GET ME THE PARTY STREAMERS WE JUST HIT 300 FOLLOWERS!

Holy poop. This is fraking crazy. I swear, I'm always celebrating something lmao. But this milestone is a big one, and I'm so happy this story has gotten so far!

I actually can't thank you guys enough.

SO, For getting to 300 followers, I'm holding a QnA! I did one when I got to 100 followers, but I have nearly 3x as many readers now! I'm really excited to hear what you guys have to ask! So please, feel free to inquire down in review section below!

Now, as for the story… We've pretty much reached the end of Book 2. It's been a pretty long journey, but this story has only just begun! (Just kidding, it's actually like halfway done, but still.) We have a lot to go, so sit tight and grab some popcorn!

Book 2 finale will be separated into three different chapters. This is part 1 of 3.

I'm really excited to reveal how this all goes down(hill). Shit's gonna get intense real quick.

Get ready for suspense and drama and action and shitstorms and holy fuck let's get into it already.


The boat rocked with subtle vibrations.

The intoxicating scents of the ocean filled the world around me. The humid heat of the early afternoon began to flood into streets, and the moisture in the air seemed to emit itself from the water below. I had experienced many days like it. The warm, stuffy feeling; the strong smells of sea salt; the freedom of the open water. It was always there…

It was all here now.

The boat wandered aimlessly through the flood. It tottered and jounced, bouncing with every passing wave. It shook in an undisturbed rhythm, cradling me as I slept. I sat in the sunken stern with my eyes closed. It was easy to push it all out. The hectic hustle and bustle of the restless city was irrelevant now; a forgettable thought that drifted in the wind. It was easier to disregard it all;

It was easier to sleep.

Unintelligible thoughts ran through my clouded head. Time moved in an undisclosed pace, trudging on in a befuddling blur of muddledness. The disorienting dizziness made my mind spin. There was an excessive absence of identifiable events and ideas. They were merely nonexistent; present in a reality that wasn't my own. I sat in a soothing silence, absorbing the nothingness of my vacant state of mind.

"Hey sleepyhead!"

The voice was vaguely familiar. It lit a spark in my head, and my thoughts began to find their focus.

"Time to wake up, foxbutt!"

Yes. The sound of it; the tone of voice, it was completely recognizable. I'd heard before. I thought about it everyday. My thoughts shifted to it. Time began to set itself back into place. Reality started its swift return.

"Nick!"

My eyes shot open. I sat up, shaking the boat as I moved. Honey sat leisurely on the other end, crossing her arms and leaning her head back. She glanced over at me, smirking as she spoke.

"About time you got up… thought I was gonna have to go over there and smack you awake!"

I began to look around. Although the feeling was familiar, the setting was completely unknown to me. We weren't in the Grotto. There were no houses, no streets, no overpasses, nothing. We were out in an endless expanse of ocean, surrounded by a grey, sunless sky.

I began to speak.

"Where the hell are we?"

Honey snickered.

"Not a goddamn clue… Pretty nice though."

I nodded, leaning back against the edge of the boat. Around us, infinite distances of water separated us from the far off horizon. Choppy waves rumbled through the colorless water, and the air was filled with the sounds of rushing wind.

"Ain't it nice to be out of the city for once? Nothing but you, me, and the open ocean!"

I scanned our surroundings, silently circumventing the emptiness around us. We were alone on the boat. I glanced back at Honey.

"Course, it ain't exactly how I imagined it— but… Better than the damn city, I guess…"

I nodded again. Rational thoughts began to enter my head. Memories and recollections of previous experiences came in like a flood. It was hard to take it all in. Guilt filled every fiber of my body. It made me mentally sore. It weighed me down like an anchor.

I sighed, preparing a proper way to apologize. It hurt to think about that night, but I needed to face it. The event was traumatically chaotic, yet incredibly vivid in detail. Things happened quicker than I could comprehend. One moment, we're talking and joking on the train, and then, within the length of one or two minutes, we're running through the woods; running for our lives. There were no goodbyes. There was no time to speak; no time to think. We could only act. She could only fight, and I could only run.

I needed to deal with it someway. I needed to tell her what I thought. Now was my chance. I looked down as I gathered my thoughts. After a few minutes of contemplation, I was able to muster up an apology.

"Hey Honey…"

"Hmm?"

I kept my gaze on the bottom of the boat, too guilt-stricken to face her as I spoke.

"I— uh… wanted to say… I wanted to tell you— that… that…"

I struggled to get the words out. I reassured myself, rubbing my head anxiously. I had to get it out. I took a deep breath.

"Look— I… I fucked up… I know, I do that a lot— but… I really fucked up this time…"

I paused, my voice was getting scratchy.

"...And I remember that you used to make fun of me because I was such an idiot… And… as much as I hated it… —I knew you were right… fuck, you were always right."

The wind began to pick up, rocking the boat from side to side.

"...And— I… I remember that you used to tease me about stupid shit… and I didn't really think anything of it because it was stupid shit but— but…"

My throat was aching. The wind was picking up. The boat was shaking wildly. I kept looking down.

"...It's not stupid shit now… Nothing— nothing you said is stupid anymore because— I… I really miss it… I miss hearing the shit you said… —All the jokes, the— the insults… Your goddamn sarcasm— I… I fucking miss it! —Honey… I fucking— I fucking miss you..."

The boat tossed and turned uncontrollably. The wind tore violently through the air. I had to yell.

"Honey… I— I'm so… fucking… sorr—"

*CRACK

Lightning flashed in the sky. The thunder was deafening. I couldn't keep my balance. I looked up.

She was gone.

"Honey?"

*CRACK

I stood up, holding on to either end of the boat. She was actually gone. I couldn't see her. Honey disappeared.

"Honey!?"

*BOOM

I collapsed onto the floor of the boat. I could barely see. The sounds were deafening. The waves were monstrous. The world was bent into a distorted reality. All was in turmoil. All was chaotic. I started to panic.

"HONEY!?"

*CRASH

I was thrown into the air. Suddenly getting pulled down into the water below.

*CRACK

I was dragged underneath the surface. I kicked and waved my arms and legs, desperately trying to pull myself back up.

*CRASH

I could hear the sounds from below the water. They were even louder than before. I sunk deeper. I kicked harder. It was getting darker.

*BOOM

My chest exploded with pain. Water invaded my insides. I was drowned by the terror. I was drowned by the sounds.

*BOOM

My arms and legs grew tired. I felt like I was on fire. My mind grew numb. All became dark. Time was thrown off its axis. I couldn't pull myself back up. I couldn't fight it. I didn't fight it. I stopped fighting it. Reality slipped away from my spirit, and the spirit left my body…

*BOOM

I shot up from my cot, My paws reached up to my head. I was covered in sweat. My face was soaked with tears.

It was all a dream.

I groaned in relieved annoyance, wiping my face with a shaky paw. It was all a dream. I breathed heavy and unsteady breaths. The sounds of falling rain filtered into my ears. It was all a dream. I soaked in the sounds and scents. I was in the serf shack. I was in my bedroom. It was just a bad dream.

"You alright, Fred?"

Gideon's voice scared me half to death. I sighed, annoyed by my own jumpiness.

"Yeah— yeah I'm fine."

The two of us were silent. Outside, gradual rumbles of thunder started to roll through the sky. My breaths began to slow down, and my heart rate started to steady its pace. I rubbed my head as I regained my composure. I wasn't sure what time it was.

"Alright… Well— I'm going back to bed… Sleep well…"

"Goodnight."

"Night, Fred."

I sighed and laid back down. The window was covered from above, but raindrops occasionally found their way through the opening. I watched idly as the storm continued outside.

I didn't want to go back to sleep.

The thunder and lightning persisted from above, startling me with every flashing crash. As the night wore on, the storm only seemed to intensify. The rain pelted the roof above me like a murmured drum line. The trees rocked and swayed like scratching cymbals. The sounds of the crumbling world around me made me stir in my bed. I couldn't stop moving. I couldn't stop thinking.

Things were falling apart in my mind. Recollections echoed through my head. The good memories were tainted now, and the bad ones were amplified. I couldn't keep my head straight. Ideas flew about in unpredictable paths. There was pandemonium where there was once peace.

As the night wore on, however, a single truth lingered ominously within my mind. The thought was cemented into place amidst the chaos inside my brain. It grew bigger in my head, eventually consuming me as I fell asleep...

The storm had started.


Friday, April 22nd. 11:57 AM

I barely got any sleep.

Last night was full of troubled contemplation. I thought about the convoy of military trucks that showed up unexpectedly. I thought about the soldiers. I thought about their formal and aloof attitudes. I thought about Judy's father. I wasn't sure what they knew, or what they were here for, but by the way it looked, they weren't leaving anytime soon. I had a horrible feeling about it. The thoughts made me sick.

I remember the events in detail. Judy ushered me over to the serf shack after we got back from the picnic. The other predators were immediately dismissed from their jobs and sent back to the shack to await further instructions. I watched from across the fields as Judy was reunited with her father. There was energy in her posture; excitement in her expression. The bunny appeared to speak happily to her father, but every now and then, when the rabbit wasn't looking, Judy would occasionally glance back at the shack. I wasn't sure if she saw me watching.

Their conversation was cut short when the rain begin to fall.

The soldiers were sent into burrow, leaving the trucks and vans out in the storm. I watched as their tiny figures disappeared from the driveway. After about a minute, everyone was gone, and the dreadful questions I had remained unanswered. I still didn't know why they were there.

An unseen tension begin to fill the shack. For the first few hours, everybody was somewhat normal. They talked and inquired, curiously wondering why the military was here. But after a while, everyone became quiet. The jubilant excitement of the place was sucked out, replaced by the gloominess of uncertainty. According to the serfs, this never happened before. The burrow would occasionally get shipments of supplies from the neighboring cities, but this was different. The military had never visited the burrow before.

That night, nobody prepared dinner for the shack. Nobody got together to eat. Nobody talked. Nobody laughed. In only a few hours, the atmosphere of the entire burrow was changed drastically.

Things were different now.

The warmth I once felt was gone. The comfort had vanished, and the happiness was taken away. My mind was filled with fear, and now, the terror was getting into my dreams.

Nobody was working today. I wasn't woken up at the normal time. Usually, we were supposed to get out of bed by around five forty-five. But today, the serfs were directed to stay in the shack until we were told otherwise. We didn't have to get up early.

I didn't wake up until ten.

Conversation was scarce out in the main hallway. The serfs never got days off. To them, today's circumstances were exceptionally odd. They wandered around the building, unsure of what to do or say. Some of them paced up and down the corridor, some of them stayed in their bedrooms. But most of us looked out the front windows of the shack; the windows where we could see the trucks.

For the first half of the morning, the driveway was fairly inactive. They sat idly in the gravel, soaking up the post-storm sun. But after a while, into the early afternoon, soldiers started to appear. Prey of all kinds made occasional trips outside, making periodical trips to and from the trucks. They didn't appear to be in a hurry, and from what I could tell, they weren't fulfilling any specific tasks.

Gideon, Nate, and I crammed our heads out the window. For over an hour, we watched the soldiers make the small trips back and forth. We sat in anticipation, anxiously waiting for something significant to happen.

"Ain't seen nothin' like it…"

"Shhh."

Gideon sat curiously at the lower half of the window. He rested his head on the bottom of the windowsill, allowing enough space for Nate and I to look through the top half of the small opening. He spotted a pair of rams walking down the driveway. They both carried an assortment of different tools and equipment, including two large assault rifles slung over their shoulders.

"Skin me alive! —Are those real guns?"

"Gideon. Shut up."

Nate peered observably from above and behind the fox's head. He used a paw to shield his eyes from the blinding sun. He was critical, yet curious of what was occurring before him.

"What the deep-fried fuck are they doin'?"

We watched as they neared the largest truck of the pack. They approached the back of the trailer and began to unlatch the back. Gideon spoke up.

"Mmm— I could really go for somethin' deep fried… haven't had anythin' that good since I was a child… Did I ever tell yous about the time I—"

"Gideon! Seriously!"

"... What?"

"Stop blubberin'! I'm tryin' to watch 'em!"

"Ya don't need no ears to see, stupid!"

The two began to bicker. I remained silent as I watched the rams unload the truck. They climbed into the back, disappearing for many moments before coming back out into the sunlight.

They were carrying a medical chair.

I watched as several more soldiers began to pop up from the burrow. I started to hit Nate's shoulder. The two continued to fight.

"Ya can't hear 'em from way back here!"

"Guys."

"It don't matter! —I'm trying to pay attention!"

"Guys!"

"Well, be more observant ya blind ole coot!"

"GUYS."

The two answered simultaneously.

"What?"

I pointed out into the open.

"Look!"

Their attention was directed towards the driveway ahead of us. We all watched quietly from across the empty fields. The carried the chair back behind a parked trailer, blocking our view. After a few seconds, however, they reappeared, joining the rest of the soldiers as they began to unload the truck.

"Medical equipment? —What… They buildin' a clinic or somethin'?"

We silently observed. The prey mammals carried an arrangement of different medical tools. Chairs, tables, and other metal furnishings were being sent off the covered truck and behind the large trailer. We were all filled with questions as to what we were currently watching.

*Beeeeeeeeeep *Beep

A dial tone rang out from the other end of the shack. We all paused, bewildered by what we heard.

It was the intercom.

We got up, quickly scrambling out into the hallway. Sleeping serfs were awakened by their slumber. Predators emerged from their bedrooms, tiredly turning to face the back room. Nate made a beeline for the intercom.

*beep *beep *beep

The tone continued to sound. The cougar bolted into the kitchen, rushing to pick up the ringing phone. Gideon and I joined the rest of the serfs as they entered into the room.

Nate answered the call.

"Yes sir?"

The other end of the line was silent for a few short seconds. Nate waited anxiously as static began to crackle through. A male voice spoke up.

"Please stand by."

A click could be heard on the other end. The phone began to make a low-pitched buzzing sound. All twelve of us were crammed into the kitchen area. Soft, inquisitive whispers sounded out from around me. Skip yelled out.

"Tha hell does t'ey wahnt?"

His question was met with no response. We all waited nervously by the speaker. Skip and the Tensky brothers sat up on the kitchen table, while Pamela, Nora, and Bucky sat on the wooden chairs in front of them. The raccoon twins sat on the counter next to the sink, while Gideon and I stood across from them near the hallway. Nate remained by the intercom, anxiously leaning up against the back wall.

After about five minutes, we started hearing voices.

The buzzing stopped. Hundreds of quiet conversations began to filter through. The rumbling of the cluttered voices was barely audible, but once it started, it gained the attention of the entire room. Looks of shock and surprise were shared between the serfs. I didn't know what it meant. I heard Gideon from beside me.

"A house meeting?"

I glanced over at him. His voice was tainted with a mix of confusion and concern.

"It's— It's Friday… why— why would they hold a house meeting on–"

"–I don't— I don't fuckin' know…"

Nate placed his paws on his hips, apprehensively walking around in place. I came to the realization. House meetings were only held on Sundays. This wasn't normal. From the way the serfs were reacting, this was completely unnatural. I listened to the voices. The adolescent rabbits laughed and joked in the crowds. Their mindless discussions echoed through the small kitchen.

It wasn't long until a voice started to come through.

"Good afternoon…"

A set of screams and tiny squeals started to sound. The speaker waited for a few brief moments before continuing.

"... I apologize for the interruption of today's schedule… —I'll try to be brief here so we can go back to work."

The gruff voice paused again, clearing his throat before delivering his statement.

"First off— I am ecstatic to be back here with you all after being away for so long…"

The crowd erupted with cheering. The unfamiliar voice was now known to me. It was Judy's father. The rabbit continued.

"I've been a very busy bunny lately… But I am happy to announce that from now on— I am here to stay…"

The rabbit's applauded again, this time much louder than before. The children were overjoyed by the news of their father's permanent return. The announcement made me excessively nervous.

He wasn't done.

"But— as a lot of you can tell… I came back with a few friends…"

The kitchen was completely silent. On the other end, the rabbits quieted down. The father spoke.

"...Right now, as I speak to you here in the house— The soldiers I brought here are setting up a temporary medical station to examine the serfs that are currently lodged here…"

The crowds began to murmur and mumble. It made sense. The soldiers were carrying medical equipment out in the driveway. I breathed a sigh of relief. The tension in the room began to diminish. The militants were conducting an impromptu predcheck.

"... But—"

The bunnies' voices dissipated to a hush. Their father wasn't done with what he had to say. We could hear the crinkling of a flipping paper. The twelve of us listened intently.

"—Under a new government mandate, predators have been deemed— 'A threat to the safety of all citizens of the city-state.' … —Therefore, after today's medical checkups… My colleagues and I will begin the process of relegating the serfs to government-controlled districts within the capital city."

Relegation. I was being sent back to the confinement zones.

Panic begin to fill the kitchen. Everybody started to speak up at once. The words of Judy's father hung in the air like a looming ghost. I couldn't believe what was happening.

"Everybody shut up!"

Nate struggled to hear the announcements over the volume of the aghast predators. Loud-mouthed arguments filled up the space.

"EVERYBODY SHUT THE FUCK UP."

The room returned to silence. The loudspeaker continued to buzz.

"—and after that, all should return to normal here in the burrow."

The mic crackled for a brief moment.

"That is all. —Thank you for your time."

The sounds of hundreds of voices bubbled up from beyond the mic. After a few seconds, the noises were cut off, replaced by another low-pitched buzz. The twelve of us listened in shock as the noise died down. A wave of static came through before the speaker was shut off completely, leaving us alone in the deafening silence.

"What the fuck."

Nate put his paws to his head.

"What the absolute fuck."

The serfs were at a loss for words. They had no idea what was happening. Gideon thought out loud, talking with a trembling tone.

"'A threat to the safety of all citizens?' —The hell is that supposed to—"

"I don't know— I don't fucking know!"

Nate rubbed his forehead, walking away from the kitchen and into the middle of the room. Benny turned around to face him.

"An' what do ya suppose we do?"

He paced back and forth, struggling to comprehend what was occurring. The rest of us watched as he started to make up his mind. He put a paw to his chin and stopped to face the eleven of us.

His eyes first went to his mate. The pregnant cougar sat with Pamela, nervously sharing Nate's locked gaze. It was clear that he was mostly concerned about her well being, and it seemed that he was especially worried about the health of their unborn baby. His expression was that of uncertainty, and his eyes were filled with fear.

He then locked his eyes with Gideon's. The cougar glanced at him as he thought, eventually shifting his gaze toward the rest of the serfs. He eyed us all down. Thousands of thoughts ran through his head. He took a deep breath. He made a decision.

"We do what we always do…"

He paused, making sure he had our fullest attention.

"... We do what we're told."

Gideon protested.

"Nate, they gonna take us away."

"I know that."

"They— they gonna take us to the city."

"I know that!"

"We can't just— we have to do—"

"We don't have a goddamn choice!"

The fox was silenced. The room was quiet for a brief moment. A heavy tension remained between us all.

"Look, we can't— we can't do anythin', alright? … As long as we stick together, then we'll be fine… We'll be okay."

The rest of the serfs seemed comforted by the suggestion. Everyone accepted the cougar's plan. Nate sighed exhaustedly.

"Fuck… I need to think…"

He scratched the back of his neck, tiredly making his way towards the hallway. Anxiety and uncertainty filled the room. The other serfs were at ease because of Nate's advice. They began to disperse, knowing that things were going to be okay…

But it wasn't.

They didn't know about the virus. They didn't know about the city. They didn't know that the government planned for the epidemic. They lived a life of ignorance. They didn't know what they were getting into.

They didn't know a single thing.

I've been to the confinement zones. I know what it was like there. The crime, the chaos, the poverty; It was a death trap. We couldn't let them take us. We had to run. We had to get out of here...

I had to tell them.

"Nate."

I followed the cougar into the hallway. He walked swiftly towards his bedroom. I spoke up again.

"Nate."

He ignored the sound of my voice, too caught up within his own troubled thoughts. I quickened my pace.

"NATE."

*SCREEEEEEEECH

The barn door was thrusted open. I was blinded by pouring light of the afternoon sun. The air was filled with yelling and screaming.

"EVERYBODY PUT YOUR PAWS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM."

Soldiers began to pour in, carrying guns of all shapes and sizes. I threw my arms up. There was no time to act. I turned around. Gideon stood horrified at the end of the hall, lifting up two shaky paws.

"DON'T FUCKING MOVE."

I faced away from the front door. There was nothing I could do; nothing I could say. I listened to a pair of footsteps approach from behind. Somebody grabbed my collar.

"COME ON."

I was jolted violently backwards. I stumbled over my own feet as I turned around. An armed goat was pulling me towards the front door. Other soldiers walked by us to get the rest of the serfs. I heard someone yell from behind.

"SHUT YOUR DAMN TRAP, PRED!"

I watched as Nate was brought out into the open. He disappeared, vanishing in the blinding, blue brightness of day. I grabbed my collar. The goat pulled on it with violent jerks.

There was no way out of this.

I struggled to keep my balance as I walked. The soldier didn't care about injuring me. I gagged and coughed as he dragged me out into the open.


Friday, April 22nd. 12:40 PM

"SHUT UP AND LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD."

The serfs and I sat cross legged on the gravel driveway. Ahead of us, the large, covered trailer blocked our view of the makeshift clinic. Trailers and cars surrounded us, and soldiers watched us carefully from every angle. I stared straight ahead, forbidding my head to tilt or sway. I was a wanted criminal in disguise; drawing attention to myself was the last thing I wanted to do.

From what it looked like, none of the officers were suspicious of my presence. My appearance had changed over the past two weeks, and I hoped that no one would ask any questions. I tried my best to fit in, but I wasn't sure if it was enough.

"Over here? —Okie dokie."

An accented voice sounded out from the right. Multiple pairs of footsteps began to approach. I kept looking forward.

"Alright! Nobody move!"

The voice shouted out from a closer distance. I locked my head in place as the footsteps continued to get nearer. The gravel crunches came to a stop at the furthest serf to my right.

"... Small."

The footsteps continued briefly before stopping again, slightly closer than before.

"... Medium."

The process continued for quite some time. The mammals would pause momentarily, pick out a size, and then move over to the next predator. I was unsure of what they were doing, but as they got closer, I started to have my suspicions.

The sounds of clinking metal began to grow louder. I waited anxiously as they went down the louder.

"Small…"

"Small…"

"Medium."

From what I could tell, there were two of them. The mammals, got to the serf to my right. I wasn't sure of the exact order of the line, but I knew that I was second to last on far end. Gideon was to my left, and I was almost certain that Skip was to my right. I couldn't see him from the position I was in, but I didn't have to…

*sniff *sniff

"Ughhh— Small…"

I heard the skunk's fur being ruffled up as a metal contraption began to clink and snap. After a brief moment, I could hear a soft clicking noise. The footsteps resumed, and before I knew it, an undersized armadillo was standing in front of me. He was a doctor.

"Medium…"

Suddenly, his assistant came up from behind and shoved a muzzle onto my head, pushing it down to cover my face. The doctor pulled it back and over my mouth, and the assistant tightened the straps behind me. The device was locked with a key on the back, and in an instant, the two were making their way over to the next serf.

"... Medium."

"Out."

"What?"

"We're out…"

"Oh… Large then."

The armadillo placed the contraption on his head, and the assistant tightened and locked it in place. When the two were done, the mammals walked over towards the large trailer, turning around to face the twelve of us.

"Everybody looky here!"

I relaxed my body, looking away from the trailer in front of me. The other serfs were all wearing muzzles. Many of them were reaching up to readjust the uncomfortable devices. They weren't like the masked muzzles in Hopkinsville. No, they were ordinary lockable muzzles, made out of steel wiring and reinforced nylon straps. The armadillo began to speak again.

"Doctor McGregory and I will be examining you all today… Each one of you is to stay here and wait until he or she is called up…"

I looked over at the assistant. The groundhog was about two-thirds the armadillo's height. He anxiously gripped his clipboard, restlessly jitteriness in place. The head doctor continued, speaking with a slow and steady voice.

"—Does everyone understand?"

We all nodded.

"Goodie-good— We'll be back at our stations… Private Johnson will call you up one at a time."

The doctors quickly made their way around the back end of the trailer, disappearing behind the large vehicle.

After a few seconds, a large, bulky rhinoceros walked out into the open, carrying with him a small, wooden stool. He dragged it through the gravel and set it upright in the middle of the open area. He sat down and crossed his arms, staring at us with a patronizing glare.

After a few more minutes, the examinations began.

One by one, the serfs to my left were called up to the clinic. The rest of us remained anxiously in the driveway, surrounded by heavily armed soldiers. I sat with my legs crossed, keeping my head pointed down to the ground. I tried to avoid eye contact with the prey mammals, but as time went on, the discomfort started to grow.

I felt like I was being watched.

The soldiers kept their eyes glued on the twelve of us. We were all being carefully observed, but something was off. More eyes were focused on me than the others. At first, I thought it was merely a suspicion. But eventually, as I began to glance around, my suppositions became a reality. Every time I turned my head, a pair of eyes were already waiting to share my tense gaze. I caught the surrounding soldiers staring a few times every minute. I began to tense up. My heart began to beat louder in my chest. My greatest fears were being realized.

No. I had to keep my cool.

I took a deep breath, returning my gaze to the ground below me. If I looked nervous, then it would be a dead giveaway that I was in disguise. They didn't know who I was. From the way it looked, they had their hunches; nothing but far-fetched notions. As long as I could keep it that way, then I could remain unidentified.

I needed to distract myself from the dubiety. I went over the history and experiences of my forged identity. I was born outside of Galena. I was separated from my parents at an early age. I worked at a steel mill. I got injured at that very same steel mill. That was why I was here; it was a job transfer, a temporary furlough from my place of work. I was supposed to recover here from my work related injury. I was never supposed to stay here permanently.

I went over my personal information as well. I recalled my parents' names. I remembered my favorite color. I quizzed myself like I was preparing for a test. I had to know each and every detail. My concealment, and possibly my life counted on it.

I was eased by the knowledge of my alias, but throughout the afternoon, the nervousness lingered.

Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes became hours. The line of sitting serfs began to disappear to my left. The examinations took about fifteen minutes each, and I was the second-to-last to be looked at…

It wasn't until past three o'clock when I was finally called up.

"Fox."

The rhinoceros' rigid voice sounded out from in front of me. I looked up. The skunk to my left was already gone. I was next.

"Get up."

I glanced over to the trailer as I staggered onto my feet. My legs were numb, and my feet felt fuzzy. Over two hours of sitting had taken its toll.

"Go."

The velocity of his voice had lessened significantly. At the start of the afternoon, the soldier was alert and aggressive, angrily yelling as he directed us where to go. However, the wait was exhausting, and by the time he got to the eighth serf, he stopped yelling.

I took a deep breath and stepped forward.

I walked quietly to the back end of the the large vehicle. I felt the stares of watchful eyes follow me as I left. I wasn't sure what to expect. I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into. Doubts and regrets ran through my head as I got to the other side of the trailer.

"Ah— F. D. Winston, is it?"

The makeshift clinic was fully equipped. The doctor and his assistant stood next to the reclined chair. Around them, gadgets and gizmos of all kinds were neatly organized on erected shelves. Screens and monitors were filled with numbers and statistics. The entire setup was sophisticatedly arranged. I was reminded of the monthly predchecks back in the city.

I nodded.

"Alrighty then— please take a seat."

His voice was soft and stern. I stepped forward, hesitantly making my way over to the medical station. I got to the chair and climbed up onto it. It appeared to be designed for predators of all sizes, therefore, it was slightly bigger than the length of my body. I slid into position, sprawling out across the stiff, uncomfortable cushions.

"Paws out."

I complied, lifting my arms out to either end of the chair. The doctors grabbed my wrists, locking them into place with large, uncomfortable cuffs. My feet were bounded in a similar way, locked to the bottom end of the recliner. I was secured in place. There was no way out.

"Okay… First, we'll go over your basic conditions…"

The armadillo began his initial assessments. He started by pulling out a small, rubber mallet. The doctor began to tap different parts of my body while the assistant took notes on my reactions. He tested for involuntary muscle movement and reaction speeds; both of which seemed to be in normal condition.

Next, he pulled out a chart of numbers and letters. After verifying that I was legitimately literate, he walked about fifteen feet and set it down on a small stand. I then went on to read off the lines of text, occasionally covering my right and left eyes in the process. I could clearly see the numbers and letters, however, I purposely missed a few similar-looking letters. I didn't want identical test results from predchecks I took as Nick Wilde.

After that, the armadillo pulled out a flashlight and began to point it at my head. He first inspected the insides of my ears, looking at them thoroughly and with great conscientiousness. Next, he checked out my eyes, shinning the light brightly into my face. After a few brief moments, he ordered me to open my mouth. The muzzle I was wearing limited me to an extent, but it was enough for the doctor to see. He made his observations from behind the metal wiring. Taking my muzzle off was not an option they felt comfortable with.

Finally, the basic examinations concluded. The doctor put away his tools, placing them amongst the shelves and cabinets that surrounded us. The assistant walked over and sat down behind a nearby desk. The armadillo spoke out from the distance.

"Now… Are you afraid of needles?"

I responded hesitantly, speaking with a shy and shaky voice.

"Ye— yes sir… a little…"

I wasn't actually scared of needles. I've taken endless amounts of shots and vaccinations back in the city. Sharp objects didn't intimate me, but right now, I was disguised as someone else; someone who's never been to the capital city.

The doctor nodded.

"Well… This one shouldn't hurt too bad…"

The armadillo marched over to a small, black case. He bent down and began to unfasten the sequence of levers and locks. After a few clicks and clanks, the box was opened. He reached down and pulled out a vial of pale green liquid. It was my shot.

He shut the box, making his way over to the bedside stand to my left. He hooked up the vial to a compression system, connecting the back end to a clear, plastic tube. He opened a box full of clean needles and picked one up, attaching it to the front end of the glass container.

He set the shot down, moving over to pick up a cotton ball and a bottle of brown liquid. Without hesitation, he leaned over the bed and grabbed my left arm. He soaked the cotton ball and began to run it into my fur.

The sight confused me.

I've gotten many shots in the past. Prey mammals were always coming up with new cures and vaccinations for us to take during predchecks. Many of them were for diseases we've never even heard of. Still, no matter what the situation, the shots were always given to us through a small plastic pumps.

This one, however, was very different.

The vial was attached to a complicated arrangement of tubes and pipes that connected to small set of computers. The shot appeared to be delivered through air compressors built into the high tech machine. I've never seen anything like it.

"So— uh… what is this shot for, Sir?"

The armadillo finished sterilizing my arm. He tossed the cotton ball into a nearby wastebasket and set the bottle back down onto the shelf. He answered with an apathetic tone.

"Vaccination."

His one word response wasn't enough to find out. I gazed at the intricate system of tubes and pipes, staring at it as I talked.

"A vaccination— Sir? … A vaccination for what?"

I spoke in a kind and reverent voice, hoping to get a real answer. I looked up at him as he prepared to deliver the shot. He studied the numbers on the computer screens, speaking with a passive tone.

"Savagery."

I was surprised. Vaccinations were being sent out to the countryside. I wasn't sure what that meant.

"Wait— they… they made a vaccine?"

The doctor shrugged.

"It's still in its… developmental stages… Not sure if it works yet…"

I leaned back in the cushions, trying to wrap my head around the whole situation. The military was shipping out experimental vaccinations to the general public. But from what I knew in the confinement zone, the government didn't want a cure to be found. I tried to put two and two together. It just didn't make sense…

My thoughts were interrupted by a stinging pain in my left arm.

In an instant, the machine began to rev up. The sputtering clanks of the air compressor started to sound. The air was filled with a collection of technological noises. The doctor spoke loudly beside me.

"This should take a couple minutes."

I nodded, taking a deep breath and looking up.

"... Meanwhile, I'll go get your new collar."

The armadillo turned around and strutted away from me. He walked around the past the shelves and disappeared behind the back end of the trailer. I was left alone with the doctor's timid assistant. I shuddered in my seat. It was all too much to process. The complete lack of control made me uneasy. I was unsure of what to make of it.

I leaned back down into my seat, staring blankly at the colorless sky above me. The buzzing and rattling of the machine to my left was drowned out by the oscillating ocean of thoughts in my head. Penitence and regret crashed against my brain like violent waves. Currents of cogitation flowed restlessly within my muddled mind. For weeks, I thought I found a safe haven. The sea in my head was peacefully quiet and serenely still. The waves were restful, and the currents were calm.

But now, all was in turmoil. All was chaotic.

A storm erupted yesterday. The gaiety was lost, and the sanctity submerged like a sinking stone. I was filled with a dizzying sense of disarray. Troubling thoughts whipped around my head like a ripping wind. Dread sounded out like rumbling thunder, and fear struck me like flashing bolts of lightning. I was lost amidst the perplexity. I was alone in a raging storm,

a storm within my own, convoluted consciousness.

I snapped out of my haze, dragging my focus away from the fretful fears. I took a deep breath and took in my surroundings. The assistant flipped hurriedly through files and papers, anxiously fulfilling his feeble job. Around us, the burrow was quiet and still. The empty fields that surrounded me were vacant and inactive. It was kind of funny how life worked that way; Inside my head, there was deafening tempest of terror, but out here, all was peaceful. All was silent…

too silent.

The flipping of the papers; they stopped suddenly. I glanced over at the assistant. The groundhog held a single paper up to his face, staring at it with great concern. His face was filled with shock and bewilderment. I had no idea what he was looking at.

"Here we go!"

The armadillo came back from behind the trailer, quickly making his way over to the medical chair. He held an unused shock collar along with some kind of radio. He set the device down, reaching into his pocket to pull out a key chain.

"Lean up now— as far forward as you can go."

I kept my gaze on the groundhog as I rose. I lifted myself up until my arms stopped my body from going any further. I remained still as the doctor reached behind me and unlocked my collar, taking it off of my bristled neck.

"Alright, now for the new one…"

He wrapped the device around my neck and secured it tightly, locking it with a different key. A beep sounded, and the green light began to shine.

I kept my gaze on the stressed assistant.

He sat solicitously, anxiously flipping through a folder filled with compiled documents. I watched as he glared from one paper to another, quickly comparing the files' contents. Something was wrong. He appeared to be a heedful fellow, but right now, he acted like he was looking at a ghost…

Wait.

My interest shifted from curiosity to concern. The assistant looked baffled yet excited. He found something. He was trying to make a connection. The groundhog's inquisitive stature made me uneasy. I didn't want them to start asking questions, but this mammal was certainly looking for answers.

I was horrified by the thought.

He looked attentively at the papers in front of him, growing more and more content with each wandering glance. He was uncertain. He was confused. He was unsure of what he was looking at, but that only intrigued him more. He dug deeper. He was searching for more connections. I felt anxious. My fears were being realized. Speculation turned to fact. The groundhog was searching through my legal documents. His head shot up at me. Yes. He looked like he saw a ghost…

Because he was staring right at one.

"Hello?"

*snap *snap *snap

"Hey!"

I shook my head, looking back over at the armadillo in front of me. He was wearing a set of earphones.

"Are you with me now?"

I nodded.

"Yeah, yeah I am… Sorry, Sir…"

"It's fine… Now— like I said before… Repeat this sentence."

He held up a small chalkboard. On it, the words were written.

Zootopia

For the Good of the City State.

For the good of all.

It was the city-state's motto.

The doctor listened closely to the radio he held. I recognized the process. I've done it before during the most previous predcheck. The armadillo was testing the microphone on my new collar. I breathed a shaky sigh.

"Zootopia… For the good of the—"

"Talk louder."

The groundhog began to gather his belongings. He slipped the documents into his folder and began to stand up. I spoke louder.

"Zootopia, For the good of the city-state, for the good of all."

"Too loud— talk with a normal speaking voice."

The assistant grabbed his folder and started to walk off. He appeared speculative of his own findings, but that didn't matter. He was curious, and for me, it meant that I was in trouble.

Deep trouble.

"Zootopia… For the good of all— ah…"

"Come on— look at the board. Read off of it."

I looked away from the assistant, turning my gaze towards the chalkboard. My voice was weak. My stomach lurched. I'm fucked. I'm actually fucked. I spat the words out.

"Zootopia. For the good of the city-state. For the good of all."

I looked up from the chalk board, managing to spot the groundhog as he disappeared from view.


I like keeping you guys hanging. It brings me joy.

REMEMBER ABOUT THE QNA! ASK ABOUT YOUR BURNING QUESTIONS! FUCK, ASK ABOUT ANYTHING!

Seriously!

(Please.)