MOUSEGUESTS by William Draycott

These new mice have no respect, no respect for themselves or for the homes they take up in. What ever happened to the neat little arched doorways in skirting boards, with little wooden slatted doors and tiny brass knockers? You’d look inside, and there you would find a little mouse-sized bed with cosy blankets and plaid sheets, a half-read novel propped open on the nightstand.
They used to be part of the household, but nowadays, they just chew little gaps in your plaster and leave scatterings of poo all over the stoop. No welcome mat, no manners, just mice who have forgotten that they’re guests; it’s like they don’t care anymore.

William Draycott, a cabinet maker and sometime writer, has been published and long-listed by The Yard Lab, Free Flash Fiction and Cranked Anvil, much to their chagrin. When out in public he is often mistaken for Uncle Buck.

Follow the author on X/Twitter.