It was still dark when he woke up again. Arthur Kirkland had spent the night tossing and turning about. He couldn't shake the feeling he was being watched. He laid on his stomach, panting at the digital clock across the room. Willing the minutes to hurry and pass, he flopped on his back and stared at the ceiling.
"Come on now" Arthur said to himself. "You're just being ridiculous. There is no one watching you!"
He rolled over again before deciding to get up. Robe in hand, Arthur exited his room and headed to the kitchen. The lights he left off. It was his house after all, and the kitchen was just the third door down on the left.
Reaching the door, his hand slid over the smooth knob and right before he was about to turn the handle a rustling noise emerged from the silence. The englishman felt a cold chill run up and down his spine. Gathering his nerves, Arthur burst through the door and slammed the lights on.
The door leading outside swung gently back and forth as a little black rabbit stared at him in wonder before dashing out. With a sigh, he slumped into the nearest chair.
"You seem to be loosing your touch old man." He chuckled to himself.
Faint calls from outside began to grow and rapid footsteps pounding on the soft grass could be heard, growing louder by the second. Without a second thought, Arthur found himself scrambling to close the door. He gripped the knob and pulled it shut as the black rabbit darted back in the house right before the door hit the frame. Stopping under the table, the rabbit watched with innocent black eyes as Arthur stooped down to see it.
"Well this is just brilliant" he said as his face dropped. "Whats a black rabbit doing rushing back in 'ere, hmmm?"
The rabbit just stared at him until a frantic pounding on the door jerked it's attention to the door. Arthur cautiously stood up and rested his hand on the knob before cracking the door open just enough to see the visitor.
She was panting vigorously. Her dark curls hung wet in front of her face. She wiped away tears from her dark green eyes with the back of her hand and her small body shook under a black blazer and jeans.
"H-have...yo-"She gulped "-you seen a black rabbit?"
Arthur blinked, processing the question.
"Yes." He answered. "It's sitting under my kitchen table."
"Oh thank god!" She exclaimed."May I come in and get him?"
Arthur stepped out of the way and held the door open for this mysterious lady. She stepped in and glided to the table. Shutting the door behind him, he found himself speaking.
"How did you start this chase in the first place?"
She pulled herself out from underneath the table, arms wrapped around the rabbit.
"He some how got out of his cage and the dogs started chasing him about and he jolted through the dog door and since he's a black rabbit I figured that cars probably couldn't be able to see him real well and I was so afraid he might get hit and-"
As she rattled on, Arthur stared almost dreamily at her. Her nervous and tired expression combined with her story began to play on his heart strings. It was obvious she had been running for a while and with all the dangerous men on the streets at this hour, he was surprised she wasn't picked up by one.
"-And so thank you so much for finding him!" She ended her story, panting even more heavily. "So I'll be leaving now."
"W-Wait! Please stay!" Arthur shocked himself. "It's dangerous at this hour and you must be exhausted after your chase. Please stay here. I'll make you a nice cup of tea and ready the guest bedroom for you."
She stood there contemplating it for a moment but soon smiled brightly.
"If it's not to much trouble for you, then I except your offer"
Arthur found himself smiling along with her.
"My name is Arthur Kirkland" Introducing himself with a bow.
"It's a pleasure Mr. Kirkland. My name is- Ow! Ow!"
The women yelped in pain as the black rabbit bit into her forefinger. Prying her finger out of the sharp teeth she scowled a bit at the rabbit.
"This little one is named Black Jack." She growled, sucking her finger. "He likes to hear his name first."
"Here. Let me get you some bandages" Arthur offered taking a step closer.
She held her finger up to the light and examined it.
"Oh that's alright." She smiled again. "Don't worry it'll be fine. Please, would you mind making the tea now?"
With a quick nod, Arthur turned his back to the lady and felt the eerie feeling of being watched creep back up his spine. Glancing over his shoulder, Arthur watched for a quick second as the women smiled at the black rabbit on the table. He turned the stove on and put the kettle on to boil; pausing over the heat of the stove to try and chase away the chill. Again he glanced over his shoulder, only to find the little bunny hopping around and the women happily watching the show. Arthur reached for some tea cups as he felt his anxiety growing. Clinking a few glasses together and pulling spoons from the drawer right next to the stove, he set everything on the marble counter tops and quickly turned around.
Black Jack cocked his head to the side and stared with its big mirror-like black eyes at the Englishman again but this time his eyes weren't alone. Arthur found the women smiling and staring at him. But the smile seemed off. It seemed less warm and kind like the smile before it. Something about it seemed sinister. Little beads of sweat found their way onto his face again. Her smile faded and a concerned expression took its place.
"Mr. Kirkland? Are you alright?"She asked. Her tone was completely innocent "You look scared."
"Fine" Arthur squeaked. "Just fine. A bit hot over by the stove. Nothing really"
He chuckled, hoping this would chase away uncertainties. She laughed along with him and gave a pleasant 'oh I see' that sent 50 times more chills up his spine then Ivan ever could. He swallowed nervously.
"If you'll excuse me, I-i think I'll go set up the guest room now." Arthur walked as nonchalantly as he could to the door as he spoke.
"Thank you Mr. Kirkland." She fidgeted a bit.
Arthur escaped and flew down the hall to the guest room not bothering with the lights. His hands were glazed with sweat and he repeated wiped the on his robe before daring to fix up the bed. A small creaking noise accompanied by a few thumps startled the poor man. He whipped his body around and stared into the darkness.
"Black jack?" He asked.
The little black rabbit sniffed the ground around the door and hopped around. Arthur watched the rabbit hop about until it stopped and looked up directly at Arthur one last time. He saw his reflection in the rabbits eyes, and, for a brief moment, he saw the flash of something metallic behind him.
Arthur gasped as he was forced to the ground. His arms where pinned down under his back as he landed face up. His head was pressed into the floorboards and a cold, sharp edge was biting at his neck. Squirming, he struggled to see his attacker. The only thing he could see was the reflection of the weapon gleaming in his killers dark green eyes.
"Who..who are you?" He coughed out as the weapon was pressed hard and harder on his throat.
The attackers smile glowed in the dark and a little black nose sniffed the sweat on the defenseless man. Raising the weapon away from his neck in preparation for the final blow the killer spoke.
"Little Black Jack and Penelope Blackwood."
Penelope stood up after finishing clearing the all evidence and slipping a crumpled piece of paper in her pocket. Picking up the innocent little rabbit, she carried him to the kitchen. She cleaned the steak knife and placed it back in the drawer with the rest of the utensils just as the kettle began to whistle. Black Jack lifted his head and sniffed the aromatic fumes emanating from the kettle. With a shrug, she poured herself a cup and wiped off the handle. Penelope stirred the tea, took a sip and pulled Black Jack onto her shoulder. Tea still sliding into her lips, she strolled out the way she came in, with the sun peaking over the horizon. She emptied the cup, placed it into a passing garbage truck, and pulled out her phone; letting the words on the screen bounce off Black Jacks mirror-like eyes.
England is dead, and the password has been found
-P