Mipsy had started joining Kevin and Number Two on their outings.
She didn't feel at place amongst the other rabbits in The Burrow, and she liked them, and they respected her, so she felt that helping them gather materials, supplies and food was the best thing she could do. Standing in the forest this day, she was picking up berries and dropping them by her side so that Kevin or Number Two could come get them and put them in their satchels. She stopped for a moment after plopping yet another berry on the pile and looked around.
It was such a beautiful day. It was just the right temperature, just the right amount of sunlight peeking from behind the clouds, just the right amount of wind. Yes, everything was perfect. So why did everyone else seem so unnerved all the time? Far as Mipsy could tell, this place was the best place in the world, and yet...yet Kevin, Number Two, everyone at The Burrow seemed so on edge at all times. Perhaps what THEY had done to her had eliminated the concept of fear from her brain, but whatever the reason, she felt blessed to be able to enjoy what was around her.
"I see you've been busy," Number Two said as he approached her pile, picking them up and putting them in his satchel.
"I do good job?" Mipsy asked, and he smiled at her.
"Of course you do," he replied, "You always do a good job. We appreciate having your help out there. Trust me, with you as a third, we can carry even MORE back to The Burrow, so you're helping tremendously."
This made Mipsy feel good. She'd rarely ever helped before, often just being stuck in the sidelines, too confused to step forward. She'd always wanted to help in the lab, but she just didn't know how she could. It always seemed like Gerry and Kevin had things under some semblance of control at least.
"Hey," Kevin said, coming up to them, "I just thought of something...what do we do when these go out of season?"
"What?" Number Two asked, "Oh...I mean, I guess we'll make sure to have plenty stockpiled by then and ration them out long enough to last the winter. I'm sure there will be other things to eat too. Right now I'm working on plans to build some sort of addition to The Burrow, a pantry or some kind, where we can keep all these things together, safe and clean, ready to eat."
"That's great that you're suddenly an architect but it doesn't really answer my question," Kevin said, making Number Two smirk, "I mean, what if there ISN'T anything else to eat? What if this is all there is? What if when it runs out we can't find anything for the winter?"
"Then we'll make sure to have enough by then," Number Two said, "They grow quickly, they're safe and there's a ton of them, I think we'll be okay."
"Alright, just wondering," Kevin said, helping Number Two fill up his satchel with Mipsys berries. She picked one up herself and started chewing on it. She saw a bird fly overhead, and started climbing the hill in front of them to watch it from the top. Once on the top of the hill, she stopped and watched the bird swoop and dive until it vanished from sight, and that's when her eyes lead right down to another hill, directly across from her, upon which a tall, brown colored rabbit was standing. They were staring at one another.
"What's goin' on up here?" Kevin asked, coming up the hill, "What's..."
"What is it?" Number Two asked, joining them, stopping in his tracks as they all stared at the rabbit, who was staring back at them; Number Two continued, "It's her. It's the same one from before, remember?"
"Same one before?" Mipsy asked, finishing the berry, looking at him confused.
"We saw this rabbit once before, when Kevin and I were out here collecting food," Number Two said, "She didn't notice us before though. Now she's staring directly at us."
Mipsy took off down the hill without even thinking, both Kevin and Number Two calling after her to come back. But she continued, unafraid. Number Two and Kevin eventually headed down the hill after her, but she was already way ahead of them, almost reaching the other hill. The brown rabbit hadn't moved, and as Mipsy reached the top of the hill and stood in front of her, the other rabbit stared at her, as Kevin and Number Two stopped in their tracks, not wanting to make any sudden movements.
"You have metal on your head," the other rabbit finally said.
"I know, I'm Mipsy," Mipsy said.
"Hello Mipsy, I'm Nickel," the brown rabbit said, "Are those your friends?"
Mipsy looked over her shoulder, back at Number Two and Kevin, and sighed.
"Yeah, they are," she said.
"Hey guys," Nickel said, waving a paw at them, "You can come on up. I'm not going to bite."
Number Two and Kevin exchanged nervous glances and then, hesitantly, headed on up the hill towards Nickel and Mipsy. Once atop the hill with them, Nickel smiled at them and rubbed one of her ears with her paw, cleaning it off.
"What're you doing all the way out here?" she asked, "Where's your hollow?"
"We didn't come from a hollow," Kevin said, "We came from the lab."
That instilled a look of absolute terror on Nickels face. She sat down and lowered her voice.
"You guys are from the lab?" she asked, "Oh my god, how did you get out?"
"It wasn't easy, let me tell you," Number Two said, "I'm Number Two, and this is Kevin. I guess you're from around here?"
"Follow me," Nickel said, as she turned and headed down the hill, with the three of them in tow behind her. Number Two leaned into Kevins side, his voice a whisper, as they followed Nickel.
"I don't know how other rabbits out here even know about the lab," Number Two said, "I mean, maybe they could stumble across the building itself, certainly, but how might they know of what goes on inside?"
"Maybe there was a rabbit that got out before," Kevin said, "I don't know. Ask her."
Number Two sighed and hopped up, walking alongside Nickel, Mipsy on her other side. He cleared his throat and laid his ears back, to show he was nervous, so she wouldn't think he didn't trust her.
"How do you know about the lab? Kevin and I just don't...we never really knew about other rabbits even knowing that it-"
"There was a rabbit that escaped from there and found us. We took them in and housed them, nursed them back to health, and they told us all about the horrid things that happened in that lab," Nickel said, "I'm sure they'll be happy to hear from others who shared their fate."
"It's not just us," Number Two said, "There's an entire burrow of us from the lab. Half of the entire lab escaped."
"That's incredible," Nickel said, grinning, "That shouldn't be possible, and yet here you are. Truly astounding."
Number Two fell back beside Kevin and continued following Nickel and Mipsy at a distance again. Something felt off...he felt in his gut, and his gut had never been wrong yet. But...But could it be that he was sure something was wrong because he'd been conditioned to believing that, since so many things HAD been wrong? Maybe this would be the one time something would be RIGHT. Maybe...yes. Maybe. As the rabbits continued up their hills and into the valleys below, Number Two was worried they wouldn't be able to get back to their own burrow by nightfall.
"This is kind of far," he shouted up to Nickel.
"Don't worry, I'll have someone escort you back home," Nickel shouted back over her shoulder, "We have many friends."
Kevin had other things on his mind...like how he was going to tell Number Two about his plans with the fox and Richardson to go back to The Lab. He knew Number Two wouldn't take it well, but he knew he'd need his help as well. He just hoped he would see it as important as he did. Number Four needed help, and Kevin couldn't just sit idly by any longer and hope she got better of her own accord. He had to act, and fast.
"I need to talk to you," Kevin said.
"Talk away," Number Two replied.
"I...I'm um...I'm going to The Lab in a few days."
"...what?"
"You heard me. I met this fox, and Richardson said she was a friend, and that we could get back into the lab easily, and I need to get medicine for Number Four. She's getting worse, man. She needs help. I already lost someone I love, I will not lose her as well. I think Gerry and everyone is still alive, and I think we have to save them as well...It's not fair that we're out here and they're not."
"This is a suicide mission," Number Two said, "And since when are you making plans with Richardson? You barely even know the guy."
"His reasoning stands up, he's lost someone too," Kevin said, "And the fox, Minerva, she seems intelligent and with it. I think if you come with me, the four of us...we could easily pull this off, and I need you, because I need to get into The Sick and find-"
"I'm not coming back with you, Kevin," Number Two said, "I'm sorry. I will tell you exactly how to get to The Sick, but I am not going back to that place. Not now, not ever."
"...I understand," Kevin said coldly, "Just tell me what I need to know."
"Guys," Mipsy said, all of them stopping, "We here."
Ahead of them was a burrow built into the side of a hill, which Nickel entered, and the rest of them followed, rather cautiously. The inside was very nice, very clean, very well built. They could hear noises coming from further down the burrow, and finally after a few moments of walking, the tunnel opened up into a large area, where a bunch of rabbits, old and young, big and small, were sitting, laughing, playing, eating. They all seemed so...so...happy. It didn't seem real, it seemed like some sort of fever dream, but no, it was here, it was real. Nickel turned to them and smiled.
"Welcome to The Hollow," she said, an enormous grin on her face, "Everyone! These are some new friends I found, they came from The Lab! This is Mipsy, and Kevin and..."
"Paul," Number Two said, "My name is Paul."
"And Paul," Nickel said, "Please welcome them as if they were our own burrow mates."
And with that, Kevin, Number Two and Mipsy were accepted as part of another group, a more happy group, a group that hadn't seen the hardships that they had endured, who didn't know of a worse life, who weren't tainted by the cold reality of pain. The worst they'd encountered were likely hunters and some foxes, but nothing like The Collective had survived. And yet...and yet these new rabbits, they'd simply open their home with welcome paws and taken in these complete and total strangers with no fear and no suspicions. It made Kevin so happy, and it made Number Two feel at ease, and it made Mipsy feel like she really belonged anywhere she wanted.
After a few moments, with Kevin and Mipsy busy talking to new friends, Nickel approached Number Two and lowered her voice.
"You need to come with me," she said, "I want you to meet someone."
"Alrighty," Number Two said, following Nickel down a new tunnel.
As they got further and deeper into the hollow, Number Twos fears vanished, and instead were replaced with a sense of peace and belonging. She hadn't lead them into a trap, or taken them to someone who wanted to hurt them, or tried to kill them herself...no. She'd simply told them the truth and brought them somewhere wonderful and warm and loving. Finally, they reached a small area, where, upon a bed of leaves laid a rabbit.
"Hey, Stone," Nickel said, "This is Paul. He came from The Lab."
The rabbit got up, and attached to her leg was a small, metal band, not much unlike the one THEY attached to the bird THEY had brought into the lab, for tracking, and there, tattooed on the back of her right ear, in large black print, was the number 8. Number Two felt the breath leave his body as she got up, shook off and turned to face him. A Number 8? But there was only 7 in The Special Seven.
"Hello Paul," she said, "Or, would you preferred to be called Number Two?"
"...Number Two is fine," Number Two said softly, still in shock, "I'm sorry...I....I am so confused right now. Number Eight? How is this...who are you?"
"I'm a Special, but certainly not one you know," she said, laughing, "No. THEY wanted to see what would happen if a Special was let loose in the wild, how we would adapt with the new knowledge and the higher IQ we have, the techniques we have that make us Special."
"But there's nothing 'special' about us, that's...it's all a lie," Number Two said.
"Come on, Number Two, you really don't think you're better off than other rabbits you know? More logical, more calculating? More capable of critical thinking and less emotional? They've altered you, in ways you likely aren't even aware of, and it's made you more adaptable for survival. Hell, it's why you're here and the others are not."
"We have another Special at our Burrow...Number Four. Her name is Ellen, and she's sick," Number Two said, "...THEY must not have thought she was that special if she's sick, even if they claimed it was an accident."
"Bring her here, we can try and help her with what we know," Stone said, "I know a bit of medicine myself, natural things, and perhaps I can help her get better."
"I...I will bring her here, yes, but I will have to speak to my friend, as he's the one who's actually the leader of our group," Number Two said, "But I'm certain he'll say yes, even if it's just to protect her more."
"Bring your entire group here, if you want," Stone said, "All are welcome. This is a safe place."
Number Two stared at her, and then, for the first time in what felt like his entire life, he cried. Number Two finally cried, and it wasn't out of pity or anger or fear. No. He cried from joy. On the way home, he would discuss with Kevin the idea of bringing Number Four here, and tell him where to find medicine in The Sick, but until then, yes until then...
...he'd cry tears of happiness, and nothing was going to bring him down, because he was safe.
He was finally safe.
She didn't feel at place amongst the other rabbits in The Burrow, and she liked them, and they respected her, so she felt that helping them gather materials, supplies and food was the best thing she could do. Standing in the forest this day, she was picking up berries and dropping them by her side so that Kevin or Number Two could come get them and put them in their satchels. She stopped for a moment after plopping yet another berry on the pile and looked around.
It was such a beautiful day. It was just the right temperature, just the right amount of sunlight peeking from behind the clouds, just the right amount of wind. Yes, everything was perfect. So why did everyone else seem so unnerved all the time? Far as Mipsy could tell, this place was the best place in the world, and yet...yet Kevin, Number Two, everyone at The Burrow seemed so on edge at all times. Perhaps what THEY had done to her had eliminated the concept of fear from her brain, but whatever the reason, she felt blessed to be able to enjoy what was around her.
"I see you've been busy," Number Two said as he approached her pile, picking them up and putting them in his satchel.
"I do good job?" Mipsy asked, and he smiled at her.
"Of course you do," he replied, "You always do a good job. We appreciate having your help out there. Trust me, with you as a third, we can carry even MORE back to The Burrow, so you're helping tremendously."
This made Mipsy feel good. She'd rarely ever helped before, often just being stuck in the sidelines, too confused to step forward. She'd always wanted to help in the lab, but she just didn't know how she could. It always seemed like Gerry and Kevin had things under some semblance of control at least.
"Hey," Kevin said, coming up to them, "I just thought of something...what do we do when these go out of season?"
"What?" Number Two asked, "Oh...I mean, I guess we'll make sure to have plenty stockpiled by then and ration them out long enough to last the winter. I'm sure there will be other things to eat too. Right now I'm working on plans to build some sort of addition to The Burrow, a pantry or some kind, where we can keep all these things together, safe and clean, ready to eat."
"That's great that you're suddenly an architect but it doesn't really answer my question," Kevin said, making Number Two smirk, "I mean, what if there ISN'T anything else to eat? What if this is all there is? What if when it runs out we can't find anything for the winter?"
"Then we'll make sure to have enough by then," Number Two said, "They grow quickly, they're safe and there's a ton of them, I think we'll be okay."
"Alright, just wondering," Kevin said, helping Number Two fill up his satchel with Mipsys berries. She picked one up herself and started chewing on it. She saw a bird fly overhead, and started climbing the hill in front of them to watch it from the top. Once on the top of the hill, she stopped and watched the bird swoop and dive until it vanished from sight, and that's when her eyes lead right down to another hill, directly across from her, upon which a tall, brown colored rabbit was standing. They were staring at one another.
"What's goin' on up here?" Kevin asked, coming up the hill, "What's..."
"What is it?" Number Two asked, joining them, stopping in his tracks as they all stared at the rabbit, who was staring back at them; Number Two continued, "It's her. It's the same one from before, remember?"
"Same one before?" Mipsy asked, finishing the berry, looking at him confused.
"We saw this rabbit once before, when Kevin and I were out here collecting food," Number Two said, "She didn't notice us before though. Now she's staring directly at us."
Mipsy took off down the hill without even thinking, both Kevin and Number Two calling after her to come back. But she continued, unafraid. Number Two and Kevin eventually headed down the hill after her, but she was already way ahead of them, almost reaching the other hill. The brown rabbit hadn't moved, and as Mipsy reached the top of the hill and stood in front of her, the other rabbit stared at her, as Kevin and Number Two stopped in their tracks, not wanting to make any sudden movements.
"You have metal on your head," the other rabbit finally said.
"I know, I'm Mipsy," Mipsy said.
"Hello Mipsy, I'm Nickel," the brown rabbit said, "Are those your friends?"
Mipsy looked over her shoulder, back at Number Two and Kevin, and sighed.
"Yeah, they are," she said.
"Hey guys," Nickel said, waving a paw at them, "You can come on up. I'm not going to bite."
Number Two and Kevin exchanged nervous glances and then, hesitantly, headed on up the hill towards Nickel and Mipsy. Once atop the hill with them, Nickel smiled at them and rubbed one of her ears with her paw, cleaning it off.
"What're you doing all the way out here?" she asked, "Where's your hollow?"
"We didn't come from a hollow," Kevin said, "We came from the lab."
That instilled a look of absolute terror on Nickels face. She sat down and lowered her voice.
"You guys are from the lab?" she asked, "Oh my god, how did you get out?"
"It wasn't easy, let me tell you," Number Two said, "I'm Number Two, and this is Kevin. I guess you're from around here?"
"Follow me," Nickel said, as she turned and headed down the hill, with the three of them in tow behind her. Number Two leaned into Kevins side, his voice a whisper, as they followed Nickel.
"I don't know how other rabbits out here even know about the lab," Number Two said, "I mean, maybe they could stumble across the building itself, certainly, but how might they know of what goes on inside?"
"Maybe there was a rabbit that got out before," Kevin said, "I don't know. Ask her."
Number Two sighed and hopped up, walking alongside Nickel, Mipsy on her other side. He cleared his throat and laid his ears back, to show he was nervous, so she wouldn't think he didn't trust her.
"How do you know about the lab? Kevin and I just don't...we never really knew about other rabbits even knowing that it-"
"There was a rabbit that escaped from there and found us. We took them in and housed them, nursed them back to health, and they told us all about the horrid things that happened in that lab," Nickel said, "I'm sure they'll be happy to hear from others who shared their fate."
"It's not just us," Number Two said, "There's an entire burrow of us from the lab. Half of the entire lab escaped."
"That's incredible," Nickel said, grinning, "That shouldn't be possible, and yet here you are. Truly astounding."
Number Two fell back beside Kevin and continued following Nickel and Mipsy at a distance again. Something felt off...he felt in his gut, and his gut had never been wrong yet. But...But could it be that he was sure something was wrong because he'd been conditioned to believing that, since so many things HAD been wrong? Maybe this would be the one time something would be RIGHT. Maybe...yes. Maybe. As the rabbits continued up their hills and into the valleys below, Number Two was worried they wouldn't be able to get back to their own burrow by nightfall.
"This is kind of far," he shouted up to Nickel.
"Don't worry, I'll have someone escort you back home," Nickel shouted back over her shoulder, "We have many friends."
Kevin had other things on his mind...like how he was going to tell Number Two about his plans with the fox and Richardson to go back to The Lab. He knew Number Two wouldn't take it well, but he knew he'd need his help as well. He just hoped he would see it as important as he did. Number Four needed help, and Kevin couldn't just sit idly by any longer and hope she got better of her own accord. He had to act, and fast.
"I need to talk to you," Kevin said.
"Talk away," Number Two replied.
"I...I'm um...I'm going to The Lab in a few days."
"...what?"
"You heard me. I met this fox, and Richardson said she was a friend, and that we could get back into the lab easily, and I need to get medicine for Number Four. She's getting worse, man. She needs help. I already lost someone I love, I will not lose her as well. I think Gerry and everyone is still alive, and I think we have to save them as well...It's not fair that we're out here and they're not."
"This is a suicide mission," Number Two said, "And since when are you making plans with Richardson? You barely even know the guy."
"His reasoning stands up, he's lost someone too," Kevin said, "And the fox, Minerva, she seems intelligent and with it. I think if you come with me, the four of us...we could easily pull this off, and I need you, because I need to get into The Sick and find-"
"I'm not coming back with you, Kevin," Number Two said, "I'm sorry. I will tell you exactly how to get to The Sick, but I am not going back to that place. Not now, not ever."
"...I understand," Kevin said coldly, "Just tell me what I need to know."
"Guys," Mipsy said, all of them stopping, "We here."
Ahead of them was a burrow built into the side of a hill, which Nickel entered, and the rest of them followed, rather cautiously. The inside was very nice, very clean, very well built. They could hear noises coming from further down the burrow, and finally after a few moments of walking, the tunnel opened up into a large area, where a bunch of rabbits, old and young, big and small, were sitting, laughing, playing, eating. They all seemed so...so...happy. It didn't seem real, it seemed like some sort of fever dream, but no, it was here, it was real. Nickel turned to them and smiled.
"Welcome to The Hollow," she said, an enormous grin on her face, "Everyone! These are some new friends I found, they came from The Lab! This is Mipsy, and Kevin and..."
"Paul," Number Two said, "My name is Paul."
"And Paul," Nickel said, "Please welcome them as if they were our own burrow mates."
And with that, Kevin, Number Two and Mipsy were accepted as part of another group, a more happy group, a group that hadn't seen the hardships that they had endured, who didn't know of a worse life, who weren't tainted by the cold reality of pain. The worst they'd encountered were likely hunters and some foxes, but nothing like The Collective had survived. And yet...and yet these new rabbits, they'd simply open their home with welcome paws and taken in these complete and total strangers with no fear and no suspicions. It made Kevin so happy, and it made Number Two feel at ease, and it made Mipsy feel like she really belonged anywhere she wanted.
After a few moments, with Kevin and Mipsy busy talking to new friends, Nickel approached Number Two and lowered her voice.
"You need to come with me," she said, "I want you to meet someone."
"Alrighty," Number Two said, following Nickel down a new tunnel.
As they got further and deeper into the hollow, Number Twos fears vanished, and instead were replaced with a sense of peace and belonging. She hadn't lead them into a trap, or taken them to someone who wanted to hurt them, or tried to kill them herself...no. She'd simply told them the truth and brought them somewhere wonderful and warm and loving. Finally, they reached a small area, where, upon a bed of leaves laid a rabbit.
"Hey, Stone," Nickel said, "This is Paul. He came from The Lab."
The rabbit got up, and attached to her leg was a small, metal band, not much unlike the one THEY attached to the bird THEY had brought into the lab, for tracking, and there, tattooed on the back of her right ear, in large black print, was the number 8. Number Two felt the breath leave his body as she got up, shook off and turned to face him. A Number 8? But there was only 7 in The Special Seven.
"Hello Paul," she said, "Or, would you preferred to be called Number Two?"
"...Number Two is fine," Number Two said softly, still in shock, "I'm sorry...I....I am so confused right now. Number Eight? How is this...who are you?"
"I'm a Special, but certainly not one you know," she said, laughing, "No. THEY wanted to see what would happen if a Special was let loose in the wild, how we would adapt with the new knowledge and the higher IQ we have, the techniques we have that make us Special."
"But there's nothing 'special' about us, that's...it's all a lie," Number Two said.
"Come on, Number Two, you really don't think you're better off than other rabbits you know? More logical, more calculating? More capable of critical thinking and less emotional? They've altered you, in ways you likely aren't even aware of, and it's made you more adaptable for survival. Hell, it's why you're here and the others are not."
"We have another Special at our Burrow...Number Four. Her name is Ellen, and she's sick," Number Two said, "...THEY must not have thought she was that special if she's sick, even if they claimed it was an accident."
"Bring her here, we can try and help her with what we know," Stone said, "I know a bit of medicine myself, natural things, and perhaps I can help her get better."
"I...I will bring her here, yes, but I will have to speak to my friend, as he's the one who's actually the leader of our group," Number Two said, "But I'm certain he'll say yes, even if it's just to protect her more."
"Bring your entire group here, if you want," Stone said, "All are welcome. This is a safe place."
Number Two stared at her, and then, for the first time in what felt like his entire life, he cried. Number Two finally cried, and it wasn't out of pity or anger or fear. No. He cried from joy. On the way home, he would discuss with Kevin the idea of bringing Number Four here, and tell him where to find medicine in The Sick, but until then, yes until then...
...he'd cry tears of happiness, and nothing was going to bring him down, because he was safe.
He was finally safe.