What the cat dragged in (Friday Fictioneers)

The choice of hideout was made when they set eyes on the broken down, spray-painted, disowned building. They found transients inside. Drug users, homeless and the mentally ill. It was decided they’d make an excellent blind. Who would look for them here amongst the world’s trash.
They hid for days. Bartering food and drink from the inhabitants.
They didn’t spot the intruder until it was too late.
It had also decided to blend in. Painting its metal sides, pulling loose cogs and pins, and lay frozen amongst the garbage.
The ensuing shoot-out destroyed them all.
Except the rats. They feasted.
This is a Friday Fictioneers Prompt
You can read more FF prompt responses here
Word count: 100
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We’ve stumbled into a fight, I’m not sure whose side we were supposed to take, but at least the rats are happy! Nice one Laurie 🙂
Exactly! Thanks Iain
I don’t think either side is winning here.
You’re a master of your craft, Laurie. Just enough detail to paint the scene, and just enough left out for our imaginations to take over. And a classic understated chiller of a last line
Thank you so much, Neil! ❤
Interesting how the intruder was described as an “it”.having “metal sides”.
Hmmm indeed
It went sci-fi in a hurry. Dark but well done, Laurie.
Ha! That’s how I like it. Little bit of scifi in a normal worldly place
🙂
There I was admiring the clever way they were hiding and then that alien, robot or monster was cleverer. Dark and intriguing, which is what makes the rats happy…
Thank you!
Ah, the rats always win in the end
Hiding in plain site but not so plain
True!
Dear Laurie,
I suspect the cockroaches survived as well. Ever try to kill those suckers? Ugh. Loved the last line though. They feasted. Well done.
Shalom,
Rochelle
Oh yes, the cockroaches too!
Ooo this is good. A false sense of security – and then that ‘intruder’. I’m itching to know what it was.
Thank you! 😊
An intriguing story, I like it
Thank you Michael
Oh wow, was not expecting that at all. Creative storytelling, Laurie.
ooh I love this!!
Thanks Ari!