Kevin found himself sitting outside The Hollow, staring at a bird up in a tree and thinking "what a marvelous creature". Watching this bird twitter about and flit its wings, he sighed and looked down at his paws, covered in mud and blood and dirt and muck. The paws of a rabbit who'd orchestrated something terrible. Something horrid, but necessary. Suddenly he heard breathing beside him, and he shivered, surprised by Number Two's presence, who looked just as bad; his eyes bloodshot and his face scarred. They nodded, acknowledging one another, but not saying a word, choosing instead to both watch the bird. After a few moments, Number Two cleared his throat, his voice still hoarse from all the screaming, and he looked across the way, at Mipsy, who was asleep in a spot of sunlight.
"It hurts," he said softly, "Having to kill the ones you know. I never knew how deeply it could cut, but it cuts, and it cuts so deep that I doubt these scars will ever fade. None of us wanted that. But we did had to be done. He...couldn't be saved. I hope you know that." "I know," Kevin said, calmly but coldly, "I know that. Just like Number Four, just like everyone else before us, it's never been my fault. Hell, I think you were more associated with him than I was. But still, you're right, it hurts. I feel like there's...there's this void inside of me now that was once filled with goodness that's now just a pit of tar, and I'm drowning in it, and I'm wondering if I can ever be rescued." "We did the right thing, Kevin," Number Two said, "We have to move on. We have to move forward. We have dealt with him, and now we have to deal with THEM. We trusted him, and...it was always a lie. This was bound to happen eventually." Number Two rested his head on Kevins shoulder and shut his eyes, enjoying the bird song. Kevin knew that he was right. He knew that it had to happen, and that they'd done the right thing, but that didn't make him feel much better. Actually, seemed like everytime he did the right thing, he felt worse and worse. *** Gerry hated sneaking off in the middle of the night, but it was time. He and Dodger had a plan set, and he wasn't about to deviate from that plan. He packed up his little satchel and he quietly began walking past the other sleeping rabbits, until he passed by the burrow Number Two was sleeping in, and he backed up. He stopped, and he walked in and he looked at him, and he smiled. He then slipped a small leaf with some charcoal scribbled on it next to him, before turning and exiting. Walking past the rabbits in the main burrow, he managed to only get barely out of the Hollow when he heard a voice behind him. "Are you ready?" Dodger asked, with Gerry turning towards him in surprise, nodding silently. Dodger climbed on top of him and the two started heading off into the treeline. Dodged sighed as he nestled into Geralds warm fur and he smiled. "So, will there be a frenzy?" Dodger asked, "Will there be a surprise when they wake up and found you've gone with no prior warning?" "I left a note," Gerry said, "But it doesn't say much. It just said 'It's Time', and I hope they know what that means." "I certainly do," Dodger said, "I've waited a long time for this day, Gerald. For you to finally join me, and now together we can do amazing things. With you as the face and me as the brains, we'll be unstoppable, and we'll take whatever we want from whoever we want if and when we need it." Gerry nodded, feeling sick in his stomach, knowing how this all could end, but he soldiered onward nonetheless. *** "Kevin," Number Two said in a hushed voice, "Kevin wake the fuck up." Kevins eyes fluttered open and he looked up at Number Two from lying on his side, his ears flopping back. "Wh-what? What's going on?" Kevin asked. "Gerry's gone," Number Two said, "I heard him come into my room, and then leave. He left me this note that just said 'it's time'. I think he's leaving to be with Dodger. We have to find him, and stop him, before it's too late. Dodger could hurt him, or Gerry could help Dodger hurt us, and either way we have to avoid those situations." "It's always something. It can never be 'hey Kevin, I made you a snack' or 'hey Kevin, here's a nice new comfortable bed', no, it's always something dramatic," Kevin said, groaning as he got up, his metal leg clicking and sticking before finally unclicking and wiring back into place. He looked at Number Two, who motioned with his head toward the front of The Hollow, and Kevin nodded, understanding. They started off and got outside, only a few years from the main entrance, when they heard a voice calling after them. "Where going?" Mipsy asked. "Mipsy, uh," Number Two said, seemingly unprepared for her to be awake, "Um, we...Gerry might have left us. We think he...we think he's going to meet with Dodger and run away with him, or help him in destroying us and...and we need to stop that." "I come with," Mipsy said. "Mipsy, there's no need for you to come with us, just go back to sleep and-" Kevin started, but Number Two interrupted. "No, she's coming with us," he said, "She's earned that much." Mipsy scampered to catch up with them and, together, the three of them headed into the cold dark night. *** Plodding along, the sound of the air whistling by them and through the leaves slightly unnerving him, Gerry couldn't help but feel ill. He knew what this decision was, and what it was leading to. He knew the consequences of walking out of The Hollow, but he knew it was what he had to do. It was the right thing to do after all. After a bit, Dodger tugged on his ear to get his attention. "So," Dodger started, "How do you think they'll carry on without you? That's the only thing you asked for, was for them not to be bothered, and I'm giving it to you, but I have to admit I'm somewhat curious as to what they'll do without their faithful fearless leader." "I don't know that I'm their leader anymore, let alone faithful or fearless," Gerry said quietly in response, his voice extremely monotone. "Well, I think you're fearless," Dodger said, "I mean, you have the guts to do what has to be done, and that's what I've always admired about you. You weren't afraid to stay behind with them because you thought it was the right choice, and you weren't afraid to come with me because you thought it was the right choice. That's a good quality to have, Gerald, sticking to your morals and beliefs. I value that in you greatly." Gerry suddenly wanted to throw up, tears swelling up in his eyes. "I always hoped that you'd come to me one day," Dodger said, "But it seemed like you were fine going without me and doing whatever it took to keep them safe. Until, I guess, you realized they didn't need you anymore. You built Kevin up into this grandiose leader, and with Number Two by his side, well goddamn they'll be right as rain, really." "Kevin, is a good leader, but Kevin also makes rash decisions, and sometimes doesn't have the stomach to do what has to be done," Gerry said. "Wow. Didn't think I'd ever hear you criticize your own crew," Dodger said, sounding genuinely surprised, "But I suppose you're right. All the better he's got Number Two with him then, I suppose, eh? Being all logical and whatnot?" "That's got its drawbacks too. You need a healthy combination. So yes, together the two will do fine, but apart they would be terrible," Gerry said, "They needed a middle. They needed me. I just realized they weren't ever going to admit it, unless I proved it." "Well, maybe you leaving will prove it," Dodger said. "That's the idea," Gerry replied, shivering again, but this time...not from the windchill. *** "How'd you get to be so good at tracking?" Kevin asked as Number Two led them through the darkened woods. "Minerva. All that time spent with her down near the river, trying to find her way back home, that's how," Number Two said, "Plus, between our trips to the lab and back and gathering food, I'd say we know these woods pretty damn well by this point." "I hear thing," Mipsy said softly, lowering her ears and looking back, "I think some one follow us." "Nobody but us is out here," Number Two said, "And maybe owls." Just then, that same clicking sound from earlier emitted from Kevins mechanical leg and he stopped dead in his tracks, annoyed. He kicked against it with his other foot, hoping to get it to work again, but to no avail. "That's not good," Number Two said, "That could become a real problem." "Become? It's ALREADY a real problem, in case you failed to notice," Kevin said. "It's rust," a voice said, surprising them all, and from out of the darkness of the nearby bushes walked Richardson, as he continued, "It's wearing down. Sure, it'll hold up a while longer, but eventually that thing's going to break. Nothing in this world is completely salvageable." Standing there, in the clearing with Number Two and Kevin, hot on the heels of Gerry and Dodger, Mipsy couldn't believe what she was seeing. There he was, in the flesh, right in front of her. Richardson. He was just standing there, looking all the worse for wear, but he was there. She locked eyes with him and walked forward, in front of Number Two and Kevin, and she glared at him, as he cowered under her. "You a BAD rabbit," she said coldly, and he nodded. "I know...I know, I'm so-" he started, but she interrupted. "I have LOT to say to you," she said, "You lie to everyone, and...and you do it for sister, but not for other girl rabbits! We important, just like sister! I hope she doing well!" "She's dead," Richardson said, taking the hot air out of Mipsy immediately, making her regret her statement as he looked at them, his eyes dark, like black holes swirling with galaxies of infinite sadness, "Um...I wasn't...I wasn't following you guys. I just was out here looking for something to eat and heard you, so I came to make sure it was you and not someone else. I wasn't even going to say anything, but your leg made me feel like-" "Are you telling me," Number Two said, now stepping forward, "That after all we went through to get back into that lab, to get your little sister back, for all the pain I and my fox friends have endured, and at the cost of losing Number Four...that you couldn't even keep your little sister ALIVE?!" Number Two screamed, snarling at him in a fit of rage even Kevin had never seen from him, as he added, "IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TELLING ME?!" "I tried," Richardson said, his voice cracking, starting to cry, "I did, I tried, but it...it's so hard out here without help and Kevin, understandably, told me to leave, so I did and...and I'm sorry." "I don't give two shits if you're sorry! Do you have ANY idea the kind of misery you put everyone through you traitorous son of a bitch?! You're lucky that I-" Number Two started again, before Kevin interrupted him. "I forgive you," Kevin said, surprising them all, and making Richardson look up at him. "Wh....what?" he asked, his lips quivering. "I forgive you. You were manipulated, like we've all been," Kevin said, "I know what it's like to lose someone you worked so hard to fight for and protect. I know how much that hurts you deep inside, and that you...you never REALLY recover from it. What happened?" Richardson was in shock. He'd never expected this sort of behavior, especially not from these two, as both seemed extremely out of character, but he sighed and lowered his head, his ears flopping over his eyes, and he thought back...back to where it'd all gone wrong. *** It wasn't like it'd gotten gradually worse either, it had started out terrible, and there was nothing, realistically, that he could've done to even prevent it from getting worse. He wasn't like Gerry or Kevin or Number Two. He didn't have the wits and the know how to survive in the wild, especially not while trying to protect his little sister. Soon after they'd gotten free of The Collective and were on their own, he found himself having to do all the work because she was still such a child, and he simply didn't know what to do or how to do it. She did what she could, helped how she could, but ultimately it was up to Richardson, and Richardson alone, to keep them alive. He dug them their own little burrow with his own two paws, found and gathered food every single day for them to eat, always making sure that she had more than he did, and they always slept in the same area together so he could keep and eye on her. He didn't want to let anything happen to her again, as he still felt guilty from having left her in the lab during the escape. But, despite their troubles, things went along fine. Or as close to fine as they could be. Richardson continued to teach her about the world, and they played together and every night he would tell her stories to help put her to sleep. She was his little sister, and he was going to make sure she knew just how much he loved her. Someone had to, since their parents weren't around. But that sound. God, that sound never left his brain. That metal clink. The hinge squeaking. The sound of metallic snapping and Clara screaming. He could recall every detail, no matter how seemingly small and insignificant, in bright vivid imagery like it was happening in real time all the time. The blood gushing from her ankle down to her feet, her eyes filled with terror, and Richardson standing there, not sure what to do. How had they not seen the trap? How had he himself not walked across it first? She was begging for help, but Richardson was frozen, unsure how to help, and then, within a matter of seconds of the trap springing shut around her foot, three bullets whizzed through her neck, and it was over. Richardson was standing there, shock overtaking his entire nervous system despite his brain yelling at him to run or he'd be next. He only snapped out of it because he heard the human voice coming his way and quickly dove into a nearby bush. From there, he watched, teary eyed and mouth agape, as two men walked into the woods and stood over her. One leaned down and opened the trap, stroking her fur, before he pulled out his knife. Richardson sat there, and he watched. He watched these men who'd killed his little sister skin her of her hide right there, because that was his punishment from keeping it from happening. After all was said and done, and they had left with her hide and her body, presumably to cook and eat, he stepped back out into the clearing from the bush and he looked at the trap. Blood smeared across the ground, across the leaves, and he noticed they'd reset it. He stared at it for moments before stepping forward and raising his front right paw, hovering it over the trap, almost bringing it down inside. It was only because he heard their voices again that he realized what he was doing, and that he turned and high tailed it out of the area. For the next few weeks, Richardson would come and go from the spot, staring at the trap and thinking about Clara. About her cries for help, and all the blood, which by now had seeped into the surrounding soil. Whether it was storming or was ungodly hot, Richardson went out and he stood there and he stared at the trap. He thought about putting his face in first, and feeling the snap on the back of his skull, but he wasn't sure it would be painful enough to die from, and he wanted his death to really be worth what he'd allowed to have happened. It only ended when he went one day to see it, and the trap was no longer there. He didn't know what to do, so he left. And he never went back. Since then, he'd scavenged for himself, slept in the same burrow he'd dug for them and thought, sometimes, late at night, that he could hear her crying for him. He'd saved her from the lab and she'd still died. Richardson had been wrong the whole time. Nowhere was safe, not even outside. The only safe place now was the cold envelopment of death, and he was glad Clara was there, never to be harmed again. *** "Richardson?" Kevin asked, "We really need to go, we have to catch Gerry. But, you should keep in mind, I forgive you, even if nobody else does. You're welcome back to The Collective if you want to come back." "I don't deserve to be around anyone," Richardson said, sniffling, "Just make sure your leg doesn't break. If it does, you're gonna be in a lot more trouble than you already seem to be. And Mipsy..." he glanced at her as she put her ears down and looked at him glumly as he said, "...you're right. I'm bad. Everything was my fault and so many suffered for it. Now it's my turn to suffer. I want to help, but I...I don't know that I can. I'm so sorry. You too, Number Two, I'm so sorry." "I forgive you," Mipsy said, "I sorry sister die." "Thank you," Richardson said, slightly smiling, before nodding to Number Two and heading back into the woods, out of sight. The three of them stood around and couldn't believe they had just seen him, before they quickly remembered WHY they had come out here in the first place, and continued on their way. *** Gerry and Dodger stopped at the treeline, staring at the lab. Dodger was getting a drink from a puddle while Gerry watched the lights in the lab blink brightly. Dodger wiped his mouth on his arm and walked over to Gerry, patting him on the leg. "You okay?" he asked. "We're gonna rescue them," Gerry said, "We're not leaving them behind. Only a monster would do that." "I agree," Dodger said. Gerry and Dodger turned and head back into the clearing, when he heard a twig snap and Dodger quickly whipped around to see a pair of bright green eyes staring at him from the darkness. From the darkness strode Minerva, and Dodger almost laughed. "My god you frightened me!" he said, "What're you doing out here?" "Fixing something," Minerva said, as Dice came out beside her, and Lorna landed in a tree above them. Dodger looked around and noticed every other rabbit was coming out of the woodwork, surrounding them. Dodger, now starting to feel somewhat worried, looked to Gerry and tugged on his fur. "Get us out of here NOW," he said through gritted teeth, just as Number Two, Kevin and Mipsy came through the darkness and into the clearing. "You son of a bitch!" Kevin shouted, heading towards Gerry, but Number Two held him back. "No, don't," Number Two said, "It worked. Gerry, come over here and let's put an end to this, okay, like we planned." "You PLANNED this?!" Kevin asked, shocked. "I'm staying right here," Gerry said, flatly, as it started to thunder overheard and rain, "I'm not moving from this spot." "Gerald, what's going on?" Dodger asked, looking up at him, and Gerry looked down at this tiny little mouse, the one that had caused him, caused everyone, so much pain and suffering; this mouse he'd long ago called his friend, and his eyes dimmed and his ears lowered, and his gut wrenched. "I'm going to kill you Dodger, that's what's going on," he said, "I'm going to kill you now." They'd finally done it. It had taken strategic planning and hushed voices, but The Collective had finally done the unthinkable, and outsmarted him. Staring at everyones faces surrounding him now, Dodger couldn't help but feel so very stupid, and he looked back at Gerry and he realized... ...it was over.
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The Rabbit Collective follows a group of lab rabbits struggling with their purpose, and hopeful eventual escape. Archives
October 2020
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