Bunny

I laughed and nodded. She came up and laid on my chest. I pulled my shirt off the floor and covered her with it. She looked up into my eyes and smiled.

"Sorry," I said, "just covering your nakedness."

"Don't be sorry that's sweet. You are a protector aren't you Mr. Harmless."

"Not anymore... The one I should have the most, I lost," I said. Bunny from the village coming to my mind.

Laying on my chest in the back of my truck, this blond angel gave me an answer.

"Forgive yourself," she said.

Stroking her hair, I managed, "I'm not sure if I can."

"I forgive you for her," she said kissing my chest. "Now all you have to do is forgive yourself for her. She knows what you done for her," she said. "Forgive yourself."

I felt the tears run down my face as I tried to silently cry. This unnamed angel tracing the bullet wound on my side. The one I'd got that night.

I fell asleep with her on top of me at some point. My eyes came open, I jumped up. She was gone. Her clothes everything was gone. I could smell a hint of her perfume in the cab of the truck. Dressing as quickly as I could I grabbed the light from the glove box. No sign of her anywhere.

I drove back toward the restaurant where I'd picked her up. No sign along the way. It was ten and they were closing; I knocked, getting the attention of a guy sweeping.

"Can I help you," he said cracking the door?

"Is there a manager here?" He nodded, then locked the door before going back inside.

A tall red-headed lady came to the door. "Sir, can we help you?"

"There's a girl who works here, blond," I said.

"Well I have a few, what's her name. "

"I... I don't know, but she got off at seven."

"Sir, are you OK? I have no servers who got off at seven."

"Wait, here's my ticket," I said, pulling it from my wallet.

"Oh, that's Sara - but she isn't blond."

"She must be, I saw her here when I ate."

"Sir your shirt is torn, maybe you aren't feeling well."

"I tell you she served me."

"Sara," the woman called.

A short and skinny brunette came close to the door.

"Yes?"

"Did you serve this gentleman?"

She looked through the glass. "Yeah, I think he was at seven," and pointed at the table I had eaten at.

"No," I said shaking my head.

"Sir you need to leave before we call the police."

I nodded. What had happened? The only answer was that I had dreamed it...

I drove to P and Eddie's; they were sitting out back, up late since it was Friday.

I came around.

"Hey Bubba. Oh wow you got laid," she smiled.

"I... What?"

"You smell of a woman, like perfume."

I dropped into a patio chair and burst into tears.

P patted my back as I emptied my mind.

Bunny jumped from the table into my lap and tried to climb up my t-shirt I'd gotten from my bag behind the back seat.

"Ouch girl," I said and pulled her up to my face. She in my mind was giving me rabbit kisses.

"What happened Bubba?"

I retold the tale of the night. I saw Eddie shudder.

"Shew Wee, man just because it's crazy don't mean it ain't true," he said. "You met a spirit."

"Eddie!" came from P.

"Look. I'm telling you, all these old wives tales you hear bound to have some truth," he said. There's spirits out there; they ain't' all bad. I'd bet on it," he said.

I finally told them what the girl had said.

"Yep" he said, "was a spirit. She knows what's inside and knows what you need to move on."

"What did you do," P asked?

"I told you," I said.

"No for her. Have you admitted it to yourself," she asked?

I nodded.

"Say it out loud then."

"P. I... I can't."

"You have to," she said, "it's the only way."

"I can't P. Nobody can know."

"Well you ain't the only one saw some action," Eddie said sipping his beer, thankfully changing the subject.

"Huh?"

"Show him Hun," he told P.

She showed me a picture on her phone of a yard full of rabbits, and Bunny.

"Damn," I said.

Eddie nodded, "all males too."

"Shit I'm gonna have a litter of rabbits".

"May do it," he said.

P sat quite a bit, then.

"Hear me out you two. OK so first off you find Bunny, obviously no ordinary rabbit. Or perhaps she found you. Then she starts showing up in your dreams, agreed?"

I nodded.

"So we get a yard full of rabbits about 7:25 tonight, probably at about the time you and your blond girl are going at it. So what if Bunny sent her," P asked?

I wanted to ask how, but it was clear there was no answer to that.

"She knew about the girl in that village. How?" P asked. "You told her you failed to protect one, so OK maybe. But she knew the girl had forgiven you, but how? Where'd she go? Why did the restaurant workers not see her? How did you see her instead of your actual server? Why did you go with her? You been dodging getting laid for a long time. So why then? Why her?"

I shook my head.

"What if Bunny is magic," P asked.

I saw Eddie shudder from a chill then it hit me, and I did too.

"So maybe Bunny is recharging her magic with the male rabbits," she held up her phone. "You said the dreams had got shorter, then you find her out in a field, and we're assuming she got bunny dick."

Bunny had hopped out of my lap and across the table to P while she was telling us this and went to rubbing on her, her ears and little tail twitching.

"Magic," I whispered. Bunny immediately hopped on the table and back to me snuggling in. "You magic pretty girl," I asked? But she just sat there.

"I know you think I'm crazy," P said to me.

"Right now, you may be the sanest person I know," I said.

"You have to let it go Bubba; Bunny is trying to tell you that. You've rested, ate and burned off the repressed energy. Let her catch you soon," P finished. "Leave Thorns tonight, just take Bunny home. Let it just be the two of you."

"So what happens when it's finished," I asked? "I can't lose her too," I said on the verge of tears.

Bunny I guessed sensed my feeling and digging her claws in again tried to climb up me. I lifted her and her nose kept rubbing my lips, her front legs on either side of my face.

"She ain't going nowhere," P said. "She's a daddy's girl if I ever saw one."

I sighed. "I guess I have you here and, in my dreams, pretty girl." She rubbed her nose harder on me.

We said goodbye and headed home. Bunny snuggled beside my thigh on the way. I'm not sure why, but when we got home, I put her down on the floor and just watched her. She eventually made it to the hall closet and started scratching on the door. I opened it and let her in. She hopped inside, found a box and scratched on it. I knew exactly what was in that box. I picked Bunny up and took her out of the closet, shutting the door. That didn't work she went back to scratching frantically when I sat her back down.

Door open again she went straight back to the box. Sighing I got the box off the floor carrying it and Bunny to the kitchen table. She watched as I took each object out. I knew now she had some form of magic; I knew what she wanted in the box. Each piece I took out she just watched. The last thing left was a small plastic baggy. With a shaking hand, I removed it. Bunny came up on her hind legs, front paws on the box, and ears and whiskers twitching as it was removed.

In the baggy, was one item, a bloody necklace. Setting it on the table I watched as Bunny scooted it off the table to the floor. I almost snapped at her. Was she suggesting I get rid of it? How could she? I put it back in the box, calming my anger with difficulty, and put the other items back in on top.

Bunny scratched the box.

"Not tonight little one, please." She stopped and jumped into my lap. I made sure she had a go at her food and water, and it didn't take long 'till she was up against my leg wanting to be picked up.

We got ready for bed and I clicked the lamp off. Somehow, as of late, I was going to sleep almost as my head hit the pillow. Magic was my last thought as I drifted under.

In my dream, tonight was dark, almost pitch black. Where was I? It took me a minute to realize where, or more like when, I was. I felt my head, sure enough a helmet and night vision goggles. I pulled them over my eyes, turned them on, and I was in the woods again. I could see Bunny up ahead.

"Follow... Me... Master... Sergeant..." I heard Bunny's whispers. "Follow... Me..." The melody on the air.

I came to a clearing, really not expecting what I saw: my old high school. Bunny in the front door, arm extended, beckoning me.

"Follow... Me... Case... We can't get where we are going if we don't leave soon. Not much time..." The whispers now different, holding a sense of urgency.

Room by room I searched, 'till I found the science lab. Just as I remembered it. Blackboards on every wall. Writing on one that seemed to glow in the NVGs.

Case. We don't have much time left. You are on the right track. But you must be persistent. This takes so much of my magic. I felt a lump in my throat. It was Bunny!! 'How?' I asked the empty room. 'Bunny please help me'.

I heard what sounded like fingernails on a board behind me. I turned to see writing on another board. Five days is all we have... I can only answer so much it drains my magic. It scared you when I went to recharge it. I understand the danger now in leaving you. You know what needs to happen. Do it. Please do it for me. I need you...

"Bunny needs me? Bunny needs me!! She said I already know what needs to happen. I must wake up! WAKE UP!!," I kept screaming in my dream. "Please wake up." I finally managed to pull the fighting knife from my vest and stabbed my leg. Pain shot through me like I'd been hit with a flaming sledgehammer and I jumped up out of the bed. I looked my leg, it hurt but was only red. Bunny was hopping in a circle around the bed, frantic.

I ran to the kitchen dumping the box contents out.

"I forgive me," I said to the plastic baggy. "I hope you do too precious," I looked up at the ceiling as if expecting an answer. The necklace was only cheap metal, but did it hold some power?

I laid back down holding the necklace, Bunny on the pillow beside me gently tickling my cheek. Her violet eyes almost glowed in the moonlight from the outside. That was it. Five days... The moon was on the rise; it would be full soon.

"Please Bunny, I'm coming," I said to her and felt her nose against me.

Sleep gradually came as I calmed. It was dark. I could smell the air. I knew not only where I was but the exact moment when I was, that metallic smell in the air. The scent of blood, and lots of it. NGVs down and on sure enough the building up ahead looked familiar. I unslung my rifle, dropping it and drew my knife, heading around to the back. I realized my left hand clutched the necklace in a balled fist: I'd brought it to my dream.

"They will pay," I whispered to the night, "every mother's son of them will die again for what they've done. I will chase them through eternity and kill them every night if I must," I heard myself say.

"Ends... Tonight..." I heard the familiar melodic voice.

No outside guard like before. I eased in. The stack of bodies just as we'd stacked them that night, like lumber. They were not burnt up like they were when I'd left. Just the bodies. The one on top, his severed head sitting on his chest. His testicles in his mouth.

I heard another familiar voice whisper beside me. "Well son I asked you what you were gonna do about her. Looks like you handled it, The ol' Russian way."

I saw the bright flash of a white phosphorus grenade pop and shoved the night vision up on my helmet from the blinding flash. An invisible hand, held it then dropped it on the bodies. Another lit and dropped to them, then a third. They would be incinerated.

"Go," I heard Samson's voice say. "It's done here son. Go. Nobody but you and I know. Go"

I went out the shack door. Trees now instead of desert.

"Follow... Me..."

"How do I catch you," I asked?

"You are a hunter... but you hunted men... Think... How do you hunt a rabbit...?"

I racked my brain for every hunting trick I'd ever heard.

I dropped all my gear and stood just in pants, shirt and boots. 'How do I catch a rabbit? How?'

I turned feeling a presence behind me. It was Bunny from the village. I went to grab her, but my arms passed through her body. She held out a silent hand. I dropped the necklace into it. She caught it and draped it around her neck. I heard her voice this time.

"Thank you... It is done... Go to her... You need her too..." Bunny from the village said.

"How," I asked the specter in front of me?

"You know Masag, you have read the book. Long time ago... when you were a boy..." she said and vanished from sight.

I looked at the moon, it was bight now, where it had been dark earlier. I may have had days, but I wanted it done tonight. OK so a book when I was a boy. I tried to comb through every nursery rhyme I had read. Every golden book my mom had given me when a boy.

Then I remembered a hunting book I'd got when I was about nine. I could not remember the author or title, but the page jumped out in my head. 'Walk a closing circle around where you see your prey. Close it in as you circle. Rabbits won't run far.'

I heard her giggle. "Follow... Me..." she said.

I saw her standing in the door of my old childhood home. It had two doors one on the end and one in the front. I walked around the outside, and all them were shut. She'd have to come out the front or the side. I circled the house closing in with each pass.

I caught her coming out the end door and took her in my arms.

She giggled. "You caught me... But can you love me?"

"I already love you," I said.

"No, the real me, not what you see now and when you are awake."

"Please Bunny, no riddles."

She giggled. "I really do love that name," she smiled. You must know I used up virtually all of my magic answering your questions tonight. If you leave here without me..."

"What," I asked my heart thumping? "I will never leave without you! I would stay before that".

"You can't stay."

"Then tell me what I must do," I pleaded.

"You have to love the real me."

"Show me the real you. I can't imagine ever not loving you."

She stepped back and removed the hood covering her head, her thick pink curly hair falling nearly to her waist.

"You are so beautiful," I said stepping forward.

Bunny stepped back again. "The real me," she whispered.

I saw two pink rabbit ears raise up behind her head.

I smiled. "They are part of the real you?"

Bunny nodded and turned. I was close enough to see the bulge in her jean shorts.

"You have a fluffy tail too," I asked?

"I do," she turned back toward me. "Can you love a... woman with rabbit ears, eyes of violet and a rabbit tail?"

"I've loved you since the night I met you," I confessed, "in the woods and in my dreams. Can you love a man with a soul doomed for eternity?"

Bunny nodded behind me.

Village Bunny stood there smiling. "He loves you," she said to Bunny. "She loves you too," she said to me. "I must go now; my family awaits me in Heaven," and she disappeared again.

I dropped to both knees. "Bunny I can't live another minute without you. What do we need to do?"

"I need powerful magic to separate from and transform within your world. That magic I can only get from the man I love and the man who loves me."

"What do we need to do," I asked?

"Make love to me. Your sexual energy will let me manifest."

"What happens to the other Bunny," I asked?

"The other Bunny has always been in here," she touched my chest. "You, and those you allowed to, are the only ones who could ever see her. Even though you did not know it consciously, you did choose who could see her."

"She wasn't real," I asked?

"What is real? Did you see her? Feel her? Love her? I know you did. See 'she' out there is also 'she' in here," she touched her heart.

"You need to understand that 'we' were born both rabbit and girl in one body. It happens. Magic allowed me to separate somewhat from her to search in the subconscious world for... well for you. I did not know you... but I felt you even before we met."

"The girl in at the restaurant?" I asked.

"Only you could see her. Your... She allowed me to absorb some of your energy, but through her, I only got a little. I knew tonight I needed more than I ever had. See, I had to locate Bunny from the village again and get her here, get you here with the necklace and not die in the process."

"You freed her trapped spirit; she cleansed your soul... You've been worried about that I know... I worried with you. Thorns worries too," she said.

"Thorns?"

"Yes, she and I speak often. She told me in the woods you were the one before you came. If you had not come, I would have died. So you see we saved one another. "

"But how did you know I'd come."

"Magic," she said. "Magic is strongest on, what you call Easter, for us. I saw it in glimpses and pushed Fluffy me toward your path. I unfortunately did not see the snare. More magic and you needed to relieve yourself. Then I just called to Thorns and she came."

She backed into the door, holding my hand, pulling me to my feet.

"Follow me," she smiled a smile that sealed my love of her in me forever.

We made it to my old bedroom and there made love. It was wondrous, and it seemed we were joined for hours. My god, she was the most beautiful creature that had ever lived. I think I told her that with every breath as we made love, her violet eyes peering into mine. I found tickling her long ears made her pussy throb and quiver. Rubbing her cottony tail made her grind on me harder. But the most adorable thing was, she had a heart shaped pubic patch that was as soft as bunnies fur and pink just like the hair on her head.

"I will always love you Bunny," I said as my third orgasm erupted into her. She collapsed on top of me.

"How's your magic level?"

She giggled on my chest. "When you wake... I will be in your... there," she said. "So will fluffy bunny."

"Can anyone see you?"

"Yes, everyone will be able to see us now. That's why you had to love me. You see, I will still have a tail and ears and my eyes this color. I can hide them from everyone with magic, but I will need my lover's energy to keep it the magic charged."

"Can you not hide them from me?"

She giggled again into my neck. "If that is what you wish my love."

"I wish to always see the real you. Always and forever."

"How old are you," I asked feeling sleepy as she traced her fingers along my chest?

"Hmmm, best I can tell is about twenty-five of your years," she said.

"Oh great, you get an old man," I said.

"Baby," she said then kissed my lips, "you are not old. I love this," she said kissing my chest, "well what's underneath I mean, but I love the outside too. I love this," she said kissing my lips. "This, This, This," she said kissing me all over as I drifted to sleep in my dream.

I awoke and the sun was up. Nobody in my bed but me. My heart dropped. Then I heard a light banging in the kitchen. Walking in I saw the long legged, pink curly haired girl in one of my t-shirts and the other pink girl sitting on the counter.

"Oh! Daddy's up," she told fluffy Bunny and sprang into my arms kissing me.

"Daddy," I asked?

"Just because you couldn't understand us, doesn't mean we can't understand you baby," she added.

A knock on the door, and Bunny jumped.

"Bubba it's me," P said opening the door.

"Stay here a minute," I said to the girls.

I met P in the living room. "Well hey there you look good today," she said.

Thorns went straight to the kitchen and yipped.

P eyed me. "Bunny is in there," I said.

"Oh."

"I want you to meet someone P."

"OK Bubba."

"Bunny you can come in."

P grabbed her mouth and had the biggest smile. "I knew it" she almost shouted. "I knew it!!"