family. Deep down she knew that she would have to tell her sisters, Scarlett and Ivy, and her cousin Atlas too.


“What is going on Inspector?” Three rat-cops asked at the same time.'

Inspector Cluehunt was white as a sheet. He knew exactly what the yellow monster was.


“They are sending in the diggers!” he said, looking more worried than ever. 


Everyone in the station looked scared and everything went really quiet. A pink tear trickled down the snout of the head of admin.


“Surely not again,” she said.


To be continued….

© 2025 Sarnia de la Mare




Chapter 1, Amelie and the Yellow Monster

Chapter 2: The Rat Gang’s Secret Meeting

Chapter 3: The Overgrounders’ Warning

Chapter 4, Convincing Tommy Smith

Chapter 5: The Warning in the Walls

Chapter 6,Wings in the Night

Chapter 7, Amelie Takes the Lead

Chapter 8, Atlas and the Rat Biker Crew

Chapter 10, Ivy’s Breakthrough

Chapter 11: The Guardians of the Nexus

Chapter 12, The Choice of the Nexus

Chapter 13, The Power of Dreams


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