"Okay. That should be the last one, Cap'n," Rattenfänger said and waved the writhing sack in Captain Wilheim's face. The middle-aged man jerked back at the claws smacking against the fabric and the frantic squealing coming from inside.
Space rats were disgusting little vermin. Much like the rats Earth got yet with six legs, a long tentacle tail for grabbing and holding their food as they munched and rows of tiny yet sharp needle point fangs.
And the screech they produced was a cross between an Earth fox and an Earth Owl. It was piercing enough to make anyone nearby cover their eyes and clench their teeth in a cringe.
Rattenfänger's lips curved into a sharp-tooth grin and amusement twinkled in his large, black eyes at Captain Wilheim's open disgust at the alien in the bag. Those round eyes were unblinking, mainly because he didn't have eyelids, as he tossed the sack into the cart with the other bagged up space rats.
"And you'll take them to be burnt?" Captain Wilheim asked.
The grin disappeared from the alien exterminator's orange-tinted face. "Absolutely not. They'll go back to the planet you snatched them from. A bit of respect is needed here, Cap'n."
"We did not snatch them. They came aboard the Hamelin when we landed."
"Curious little things," Rattenfänger cooed, smiling down at the wriggling sacks. "They go wherever they smell food. Keen senses, you see. They can smell from miles away. Compliments to your chef for making some fine meals. No, sir, I'll take them back into me little ship and set them free in their natural habitat. They didn't do no wrong."
Captain Wilheim sniffed loudly, turning up his nose at Rattenfänger's plan. "Not exactly our agreement."
"Better than the torture you want to put them through. And that was our agreement. You asked me to get rid of the space rats. I did exactly that, I did."
"By singing?"
Rattenfänger hooked his hands behind his back, straightening with his chin raised in a wide smile. "Me species are the best exterminators in the Saxony Galaxy. Our voices hypnotise our chosen target and they follow. Pain-free, torture-free and gets the job done like that." He snapped his long, bony fingers. "No need for unnecessary killing, Cap'n. Now, I'll take me payment and be off with ya. Thirty Deutsche Marks, please."
Captain Wilheim looked the orange hand that was extended out to him, palm upright and ready to take the money owed to him.
"Funny..." Captain Wilheim said, rubbing his chin. "Funny how we've had trouble catching these space rats and yet all you need to do is waltz in here, sing and they suddenly coming out of their little hidey-holes."
Rattenfänger's hand dropped and those bottomless pits for eyes narrowed. "Just what are ya suggesting there, Cap'n? You radioed me, remember?"
"Thirty is an awfully high price to charge for a simple yodelling. I'm afraid I don't exactly trust your skills, Rattenfänger. There shall be no payment."
Rattenfänger was silent for a few seconds, gaze fixed on Captain Wilheim and for a brief moment, the Captain thought that forked tongue that kept darting out to lick his lips was a sign that he was about to eaten alive. But the alien exterminator slowly smiled and the cheerful glint was back in his eyes.
"I see, Cap'n. Well, I'm a no-contract exterminator so I gots nothing in writing to argue against ya."
"No, you don't."
"My fault I suppose, we're a generous species."
"Indeed. Perhaps it might be best to require contracts."
"I'll be off now, shall I?"
Captain Wilheim forced a tight-lipped smile. "Of course. Have a safe journey."
Rattenfänger pushed the cart out of the engine room, smile still present on his face. He was alone in wandering the labyrinth of corridors, following the signs to the departure lounge where he pulled his visitor pass off his neck and dangled in front of the receptionist.
"I'll be handing this in, darling," he said before he suddenly cried out and dived for a bag. "Oi! I can see that little claw popping out. Don't ya be escaping now! Darling, would ya get me another sack before this little blighter comes running out."
The receptionist squealed and dove into the back room at his request and he reached over, stretching his long arm to grab another visitor pass from the desk. The receptionist hurried back in, waving a sack frantically at the exterminator with the squeals continuing.
"Thanks, m'dear. I'll just pop it over this troublesome rat. I've caught all of them so your little infestation problem is all sorted. Have a good one!"
He smiled and waved at the cringing receptionist as he walked through the double automatic doors and towards his space pod.
The visitor pass was safely hidden away in his pocket.
~
The clocks on the spaceship Hamelin read midnight. In the middle of the Saxony Galaxy's solar system, the Hamelin was still in space, hovering over the twin Earth planet Erde. The moon that orbited, dubbed Mond, had now disappeared to the other side of the planet signalling night on the side the spaceship was stationed. At least, that was how the colonists ten years ago decided to time aboard the ship.
Captain Wilheim looked down on the planet Erde. Towards the other planets in this newly discovered solar system, all named after German mythological creatures. There were colonists down on Erde now, trekking around this new planet, and creating new communities on the discovered land. Aliens from the neighbouring planets were all chipping in to help this new human race settle. Another five years and the ship could go down to begin the official move once the planet was thoroughly checked and ready for settlement.
Hopefully, this planet isn't infested with as many space rats like Knecht Ruprecht was, Captain Wilheim thought and shuddered thinking of those small but noisy, pesky aliens. Disgusting vermin.
He was forced out of his thoughts when a loud siren howled through the ship. The alarm lights flashed red in his office and there was yelling and crying outside in the corridors. Captain Wilheim jumped up from his chair and keyed himself out, almost running straight into the arms of a panicked woman.
"My little girl! My little girl!" she wailed, clutching onto the sleeves of his uniform.
"Now calm yourself, woman. What's happened?"
Second-in-command Grimm dashed up, saluting the Captain once despite the wide panic in his eyes.
"Sir, it's the children. The children have gone."
"What do you mean? Where have they gone?"
"No-one knows, sir. They sneaked out of their beds and disappeared. All of them."
Captain Wilheim was about to bark orders when the speakers in the walls crackled and a feathery singing voice could be heard. It echoed, beautifully melodic and almost full of sorrow. The Captain felt his skin turn to ice at the familiar singing voice.
Rattenfänger.
"He can't just lure the children out of the departure lounge! We'll go there and get them all back."
"He's not there, that's the first place we checked."
"He has no authorisation to go anywhere else."
Grimm stiffened, eyes averting to the side and Captain Wilheim gritted his teeth. "He has no authorisation to go anywhere else. Correct?"
After a moments pause, Grimm replied in a hushed voice. "There's a visitor pass missing."
"Who checked him out then?"
"His badge was checked back out. He must have got hold of another one."
Captain Wilheim marched down the corridor. "Send men to every loading bay. Every holding cell. We need to find those children!"
"Sir?" An officer waved the ship's tablet map in the Captain's face. "Someone's got into Loading Bay one."
It was a rushed stampede of security guards as they raced down the corridor towards Loading Bay one. As they drew nearer, they heard the giggling of children. The delighted squeals and the pitter patter of small footsteps. Captain Wilheim pressed his hands to the glass of Loading Bay one and peered in, crying out.
The children were dancing and running around in the bay, playing near the gates. Above the gate there was a countdown, red numbers getting smaller and smaller...
That signalled when the gates were about to open.
And the number was on four when Captain Wilheim saw it.
Fists banged against the glass, screaming at Rattenfänger who sat in his small pod. The alien pest exterminator waved at them with a sharp-tooth grin creeping up on his face. He flicked a button above him and leaned forward in his pod.
"Next time, Cap'n, we pay for the services we ask for."
There was a blaring alarm, shrieking over and over again as Loading Bay One was lit was red flashes. The gates pried open with a long creak and the children's squeals were cut off, replaced with piercing screeches of terror as they were sucked out. Pulled into the black void of space where their screams were cut short. Their arms and legs flapped and kicked for all but three seconds before they became still. Lifeless, they floated.
Rattenfänger followed suit, reversing out into space and sped away from the ship; through the sea of dead children.
The gates closed and Captain Wilheim stared in silence at the now empty Loading Bay One.
About the author:
Kate Goodman aka @KateGoodman89 writes horror, horror and more horror. Her writing always explores the dark side of the supernatural, bringing back the monstrous side of werewolves and vampires. She is the author of werewolf horror Friends With the Monster and vampire horror Family Demons on wattpad as well as having short stories published in two anthologies entitled [RE]Awakenings and Existence is Elsewhen under the pen name Robin Moran.
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