It was the smell that I first noticed in my sleep. I wasn't fully awake but the overpowering stench began to affect me. Next was the sound; a high pitched squeaking noise I couldn't place. And finally the movement. Something was pushing against my head. I finally realized a rat was trying to get through me instead of going around. He never bit me; he just seemed to want to get to the other side. I had several emotions in quick succession. I was at first scared but then it turned to anger. I jumped up, pulled out my .45 and prepared to do.......what? Of course the rat was gone in a matter of seconds. If I had fired all I would have done is kill one of the guys sleeping around me. I never realized how badly rats smell until that night but I haven't forgotten it since. The odor sometimes still seems to be in my nostrils.

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