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Jaidie

Rain woke with a throbbing head and a sick stomach. He groaned as he tried to figure out where he was. He was in a quiet, damp room. It was dark, the only light coming from a small, shattered window, high above him. The light from the window lit up a small area in the back corner. There wasn’t much to look at except for a large pile of rotten food and shattered bottles, but the stench was awful. It was the same smell from earlier, only worse and stronger. He gagged at the awful stench of the place. He felt something warm in his throat and he swallowed it down, he needed out of here.

Rain looked around but saw no one. He heard nothing, the only sound was his own heart racing against his chest and the sound of liquid dripping from the broken bottles. He closed his eyes this wasn’t happening. This couldn’t be happening, not to him. He had heard countless stories of heroes who had gone through things like this. Picket Pac-slayer or Jo Shanks, or the King but never once in his life had he imagined himself in a dark room huddled in a corner. This shouldn’t happen, the war was over, had been over before Rain was even born. Life was peaceful, everyone was happy. The King wouldn’t have it any other way. If rabbits were hungry the King gave them food. If rabbits didn’t have homes the King made them homes and gave them jobs. That’s just how the King was, so why were these rabbits living in a dump and stealing food? All they had to do is ask the King to help them, right?

Rain saw movement and swallowed as he said, in a small voice, “Hello, is someone there?” It was quiet for a moment then he heard a raspy, yet deep voice speak. “Hello Rain, I suppose your Jed’s little brother.”

“Half-brother,” Rain corrected.

The rabbit didn’t speak another word, so Rain spoke. “Who are you and where am I?”

The rabbit chuckled, a deep, raspy chuckle that turned into a cough. When the rabbit recovered from the cough he spoke. “Well, this is your new home Rain. As for who I am.” The rabbit stepped into the light of the window.

Rain gasped. A tall light grey buck stood in front of him. Three long scars ran across his face, one of the scars ran straight down his face, across his nose. The other two ran over his right eye, which was milky white, where his other eye was dark brown. The buck’s right ear was torn in three pieces and hung limply down the back of his head. He carried a cane and looked awful, Rain shivered and looked down.

The rabbit smiled then said, “You may call me Master Nick since you are going to be staying here for how many days?” Master Nick put on a thoughtful look, then said, “Oh, yes. Forever!” Then he laughed a horrible ear-splitting laugh that echoed off the walls.

Rain backed into the corner trembling, as he said in a small broken voice, “But I j-just want t-to go home, pl-please.”

Master Nick stopped laughing and walked towards him, his cane thudding against the floor. When he reached Rain he stopped, towering over him as he said, “You’re never going home, boy and I’m going to make sure of that!” Then he did something that Rain never expected. Master Nick raised his cane and beat Rain until Rain finally lost consciousness.

Master Nick’s laughter and Rain’s pain-filled screams echoed through the house. Jed stayed awake that whole night, biting his lip until Master Nick left. Then Jed went and took his unconscious brother in his arms, praying to the Maker for the first time in his life that it wasn’t too bad and that Rain would make it.

Jed had made it through his first beating from Master Nick, and so had the others, but so many others didn’t. So many others like Rain, small and weak. Rain had never been through anything like this before and Jed was worried.

“Oh pleases,” he said, “Please.” Then he cared for Rain’s injuries the best he could. Then he fell asleep beside his bloodstained brother, praying.