Bunny

"What?" I asked.

"I was sure Pat was pulling my leg. May I?" she asked reaching.

Bunny went right into her hands. "Amazing," she said, "her fur is softer than normal rabbit fur and it appears it's its natural color."

"Tell me exactly what happened," Linda said.

I relayed the story of getting Bunny, then the dream.

She remained silent and nodded the whole time.

"You have to catch her in your dream," she said, like I should have known what it meant all along.

"Then what," I asked?

"I don't know. I know this, you aren't really chasing her in your dream. She's chasing you."

"She's chasing me?"

"Yes, the inside you. In your dream you are after her but never catch her. Your physical self is after her but her mental part, or maybe her spirit, is after you. I don't know what will happen when you come together but that's what it means," Linda said.

"Fate," P said again.

"Case, what happened?" Linda asked.

"I just told you," I said.

"No what happened to you last tour."

I sighed. Could I tell them? Should I tell them? I'd not spoken of it since that night...

"We were a few kilometers outside a village, had been a few months. We would, on our own, provide medical aid and food to the indigenous people along with running our reconnaissance and other missions from our outpost."

"I'd go into the village with Doc every week to help him. There was a young lady in the village," I said. "Prettiest girl I'd ever seen less than five foot tall. Eyes so green they looked like emeralds against her brown skin. She could not say Master Sergeant, she called me Masag."

She'd come running every time she saw me and jump up into my arms. Doc said she had a crush on me. I called her..."

It hit me like a truck, tearing another hole into what little soul I had left. I lost it right there and felt the sobs rack my entire core. What was left of my soul ached. "Bunny..." I finally managed though my tears.

"Because she jumped into your arms?" P asked.

I could only nod, I could not speak yet.

Finally under some semblance of control of myself again. "I had a necklace I'd been given by some girl on R&R," I said. "Cheap piece of metal with a Star of David. Bunny loved it so I ended up giving it to her."

"A few nights later, the village was lit up by small arms fire. We called asking permission to go in. The man with the star on his collar denied repeated requests. Finally our Colonel, Samson, said fuck it and we headed in, him with us. By the time we got there they were gone. Sun was just coming up."

"Doc found Bunny." I broke again, I'm not sure how long. I came back to myself feeling Bunny jump from the table in my lap and rub against me. Her right hind leg beating my lap over and over fast.

"So Doc found her. She'd been beheaded, after all seven had gang raped her, and cut off her legs and arms. The tribal leader told our interpreter it was because she had the necklace on, from an American. So... I...," I breathed a sigh. "That's all I can say. I'm home and not in a third world or American prison, so I'd like to keep it that way."

P and Linda had both sat quietly while I'd told the tale. The only two people outside my group that officially knew some of what happened in that village. But they could never know what happened that night after sunset when I caught up with those responsible; only two people had that knowledge. Like I said, legally, if less so morally, I should be rotting in prison somewhere. Nobody could know what happened with Samson, sitting with me on a Tundra tailgate that afternoon.

"Let her catch you," P said, "in your dream," breaking me from my thoughts

"How?" I asked. Neither had any clue, but both were adamant this Bunny and the other Bunny were connected.

"That's why the V.A. gave you a clean bill of health," P said. "They can't drug you and expect you to not slip up and say something about what happened to that girl."

"No P., Americans don't care what happens to those people over there, things like that happen every day. That's what they live every minute there. Here they are all too busy worrying about dumb shit: what celebrity died, some barista in a hat, some asshole holding up the line, their internet not loading fast enough... First world problems ain't shit compared to that."

"The V.A. though? No, I know how to play the game with them. No drugs can clean a man's soul. Mine's damaged, if I still even have one. Not by what I've done in my life, but what I caused letting her have that necklace. I'm as guilty as the ones who done it to her. My actions caused it," I said near tears again.

"Honey," Linda said. "A kind heart is not what caused it. Evil men who do evil things caused it. You gave love and happiness to an innocent. They took it from her, and you."

"You two should work at the V.A.," I said.

"Hell no they are pill pimps," Linda said. "Jerald was a mess when he got back 'till I got him off their dope. The kids wouldn't even go near him. He was a good man. You are too honey."

"I try," I admitted.

We talked and such 'till a little after five when Eddie came home.

"I be an egg sucking dog," he said. "I seen me a ton of rabbits, used to raise them, but I never seen a pink one." He took Bunny and looked her over. "I ain't no Veterinarian but we raised these till I was grown and this one here is as healthy as can be from what I can see."

I told them I'd thought about taking her to Thorns' vet but wasn't sure I wanted it known I had a rabbit nobody had ever seen before.

"Don't blame you," Eddie said, "she's fine though."

"What you feeding her?" Eddie asked.

"Well I had some baby carrots," I said.

"Be careful they're high in calcium," Eddie said. "Get her some quality pellets, good hay, some bok choi, dark leaf lettuce. No iceberg though. They can eat strawberries, bananas and pineapples for snacks."

"Hay though," I asked?

"Yep. Helps with digestion, helps reduce hairballs too. Alfalfa is what you want."

I pulled out my phone, found the number and called the local PetSmart. They had what I needed.

"Wanna rabbit sit," I asked P? "I don't wanna take her into the store."

She laughed. "OK Bubba."

"What?"

"You're afraid she's so unique someone will try to take her from you."

It hit me she was right. They'd have a fight though. "I will take her," I said, "I'm not living in fear of it."

"Oh hell, I'll go too; we can pick BBQ up on the way back," she said. "No need for you to go to that empty house and not eat," she said. "You need a woman Case."

"I got two," I said.

"That you do," P agreed. "Thorns is not even jealous," P said, stroking Thorns head.

"No she isn't, Thorns made me take her to bed, wouldn't let me leave her," I said.

We headed off, P, Thorns, Bunny and me to PetSmart.

The clerk tried to sell me a cage and bedding. Bunny freaked out at the cage.

"No sale," I said.

We tried a small animal bed, again she wasn't having it. We got her a water system, and all kinds of food. The food she seemed OK with. I got her a small harness and purple leash with bling on it. P insisted on the bling for a pretty girl. Thorns got a bunch of treats and some new chew toys. She was rough as hell on toys.

The girls working there were all fawning over Bunny and Thorns. P told them she was pink because I rescued her from a family that dyed her for the kids Easter and then didn't want her. I would have never thought of that.

I spent some time looking at fish tanks and talking to a girl about them. She seemed like she knew a lot about them and offered to come help me set one up if I bought one. They had two, both over 45 gallons, I liked. I agreed to think about it, and she gave me her card.

We got out to the truck and loaded up everything.

"You are out of practice Bubba," P said.

"I'm what?"

"Out of practice. Those girls don't offer to go set up guys tanks."

"Huh?"

"She was hitting on you silly."

"What? No P, I don't think so."

"So you think she offers to go set up everyone's tanks?"

"Well... I don't know. Besides she's what twenty and I'm near 40."

"Yeah near 40 and still in great shape, look younger. You need to get back to working too," P said.

"I don't have any skills that don't involve hurting someone," I said as I started us down the road.

"Let me talk to Billie, her fiancé works at the chemical co here. You have a lot of leadership experience," P said.

"I'm sure they won't'..."

"Let me see Bubba."

"OK if you think."

"I do," P said plainly.

"Yeah, I do need to do something. But I have the girls..."

"Those girls will be just fine with daddy at work. Heck you may find another girl who needs daddy," she laughed.

"Oh god P, that's all I need, a woman with a daddy issue."

"Hell all us girls have a little daddy issue," she laughed harder. "Why do you think Eddie is older than me."

"TMI P, TMI," I laughed along with her.

Bunny seemed happy as could be in her carrier the whole time. Every once in a while, she'd twitch her ears and tickle my chin making me laugh.

We grabbed some BBQ and headed back to P's.

"Why don't you stay the night," P asked? "No need for you to go to that empty house; we got a room since Billie went to live with David."

"Oh I guess I should..."

"Come on stay," Eddie said we got room. "Thorns can eat some of Dixies food."

Dixie had been their Labrador; she'd got hit on the road a couple months ago.

"You sure," I asked.

"Yeah Bubba. You may end up finding a red giraffe if you head home tonight," P laughed.

P made a pallet of blankets in the living room for Thorns.

"Watch," I said. I set Bunny down by Thorns. "Good night girl." Thorns went to whining and nudging Bunny toward me. I picked up Bunny and Thorns laid down.

"I be damned," Eddie said.

"Thorns knows," P said.

"Knows what," Eddie asked her?

She told him about earlier.

"Crazy huh," I asked?

"Case I grew up in the swamps of Louisiana. People say a lot of shit is crazy, and maybe it is. Don't mean it ain't true though. I wish my daddy was still alive. Man he could make your hair stand up talking about his granny. She was a witch," Eddie said. "Not one of those tree hugging witches half the women now days think they are. She was a real one."

I felt the chill across my back and shuddered. That made Bunny try to climb up my chest to my neck. "Ouch girl you got some sharp claws."

"Well, 'night," Eddie said. "If I don't see you tomorrow, come back soon." He was off and to bed.

"Going too Bubba," P said hugging my neck and kissing Bunny on the head. She rubbed Thorns, "night girl."

I knelt down and loved on Thorns like every night. She licked on Bunny who seemed to hug her face with her paws.

I got the bed turned back, and laying Bunny on it, stripped to my boxers and slid into bed. Soon as I was in, Bunny hopped up on my chest looking up at me. Night Bunny I said and clicked the lamp off.

Man she was a heater. Laying on my chest with all that fur I was sweating. Yeah, I know I could have moved her but... I don't know. I guess she sensed it and hopped off and up onto the pillow right beside me. For some reason I leaned over, kissing her, finding her nose. 'Night pretty girl.'

I drifted off normally, and quickly found the pink haired girl. Same sweatshirt and blue denim cut offs. We played our game through the woods. Somewhere in my subconscious I heard P say, "let her catch you." I had no idea how, so we played the same game all night long.

Tonight I emerged from a clearing and found the building that was my old school. Bunny in the doorway, her arm extended beckoning with her finger. The same melodic giggle as she stepped inside. I tried to run, but in a dream world your body never obeys your commands.

I searched room by room, somewhere I remembered Miss Jones' classroom. It looked just like it did when I was in school. The giggle again as she passed by the open classroom window. I went out the end door. This was new, there were others.

A girl was on the ground crying while three boys stood around her. Suddenly, another boy ran at them punching the biggest one on the nose and making it bleed. I stood watching this replay of me hitting Johnny Marks in the face. The other boys running off, him holding his nose, and me helping Darla Sm... No it was Bunny from the village, up from the ground. I ran as hard as I could to her and my dream self. The harder I ran the farther away they got.

Falling to my knees where they had been, I began to cry.

"Follow me..." I heard in a melodic voice. "Case..." The voice whispered.

"Follow me... We have a ways to go... Follow me..." Then the giggle. I saw the pink haired girl I'd decided, officially, was Bunny, go into the woods.

I went after her. Same as before she'd just disappear, and I'd see her somewhere else. No more buildings, no more people the rest of the night, just me following Bunny.

I was sitting on the edge of the bed when I heard a light knock.

"Case, you up," P asked?

"Yeah, I'm up."

She came in. Bunny curled up in the spot where my head had lain on the pillow.

"You OK," P asked?

"Yeah, I guess."

"The dream?"

I nodded.

"Well get that tent pole down," she laughed, "and we'll fix some breakfast."

I looked down, not even realizing my erection was poking out of the front of my boxers. I know I went eight shades of red as she shut the door.

Great. Crazy dreams then showing my cousin my boner. Great way to start the day.

I came out with Bunny on my arm. I could see Thorns running around the back yard.

"Hey, P, I'm sorry about the..."

"Oh hell don't be. I've seen one before."

I sighed.

"Maybe not that big, but I've seen one before," she laughed.

"Damn P." I was burning red again.

She turned from the stove. "Embarrassed? Hell any man I know would be proud of that," she laughed again.

I groaned. "Do we really want to talk about my boner," I managed to ask?

"Hell one of us does," she was laughing hard now.

I took Bunny out, she hpoped around till she found a spot to relieve herself, then bounded off toward Thorns. I watched them, Thorns laying down and Bunny bouncing all over her. I decided to go back in.

"So Case, you need to get that gun unloaded - I'm sure I can find a couple of gals to empty it."

She'd moved on, it seemed. She'd got what she needed out about that subject oh my boner.

"So tell me about the dream."

I filled her in, and she sat nodding as we ate. I saw Thorns and Bunny at the glass door.

"Oh fuck!" I jumped up, opening the door and scooping Bunny into my arms.

"I'm so sorry girl," I hugged her to me. You can't watch out for yourself. I'm sorry," I said kissing her head.

"Bubba... Thorns will watch her won't you girl," she said, throwing a piece of bacon to Thorns.

"It's OK, Thorns will watch her," she told me again.

I nodded then fixed Bunny some food, setting it by Thorns'. She went to work on it. I looked up; P was just smiling at me.

"What?"

"That girl has you wrapped around her little paw," she said. "Imagine if she was a real girl."

The next few nights we stayed at home. The dreams continued in a similar vein, except there was nobody but Bunny and I, though we always went through a building I knew.

The third night things changed. I came out in a clearing. There was a road. I watched as a truck slammed into a car sending it off the road. I watched myself at eighteen climb out of the back seat of the car and pull Clarissa Thompson from the driver's side. Everyone gathered round as I held her. Jake King ran to a house close by and had them call an ambulance. E.M.S. arrived and checked us all. Clarissa had a broken arm and concussion.

"Follow me..." she said again. "Case... Follow... Me..."

I followed her into the woods again. I finally was able to speak in my dream, falling to my knees.

"Bunny I'm so tired," I said.

I heard the melody of her voice coming from all around me in the woods. "I'm sorry Case... We must keep going, to get where we are going."

"Where I pleaded... How much further... Bunny!!"

I heard another voice, this time a man. One I knew. One that had helped forge me into what I am.

"Get your lazy, slimy, pig shit ass up Bridges. Get your ass up. Your teammates won't wait for you to decide you aren't tired," he screamed. "This is only Phase 5, how you gonna make it in a hot A.O. if your teammates can't depend on you. NEVER BE THE WEAK LINK!! GET UP!!! De Oppresso Libre," I heard him whisper from farther away, as I stood up on rubbery legs.

"You aren't the weak link," I heard the melodic voice; "you've never been a weak link. Follow... Me..." she whispered. Bunny stood facing me in the woods for the first time, completely facing me. I saw the front of her sweatshirt. The blue shield and white sword with FOLLOW ME above it on the front.

I started toward her again. Had I ever been this tired I wondered. The dream should be over, my mind kept saying, we've seen tonight's tragedy.

I trudged on, 'Follow Me' echoing in my mind. Another clearing with a green Army tent in the middle. I got closer and saw her in the tent fly, her arm extended and her finger beckoning me.

"Follow... Me..." She whispered. "We can't get to where we are going, if we don't go... Follow... Me..."

Inside she went. As I got closer, I saw Hank McCain step out. Master Sergeant Hank McCain. He'd been senior instructor. We'd all been totally convinced, especially during S.E.R.E., the man would have eaten us and picked his teeth with our bones. The man had two Silver Stars with a V for his actions. He held a clipboard and was calling out names to the empty woods.

"Jackson!"

"Here Sergeant!" a voice echoed from the woods.

"Davis!"

"Here Sergeant!" a voice echoed from the woods.

"Zeta! Gibbs! Hernandez! Ale! Martinez! Warren! Tu Ling! Rotouski! Sanchez!" Each name followed by "Here Sergeant!" voices echoing from the woods.

He looked dead at me from the edge of the clearing, then looked back just like he had been at the empty woods. "All you men made it, congratulations."

"Thank you, Sergeant," came a loud echo from the woods.

"Don't thank me, thank your recruiter."

Another man stepped from the tent. A man that made Hank McCain look like a choir boy. His jet-black hair shining in the sun as he donned his beret. Randall J. Samson himself. A man the enemy told ghost stories about. Holder of the Medal of Honor and of a Prisoner of War Medal. The instructors said that both the Boogey Man and Chuck Norris checked under their beds for Major Samson, an imposing figure apparently of Native American and Russian heritage.

Rumor had it he'd lost an entire Alpha team in a fire fight; he'd fought the enemy with a knife and bare hands once he ran out of ammunition, till they overcame him by sheer numbers.

Taken as a prisoner of war, he'd escaped after four days of torture, freeing the other captives and had slit the enemy commander's throat in front of all his troops. The then freed captives killed the entire personnel of the enemy compound with knives and machetes, even though they'd secured firearms. They'd hacked them to pieces too not just killed them. Major (Captain at the time) Samson had led them out, Americans, Brits, two Canadians and a Legionnaire and back to friendly lines three days later.

The man's stare could make your spine ache and make your guts feel bubbly. I'd always thought while he stared at you, he was deciding how many ways he could kill you before you even noticed him coming. We'd never be worthy to pick up one of his dropped pubic hairs according to our instructors.

He spoke to McCain.

"Bridges!!" McCain bellowed. "Front and center."

I tried to run to him knowing the penalty for being last could be an hour in the sweatbox, but my legs wouldn't run. The sweatbox. One of the many things the Army will deny.