Part 2: A Healing Scar
The news that Judy Hopps had been sent to the hospital had went viral around ZNN. All mammals across Zootopia—friend and foe, prey and predator—had seen the broadcast… And had taken note of it. The only question was… Which would make it to the bunny cop first?
Judy, for the past couple of days, had used the ventilation system to secretly visit Nick—since prey were no longer allowed to be alone inside a room with a predator. The two had contemplated on their next course of action, which was putting Bellwether behind bars. Plan B, Nick had called it, was simple, yet seemed possibly dangerous and risky.
Judy had concluded that since she was to be released from the hospital in two days time, she would be the one, and only one, to visit Bogo at his apartment in downtown Zootopia and expose Bellwether's evil actions to the Chief.
Nick had his doubts about the bunnies plan, knowing that the many predators roaming the streets would be more than happy to kidnap and kill her in the most brutally way possible. It had taken Judy a lot of convincing before Nick finally agreed to go along with her plan, although hesitant.
"Your plan is too simple, Carrots." Nick had said, with Judy, once again, laying the bed with him tucked in his arm. But this time, to Judy's relief, he hadn't questioned why she wanted to get so intimate with him. He must've enjoyed her being that close, then, she guessed. "If you ask me, I don't thinks fates going to let you simply stroll out of the hospital and then visit Bogo. You need something or someone to lean on in case the situation goes haywire."
At Nick's statement, Judy had immediately suggested her home town: Bunny Borrow.
"If anything goes wrong, Nick, I can simply retreat to my parents house. They'll provide me with plenty of protection." When Nick gave her a look full of worry, she added, "I promise."
After two days of talking and arguing, they both finally settled on their course of action.
There plan was finished—simple, a few flaws, but finished.
Two days later. 1:02 pm.
Today was the day Judy was too be released from the hospital, but Chief Bogo had demanded that she be questioned about her experience in the fire before she left. So, Mchorn came by around 1:00 pm—the original time she was too be released from the hospital—and questioned her on how she escaped the burning ZPD. Judy didn't blame the Chief for giving out the particular order. The ZPD was nothing but a pile of cinder and ash since it was burned down, therefore, leaving the police force without an interrogation room to question the bunny in. But still… The Chief's order did slow down her and Nick's plan.
There weren't many questions for the officer to ask, to Judy's relief. Mchorn had said all the questions with a apathetic tone, making the situation more boring than it already was.
But when Mchorn reached the last question, his tone had taken a dramatic shift. Judy had a hint as to why.
The rhino had asked her every question she could think of, all except for one: who had set the ZPD ablaze and had attempted to assassinate her?
There was no need for that question—not anymore, Mchorn had informed her.
The ZPD had already caught the bastard who'd done it.
To Judy's horror, she had learned that Officer Wolfard was mammal responsible for the crimes. The news had made Judy nearly emptied her stomach on the hospital bed. She'd asked "are you sure he wasn't framed", but all the evidence had led to him—and only him.
The thought that Wolfard had hated her so deeply that he would go as far to burn down the whole police station just to kill her frightened her—and broke her soul.
Judy had also learned that Wolfard was to be sentenced to death, tomorrow, by gunfire—gunfire. If Wolfard were prey, would he be sentenced to gunfire, then? The question had came faster than she could stop it.
No matter how hard she tried, Judy couldn't stop the tears from streaming down her cheek. Another predator gone, because he had hated her to such an unbelievable extent.
Moments later, Judy broke down, crying into her furry paws. She didn't dare glanced at Mchorn. The rhino, as far as she knew, was probably rolling his eyes as she cried, wondering why the Chief would ever assignment him to such a soft-hearted, naïve bunny like herself.
But, surprisingly, the opposite had happened. The rhino gingerly placed a giant paw on her back, giving her a sympathetic gaze. He said a few comforting words, smiling warmly at her. Then, a few minutes later, he the left bunnies room in silence.
Judy continued to sob over Wolfard's demise.
Since the moment Mchorn had left the room… No, since the moment she'd heard of Wolfard's crime, had a she desperate urge to talk to Nick. She needed to spill all her doubts—all her fears—to him, and it pleased and saddened her to think that he was the only person in this city that she could trust… Love… Without having a second thoughts.
Judy searched her memories of every mammal she'd come to know in Zootopia, but none could make her feel safe like Nick did—not even her parents. Even Bogo… She couldn't fully trust him, but she had to, if she wanted to stop Bellwether, that is.
You can trust him, Judy! Stop being so paranoid! Didn't you see his reaction when he heard that Jamal had been killed? It was true. When the Chief received the horrible news that Jamal had been shot to death, a shadow of sorrow had covered the buffalos expression, nearly to. Chief Bogo cared for every officer on the force. There was no way he could be working with Bellwether… Right?
Three minutes passed, and not a single nurse had gotten anywhere near the bunnies room. She was safe to leave. Excited, Judy threw the white blankets off her torso and leaped from the bed, landing on her feet with feline ease. Just when Judy was about to hop to the vent, a nurse—a female bunny with fluffy white fur—entered the room, a smile stretching across her fluffy face.
Judy froze in her tracks. Damn it, she cursed inwardly.
The nurse gave a surprised look at seeing Judy out of her bed. "Oh, Ms. Hopps, am I disturbing you?" She asked innocently, the dazzling sun pouring in through Judy's window gleamed in the bunnies grey eyes.
Judy swallowed her wailing frustration. "No, no, you're fine." She lied. "I was just… Doing some quick exercises. Muttering curses under her breath, she climbed back onto her bed, covering her torso with the white blanket once again. She refused to talk to one of the nurses without having the white-rose blanket concealing her almost-transparent-hospital gown. Even if the doctors constantly assured her that the gown would protect her privacy, she was sure that if the sun were to illuminate the too-thin-gown her bare fur would be exposed to every eye that focused on her—perhaps that what the doctors wanted. Especially the males. Perverts.
The nurse let out a little laugh. "A little exercise to stay in shape, eh? Certainly sounds like something you would do—being the number one cop in the ZPD and savior of the city."
The compliment tore through her like a viper's venom—because she knew, deep down, that she was anything but a hero. I destroyed this city. The thought caused her eyes to burn slightly.
Judy forced a chuckle through the wall of self-accusation and anger that imprisoned her heart—or what was left of it, anyway. "Oh, I'm flattered, ma'am." Judy smiled. "Thank you." Judy was surprised to find that, despite the self-accusation chewing at her soul for being the cause of so many deaths, her tone was nothing but tranquility, as sweet as honey—non of her anguish in sight. Hiding her emotions. Nick must be rubbing off on me. A fragment of a smile possessed her features.
"No need to thank me, Ms. Hopps." The nurse said with a slight chuckle. "Anyway, I wanted to inform you that particular mammal is her to see you."
Judy raised a brow. "Really? Who?"
The nurse's smile brightened. "Someone very important, lucky you."
Now Judy was really curious.
"Your visitor will be here shortly." The bunny confirmed, exiting the room. The sound of the shutting door echoed through Judy's room.
"Someone very important?" Judy asked out loud, staring into blank space. Perhaps her parents, they were really important to her. Judy froze. Oh no… My parents! Her Mom and Dad, being the carying, overprotective parents they were, they would kill her with the many questions they had. No, scratch that. With her having almost been killed more than three times, she wouldn't be surprised if her Dad dragged her back to Bunny Borrows by her ears.
This is bad—really, really bad.
Judy prayed that the visitor happen to be someone other than her parents. She would rather face the wrath of the many hate-driven predators than try to convince her parents to why she should stay in Zootopia.
Judy's ears perked up when the door squeaked opened. Judy suddenly found herself regretting that she'd ever made her prayer to begin with... Because her request had been received.
Mayor Dawn Bellwether, maker of the nigh howler serum, causer of predator discrination, and the individual responsible for Nick's lethal injuries, stalked into Judy's room, her smile too innocent to match the black heart hidden beneath wool and flesh. The sunlight pouring in through the window to the left of Judy's bed gleamed off the sheep's dark blue skirt and jacket, making fragments of the ocean blue skirt dance on the white wall—the outfit was beautiful, but the tyrant wearing was most ugliest of creations. A hulking male rhino trailed behind Bellwether, his black clothes and oversized biceps gave a pretty clear warning to stay a healthy distance away.
But despite Judy's shock from Dawn's unexpected visit—a visit that made rage simmer through her veins—the bunny couldn't stop her gaze from lingering on the rhino he took his place in the far corner of the room, guarding the Mayor. A body guard. Nick had said that it had been two rhino's who had nearly beaten him to death—luckily, he somehow had survived (Judy was just glad Bellwether hadn't killed Nick like she did Jamal then).
Could that body guard be one of the two sadistic rhino's who came after Nick?
Judy pushed away the thought. She had more important matter to think about, very, very important.
The mammal responsible for the deaths and misery and sorrow of the many, many predators in Zootopia now stood by her bedside, smiling innociently with malice dancing behind her stone, grey eyes. Judy only thought was, why are you here, Bellwether.
Obviously, it must be something important if you're going to waste your precious time to visit a low life like me.
When Nick had told her it was Bellwether who had caused the savage attacks, it wasn't hard to believe. Being sent to a hospital twice, witnessing Jamal's death, having three predators attacking her all at once with the result of her killing one of them—through out her tails of agony, fear, and anger, not once… Not one time did Bellwether ever bother to make contact with her and comforted her. This sheep… This demon, after using her like a puppet, had thrown her to the wolves and let her fend for herself. Bellwether was a trader, non-trustworthy. In fact. She was worse than a fox, or even a savage predator. She was worse than both.
She was a monster.
Focusing on the reality of her situation, Judy forced a smile a on her lips, and said, "Mayor Bellwether… I didn't expect to see you here?" It was true. Judy took two seconds to look Bellwether up and down, searching for any concealed weapon or fire arms. She too two more to search the rhino. Same result, no weapons. Her curiosity heightened. Why is the Mayor here?
"I'm sorry for surprising you, Judy." Bellwether said, her hoofs fiddling with the folds of her dress. "But I've been so worried about you for the past months, that I couldn't resist not seeing you another day." Her eyes brightened a bit, but the dark malice still lingered behind them. "Despite that, it's nice to see you again, Judy."
Judy had to bite her tongue to keep from blurting out the hateful words that wailed in her skull. "You too, ma'am." She smiled, her eyes flicking to the white blanket, making sure it concealed her clenched fist underneath.
Judy glanced at the rhino standing at the corner of the room, his face blank. A stone's face. She wanted a sign, one sign that this rhino had been the one to send Nick—… Her Nick—to the hospital, bloody, broken, and covered in mud. One sign, and she would hunt the bastards to the ends of the earth to make him pay for what he'd done.
Suddenly, Mayor Bellwether suddenly reached under Judy's blanket and place her hoof on the bunnies clenched fist. Judy immediately relaxed her fist, but they trembled ever so slightly anyway—it was the only way Judy could release her rage little by little. "Hey, Judy… I've kept an eye on the ZNN lately, and…"Bellwether paused, her eyes going glossy. Fake tears. It made Judy sick to her core. "And I'm so, so sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed me. I couldn't imagine the pain you must be going through right now, and the fact that you're smiling right now…" Another pause. The Mayor glanced down where she rested her hoof on Judy's. She made eye on contact with the bunny again. "You're a really amazing person."
It took every ounce of her self-control not to rip her paw away from Bellwether's. The fact that this demon was worshipping her after she'd used her like a puppet—it made Judy want to retch.
Despite her growing rage, Judy said, "oh, well, thank you, ma'am." Bellwether was right about one thing: she was surprised that she could still smile, still laugh. That conversation she had with Nick, a few weeks back, she wouldn't be able to smile or laugh. In fact, she probably would've snapped at him for having sympathy, trying to cheer her up with his intentional jokes.
Judy continued to praise Bellwether, hesitantly though, "And you don't have to say sorry for what you did," Judy, hesitantly, assured, "I completely understand your situation: you have an overwhelming responsible—especially with all the wild savage attacks putting this city into a state of fear and panic—and the citizens are looking up to you as their hero; they have expectations that you will restore this city to how it was then. You worrying about me isn't going to bring you or the citizens any closer to our goal: love and peace… A diversity of goodwill." Every word from her speech had felt like lava scorching her tongue. It was painful, lying, but it was necessary for her act.
Hiding her true emotions. Oh, Nick would be so proud of me right now! She almost giggled, imagining Nick's having his smug grin he watched her tricking Bellwether without any flaws.
"Oh, Judy, you have such a kind and compassionate heart." Bellwether beamed.
And you have a heart with elements from the underworld, Judy thought.
"You're are most certainly right. Thank so much for understanding." The sheep said, finally removing her hoof from Judy's paw and letting fall to her side. "You're a true hero."
Judy smiled, and nodded. "You're welcome, ma'am. It's always a pleasure to—"
"You also have," Bellwether cut in, her voice quiet death, "very talented acting skills."
At that very second, as if a dam containing a whole river had been broken, malice flooded Bellwether's gray eyes, turning them into something that wasn't prey-like, nor predator-like. More like monster-like…
Judy stared at Bellwether in a state of shock, wondering how the sheep could've seen through her act like a windowpane. But the answer came to her just as quickly as she was stunned; the mammal who had shot and killed Jamal, likely a ruthless mercenary hired by Bellwether, must've been an assassin… And a spy. Which meant… Which meant Bellwether had spies. Shit. Shit.
Nick, Judy realized, was right, her plan was too simple. For all she knew, a spy could've ease-dropped every detail of her and Nick's plan—and informing Bellwether.
Judy's face suddenly paled.
If Bellwether did get every detail of their plan from one of her cronies, she could have Chief Bogo assassinated just because of the ranking he held in the city—because of the significance he held in their plan. Everything could go to hell. I have to get to Nick—fast. She needed to get away from Bellwether and the rhino—that's if this sadistic sheep didn't kill her first.
A chilling spider crawled down Judy's spine.
Though she had stood face-to-face with Death more than once, the thought of Bellwether trying to kill her made her heart race. But she didn't let the fear dance in her violet eyes.
"How did you know?" Judy asked a question she already knew the answer too, but still… She wanted to confirm it.
Bellwether smiled sweetly. "I think you know the answer to that—with you being the ZPD's best detectives and all."
Judy scowled, her knuckles clutching the soft silk of the white blanket—if she had claws, they would be digging into the flesh of her palm.
"I did it for you, you know? "Bellwether said. "Having that fox beaten half to death, I did that for you." The sheep's sadistic grin vanished like a ghost in the wind, replaced by a stern, honest expression. She wasn't lying.
So this demon did consider her as a friend… Once. Shame.
In truth, Judy was slightly astounded by Bellwether's confession, but the nagging feeling of betrayal added gas to her already blazing flames. "What you did to Nick was cruel and unnecessary, you sick bitch!" She wailed, her nostrils flaring.
The rhino in the corner of the room let out a smirk loud enough to be noticed.
Judy's violet eyes snapped to the beastly rhino, her sharp glare lacking anything but rage and hatred. If this rhino was the one who'd brutally assaulted Nick, he was very, dangerously close to proving it. She needed one sign.
"It was completely necessary!" Bellwether roared. "After how badly he injured you, you expect me to sit back and let that fox go unpunished. No. I gave that canine what he deserved. And you know, back then, you would've agreed wholly with my actions."
As much as it digested her to admit it, Bellwether was right. It was only natural that Nick would pay the consequences for his actions, eventually. Once, she had wanted him to suffer after what he did to her; once, she would've praised Bellwether for what she did to Nick. But not anymore.
For that reason, Judy's voice was calm when she said, "if you wanted him to be punished so badly, you could've at least had him arrested, not beaten half to death!" She exclaimed, her tone shifting.
Bellwether's stern face broke like a glass vase impacting stone. She chuckled, her ugly, uneven teeth flashing. "Oh, look at you, enforcing the law like the good cop you are. And yet, you are the one who caused the riots, deaths, and discrimination that infest this city like a virus. You were the one who mortally wounded three predators—killing one." Bellwether's words were like a dagger to her stomach, each one hurting more than the last. It felt as if all her past mistakes would reach out for her heart and crush it and stab it until there was nothing left.
And the tears burned her eyes, threatening to pour down her cheeks.
She reached her paw out to the far side of the bed, expecting to feel Nick's soft, smooth fur envelope her in his warmth and love, only, there was nothing but empty air. She almost cried out his name, wanting him, needing him. In the darkness of her heart, he was the only light she had that could guide her to the peace and harmony she longed for.
Bellwether creeped closer to Judy, the sheep's lips neared the bunnies sensitive ears. And she whispered, "and don't forget, Judy, that you were the one who deleted the footage of your fox friend—how should I say this—nearly gutting you."
Judy's eyes widened, jolting back from the mayor as if she'd been burned. Her mouth gaping, nose twitching. "H-how did you—"
Bellwether cut her off. "Trust me, bunny," Bellwether breathed, bringing her lips closer to Judy's ears despite the bunny backing away before.
The way Bellwether addressed her—bunny—sent cold, bloody claws down her spine, slicing the bone in two with a crack. Judy let off a hard shiver, ears twitching. Bellwether continued anyway. "I know way more than you think, and because of you—because of your little speech that you so stupidly blurted out to the public—I have full control of this city now. I could turn every single citizen against you with one simple lie. What would you do then, my puppet?"
Puppet? Of course, Judy thought. She was nothing but a mere puppet while solving the Emit Otterton case. A stupid, naïve puppet that was the cause of so many—too many—deaths and tragedies. The thought put her soul in a choke-hold, strangling out whatever emotions she had left. Leaving only depression for her to grasp onto.
Her heart was racing, her nose twitching, and her paws shook violently. Nick, please. She called inwardly.
Please, somebody help. Bellwether… Why was she so scared of her? She was Judy Hopps, brave, loyal, and compassionate. But Bellwether managed to drain that loyalty and bravery. What had happened to the joy she felt while talking to Nick, what had happened to the confidence she'd felt when she'd heard Nick forgive her. It had all been torn away from her very being.
True terror danced in Judy's violet eyes as she gaped at Bellwether, trembling at sadistic aura that radiated from the sheep. Never before in her life had she felt so aghast. Nick. She wanted him, she needed him. She was horrified. And she didn't want to die. Judy glanced at the mayor's waist, searching for any concealed weapon—a knife, a gun. She didn't want to die. Help. Somebody.
She had to get away from her, this sheep, this demon. Before she swallowed her whole with her malice words.
She had to—
Suddenly, Judy's fist smashed into Bellwether's cheek.
The sheep cried out in pain, staggering back, and landed flat on her ass. Judy's eyes were wide as coasters as she watched Bellwether nurse her cheek with her hoof, whimpering in agony.
Judy forced a scowl, a mask to hide her shock of her sudden action. Punching Bellwether, strangely, brought a sense of nostalgia to her mind. The memory of kicking Gideon Grey when he had scared her branded her mind. It had been fear that made her take such violent actions, the fear had triggered something ancient and cruel deep within her—long lost, savage instincts. And that same instinct had been triggered when those three predators had attacked her; the result had been gruesome, with two of them missing a finger, one having his genitals ruptured, and one dead. It had all been because of those ancient instincts running through her veins—her species veins. But every time those survival instincts snap on, she felt different—wild. Like she didn't care who got her as long as she survived—a savage.
The thought both scared and puzzled her.
Now, Bellwether had triggered those wild instincts, and she payed the price for it. Judy's scowl darkened, making her seem. And Bellwether gazed at her. Her gaze wasn't gleaming with fear or hate, or even shock, it was just a… Gaze.
Suddenly, a colossus paw ringed Judy's slender neck and chest, pinning her against the cold, white wall with strength that made it groan and vibrate.
Her vision a blur, Judy sank her dull claws as deep as she could into her attackers paw, attempting to free herself. But her efforts were in vain. The skin of her attacker was too dry and thick for her blunt claws to pierce.
Slowly but surely, her vision cleared, and she wasn't surprised when she found herself staring straight into the green eyes of Bellwether's body guard. She clenched her jaw, kicking the rhino's wrist with every once of her strength she had. The rhino actually hissed in pain, slamming Judy against the wall with a sickening thud. His giant paw was enough to crush her lungs and neck, making her situation worse.
Judy moaned in agony, her vision spinning. She recovered quicker than before, clutching the rhino's giant paw. "Let… Me... G-go." She choked, her crushed lungs screaming for air, her eyes clamped shut.
The rhino tightened his grip. Judy gasped, trying to pry the colossus paws away from her neck and torso. "Shut your mouth, bitch." The rhino growled. "Or I'll give you a beaten far more brutal than I did your fox friend."
Wrath tore through her veins hearing that last statement. Her violet eyes snapped to the rhino's yellow, glaring daggers, her vision swimming from the lack of oxygen and her crushed lungs. He was the one… he was one who'd hurt Nick, tortured him with a smile on his face. This rhino who now pinned her body against the wall… She was going to torture him back, no matter how many obstacles stood in her way.
Hate-driven, Judy slammed her foot into the rhino's wrist, each hit more violent than the last. She wasn't trying to free herself anymore. Strangely, that was the last subject on her mind. No. She wanted to give this rhino pain, make him regret for what she did to Nick. And at the moment, breaking this bastard's wrist seemed appropriate. So Judy kicked the bodyguard's wrist, over and over and over again. And she refused to stop until she heard the rhino's wrist break in two.
At Judy's last kick, there was a crack, and the rhino out roared out in anger and agony. He snagged the bunnies left leg with bone-crushing strength. Judy could see the pain glimmering in his green eyes, and she smiled sweetly at him, satisfaction dancing behind her violet orbs. Yet she was surprised he still had her pinned against the wall, though his grip had loosened enough for her to breath slightly.
Pain gleamed in the rhino's eyes when he said, "let's see how resistant you are after I snap your leg in two." The grin he gave was utterly unholy.
Judy's face paled beneath her grey fur. She squirmed in the rhino's grasp, flexing and twisting her left leg. She needed her legs, she needed them.
The rhino smirked at the bunny desperately fighting against his powerful grasp. His grin widening, he then tightened his grip and—
"Stand down, Hendricks!" Bellwether ordered, pointing her hoof to the ground as emphasis.
The rhino's green eyes fell on the mayor, giving her a questionable gaze. But Bellwether replied with a stern glare, her slender arms crossed. "Now." She added, her tone dark and cruel.
Hendricks snorted, rolling his eyes. He then lifted the bunny from the wall, all the while Judy glared daggers at him. The rhino grinned wickedly at Judy's fierce gaze, and body-slammed her into her bed with his dry, rock-hard paw.
The second Judy was bashed into the hospital bed by the wicked beast, she arched her back, gasping for breath and retching loudly from the rhino's violent assault, her violet eyes stared blankly up at the tiled roof, black spots dancing in her vision.
"Hendricks!" Bellwether wailed, taking a step forward, as if she would kill her body guard If he attempted to disobey her again. "Are you trying to divulge me by killing her? Now, do as I say and stand down!" Never once in her life had Judy thought Bellwether's voice could sound so… Intimidating… Terrifying, actually.
"My apologies, madam." The rhino said in an almost mocking tone. "I'll be sure to keep my anger in check the next time." Sarcasm, Judy identified. Hendricks's tone, mask by sincerity, was nothing short of sarcasm—an unsaid threat to Judy.
If Bellwether noticed Hendricks's fake sincerity she didn't bother to let it show. Only a stern glare remained on her muzzle as she watched the body guard retreat back to the far corner of the room, his paws crossing in front of him and his face a blank stone once again.
Judy felt a chilling spider crawl down her spine when Bellwether's heavy gaze retuned to her.
Judy coughed, her eyes bloodshot from nearly being strangled to death. Her ribs groaned in agony with every movement she made in her torso, her throat raw, but, thankfully, the pain was only temporary. An hour or two later, it should diminish to mere nagging.
Ignoring the immense pain that shot through her ribs like a bullet, Judy straightened her back, chin up.
"Oh," Bellwether's brows rose. "You're a tough one, Judy—I'll give you that. You look as if my body guard had never laid a paw on you to begin with. Most bunnies I know would be withering in pain after the short, little beating you took." She was toying with her, mocking her.
Judy clenched her jaw so hard it hurt. Her voice was hoarse when she said, "why are you here, Bellwether." It wasn't a question. And was the first time she'd addressed the sheep by just her name.
The mayor gave her a smile that would make a tyrant tremble in fear. "You want the reason to why I'm here, huh? Well, the reasoning is simple." She said, her tone a knife slicing through the little confidence Judy had.
Bellwether stalked toward Judy's bed, her left hoof concealed in the pocket of her ocean blue jacket.
Judy's pupils shrank to grans of sand when the sheep slipped a knife from her coat pocket and, with feline ease, pressed the blade to the her bruised throat. Judy lay still, not daring to make a move that would result in her death. "My reasoning is very, very simple, bunny." She growled, pushing the blade deeper into Judy's neck. A teardrop of blood slid down Judy's neck. She winced.
"I know you and your little fox friend have been meeting in secret since you arrived to the hospital, creating a grand plan to somehow defeat me, stop my grand plans." She chuckled to herself, and the rhino in the far corner joined her. Her grin then vanished like a ghost in the wind, replaced by a dangerous scowl. "Well, let me tell you something right now: you step out of line, you give me one other reason then the one I have now to murder you, and I swear on my parent's grave, I will kill you and your friend—tortured, very, very slowly."
"And don't worry—no one will know what happened to either of you; there won't even be a trace of evidence for the ZPD to follow. Because I'll be sure to have you and your friend cut down into little, tiny pieces thrown out to the wilderness. And I bet the crows would be more than happy to feed on your remains."
Judy's paws were trembling at this point, her heart racing, and her nose twitching constantly. She truly wondered if this sheep had been spawned from the devil himself—she was so sadistic, insane almost.
Bellwether pulled the knife away from Judy's neck, but not before letting it graze her windpipe, reminding the bunny of the consequences set for her if she ever disobeyed. A master punishing her dog.
Bellwether tucked the knife back into her coat pocket, back away from the bunny. Judy jolted upright in her bed, exhaling out air she hadn't realized she was holding. She clutched her throat, stroking the top-deep-cut in her throat.
Her violet eyes flicked to Bellwether. "You're a sick monster." Judy growled, her teeth—stained with blood from being smashed into the wall and her bed—clenched to form a scowl.
Bellwether expression was serious when she said, "to only those who try to prevent the next stage of evolution I have planned for this world."
Judy raised a brow. Next stage of evolution?
The ground beneath the three mammals suddenly shook violently, an explosion sounded in the distance.
Bellwether almost fell flat on her ass, stumbling. But Hendricks's behind her in a second, helping regained her stature.
"What the hell was that?" Bellwether inquired, a hint of fear in her tone.
Judy violet eyes shot to the window of her room; her pupils shrank when she spotted a cloud of black smoke rising from base of the hospital. What was that—a bomb?
Screams of fear and agony came next, echoing through the hallways and Judy's room.
A sudden explosion, a cloud of smoke, screaming. The pieces of the puzzle were slammed together, realization clicking. Ice ran up her veins and froze her blood. "They know where I am—they've found me." Judy breathed, her words barely a sound.
Bellwether's grey eyes darted to Judy, who stared blankly at her paws. "What did you say?" She demanded, dread slowly creeping up her spine.
Judy turned to the sheep, her eyes widened in horror. "It's the—
"Mayor Bellwether!" A second rhino shouted, bursting through the door with a winded expression.
All three mammals gazes snapped to the panic-stricken rhino.
At the sight of the rhino, Judy vision became clouded with blood-red rage… Because the colossus mammals standing before her, at the door, was also responsible for Nick's injuries. Judy stared at the rhino's face, memorizing ever feature of it, and branded it into her memory.. Now that she had a mental image of both rhino's.
But the fires of Judy's rage were put out by what the rhino said next.
"It's the predators!" He gasped, his breathe ragged. Judy's heart wailed at her rib-cage.
No. In a hospital…
"They're rioting… They're starting a carnage—killing every prey they come across! Ma'am, we have to get you out of here before they—"
The sound of a gunshot sliced through Judy's eardrums. Blood exploded from the rhino's head as he fell to the ground with a hulking thump. His ghostly eyes locked on Bellwether, as if he were still telling the sheep to run from the after life.
At the corner of Judy's vision, she saw Bellwether cringe.
Then, many, many gunshots came after, along with terrified screaming of the prey nurses, doctors, and patients running down the hallway.
Judy eyes were wide with terror as she saw prey running frantically down the hall, screaming, some sobbing as they ran, crying out for help. Rose-red liquid stained the white marble floors as a mob of raging predator mowed down prey with their assault rifles, yelling and cursing as they did. It was the grace of God that non of the predators stop at the wide open door of Judy's room.
The ground shook as the rhino raced over to Bellwether, scooping the sheep in his arms with one swift movement before running toward the wide open door. The rhino kicked the dead corpse whom was his partner out of the way, blood smearing across the white floor.
Bellwether glanced back at Judy, a sweet smile on her muzzle. Good luck, her expression seemed to say.
Pushing away the fear and shock that locked her muscles in place, Judy jolted from the bed, throwing the white blanket off her torso.
She raced for door, taking larger steps than usual to close the distance between her and door, and then she jumped with all the power in her legs.
Hendricks glanced back at the flying bunny and smirked, before slamming the door shut with a bang.
"No." Judy yelled still in mid-flight. She shifted herself in mid-air, and slammed her feet into the door, hoping to kick it open. But the solid materials it was made of held strong.
She landed on her feet, immediately attacking the silver door-knob, twisting and rattling it with her little paws, but her attempts were futile.
"Shit," Judy shouted in frustration, slamming her fist into door. Funny, she thought. Nick had reacted the same way when debris had blocked are only chance of escaping the fire.
She turned in the direction of the vent, sighing. The ventilation system was her only chance of escape, but doing that was risky. If the mob of predators had set the hospital ablaze like they did the ZPD, the thick, toxic smoke of the fire could shroud the vents, and she could suffocate while crawling through the vents. The possibility of her dying were high, but… She had to get to Nick and see if he was okay. .
She would have to take the risk.