Chapter 14

(So, I've decided. I'm planning on writing some one-shots after the epilogue and some before the epilogue. Since I have a few plot ideas I have lined up. So, as an intermission before the movie's epilogue. Points to anyone who gets the reference in the chapter's name)

Zeke was sentenced to at least a few months in juvie, but he got out in two for good behavior. While juvie was hard, he knew if he had his faith, he could make it through. He did make a few friends in juvie. Marshall was his bunkmate, and let's say…they didn't have a great start.

"Roquette, this is Wolf, your new bunkmate." The guard escorting Zeke said, the young ferret looked at the rabbit in confusion. "Wolf is my dad's last name." He explained, Marshall just shrugged.

"Yeah, was about to say you don't look like a wolf." He said, brusquely. "It's Marshall, I guess."

Zeke got distrusting vibes from him, "I want you both to get along." the guard said, before leaving.

"So, uh…What are you in for?" Zeke asked, nervously trying to break the ice.

"Do you care?" Marshall asked, as he got back on his bed and laid away.

"I…I'll leave you with your space." Zeke said, sadly, but respecting his boundaries. He looked in a drawer by their bed, and found a Bible.

"Here we go." He said, reading the first chapter of Genesis.

Marshall looked at the kid reading the book, "You're that bored that you're reading that?" Marshall asked. Zeke just looked at him, confused to why he asked the question.

"No, it's the greatest story. I want to read it, and the advice you can get from here is helpful." He explained, looking back at the verse.

Marshall just rolled his eyes, "You're so weird." He said.

Zeke didn't understand what made Marshall angry with him, but he prayed for him that night.

The second day, he met more friendlier types. There was Ari, "So, you're the newbie! Nice to meetcha!" She welcomed, "H-Hi…" Zeke asked, still not really used to talking to other kids. The lynx looked at him, trying to ease the tension.

"Heh, no worries, you're among friends, here." She said, "This is Akio!" She pointed to a young raccoon, he put up his hands and started moving them.

"I, uh…" Zeke said, not being able to read signs. "Oh, right!" Ari said, "He's saying: 'Nice meetin' ya! Do you dye your fur?', I was wondering that myself, actually." She translated for the raccoon,

"No, it's all natural." He said, understanding the confusion. Though it was more refreshing than the questioning of "Why's he bright blue?"

"Sick! Man, I wish my fur was naturally green." She said, seeing Marshall, away from the others, sitting alone. "So, hope Marshall ain't givin' ya too much trouble." She said, "I don't see why he would." Zeke said, Marshall didn't seem like a bully, he just seemed like he had a bad attitude. He looked over, all he could see was a sense of loneliness.

"Yeah, Marshall's kinda not the sociable type." Akio signed, with Ari providing translation. Zeke nodded in response. "Well, I guess he needs something to help him come out of his shell?" Zeke asked, thinking prayer would help remedy Marshall's antisocial behavior a little. "Yeah, maybe. So…What exactly are you in for?" Ari asked, curious how a bunny got into juvie.

"I bought things with stolen money, basically." Zeke said, "What about you?"

Ari just shrugged, "I'm in for underage smoking. They caught me a few times."

Ari sat down at a chair, "I started rehab last week, actually. So far, the result's been good, gettin' me off the addiction."

Zeke took a mental note of something else to pray for. "That's good, at least." Zeke said, glad that rehab was good on Ari. "Oh, Akio's in for assault." Akio put up his hands, defensively.

"THEY say! I pranked a cop, by accident." he signed, "I mean, assaulting a cop is in it's own plane." Zeke said, Ari translating for Akio to understand him.

"I mean…Yeah, that's fair." Akio signed, not really knowing what to say to that.

Marshall was watching from the side, glaring in annoyance.

Zeke looked back at him, saddened. "Yeah, he might have some trust issues, but don't worry too much about him."

Zeke read the next chapter of Genesis, Marshall only glanced at the rabbit in confusion. "I don't get you at all." Marshall said, Zeke shot back in surprise.

"Y-You're still awake?" He asked, smiling nervously to see Marshall staring at him from his bunk. "Uhh…So, I'm not gonna ask why you're just staring at me." Marshall only rolled his eyes, "I don't understand you at all, dude." The rabbit looked at him. "What don't you 'get'?"

Marshall pointed to his Bible, "Well, first off, no one really reads that book." Zeke left a bookmark where he was in the chapter, and scratched the back of his ear.

"Well, I'm just trying to be faithful." He said, optimistically. Marshall just glared at him,

"Whatever." He said, getting back up.

"Well…Good night." Zeke said, setting his position in prayer.

"Lord Jesus, I thank You that this day isn't hard, and that I can still focus on You. Thank you for being kind to Ari and Akio, but…I ask that You comfort Marshall with Your presence. Amen." Zeke said, going to sleep. Marshall looked over, upset.

(2 weeks later)

Zeke, Ari and Akio got along pretty well, they became quick friends. "So, lemme get this straight, your uncles fight…over push-pops?" Akio signed, giggling slightly. "Now I've heard everything!"

Zeke giggled, "Well, I doubt they'll be fighting over push-pops now. They're in prison." Ari looked at Zeke in shock as she translated for Akio.

"Your uncles are in prison, too?" Ari asked, "Man, Wolfy, you got a checkered past."

"Yeah, they were thieves. Along with my Tío, my aunt and my dad." Zeke explained a little, missing his family. He hoped prison wasn't too hard on them right now. "Still, I hope they're okay." He said, pouting, "And that they can get out on good behavior."

Ari patted the rabbit's shoulder, "Yeah, they can, I'm sure! Though I gotta say, you've got a weird family." Ari said.

Akio signed again, "I mean, his Tío acts like a toddler hopped up on sugar, what do you expect?"

He smirked teasingly, Zeke sighed happily. "Yeah, me and Tío are a mirror image of each other, sometimes." They were interrupted by a loud banging noise, they saw Marshall fighting with another kid. Zeke ran in immediately, panicked.

"Zeke!" Ari said as she and Akio followed on behind him, trying to stop whatever he would pull.

"Don't push me like that again, got that?!" The other one said, "Sorry, you looked like you were asking for it." Marshall said, going in for another punch.

"You guys need to stop—urgh!" Zeke got punched in the stomach as he stepped between them. Marshall and the guy he was fighting with looked at him in shock.

"Why'd you do that? Get outta the way!" Marshall said, Ari and Akio looked at their new friend in worry. "No! You guys don't need to be fighting!" Zeke said, trying to keep them off of each other. It was interrupted when the guard walked by and broke them up.

Zeke stretched his arms out as he continued to read. "Why'd you do that?" Marshall asked, "You mean I shouldn't try to break up a fight?" Zeke said, a bit snarky. "I don't need you to break up my fights, got that?" Marshall said, "I don't need anyone doing anything for me."

Zeke's ear shot up when he heard those words, "Marshall, what do you mean you don't need anyone?" He asked, "I mean, I don't need anyone. It'll only hurt me to be friends with anyone." The ferret explained, turning over to his side.

"What about…God?" Zeke asked, thinking about the times Marshall called him weird for reading it.

"Does God care? He certainly didn't seem to care for me to end up in here." Marshall said, Zeke looked up at his bed. "Marshall, why are you in juvie?"

Marshall looked over, "I…I had a friend I trusted once. He was who I could turn to, but…we'd cut classes and play hooky. But…Yeah, then he dared me to steal something for him, and…I got caught. But…he left me there." He looked saddened and then sighed, "I…I'm sorry I punched you earlier." He went to bed before he continued.

Zeke pouted, understanding Marshall's pain. He put his hands together and started praying, "Lord, I'm asking that You give Marshall extra comfort and understanding about You. That You're here with him, just as You are with me and everyone. Amen." Zeke finished his prayer and went to sleep. Marshall silently listened to his cellmate's prayer.

(1 week later)

Zeke invited Marshall to hang out with him, Ari and Akio. To his surprise, Marshall agreed to it, and hung out with them for the day. "Dude, I can't wait for that movie!" Akio said, explaining his time in juvie was close to being over. They conversed about things they're doing after their sentences. "I'm just taking a nap on my bed, with my plushies." Ari said, tired of the prison beds. Marshall just remained silent for the whole conversation, observing.

"What about you, Zeke?" Akio signed, "What are you doing when you finish your sentence?"

Zeke smiled, "I plan on starting school when I'm out and making new friends. Oh! I need to buy a new sketchbook for drawings! Oh yeah, me and my cat-brother'll have tons of fun with Kpop!" He explained, "Still, I think we should hang out more when we're out of juvie together!" He turned to Marshall, still wondering if he was okay.

"Marshall, what about you?" Zeke said, trying to stay positive. "Look, I'm fine." He said, "But I…I guess I wouldn't mind hanging out with you guys after I get out." Ari and Akio were shocked by the response. Zeke was a little focused on one other thing, "You know, it's come to my attention that that's the only thing you've said this whole time." Marshall just smirked and chortled, "Yeah, guess so." He said, "All right, bet. We all get out on good behavior." They all got along well, but Zeke was happy Marshall came out of his shell for a moment.

"So…Let me get this straight: Moses has a speech impediment?" Marshall asked, Zeke thought about that statement.

"I think so, many people say so. That's why his brother Aaron would help him out." He said, "I feel like God did it to reunite Moses with his siblings, anyway."

Marshall looked at Zeke, starting to smile. "Still, I wonder how the Pharaoh took the news of Moses returning. They were siblings, too, right?" Zeke nodded, "Yeah, they were. But not much is known about the Pharaoh Ramses, so who knows?" Zeke yawned. "Well, g, I'm beat. We should go to sleep, yeah?" Marshall nodded, before getting in his bunk. "Night, Zeke." Zeke smiled, he was glad Marshall started opening up and they became friends. Zeke said his prayer before sleep, "Thank you Lord Jesus for giving Marshall comfort in You, and that we're friends now. I pray when we get out of juvie, we can all hang out soon. If it is Your Will, of course. In Your Name I pray, Amen."

(Here we go, this is Zeke Alone(But not really) Part I. I hope you guys like it, and I hope you like the characters. As their voices, Ari is voiced by Jessie Flower, Akio in his grunts is voiced young Jacob Hopkins and Marshall is voiced by Colleen O'Shaughnessey. Anyways, remember to stay strong and awesome! And remember redemption comes from Him)