Thanks FeatherWind once again for the advice.
It is always appreciated.
I'll try to keep my story going, so thanks.
The Princess Bride was created by William Goldman
Blossom, Michael, Gabriel, Nettie, and Crazy Benjy however are my own characters.
Excuse any mistakes. I'm trying to do better.
Chapter 10
In the Garden…
I walk back down the path to the flower hill. I ignore the strawberries this time. I had an idea. Maybe I can only float when I am at peace with myself. I wasn't quite sure how this was going to work, but I was willing to give it a shot.
The sun starts to sink behind the hills faster and I run to the cave. It was more stunning at sunset. The crystals embedded in the cave walls sparkled in striking colors. The butterflies had come back and where flying in the same little circle as they had before. I sit down in my same spot that I had sat at before. I take a second to relax and try not to think about anything, which is harder than it seems.
I can sense the light outside the cave disappear as my eyes are closed. I try not to think about it. I feel nothing else. I open my eyes and I'm still not floating. I try again and again and again. I get nothing. Zilch. Nil. Nada.
"Blossom, calm yourself." I say. I try one last time before I go. I try to remember all the beauty I've seen in the garden today and I focus on that. The flowers, the fruit, and the tree; that's all I think about it. It doesn't seem to be working. Or at least that's what I thought. When I open my eyes again I'm floating, much higher than the last time. I'm excited but I don't move. I didn't want to break my concentration. I just couldn't fall now.
I don't know what to do and I'm not sure how any of this works. I stand up hesitantly. This was actually working! I was standing in mid-air! I take a step forward and I'm still safe. I'm not sure what else to do so I just start walks through out the small cave. I run a little and jump some and when I think I got the hang of it I try something new. I walk up the walls and dance on the ceiling. But this isn't what I wanted. I wanted to fly.
I first tried jumping around high and falling gracefully back down. It worked and after I got the hang of it all. That's all I could do though. The cave was so small. There just wasn't enough room to fly in here. I thought about taking it outside but that wouldn't have worked. I was sure that this type of floating only actually happened in the cave. I could feel the magic swelling all around me.
I knew it was dark outside and Michael would probably be getting worried but I didn't want to leave yet. So I stay. My eyelids get heavy and falling asleep was too tempting. Sleeping in the air was like slumbering on a cloud and I find myself drifting into a soft nap. When I awake it's completely dark now, I can tell. I'm sure Michael and Nettie were both looking for me. When I look around my crystal cave and I see that the butterflies have left. I no longer hear the hum of their wings rustling together, but I do hear something else. I can't see anything at first, at least not until I look down.
It turned out to be growls. The growls of brown spotted little devils who had long ears and red little noses. Their vicious two fangs are exposed as a threat. Their eyes were huge but black and empty. I knew who they were. There was no doubt in my mind. I had come across the biting bunnies. I had expected that they were only part of a myths and fairytales up until now. They filled the entire cave. There had to be fifty maybe even more.
I'm scared senseless.
In the back of my mind a childhood memory starts to reply in my head. I am in mother's kitchen sitting on a wooden stool helping her prepare the supper. Buttercup was sick and needed some soup. I told mother that I wanted to help her feel better.
"You are a very sweet younger sister, Blossom." I hear mother's voice say, full of praise.
"I know." I giggle.
I use a big wooden spoon to stir the ingredients together as mother cuts up all the veggies.
"Is there anything else I can do mother?" I persist. I wanted Buttercup to get better soon so we could play hide and seek once more.
My mother only smiles at me warmly, "I'm afraid not, dear. But helping me make the soup is a very big job. You're doing splendid. I'm so proud."
This wasn't enough for me. I wanted to help out more. I wanted everyone to stop treating me like a baby. I was a big girl in my mind and I could handle big stuff now. "There has to be something else Mommy. Please, I want to help."
"Now, now Blossom dear-"
"I know of something you can do Blossom." Father says from his special chair near the fire.
I jump down from the wooden stool and hopped upon my father's lap with eagerness in my eyes. "Really? What is it Daddy? What do you want me to do?"
A sly little grin approaches his face. "Why don't you in your room and check for any Biting Bunnies." He says with a sparkle in his eye.
"Biting Bunnies Daddy?"
"Harold!" My mother says in astonishment, "Don't go filling our little girl's head with such nonsense." With her hands where on her hips and her eyes were narrowed, mother meant business.
"It's just a wee story. It won't hurt her none, darling. Besides she loves her dear old dad's stories. Don't you Blossom?"
Indeed I did. Although most of them kept me from sleeping many a night, I loved them all. I dropped to the floor and laid on my stomach looking keenly up at him. Father lit his pipe as he always did before a good story. He sat back in a chair with a smile on his face. The story then began.
"You see, Blossom sweetie, we didn't want to tell you until we thought you were old enough to know-"
"Oh bother!" Mother exclaims as she finishes her supper.
Dad ignores her sighs. "But now that you are four-"
"Four and a half, Daddy."
"Yes that's right. Now that you are four and a half I think it is about time that you know." He exhales the smoke from his pipe. "The Biting Bunnies are these ghastly little things. They are said to be the brown all over with black spots on their backs. They have fangs and vicious claws, with eyes that glow in the dark. They come out only in the evening when it is night and everything is covered in shadows."
"They don't eat humans do they Daddy?" I ask innocently.
"Well…" Father says, thinking over his answer carefully, "I'm sure it is not always their intention to eat humans but from what I hear they will eat anything. In fact, many say that they hate any other animals except for their own kind. That includes humans. You see, they may seem very vicious and evil on the outside, but on the inside they are always terrified and always on edge."
"Why are they so scared?"
"Don't know." He says, "Maybe because they fear something is constantly hunting them. Or maybe they are just filled with rage. Anyhow, their fear mixed with their edgy behavior never makes a good combination if you understand what I mean."
"How so?"
"They are very easily startled. If an animal or heavens forbid a person accidentally comes across one, the bunny will attack him."
I giggle a little. "It's only a little bunny Dad. What could a little bunny do?"
"Their teeth are mighty sharp my dear. The biting bunnies are very deadly. One bite has enough poison to kill a man in only a short day. Many times it's even quicker than that."
A shiver tingles down my spine. "Where do they live?"
"Don't fear child. They live nowhere around here. They only survive in the darkest and coldest places. They like damp areas as well. They prefer gopher holes and caves."
"But Daddy, why would they be Blossom's room? They have never been there before. Mommy and I would have seen them."
"Silly girl." Said my father with a laugh, "Don't you know that the biting bunnies and the dust bunnies are cousins. The biting bunnies occasionally visit the dust bunnies under beds. We don't want them to get your sister her weak stage now do we?"
"No sir." I say, still a little frightened. What my father had described to me was a nightmare that seemed worse than even the monster in the closet. For something as cute as a bunny to be vicious seemed more chilling than anything.
Mother comforted me later telling me that such things were just apart of my father's imagination. However that didn't stop me from checking under Blossom's bed that night. I wanted to make sure my big sister wasn't clawed to death by the vermin. Even when I was growing up I checked under my bed every night. I knew that dust bunnies didn't exist, but I couldn't make myself believe that biting bunnies didn't exist either. I kept telling myself that it wasn't real.
Reality hit me like stone as I came back from my memories.
Ironically now here I was staring down at what my mother once told me was just apart of Father's imagination. If only she could see them now. Father had been right. They were just as terrifying as I had imagined.
"Don't think." I tell myself, " You'll get out of this in no time." I inform myself, "The important thing is to relax and stay calm. You can float and stay out of their way."
It feels like hours have passed eventually and the little buggers still haven't budged from their spot on the cave floor. They were being aggressive to one another causing this gruesome sound to echo through the cave. The crystals embedded in the cave walls gave a glow through the grotto. I could see them perfectly, which was frightening in itself. I was shaking all over and I could stop. I hadn't moved. I had to move eventually. I knew that, but my body would cooperate. I just knew that I would fall on top of them then it would be all over for me.
In the distance I can hear my name being called.
"Princess?!" I hear the voice desperately shout. "Princess? Where are you?!"
"Michael?" I say, but it came out in a much softer tone than I expected. "He won't hear me from in here." I worry.
"Michael!!" I shout. This time my voice echoed through the cave causing the bunnies to stir up. I lost my happy thought, my sense of peace. It had vanished and I was falling in midair.
I scream in despair, thinking I'm a goner. I reach out my arms for anything I could hold on to. My fingers manage to grab onto a large groove of the rocky cave wall. I beg the heavens for a blessing, for a miracle. They sent me an angel.
"Princess?" Michael says as he steps inside the cave with a lantern in one hand and the sword in the other. Worry was written all over his face. His eyes scan the cave. "Are you alright?"
"Michael, stand back!"
Michael lifts lantern to get a better look. He sees me hanging from the wall. "What happened? What's wrong?" He takes another step inside the cave.
"No!!!"
"Why are you-" Michael didn't have to finish the question. The growls of the bunnies answered any questions he had. He looked down in surprise and shock. When Michael finally got a grasp of things the only thing that he could mutter was, "But…how?"
"I don't know. I don't." I felt myself on the verge of tears. I wanted out of this. They were my worst fears and they wear five feet below my slippers.
Michael heard my voice crack. "Don't worry now princess. I'm here now. Just hold on."
"I'm not sure how long I can Michael."
"Blossom!!!" Nettie screams from outside, "Michael! Blossom!!!"
"She was looking for you too." Michael informs me, "Hold tight I go and get her."
Michael leaves and I'm once again alone. I tried to be strong and sway my weight back and forth. If I moved just a little more to the right I could sit on a nearby ledge until we figured something out. My body once again wouldn't cooperate. It was tired of always being strong. So was I.
"Blossom!" Nettie's voice shouts as she runs up to the cave with Michael at her heels. When she sees the bunnies for herself. All the color drains from her face. Her lower jaw falls and her mouth is wide open. She says nothing, until "That's what I heard early this morning." She whispers.
"What did you hear?" I ask.
"This. You know from outside the cave…. their growls…it sounds like running water. The river that I was looking for."
Growls of running water, it sounded familiar to me for some reason. I tried to think but my concentration was soon lost.
Michael steps past Nettie and into the cave. Nettie and I both scream no at the same time and Nettie holds him back. "Are you crazy? They'll kill you!" Nettie shouts in the lowest of whispers.
"We got to get her out of there some how."
"I know but that isn't the way. We have to think of something else."
Nothing came to any of us. The biting bunnies surrounded that floor. Michael and Nettie lowered their lanterns so the extra light wouldn't arouse them. I realized that there were probably more than I thought hiding in the shadows.
Growls of running water. Why did that sound familiar to me? Where had I heard it before?
"Nettie! The nursery rhyme!" Michael shouts, "Wasn't there a nursery rhyme?"
"Oh my goodness! I almost forgot all about that."
"What nursery rhyme?" I ask.
"When we were younger there used to be a spooky nursery rhyme about the biting bunnies." Nettie replied, "I can't remember it now. Don't you remember Blossom?"
My mind was drawing a blank. I was too tired to think of anything. I had heard it before and it made sense. That's why what Nettie said sounded so familiar to me. "Would it help?" I asked.
"At this moment anything would help." Michael says.
"Okay." I was shaking some much even my voice sounded like it was shivering to. I try swaying again to get to the other ledge. My legs refuse to move. "Work please." I beg them silently, but they refuse.
"How did it start?" Nettie asked Michael.
"Brown speckled little bunnies."
"Brown speckled little bunnies. Brown speckled little bunnies." Nettie repeats over and over again as she paces a little. "What comes next?"
"The only parts I can remember," Michael says, "is 'brown speckled little bunnies', 'growls of running water', and 'they will scamper, they will fluster". What are the other parts?"
"Let me see." Nettie closes her eyes as she tries to imagine the words.
"Brown speckled little bunnies.
Growls of running water,
And… And sharp teeth for slaughter.
In the dark…………… they lurk.
Green glowing eyes and…… devilish smirk."
"That's it!! That's the first part." Michael shouts. "But what's the second part?"
No wonder I couldn't remember the rhyme. I hated it so much growing up. I mean really, sharp teeth of slaughter? Why would a kid want to hum such a thing?
Nettie continues:
"Brown speckled little bunnies.
And…no…Under the glow of the moon,
You know your end is coming soon.
The biting bunnies will poison you.
And death will fall ever so true.
Brown speckled little bunnies
They will scamper, they will fluster.
………… uh……something, something, and luster."
"What!" Michael exclaims.
"I'm sorry. I don't remember what comes after fluster. I know it has luster at the end. But I can't remember."
Nettie and Michael start making possible sentences with the word luster. They didn't notice that the bunnies were starts move around a bit. I didn't have to guess what was wrong with them. I knew it instantly. They were hungry. Their black tongue hanged out of their open mouths. It was indeed dinnertime and I was still hanging above them like a little treat.
"Was it something like their eyes have luster?" Nettie suggested.
"No you already mentioned their eyes."
"It was something to do with luster. I'm so sure of it.
"Brown speckled little bunnies.
They will scamper, they will fluster.
………………………………luster.
I can't remember!" She shouts in frustration.
The biting bunnies one by one and notice me, a delicious free meal, hanging over them.
"Are you sure it was luster?" Michael says in a doubting tone.
I swear I just saw one of the bunnies lick their fangs. They pass the message of a free meal to the other bunnies in a series of yips and bunny talk.
"Michael, I know what I'm talking about. It was luster. But what thing can luster? The moon maybe?"
The bunnies form a circle under my feet. They chant in unison. Michael and Nettie have their backs to me. I scream but no sound comes out. I can't cry. I can't escape. I just hang their looking down at them. I waited for the inevitable.
"No." Michael replies, "You already mentioned the moon."
"Oh, yeah. That's right."
A part of me wishes the bunnies would just attack me already. Then it would all be over. The anticipation would be gone.
"I got it!" Nettie yells. "It is:
Brown speckled little bunnies.
They will scamper, they will fluster.
They adore how precious stones luster.
So run and heed this song.
Forget these words and you won't live for long."
"That's it!!!" Michael exclaims. "Did you hear that Blossom? She re-" Michael turned around to see the bunnies the verge of an attack.
"OH My- Blossom, raise your legs onto the wall. They won't be able to get to you!" Nettie hollers.
I hear her but I can't move my body. I hear her but my mouth won't open to respond. I hear myself whimper, but I'm not even aware that I'm doing it.
"Heavens," I hear Michael say, " She's gone into shock."
"I'll be right back." Nettie says. She takes her lamp and runs as fast as she can out the cave.
"Blossom!" Michael calls to me, "Don't let go. Do you hear me?"
I heard him but I wasn't sure if my fingers would obey.
They bunnies start jumping in the air. For such small bunnies they could jump quite high. They start to latch unto my dress. Michael hits them with rocks and they fall off.
"I'll try to catch their attention." Michael informs me, "When I do reach to your right and get to the ledge. Okay?" Michael throws more rocks. The bunnies growl in rage. He lifts his lantern in the air to catch their attention but they don't budge from under me.
That figured. Mosquitoes have always bitten me and never Buttercup. She used to tease me and say that I must taste good since they couldn't get enough of me. I guess I smelt really good to the bunnies too. No matter how much Michael hit them they didn't move towards him.
Then Michael did something brave. He crept into the cave, closer and closer to the bunnies. They gave him absolutely no attention. I didn't understand. Why me? "Blossom. Look at you dress."
I looked down and I could have laughed. I had forgotten Buttercup had put gems on the dress when she made it for my birthday. They weren't real, but I guess the bunnies couldn't tell between real precious gems and faux. I'm sure to them it didn't matter. I was just in time for dinner and I had flashy stones on.
"I got them!!" Nettie screams as she enters the cave. In her hands was the box Crazy Benjy gave me. It was filled to the brim with rubies, emeralds, and sapphires. "Come on Michael!" She calls, "Don't worry Blossom. We'll get you out."
Nettie and Michael had a plan. Michael held the light up again. Nettie held out a heaping handful of gems in front of it. The light caught the gems color and filled the cave will it's splendor. The bunnies ignored me and my faux jewels. The gems in Nettie's hands memorized them. They crouched low as if they were ready to attack her for them.
Nettie threw the gems as far as she could. They landed in the furthest corner of the cave. She kept throwing them.
"Now!" Michael screamed to me, "Princess let go."
My fingers let go and I land on my feet. I feel my legs move one step at a time. I don't hear anything and I can barely see anything. I take baby steps; my legs have forgotten how to walk. I see Nettie and Michael say something but there is no sound. I watch their lips mouth the word "faster". Can I go faster? My legs tell me I can't.
I have this sudden urge to give up.
And then…………………………………………………. it happens.
One bunnies notices that I, his dinner, have left my rocky perch. He comes running up to me. And I don't move. "Just let him bite me." I think. "This way it will be over and I won't have to be strong anymore. I would be wherever Mother and Father were. I would be with them. I would be at home."
I feel its demon teeth sink into my ankle. I rush of hot agony starts up my legs and fills my heart. I let go to whatever strength I had left and collapse to the floor. Nettie screams in horror.
"No!!!!!" Michael screams. He drops the lantern and rushes to my side.
That's it for now. This is my first real cliffhanger in this story. What do you think?
Read and Review Please!!!
Teenstar113