The night was quiet, the crickets easily heard chirping into the cool sky, a slight breeze wafting through the trees. It was from back here, near the treeline, that Gerry was watching the lab from. He shut his eyes and took in the soft sounds of the night, letting them relax him before he finally turned back and looked at Six and Salt, both of whom who were sitting behind him, waiting. They all glanced at one another, none of them saying a single word, just waiting patiently, until Lorna swooped down and landed on a rock beside them.
"It looks like everything is shut down for the night," Lorna said, "I can still keep lookout though, circling, cawing if I see something I deem potentially dangerous." "That sounds good. This will be a good practice run for when we bring the fire, too," Gerry said, "But this has to be quick, and quiet. We need to be in and out in no time. We're simply gathering information, letting the new rabbits know that we're coming, and preparing them for what's about to happen. If we do this right, everything will be fine and nobody will get hurt." "Why am I coming and not Mipsy?" Six asked. "Because she's our map, I can't risk losing her. Not to say that you're worth risking either, but, I need you with me. You've been by my side since the very beginning, and you're a very calming presence. They'll listen to you if they won't listen to me," Gerry said, before turning and looking at Salt, asking, "You ready?" "Ready as I'll ever be, I suppose," Salt said, "You say the word, chief, and we'll do it." Gerry turned back and looked at the lab, recognizing this was their last shot to prepare the new rabbits before shit hit the fan. He couldn't afford to waste this opportunity. He sighed, shut his eyes and nodded. "Let's go," he said. *** "You cannot be serious," Number Two said, "You're going to go in before the attack?" "We have to inform the rabbits about what's going to happen, we discussed this," Gerry said. "Why not just send Salt, then? She's small enough to get in and out undetected, why risk yourself?" Stone asked. "Because she's not a rabbit. They need to hear it from another rabbit," Gerry said, "Besides, no offense to Salt but...I trusted a mouse, and look how it turned out." Nobody could argue with that, much as they may have wanted to. "Then I'm coming with you," Number Two said, and Gerry shook his head. "No way, out of the question," Gerry said, "I need you here. I need you helping Kevin keep the peace. And if something does happen to me, I need you to take control. Not that I foresee anything happening to me, but still, it helps to be prepared." "I think something that needs to be questioned," Richardson started, "Is if this one trip is going to be enough time. Are we certain you won't need to go back? Will you be able to tell them everything they need to hear, and clarify it well enough within that time limit, that they'll understand and be ready for when we return?" Everyone looked at one another, each knowing Richardson was right but nobody really wanting to state it. They'd all thought it, certainly, that one solo trip would not be enough, but it was likely their only chance. They were running out of time. Especially after The Black Snakes attack at the Sister Rabbit Hollow, the Collective knew THEY were getting ever closer with each passing day, and if they didn't bring the fire soon, they might not get a chance to before they too were gassed like all the other burrows out there. "I'm going to have to try and hope for the best," Gerry said, "I don't have a choice." "Gerald," Number Two started, "This is an incredibly risky plan. What guarantee do I have that you'll come back?" Gerald smiled warmly and replied, "If I don't come back, I give you the job of keeping my memory alive." "Gerald-" "Paul, we have to do this." He was right. There was no way around it. So Number Two simply too his job offer, and accepted Gerald's decision. Besides, he knew he'd come back, he always did. Why should this time be any different? *** Salt slipped in through a slot in the vent, and then pulled out the small screwdriver she'd stolen from the lab in order to let the rabbits in. Once she got the screws undone, letting them fall to the floor, she pushed the vent open and let Gerry and Six inside. Gerry stopped, and sighed, realizing this was the first time he'd been back inside the lab since he'd gotten out, and how weird it was to return here. To return and feel like he was coming home, despite it never really being a home. He quickly gathered himself and continued down the vent, Six by his side, Salt leading the both of them. "God this is eerie," Six said softly, "I never in my life expected to be back inside here." "I know, it's like some sort of bad dream," Gerry remarked, "But hopefully we can do what we came here to do in no time flat and get out lickety split." "They're in your old section, so try not to freak out too much when you see it," Salt said, "It's really surreal seeing it full of rabbits again. These are all fairly young rabbits too, most of them children or teenagers. Makes them more malleable to THEIR desires, makes them easier to control." "That's sick," Six said, Salt nodding in agreement. "Extremely. I mean, I understand that line of thinking, but that doesn't by any means prove I condone of it," Salt replied. They turned a corner in the vent and continued down another stretch, until they finally came to the vent that lead into their old room. They all took a collective sigh, and then Salt undid the bolts, and they pushed on through, unaware that what was on the other side wasn't actually their old room, but instead another section of lab. As they came through, they quickly realized they'd taken a wrong turn somewhere. Salt groaned and shook her head. "See, this is why Mipsy would've been useful," she said under her breath, trying to regain her sense of direction. This was a section that seemed somewhat familiar. That's when it hit him...this was where Number Two had taken Gerald to see the original Number Seven. A memory Gerry had long since tried to repress came flooding back to him in a visually gruesome spectacle only his head could see. God...seeing Number Seven on that table, half rabbit half machine, parts of him missing entirely...Gerry never wanted to come back to this spot, and when he realized this was where they were, he immediately suggested they leave. As Salt opened the vent back up and they started to head through, Gerry stopped. "Gerald?" a voice croaked, hoarse and soft. "...he...hello?" Gerry asked, turning back, "Who's there? How do you know my name?" "Gerald..." the voice repeated, weak and low, "It's me...it's Crisp." Gerry's eyes widened and he quickly scrambled to find the origin of the voice. He headed up to a table where he thought he heard it coming from, and there, staring back at him, was Crisp...and sewn to her side, was Melvin, fast asleep. Gerry stood there, his knees buckling, his eyes watering...this was what had happened to their friends. Gerry had let this happen by allowing them to leave. All this time...Kevin had been right to be wary of their departure, and Gerry now felt personally responsible for their outcome. "What the fuck happened to you?" Gerry managed to ask, his eyes walking over their new arrangement. "THEY caught us in a field....a field of dead rabbits," Crisp said, "...THEY used these...these..." "Black Snakes," Gerry and Six said in unison. "Yes, and THEY knocked us out. When we woke up, we were back in the lab, in separate cages. Melvin was inconsolable. I tried to calm him down, but he wouldn't listen. For a while, we just sat here, completely unacknowledged and seemingly unimportant. Until one morning when we woke up, and we were like this. THEY sewed us together..." "Jesus christ," Salt muttered, a sick feeling rising in her stomach. "Why...why would THEY do a thing like this?" Six asked. "Why do THEY do anything THEY do?" Crisp responded, "To see if THEY can. From what we managed to learn, the purpose of this was to see if we could share a circulatory system. Now we just have more trouble breathing. You'd think double the lungs would help, but it really doesn't...Melvin...he can barely breath as it is, and we certainly can't speak at the same time. He spends most of his time asleep these days. Did you...did you come to get us?" "We had no idea this had even happened," Gerry said quietly, "no...we...we're here to inform the new recruits that we'll be coming back shortly, bringing fire, rescuing them." "Gerald," Crisp said, lifting her eyes to his, locking onto them, "Don't come back here. Not even for the new recruits. I know it sounds harsh, but get out, get as far away from here as you can while you still have the time. If THEY did this to that field we found, then THEY are clearly doing this to everyone else." "THEY are...we...we found Richardson, and while we were there, his place was smoked out," Gerry said, "I almost got caught. But I can't just leave these new rabbits to be treated like you two. This is sick, it's inhumane, it's...it's not...if I let this happen I'm no better than THEM." "For as long as I've known you, you've been comparing yourself to those around you who were worse, always worried that you'd turn into them. Dodger, THEM, well...you never will, and the reason is because you care. You can recognize right from wrong and follow a clear line dividing the two," Crisp said, "Don't let that get you and everyone else killed too, Gerry. We got lucky. Lightning doesn't strike twice." Gerry turned away and shut his eyes, tears flowing down his face. This was his fault, he knew it, and he knew if Kevin ever found out about this, he'd never let him live it down. It'd always be an "I told you so" to fall back on. Another "remember when you trusted Dodger?" moment to pull rank with. Gerry shook his face clear of tears and turned back to Crisp. "Can we get you out of here?" he asked, and she smiled. "Gerry, just go home," she said, "Go home, get your friends and find a new home. Get as far away from here as you can, because-" "It won't...matter...the distance," Melvin said, rolling his head back so they could hear him weakly speak, "...THEY won't stop. No matter how far...you run....it will never be...far enough. THEY will keep coming....THEY will always....keep....coming. You have to kill them." "The biggest irony about our situation," Crisp said, "Is this is what we get for trying to be independent. Now we're forever codependent." "Alright, we're gonna get these off you and-" Gerry said, referring to the straps holding them down, but they both laughed, best they could. "Gerry," Melvin said, "Save them. Do what you....came here to....do. Then burn this....fucking nightmare factory....to the ground." Gerry buried his face in Crisp's fur and apologized, but she assured him it wasn't his fault. Despite this, he knew he'd never believe otherwise. He backed away and looked at them, looked at the rabbits who'd once depended on him, once been his friends, and realized Melvin was right. This had happened because he'd become lethargic and not done something. He hadn't acted, and this was their punishment. He had to do what he came here to do. "Maybe when we come back, to burn the place, we can get you out," Gerry said. "Perhaps, but with extra lungs we'll likely only die of smoke inhalation all the quicker," Crisp said, trying to lighten the mood. They all smiled weakly at this joke, and then headed back to the vent. As they climbed through, Gerry took one last glance over his shoulder at the table where his friends were, and swore to himself, then and there, that no matter what from this point on, he wouldn't lose another friend. He'd die before he saw that happen. *** Number Two was laying in Gerry's area, waiting for them to return, when Paw Paw walked by and stopped, glancing in, spotting him curled up on the pile of leaves Gerry used as bedding. She entered and looked down at Number Two, who merely glanced upwards at her with his eyes. "You okay?" she asked. "They're supposed to be back by now," Number Two said. "They'll be back, man, don't worry. Gerry can take care of himself," Paw Paw said, "You really care about him don't you?" "He's my best friend. We weren't always on the same page, but...I've always respected him, and admired him. He's got guts I never had, never will have, and he's got the bravery I could only ever wish I could have. If he doesn't come back, there's no future for any of us, especially me." "...if he doesn't come back, we'll all simply move. We'll find a way to keep going. From what I've heard from Mipsy, you guys always do," Paw Paw said, " Number Two smirked, nodding. This was true. No matter how bad things seemed to get, they always did manage to keep on going for one more day. But Number Two had always somewhat attributed this survival to Geralds ability to keep them grounded, and without him gone...there was no way he could do what Gerald did, and even less a chance that he'd trust Kevin to try. Kevin was passionate, certainly, but irrationally quick to anger, and that only spelt disaster. "Guess you're part of the family now," Number Two said, "I have a family too, away from this one. I live with a couple of foxes a few miles from here. I should be there tonight, but...I have to wait and see that he comes home." "Well, a home is wherever you feel most comfortable, so you can always have more than one home," Paw Paw said, "Like Sister Rabbit was my home, but now I'm here, and I'm with Mipsy, and she's my home." "That's sweet," Number Two said. "You don't have to pretend not to feel the way you do, you know," Paw Paw said, getting up and touching his paw, "Especially if things are this close to ending. Now's the time to really be honest with yourself. With those you care about. I know for me it was the best decision I ever made." She had a point, he had to acknowledge. Number Two had always been rationally driven, living by logic, but ever since he'd decided to help run the Collective after the escape, ever since he'd helped Minerva survive her fall from the cliffside, ever since he'd opened himself up, he'd felt more real than he had ever before. But he also recognized that acting that way, with emotion, is often what got others killed. He'd seen it time and time again. With that, they noticed Gerry standing in the entrance way to his room, staring at them. Paw Paw quickly excused herself, as Gerry walked in and Number Two sat up. Gerry stopped in front of him, looking at the ground. He wouldn't raise his eyes to Number Two. "What happened?" Number Two asked, "How'd it go?" "It went fine. We did what we went there to do. The new rabbits know. They know what to do, what to expect," Gerry mumbled, "...I saw Crisp and Melvin. THEY had sewn them together, trying to get them to share their lungs, a circulatory system. It was despicable." "Jesus, are you okay?" "Paul," Gerry said, "...it's not my fault, right?" "No, of course not. They made the decision to leave, that wasn't on you. Even if you'd tried to argue against it, which you somewhat did if I recall correctly, they wouldn't have listened. They wouldn't even listen to Kevin. Gerald, what happened to them is not your fault. Nothing bad that's ever happened to any of us has been your fault," Number Two said. "I'm so tired of pretending that I'm capable of doing this on my own," Gerry said, starting to cry, burying his face into Number Two's chest, "I'm so tired of pretending that it's all going to be okay in the end. I'm so tired of pretending that I don't love you." This hit Number Two like a mack truck. "...I...yeah....me too," Number Two said softly, rubbing Gerry's ears with his paws, "Me too. And shit, even if you were responsible for some of the bad things that have happened, even involuntarily so, none of that would matter to me now, because for all the bad shit that's surrounded us, you've given me personally so much more good shit to think about." Gerry cried harder, letting Number Two hold him. "It's not gonna be okay," Gerry whimpered through his sobs, "It's not gonna be okay." "Who cares about how it might be later, let's worry about how it is right now," Number Two said quietly, nuzzling the side of Gerry's head, the two of them embracing, pretending like the rest of the world didn't exist outside of this burrow. Number Two was right anyway, Gerry knew; tomorrow would come, next week would come, the day when they brought the fire would come... ...but not right now. Even with encroaching potentially devastating moments that were right outside their home, it didn't matter, because it wasn't right now. Right now was about love. Right now was about peace. Right now they were together, and that was all that mattered.
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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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