Chapter 3: Thank you Bunny

Miya's mother marched her home not even taking a glance at what she though was 'a disgrace' of a daughter. When they arrived home she took Miya down to the basement.

"You will stay here and think about what you have done!" Her mother said slamming the door behind her.

Miya ran up to the door banging her hands agenised it furiously. "No! Mom! Please I-I" She said before breaking down into tears.

Miya hated the basement. It was a dark, gloomy and cramped room that was only as big as a small living room for a family of two. There was no natural light and the only light bulb had died months ago. Rats, spiders and other insects had made it their home for years and didn't take kindly to…new guests. Miya didn't really care about the rodents, bugs or even the cramped space…what she hated the most was the pitch black. She had no problem going out at night thanks to the moon and stars but down in the basement there was nothing. She sat by the stairs shivering and crying her eyes out.

A small tap then came…

Miya silenced herself for a moment. Another tap came. Miya stood up and began shivering again…

"N-No…it's not…S-Shadow man?!" She screamed and began banging on the door again hoping for her mother to hear her and save her from this nightmare.

A large bang and clatter then came as what sounded like wood hit the floor. Miya looked up to find a small hole in the wall at what looked like an old blocked up window. Through the hole she was what looked like an animal foot which quickly left. Miya walked up to the hole and began pulling down the remaining planks of wood to find a small window just big enough for her to fit through. She quickly squirmed her way out of the window and back into the daylight. She took a long deep breath before beginning to walk.

"Who…or what helped me out of there…?" She said looking around but nothing was there. "I definitely saw something…that plank didn't fall by itself" She had one final look before walking to the only place she could think of.

She slowly knocked on the door and waited. "Oh Miya, come in, Saru's upstairs" she said inviting Miya inside.

"Thank you Mrs Evan-san" Miya said walking in and upstairs. She knocked on the door before slowly entering. Saru was lying on his bed reading a small book. "Miya!" He said putting his book down and patting the bed; asking her to join him as he sat up. She smiled and ran over to sit next to her best friend. Saru then saw her face close up "Have you been crying?" He said rubbing the red patches around her eyes with his thumb.

"M-Mom locked me in the basement again…" She said trying to perk up "She doesn't know I'm here…"

Saru then looked at her hands which were covered in bruises and splinters "Your hands look really bad…why?"

"I was banging on the door really hard…"

"Why?"

"I-I thought I saw something…"

"Something?" He said but Miya's look told him everything. He pulled her into a hug and began stroking her hair. "Shadow man is just a myth, you have the Forest Guardian watching over you remember? Shadow man can't hurt you"

"I was just scared…" Miya said, trying hard to hold back the tears.

"Hold still…" Saru said starting to pick out the splinters from her hands.

"Ouch!"

"Hold still I said!" He said continuing. Miya sat still has Saru picked the last few splinters out. He then gently patted her hand "all better" he said smiling. Miya smiled back before flopping on the bed and picking up Saru's book. "Blood Brothers?" She said.

"It's a play about two twin brothers who were separated at birth, one became poor and one became wealthy, but it's pretty sad" He replied taking the book back and closing it.

"Hmm…" She said.

"What's wrong?"

"There's something I've forgotten..." She said trying to work it out. "Oh I left my book at the river bank!" She quickly jumped out and ran to the door. She bowed and thanked Saru before rushing out of the house. She took a few steps out into town before realising "I-I can't remember where the river bank is…it was too dark…" but luckily Dakku had found her and rushed to her side. "Dakku!" She said petting him "Do you remember how to get to the river bank?"

The cat meowed before running towards the forest with Miya following. She soon realised that she had gone pretty far down into the forest. When they finally reached the river bank Miya began to search for her book which was nowhere to be found. "Could it have been pushed into the river?!" She panicked. However something worse then popped into her head. "O-Oh no…how did I not realise…this is the spirits ground humans aren't allowed to be here!" She said freezing. "And I came here twice now!" She said covering her mouth. She then felt a small tugging at her leg. She looked down to find a small white rabbit…with a bandage around it. "I-It's you bunny!" she said surprised "Looks like you're getting better" smiling at it. The rabbit then began hopping back into the forest beckoning her to follow. They soon arrived at the same hollow tree the she had placed the rabbit in when they first met. The rabbit popped inside the hole but soon came back out dragging something along. "My book!" She said dropping to the ground "Y-You kept it safe?"

The rabbit dragged the book over to her before sitting on her lap rubbing its fluffy head against her chest. "Thanks you bunny…" Miya said putting the book away and stroking the rabbit. It seemed to enjoy it and began licking her face gently "Hehe stop it, that tickles" She said giggling and giving the rabbit a soft kiss on its forehead. She then examined the rabbits wound "It's healing up nicely, just take it easy ok?" and funnily enough it seemed as if the rabbit nodded in agreement.

Rain soon started beating down and a storm quickly started stirring. "I can't go home in this…it's too dangerous but what…" The rabbit began tugging on her sleeve and pulling her towards a tree not too far away from them. The tree was big and sturdy but with a large hollow point just big enough for her to fit in. She quickly wriggled in and the rabbit followed. "I guess I'll have to stay here until the storm finishes…" She said getting comfortable and the rabbit sitting on her lap again. It wasn't too long before they both fell fast asleep.