"I did a bad thing," Kevin said, his voice low and weak, his eyes glued to the ground, his ears laid back, "...I didn't...it wasn't intentional, I swear it wasn't, but I...I nearly let Gerald die. That made me sick afterwards, and what makes me feel even worse is I don't think they believe that it wasn't intentional. I was angry at him, yeah, but I would never...I would never do anything to hurt him. Unless perhaps he did something absolutely unforgivable but I don't see that happening. That rabbit's a damn saint."
Kevin glanced at the marker on Number Four's grave and he sighed. "God, Ellen, things are so messed up," he said, "Everyone is so on edge and tense, THEY are committing complete and total genocide on every burrow they come across, and now my own friends think I'm some sort of traitor or something. I just want it all to be over. I wanna take fire to the lab right now, not whenever our supposed plan is ready. I realize that's impulsive, but I'm just so ready to be done with all of this. I wish you were here, god I miss you. I don't feel like I know what to do without you guiding me." Kevin laid down on her grave and shut his eyes, crying quietly to himself. He never allowed the others to see him cry about Ellen, but when he was alone with her, he couldn't help himself, it just came out like a tsunami he couldn't hold back anymore. A dam of emotions that had finally cracked. Kevin thought more about Gerry, and he swore up and down that he didn't want him to be taken, that he hadn't intentionally stood by and done nothing while Gerry was so close to being taken by THEM. ...but despite all the times he told himself this...why didn't he believe it himself? *** "We're running out of time," Number Two said. He, Gerry, Richardson, Stone and Six were sitting in Stone's living space, and none of them looked too pleased to be having this discussion. "You all know it, even if nobody wants to openly admit it, but I will," Number Two continued, "We're running out of time. We have to act, and we have to act fast. If THEY'RE able to find Richardson's burrow, then THEY'RE getting too close to our hollow for comfort. THEY need to be dealt with, before it's too late. We took out Dodger, now it's time to finish the job." "Nobody is disagreeing with you, Paul," Stone said, "But we...what is our plan, ultimately? I mean, really?" "I'm thinking I take Salt, and we go into the lab, we figure out where everything is, we figure out a plan of attack, ins and outs, and then we torch it. Simple as that. A line of rabbits, bringing in stick and stick of fire and torching whatever we can, until the place is soaked in flames," Number Two said. "You don't need to go in," Six said, interrupting, "Mipsy knows the layout. She knows exactly where everything is, she can tell you what every square inch contains." "Well good, that makes things easier then, doesn't it," Number Two said, "All we have to do is key out a plan of attack from here and carry it out." "I still think we should go in first," Gerry said, surprising Number Two as he added, "I...I think it's important to tell the new group what's gonna happen, so that when it happens, they aren't shellshocked. They need to know we're coming to get them, that way they'll know what to do when it all goes down." "Smart thinking," Number Two said. "I'll go, and I'll take Salt, since she knows every entrance and exit to the place," Gerry said, "We'll be in and out in no time." "I'll go with you. You'll need me," Six said, and Gerry nodded, agreeing to this. "Lorna can drop fire from the sky too, dousing them overhead with flaming sticks," Number Two said, "And Minerva and Dice can make sure no attack dogs interfere, though frankly I think we should try and get them out as well. Nobody deserves to die in a fire like that, except THEM. Even if our history with the dogs is...sketchy, at best, I maintain that it's the right thing to do." "It sounds like we have things pretty figured out then," Stone said, "I say we treat Richardson and his ladies to a nice meal, and a good nights sleep. Sounds like what you all experience was harrowing to say the least." The group adjourned, everyone following Stone out into the hall and towards the main eating area, but Number Two stopped Gerry from leaving, stepping in front of him and putting a paw on his chest. "Why are you gonna go in?" Number Two asked, "Let ME go in, you're too important to risk losing over what boils down to an information delivery. They're gonna need you for when it actually comes down to it." "I...I need to see it, one last time, before we set it ablaze," Gerry said, "I know that must sound absolutely nutty but I have to put some ghosts to rest, if you know what I mean. It was our home for a long time, like it or not, and I wanna say goodbye, even if the place harbors horrible trauma for us all." "No, no, I...I get that, I do," Number Two said, "Just promise me you'll come back." "Don't I always?" Gerry asked, smirking, as he passed by Number Two, nuzzling his neck a bit. Together the two rabbits turned and walked out, heading to have their dinner. *** Mipsy was sitting alone, eating, away from the rest of the group. She usually ate alone, chewing on berries and whatever other pleasant tasting flora and fauna the scroungers could dig up to eat. She could hear them all, laughing and talking, and all she could think of to herself was how horrifying what she'd just been through had been. She'd nearly died, they'd all nearly died, and yet...here they were, back again, like nothing had ever happened. But then again, what did she really expect them to do? Dwell on it? They may as well enjoy what pleasant downtime they had, since most of their uptime was bathed in constant abject terror. "Enjoying your meal?" Paw Paw asked, coming around to her side and sitting beside her, holding a big leaf with her own dinner collected on it. "I...guess," Mipsy said. "Eating alone?" "Not now," Mipsy replied, making Paw Paw laugh, before continuing, "I eat alone cause noise bother me. They all too loud. Ears very sensitive." "Ah, I understand," Paw Paw said, "Well, I'll do my best to be quiet then." "You okay. You nice to listen to," Mipsy said, immediately blushing after saying it, making Paw Paw smirk as she started eating her own dinner. Mipsy and Paw Paw sat in silence for a bit before Mipsy finally blurted out, "Thank you for carry me." "It was my pleasure," Paw Paw said, "Not often I get to show off my extreme strength to a pretty rabbit." "Yes, you very strong," Mipsy said, "We all impressed." Paw Paw laughed loudly and nodded, "Okay, sure, it's not really the most impressive thing, but hey, it helps in a pinch, obviously. But even with that to brag about, I'm not the one who, from what I've heard, orchestrated a plan to kill your most dangerous and elusive enemy." "...yeah," Mipsy said, lowering her ears, the wire between her right ear and her temple wiggling as she did, "Yeah...I come up with plan, and it was good, but I don't like killing. I don't want burn lab down either, I want just leave." "Well, you can just leave, can't you? Didn't some other rabbits leave here recently?" "Melvin and Crisp, yeah," Mipsy said, "They not come back neither. They must be okay. But...I need stay, they need me. I'm key to lab." "You're key?" "I know design of it inside and out," Mipsy said, "I study blueprints and I have photographic memory of everyplace I saw while there. I...I too important to leave. They my friends...I may not agree with burning lab but...but I wanna help my friends." Paw Paw smiled sweetly and touched Mipsy's paw. "You're a real sweet gal," Paw Paw said, "That's really nice of you to help them even if you don't agree with it." "Plus, THEY make me stupid, so THEY do deserve it," Mipsy said. "You're not stupid, Mipsy, trust me," Paw Paw said, "In fact, you might be the smartest one here." Paw Paw turned back to her food and kept eating, as Mipsy smiled at this compliment and then continued eating her own dinner as well. The two rabbits sat in silence for a bit, until Paw Paw finished and picked up a small tomato with her paws, admiring it. "Look at that," she said, "Some real vegetation. Huh. Lucky me. But you deserve it more," she said, putting in on Mipsy's leaf plate, and then whispered, "I'm staying just down the hall. Come see me tonight if you want." Mipsy had never been that touched by another before, and she really appreciated it. But...she felt she'd also learned her lesson. She'd watched so many other rabbits lose their families and loved ones, and especially after seeing Kevin lose Ellen...she really wondered if it was worth it getting close to someone romantically, if the risk of losing them was forever so prevalent. Still, she did give her a tomato. How could she say no to that? *** Kevin woke up with a start, wiping the drool away from his lips as his eyes focused and he realized he'd fallen asleep, once again, on Ellen's grave. He sighed, shifted his weight and managed to stand up before his metal leg locking up behind him and he groaned. He started kicking it gently before hearing a voice behind him speak. "What did I tell you last time?" Richardson asked, "Don't damage it. You're gonna need it. Let me help." "...it's weird having you back," Kevin said, "I never honestly thought I'd see you again, and then we ran into you in the woods and you looked so....so fucking pathetic I just couldn't stay angry at you. But having you actually back here, in the Hollow? That's wiggin' me out, man." Richardson smirked, nodding, "Indeed, it's wigging me out too. Kevin...I'm so sorry. I've regretted what I did ever since I did it. I didn't do it because I didn't like you guys, you guys were my friends, but he...he offered-" "Yeah, I know how it is. He offered you something. That's what he did. He always offered, and rarely came through," Kevin said as Richardson toyed with his leg, "I know it wasn't you who made that decision, that you were only doing something to get your little sister back, and as someone who was also trying to protect one they loved, and has lost the one they loved, I think you and I are pretty much par for the course at this point in terms of relating to one another." "There you go, should be good," Richardson said, stepping back as Kevin wiggled his metal leg and sighed a breath of relief. "Thanks," Kevin said, "You're good for maintenance, I'll say that." "Kevin," Richardson said, "I need to ask you something. Soon we'll be going to the lab. A scouting mission, to check things out, make sure our plan, if followed through with, would go swimmingly. I'm planning on going into the lab when the time to bring fire to THEM comes." "Well, I mean, so am I," Kevin said, "I have unfinished business." "I need to ask you for a favor, and I understand if you don't want to give it to me, after everything I did. You have every right to say no, but I need to ask anyway. I don't...plan on making it out of the lab. I'm not saying it won't happen, but I certainly don't expect it to. And if that time comes, where I have to give up my life to save others, I need you to lead my group." "...what?" Kevin asked, astounded. "Kevin, Gerry built you up into a leader, and you basically kept this group together while the Collective was splintered for a while. Half in the lab, half out here, not to mention all you did trying to save Ellen, and then...you're a leader. Gerald was right. I see it now. I didn't before, but I do now, and I have to ask if you'll do me the honor or looking after my group if something happens to me. I need this, please, I need this reassurance that my Sisters will be okay if I'm gone. With you in charge, I know they would be. They'll help you rebuild The Order and everything." "...I...I don't know what to say, man, I really...wow," Kevin replied, nearly stuttering, a look of complete and total awe on his face, "I just...wow." "You said it yourself. We both have felt the same loss, the same pain, so who better to be my successor except you, honestly," Richardson said, "That is...if you'll have the job." "I'll have to think about it," Kevin said, "Hell, who knows, we both may not survive." And they laughed at this, despite realizing it was very well possibly the truth. After they finished chuckling about their upcoming potential demise, Kevin lowered his ears and looked Richardson right in the eyes. "I wanted to kill you," Kevin said, "I swore I was going to, but...now I'm sorry for feeling that way. I'm sorry for what happened." "I'm sorry for Ellen," Richardson said, "I know the pain you've felt." "I know you do," Kevin replied. "...Kevin," Richardson said, "trust me...when you get there, THEY won't know what they're up against. You have the strength to finish this. Gerry, Paul, sure, they're gonna be right there beside you, but only you can really bring the fight to THEM, because of all the things THEY did to you personally. THEY took your leg, THEY took your girl, and now it's time to take something back." "...you're goddamned right it is," Kevin said with a sneer. *** Paw Paw was sleeping, curled up in a corner of a burrow, nestled underneath some large pieces of soft bark. She was breathing easily, dreaming of what life might be like soon enough, without all this drama, when she felt a presence near by. She woke and opened an eye to see Mipsy tiptoeing into the area, and taking a seat right beside her. Paw Paw shut her eye again, and Mipsy nestled right into her side, shutting her eyes too, exhaling quietly. "I feel safe with you," Mipsy said in a hushed voice, "Thank you." "I'm glad," Paw Paw whispered back, "All I want is for you to feel safe." And she did. For the first time in a VERY LONG TIME, Mipsy felt 100% safe. Even with the looming threat of THEM gassing entire burrows and colonies left and right, all around them, in what made it seem like they were zeroing in the Hollow very quickly, she felt safe and completely at ease. Because that's the one thing Mipsy continued to believe in that all the other rabbits seemed to forget. Love. She allowed herself to be close to those around her, and even when it brought pain, she appreciated that she'd done it, because despite how much the pain might have hurt, she felt it was worth the cause. Number Two, Gerry, Kevin, even Ellen had all allowed themselves this brief opening of their heart to others, and eachother, but the thing about Mipsy was that with her brain the way it was, this was all that mattered. Not revenge. Not closure. Not anything else. All that mattered was that she had another to love and be loved by. Because everything else in life was uncertain, that she was certain of, but love? Revenge is temporary. Love is forever.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
About
The Rabbit Collective follows a group of lab rabbits struggling with their purpose, and hopeful eventual escape. Archives
October 2020
|