Chapter 1

I just had something to look forward to and all of a sudden the world takes a sudden turn, and nothing is ever the same.

Thoughts continue to echo through my head, as I am trapped in an eternal darkness. I try to open my eyes to find myself still in the dark.

Don’t let this be the end of me.

I felt as though I am floating on the edge of space, unable to feel anything around me, or even feel myself. What am I, and who am I?

If I could try again, I want to understand everyone and everything around me, that would be a wish come true.

In this situation it’s important to count to 100 and recall what just happened.

If I could just save one more person. No. If I could save myself first.

The pitch black suddenly flashed a blinding light, yet I stared intently into it. It did not hurt my eyes, and all of a sudden from the edge of space emerged an angel from the light. A little girl, but so bright I could not discern anything else but the outline of a very long hair girl in a long white gown, expanding past her body proportions, giving the illusion that she was much taller than she was.

I desperately try to shake some sense into myself and focus my vision to no avail. I simply just existed in front of the light.

Just being in her presence, I felt an empowering sense of hope and determination, and for a second I forgot those I let down, those I never could take care of. The angel held out her hand towards me, and I felt an afterglow like no other.

I tried to grasp towards the angel in front of me but I couldn’t. I simply just existed in an ethereal plane that I could not comprehend. Is this what death was?

The angel smiled, as the luminosity around me grew until I could not experience anything but a blinding light, so powerful I could not concentrate. And, then utter darkness.

---

I felt a gentle breeze on my body, but it wasn’t cold. It felt calming and soothing, like the caress of a parent. I tried to open my eyes, to find my vision becoming sharp as glass seeing the open field of clouds above a grassy meadow. The grass was tall, almost to my eye level.

My vision felt sharper than it has ever had. Before what happened, my eyesight was poor at best, but now I can make out every single blade of grass in front of me.

“What the heck is happening?” I asked myself. “Where am I…”

I look down, and see two little paws in front of me.

These are… rabbit paws. How is that even possible…

I prompt to move my left “hand” up and the left paw promptly went up.

Am I…?

Sure enough, I look around me, and I see white and grey rabbits grazing on the grass around me.

I take a small nibble of grass proding towards my face and instead of the expected bitterness, it tasted like nothing before.

It was delicious! I quickly tried to take another nibble, to find the patch of grass all gone in my belly.

I need to eat more of this!

I try moving my legs forward but I fall flat on my cheek.

“Ugh,” I grunted in pain, as I try to rub the wound, only to realize my stubby paws.

How would a rabbit move… Well, they hop around don’t they?

I pretend jump roping and my body reactably like a spring, sprung back and forth.

I lean forward and this time, without landing on my cheek I find the next patch of grass.

Why…. Why is the grass so tall!? I can barely even tilt my head backwards enough to see past the horizon of grass. Infact, my neck felt stiff and tilting my head upwards proved a chore.Did I sprain my neck when I fell on the grass?

Immediately as it hit me, I remembered that rabbits are no taller than untrimmed grass. It was all relative, after all. My stomach began to growl, and like that an urge came over to eat.

…

Grazing grass by the open meadow, where the sun shines brightly and the wind blows softly on my fur. This was the peaceful life I imagined. My belly filled with delicious veggies, basking in the warm sunny weather.

Sure, make fun of me for being a simple minded fool, but when you’re a rabbit, isn’t that just everyday life.

What am I saying! At one point, I used to be a doctor. And nothing above anything else would bring me greater joy than saving the helpless around me.

The grass is really good though…

I looked at the other rabbits around me, as I realized they formed a herd engulfing me.

Ahh… a flock of soft fluffy bunnies around me. I started at one particular bunny in front of my face, and he looks to be a healthy albeit chubby little rabbit of a young age. He looked back at me with his big puffy cheeks almost as though he was smiling as he munched the grass to fill that ever bigger belly.

Ah… my grass is being eaten by the other rabbits.

Wait, my grass is being eaten by the other rabbits!

I quickly rush to eat more of the grass in my vicinity, but quickly a large crater once blooming with tall grass now mowed down to a tiny stubble.

Are rabbits suppose to cry when all their food gets eaten by others?

I try squeezing my tear ducts then remembered, rabbits don’t cry. This could really get some getting use to.

I look at the rabbits around me, and without a care in the world, they continue grazing in the grass, some rabbits cuddling together. Oh… they’re doing that kind of cuddling.

Haha… perhaps this time I can finally…

Maybe being a rabbit won’t be so bad after all…

I suddenly feel a force on my back, and I toppled over awkwardly, face hitting the dirt.

Hey! What was that for.

A fat rabbit began eating the grass that I was going to eat! That selfish thing!

I immediately kicked back but the bulges of fat wouldn’t budge. Ah… whatever, I suppose if someone’s enjoying the grass it’s alright.

I really am a self loathing idiot aren’t I.

You know the more I think about it, rabbits feel the same emotions we do. Happiness, sadness, anger, disgust. They are after all universal emotions human feel, why not other animals. But among those emotions...

They have grown to fear.

Within the distance, a grey shadow quickly ran across the horizon. I blink as fast as I can, trying to make out the shadow.

Soon, other rabbits take the hint and turn their heads towards the impending figure, and like instinct begin to kick in, they dispersed in all directions, maybe except that fat rabbit who was too busy stuffing himself.

My body automatically kicked into full gear, and I began to run. The rustling of wind soon drowned out my hearing, as it grew closer and closer, my heart began to sink.

The screams of dying rabbits soon filled the air, replacing the rustling of wind and I could not look back or I would lose any hope I have to escape. The scent of blood wafted my enhanced sense of smell and I gagged a little, heart pounding like a racing metronome. I kept running forward, there was no other choice.

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In my mind, I pictured the bloody carnage behind me, blood guts, rabbits in pieces, as all I could hear was the screams of dying bunnies. I regressed the gorey thoughts as now was not the time to consolidate. I quickly ran in a circle to evaluate the surroundings imminent of me. In a glimpse I could see at least four to five wolves, now satisified with their hunt while one was still up and about.

However, in front of me, the trees grew denser and denser. Ah good! I think the forest up ahead is a good place to hide.

Rustle… Rustle…

The light around me soon diminished, from a sunny day to a slithering darkness. The ground soon grew moist and reeked of rot. Little bits of dirt and debris began brushing on my paws and my fur was soon lathered in mud. I could feel the slapping of branches on my body but I didn’t feel any pain or anything. I suppose the adrenaline in my body is compensating for that. I could not see around me anymore yet I continued to run so desperately. Eventually, the forest grew so dense that I could not hear any footsteps and the light barely cascaded on me, only slipping through the tiny cracks that the branches could provide.

It grew eerily quiet, yet it felt like someone was constantly watching me. My heart continued pounding, unrelenting to the amount of physical exercise I just had to endure. The lactic acid buildup was immense, and my entire body felt heavy, as though to remind me I cannot sustain such speed for so long without feeling the consequences.

My entire body ached for some rest, and I felt more and more faint. The ground in front of me was dirty and gross, and reeked of decaying plant matter.

Ahh… why does it hurt so much….

On top of the constant aching of my body, I began feeling an immense pain emerging, now that the adrenaline was wearing off.

I need to rest…

I was just given another chance at life, only to throw it away again..

I assessed my body for damage, and noticed my leg… was it my left leg? I think so.

It was really dirty and ruffled, and along the entirity of the hamstring, a long bloody gash, oozing with fresh blood. At the very least, I don’t think it’s bad enough to bleed me out… for now.

How did this happen?!

The branches began to willow as if on queue to give me a clue.

Ah.. it must have been the branches.

I feel so weak, and I don’t have much time. At the very last moment, I desperately cry for help.

Help…

Help…

Help…

I heard nothing else but the wind.

Help….

Help…

I heard the leaves rustling between the trees, but no one came.

Help…

I heard the birds chirping about, but no one came. The birds chirping about, as though nothing has passed.

Help… Could not come.

As my heart sank into despair, I heard something unusual. Gentle footsteps akin to a small animal, steps so delicate as my head rested on the cold ground. Soothing footsteps of a gentle creature.

I use all my energy to try and lift my head, as now the blood loss and exhaustion has taken a toll on my body. What met my eyes was a short little blond girl in a frilly dress, carrying an artfully designed wicker basket dangling from her right wrist, and a fanny pack on her left. Her head was wrapped in a small bonnet, golden locks that ran down her shoulders. Worrysome bright green eyes that looked on the verge of tears. After all, I was dying was I not…

The girl cupped her hands around me, attempting to pick me up, staining her pristine hands with dirt, blood and filth. I felt like I was being liftend into the air by an angel.

“Thank you… for comforting me as I die…”

“No…. Mr. Rabbit…. Please! No!”

“Wait…… You can understand me?!”

The girl’s face filled with surprise, and lets out a small gasp.

“I…. can! Mr. Rabbit what can I do?!”

To be honest, she kind of reminded me of a nurse.

Like an epiphany, I realized what I must do. I must not give up on life. I still have my mind, my thoughts, my knowledge. Dammit… don’t blank out now, she can understand me… She can do the medical procedures if I carefully convey every single action. This is after all, a time of emergency.

“This is a simple laceration. I can tell you how to fix it. You will heal my wound. Please listen to my instructions very carefully”.

She nodded.

“Can you find in your pouch, the thinnest needle you have?”

She quickly rummaged through her pouch and pulled out something…

I focused my vision to get a good look at it, but my vision keeps on waning, fading into black around my peripheral over and over.

“Mmm… does this work?”

She was holding a needle no thicker than 0.1mm. Way too small for a human but for me it should be fine.

“Can you bend it to make a hook like shape?”

The girl grabbed the needle by the index finger and thumb of both her hands.

“Keep going… keep going, stop right there. Perfect.”

“Next I need the thinnest thread you have. Preferably made of fishing wire.”

“Fishing wire? Fishing wire…” the girl quickly rummaged through her fanny pack, to find a small spool of a very thin thread.

“What is this made of?”

“The threads of a spiderlily, they are great for making little toys for the boys and girls.”

“Pass it to me… to my left hand. Err.. I mean paw.”

She gently nudges the spool of spiderlily threads for me, and the material felt durable, just like a normal suture.

“Perfect. Do you have any water to clean my wound?”

She yet again dug into her sack to take out a small tin canister presumably filled with water.

“Yes… I do,” She nods with determination as those teary eyes soon melded into eyes of pure concentration.

“Before you clean the wound, I also need you to find a pair of scissors, but nothing too sharp, and a pair of forceps… or tweezers.”

Seeing as she has a hobby in sewing I was hoping she had everything she needed.

The girl nodded and pulled out exactly what I needed, and I felt for once a moment of relief.

“Gently pour some of the water onto my wound, to clean off the filth and blood.” The water soon rushed onto my wound, as a stream of relaxing cool water reached my wound. The burning sensation on my leg began to subside, but it was still drastically painful, and my vision still kept waning back and forth.

“Is it still bleeding?”

“Not as much…”

“That’s good, it means my leg has been drained of peripheral blood and an artery has not been hit.”

“Artery?”

“I’ll explain later…”

“Thread the thread through the needle and tie it together. Then, I need you to grab the needle with the sewing scissors two thirds of the way in from the curve of the needle.”

“Like this?”

“Yes… perfect. Now stay calm, but I will need you to puncture the edge wound from the side away from you first. Use your forceps to gently open the loose skin so that you have a firm base to bite… stab into the wound.”

“Like sewing a teddy bear?”

“Not quite, but it’s similar. The goal is to sew together the two edges of the wound.”

“Are you ready.”

She took a big breath, and as instructed lifted one of the wound flaps. Pain instantly shot through my leg yet again, as she bit into the wound with the makeshift needle head.

“Ugh.. it really hurts, but now let lose some thread so that you may stab into the other side of the wound, but this time inside the wound to outside of the skin.

Another sharp pain emerges but this time I was prepared and didn’t wince at the rush of pain receptors.

“Is the thread through, give it enough distance as you will now need to tie a special kind of knot?”

“Alright.”

“Loop the side with additional thread twice on your scissors around halfway down the length of the scissors, then thread the hole from the loop using the tip of the scissor, grabbing onto the short end. Then, pulling opposite sides, pull the knot tight with both hands.”

The girl closed her eyes for a second, as though to process what I just said, then opened her eyes again.

“Two times… Loop… Short end… Through the knot…” she repeated to herself.

As she did what I instructed, I realized her hands were not trembling at all. She truly had the surgeon’s touch, being completely unfazed.

“You’re almost there, now do that again but from the opposite side, only looping once this time. Then pull tight.”

I look down and notice the perfect surgeon knot honestly better than my first attempt. This girl truly has a gift.

“Excellent. Now cut the long end. You just completed what is called a surgeon knot. Now, every 1-2 centimeters or so, repeat this over and over again. This will close the wound.”

“Alright.” She said calmly, wiping the sweat off her forehead with the back of her soiled left hand, making her forehead now dirty with grime and dirt.

…

“I’ve done ten knots so far, and we’re almost halfway there. Hang in there Mr. Rabbit…”

I nodded, as I was now too woozy to gather my thoughts, but I had to ask.

"What's your name..."

"Hm... me?"

"Yes -_-"

"Kotori."

"That's a beautiful name. Little bird."

"Huh?"

"Nevermind."

The rustling of the forest continued to grow furtherly unsteady. But something didn’t seem right.

I could hear the unnatural rustling of leaves as though someone or something was moving through them, coming closer and closer.

“WATCH OUT!” I screamed.

Out emerged from behind Kotori, a grey wolf at least three times her size, an unsuccessful hunter from the massacre before as there was no scent of blood or flesh upon its jaws.

Kotori stood there in utter disbelief and shock, the colour of her skin fading away to a porcelain white.

“Please…. No!” she pleaded.

The wolf simply stared, snarling at her, as though to provoke her to attack first.

The wolf roared, making Kotori drop her sutures, and reopening a fair number of stitches.

Oh god, it felt like being stabbed by a scalpel run through hot lead.

“KOTORI!” RUN!” a voice boomed from the distance.

An old man rugged with scars and tattered clothes ran towards us, with a shovel in hand.

The wolf now focused on the new looming threat looked away, as Kotori quickly hurried to grab me and run towards the old man, while the old man took a protective formation in front of her.

The wolf at this moment pounced, the backside of Kotori, claws out ready to kill.

The old man quickly shoved Kotori towards the ground with his left hand, transitioning into an overhead swing of his shovel.

Kotori tripped and I was sent flying into the hard musty ground, repeatedly hitting my head.

The last thing I heard was the gushing of blood, desperate cries and a teary eyed blond girl.

Not again…

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