Chapter 3: Indecision

"You're free to go. There is nothing wrong with you," Dr. Wooly said while failing to stifle a yawn. The sheep looked exhausted.

"Are you sure?" Gideon knew this moment was coming, but he didn't like it.

"We tested everything that we thought of."

Gideon wasn't ready to admit his psychological problems to the doctor. Sometimes he still saw himself killing the rabbit when he closed his eyes. "Thank you."

His mood worsened when the other foxes received a clean bill of health too at the same time. Carla would be eager to get the show started again, and Gideon didn't want to fight with her. Unfortunately, she caught up to him just outside the hospital.

"I thought you changed, Gideon," Carla said. "You did everything you could to make her uncomfortable."

"Can we not talk about this here?" Gideon shot her down before he could be drawn into a long argument.

"Fine. I'll come by your place. Tonight."

Gideon was grateful that she granted him a slight reprieve. The journey home was not without incident. He used an app to call for a Zuber. The driver arrived within three minutes.

As the odds would have it, the driver was a rabbit. At least, this one was male instead of female.

"You're a rabbit," Gideon said. "I can't."

"Why's that a problem?" the rabbit said.

"I ate rabbit. I don't want to risk it happening again."

Of course, the rabbit called the cops. "I've got a fox here that confessed to eating rabbit. Please send help."

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere." Gideon stood on the sidewalk, waiting for the police to arrive.

An officer arrived within five minutes. "Paws where I can see them," the bunny officer said.

"Of course, Officer." Gideon complied. "How much trouble am I in?" He sat in the cruiser.

"Shut up." The officer drove him down to the station.

The station once again reminded him of fox superiority. It had the motif of a fox head on top. He followed the officer inside. His fantasy of receiving some form of punishment quickly faded when he saw the chief.

"What are you doing here?" Chief Fluffypaws said. "I thought we sorted everything out."

"You know him?" the officer pointed to Gideon.

"He's the star of 'Earn Your Tail' and way too valuable to be sitting behind bars for an accident."

"And foxes get off scot-free again, why am I surprised? Do whatever it is that you do." The officer walked away dejectedly. "Who am I to say otherwise?"

Fluffypaws took the cuffs off. Her tail grazed his back.

"Hey!" Gideon said. "What do you think you're doing?"

"My mistake." Fluffypaws smiled innocently.

"I need a way to go home. I doubt the next driver will be any different," Gideon said.

"I'll drive you."

"Are you sure that this is appropriate?"

"I'm here to serve the community," Fluffypaws said.

They headed inside the cruiser. She started driving towards his house.

"So, what's the big idea? Do you think spending a few years behind bars will do anything good?" Fluffypaws asked. "You're Gideon Grey."

"I think that getting off without consequences is wrong," Gideon said. "I killed someone, and I'm a monster."

"You're too hard on yourself. She poisoned you."

"The hospitals didn't find anything. I didn't have to kill her. She tasted so good when I had my teeth around her neck."

"You're a fox, why's that a surprise?" Fluffypaws said.

"What if it happens again?"

"And why would it? Predators don't go around biting other mammals." She stopped at their destination. "Take care now."

It was impossible to avoid the many accolades that were in his home. Gideon dashed to his bedroom. Every accolade he saw made him feel guilty – as if he was running away from his responsibility. The foxes of Bunnyburrow needed him. When he closed his eyes, his mind replayed that vivid scene where he bit into her neck.

Someone was at the door, drawing him away from his repeating nightmare. Carla dropped by as promised.

"I'm disappointed in you, Gideon." Carla wasted no time walking in and claiming a seat next to the table.

Gideon blinked. He didn't expect her to utilize her costume outside of the set. She had five tails waving around her.

"You planned to kill her."

"I did not. I bit her out of instinct and rage. She tasted so good that I couldn't stop myself." Gideon moved to sit across the table from her.

"Let's say I believe you. You hated the idea of bunnies on the show, and you intentionally got Harley's gender wrong. What are you going to do about it?" Carla said.

"I don't know. The police won't even arrest me," Gideon admitted.

"And how many years behind bars do you think you need and why would it help?"

Gideon thought about it. "I don't know, but shouldn't something change? What if it happens again? What if it's someone that I care about?"

"If you spent a year behind bars, what do you think will happen when you come out? Do you think your show will be around?"

"Is the show the only thing you care about?" Gideon became angry at the mention of his show. He envisioned that she was using him as a way to make more money. He stuffed his paws into his pockets, wary that he might strike with unbridled rage. It wasn't him, but he did bite a rabbit before.

"Do you realize how easy it would be for me to take control of it? Especially, after your mistake. If it was just about the money, I would've gone with the bunnies when you granted me my fourth tail."

Gideon sighed. "Enough games. What do you want?" He thought that she coveted power and money.

"I want to know what you plan to do."

"I have no idea."

"Figure it out. If something like this happens again, you might not be so lucky. Good day, Gideon." Carla walked away.

Gideon fixed himself from supper. His television show could wait for another day while he mulled over what he should do. Doing nothing felt wrong but he didn't want to give anything up either. If only there was a way for him to have his cake and eat it too.