Jamie groaned as he opened in eyes, only to find himself engulfed in complete darkness. Where was he? Was he home in bed and there was a power failure in the middle of the night? Then again, the night sky always shown through his bedroom window, which now it wasn't there… Feeling the surface beneath him, he realised he was lying on some sort of rough straw bedding, with a dry, dirt floor beneath. The air had the odour of freshly dug earth with a touch of dampness, almost as if he was in a closed space…
With a jolt of terror, he realised he was underground. What had happened? Was he buried alive? Fearful thoughts went through his head as he feverishly searched his pockets for anything to provide light with, to let him get a better look at his surroundings, praying it wasn't what he thought it was.
Taking out his cell phone, the illuminated screen revealed the walls of some sort of cavern surrounding him all around; he was indeed underground, in some sort of burrow, no more than five feet high and six wide. Tree roots trailed down from the ceiling, forming supports along the walls, like planking in a mine tunnel. Soon the blank spots in his memory began to clear and it all came back to him: flying through the Aurora, finding the world completely and inexplicably changed, crashing his glider in the tree, the hawk attack, meeting Hannah and Rosebud…
Running his hand through his hair, he felt a sore spot with a semi-dried bloodstain from when he had banged his head; the memory of that old rabbit attacking him resurfaced and he realised, he must be at Thinial, Rosebud and Hannah's warren. But why had they brought him here? Was he a prisoner? Or had they sealed him into this hole to leave him to die? His fearful thoughts were suddenly interrupted by something nuzzling him on the neck. Turning, he saw Snitter who, seeing his master awake had risen to greet him. Although overjoyed to see his faithful dog, the sight of several ugly scratches on the dog's sides and ears, told Jamie there had been trouble.
Looking frantically for a way out, he finally spotted the outline of an opening in the burrow wall, which was blocked with a huge boulder wedged across it from the other side. Crawling up to it, he found it was solid and wouldn't budge. He was trapped. Fighting to remain calm, he struggled to get his wits together and figure out a way out of this. Fortunately, he found he still had all his belongings on him, his attackers apparently having overlooked them when they had brought him here.
Lighting one of the glow sticks from his survival kit to conserve his phone battery, illuminating the dark burrow with a bright chemical light, he took out his knife. Opening the saw blade, he proceeded to attack the wall beside the sealed entrance, trying to tunnel his way out. Before he could get that far however, a familiar squeaky voice caught him off-guard.
"Hallo Jamie. You're finally awake!" Looking down, he saw Hannah had appeared through a small gap between the rock and the burrow floor. "I was just going to check on Rosebud and…" The horrified look on Jamie's face caused her face to fall, "What's the matter?"
"'What's the matter?'" mimicked Jamie incredulously before retorting, "I thought you said they were friendly and harmless! Why have they put me here? What do they want with me?" Although slightly taken aback by Jamie's panicked outburst, Hannah tried to reassure him.
"It's all right; Captain Broom saw you touching Rosebud and thought you were attacking her. There is no need to look so alarmed," she said, seeing Jamie's scared expression, "Both Rosebud and I cleared up the misunderstanding. We persuaded the Chieftess to bring you here until you recovered…"
"Then why have they sealed me in here like some wild beast?" retorted Jamie, starting to feel very claustrophobic in the cramped burrow, "What, they intend to leave me in here to starve until I am too weak to defend myself, so they can have an easier time finishing me off?" he said, remembering all those wild stories of jungle savages that would capture and kill any strangers trespassing into their territory.
"Oh, stop being such an alarmist!" snapped Hannah, "If they thought you were a threat they would have killed you already. This confinement is only meant as a precaution; you are a stranger to them, not to mention a human, and Captain Broom insisted on a temporary restriction to appease the others. Word of your arrival has spread fast; there will be a meeting held in the morning, to present you to the rest of the warren. Don't worry," she added hastily, seeing Jamie's anxious look, "They know you mean no harm and will not harm you in any way…unless you give them a good reason to do so."
Although relieved to hear that at least these rabbits didn't mean to rip him to pieces, being sealed up in this hole with his dog felt highly frustrating for Jamie. He felt very grateful when Hannah volunteered to stay with him and Snitter until morning when they would let him out…or so they had said. After a while, Jamie finally regained his confidence and, tired of waiting, settled down to sleep, Hannah curled up under his arm. For a while he listened to her softly humming in his ear as she slept, touched by her motherly fondness towards him, before drifting off to sleep himself.
Several hours later, Jamie woke with a start at the sounds of grunting; his captors were heaving the boulder blocking the entrance. Anxiety gripped him as he noticed Hannah had left him while he had been asleep. Hastily grabbing Snitter, who was about to dart for the opening exit, by his collar, he backed away towards the far wall of the burrow, putting as much space between himself and whoever was coming. Keeping his knife with the largest and sharpest blade open behind his back, he braced for, what he hoped wouldn't turn out to be, an unfriendly greeting.
The boulder slid aside, revealing several rabbits, including Captain Broom. With the exception of the aged Owsla Captain, the rest were all blind and sickly-looking, their milk-white eyes staring vacantly in Jamie's direction. Yet the boy could tell from their overcautious, if not dark, expressions that they knew exactly what he was and that his presence here was hardly in their good books.
For a few minutes, they just stared silently at each other, Captain Broom studying Jamie, as if trying to figure him out, while the teenager stared back nervously, wondering what they were about to do to him. For an instant, he wished Hannah had stayed with him; although only a small mouse, her moral support would have been most welcome now. Finally, Captain Broom spoke.
"Come along ithe. Flyairth-rah awaits you." Although the aged rabbit's voice had a strong air of firmness and authority, to Jamie's relief, he and the guards seemed more cautious than hostile. Feeling nervous, he slowly got to his feet, still holding the growling Snitter by the collar, and made his way towards the exit. Broom's escorts, hearing him approach, stepped aside to let him through, before taking up positions behind and on either side of him, with amazingly good accuracy for blind and scentless rabbits. Giving him a nudge, they urged him forward.
They set off through the warren, past many runs and burrows, which resembled an underground maze. As they walked along, Jamie, using his dimming glowstick to see where he was going, caught sight of the miserable population of Thinial residing in their burrows. Blind and sickly-looking rabbits with shabby fur and ugly myxomata, some so bad, they looked almost like rotting corpses come alive. The air was thick with the unpleasant smell of sickness and disease, like the quarantine ward of a hospital. Just as Jamie was imagining what life must be like for these unhappy rabbits, which literally existed on the brink between life and death, every minute of every day, his escorts ushered him into another chamber.
This cavern seemed to be the largest in the warren, resembling some sort of mass assembly point. A crowd of rabbits stood around a raised earthen platform, where the Chieftess sat. Flyairth-rah, just like her people, was blind and in poor health, yet Jamie could feel the air of authority and strength radiating from the aged doe before him. As if sensing his presence, the Chieftess turned to stare in his direction, her sightless eyes fixing him with an unbending gaze, making him feel like he was being x-rayed. Finally, she spoke in plain English, "Do you understand what I am saying, young ithe?"
"Y…yes ma'am," Jamie stammered, unsure as to how to address the rabbit that was apparently in charge round here. He was caught off-guard by the buzz of amazement that instantly broke out all around the chamber, as the spectators became aware of his talking abilities, "He can talk! What is this magic? Where does he come from?" It was only after a loud series of stamping from Captain Broom that the crowd quietened down, letting their Chieftess continue questioning the newcomer.
"I believe you are wondering why we have brought you here," Flyairth went on, her voice turning rather frosty, "Captain Broom claims he saw you about to attack my niece." At these words, Jamie felt his insides curl up in anticipation; perhaps Hannah had been wrong about his hosts not believing him to be a threat? But Flyairth's next words quickly diminished that aspect, "However, Rosebud and Hannah swear you risked yourself to save their lives. Furthermore, they say you've rid us of those miserable rats that have been terrorising our home for hrair seasons. Is this true?"
"Well, it was kind of an accident really, but yes, I did do all that," Jamie stammered, uncertain if the old doe believed him or not. The furious muttering from all the spectators told him there were many minds expressing doubts; to his utmost relief however, Flyairth, after a few seconds of silence, nodded her head.
"I believe you young one; you needn't fear of any harm coming to you by our paw." Although her voice remained stern, Jamie was relieved it was no longer cold. The Chieftess continued questioning him, "Who are you and where do you come from?"
"And just what in Frith's name is he doing here?" interrupted another rather mean-looking rabbit, one of the escort guards, with a snarl of hatred, "Is he a spy…?"
"Silence Prake!" snapped Flyairth sternly, annoyed at being interrupted. Although the rabbit Prake held his tongue, the other spectators apparently shared his concerns and more as they continued firing questions or expressing strong disapproval, "How can he talk like us? Maybe he is another instrument of the Black Rabbit of Inle sent to trick us and infiltrate our warren? Flyairth-rah, we must drive him out or kill him outright! Ithel can't be trusted…"
"That's enough Milmown!" barked Flyairth to the tharn doe, causing her to fall silent, before turning back to Jamie, "Now then young one, you were saying?"
"My name is Jamie. I come from Newtown Common, a village not too far away, on the other side of the Enborne River. A few days ago my father went missing and presumed dead, so I've come looking for him. I just didn't expect to find…"
"A village on the far side of the river, you say?" interrupted Flyairth, her voice suddenly turning frosty again, "You mean to say you come from the Dark Territory?" Although Jamie had no idea what this Dark Territory was, he realised it had to be a very sensitive topic for these rabbits, for all the spectators were suddenly on edge again.
"I knew it! He is one of them! Kill the wretch! Give him a taste of his own poison!" Jamie felt his stomach bottom out, fighting a strong urge to panic, as the crowd seemed about to strike. Beside him, Snitter, sensing an imminent conflict, started growling dangerously. Before any trouble could break out however, someone else stood up to Jamie's defence.
"Stop it, all of you!" Rosebud cried, stepping forward, her sightless eyes shining with fierce determination, "Jamie saved my life and Hannah's. You have no right to judge him because he is a human, or because he can talk like us, or because from where he comes from, or whatever! I may be blind but I know for a fact he means no harm!" The remaining spectators looked as if they wanted to start yelling at her, yet refrained, probably because she was the ward of their Chieftess. Instead, they all turned to Flyairth who seemed deep in thought, apparently torn between answering to her people's fear and her ward's feelings for the stranger. Finally, she spoke.
"While I can appreciate my niece's sense of gratitude, I have no intention of negating my people's concerns regarding our…visitor," she said in a reasonably calm tone, yet Jamie could sense that her cool tone made it obvious that she sided more with her people's opinion, rather than Rosebud's, "I suggest we retire and debate the matter in privacy. In the meantime, I am placing Captain Broom in charge of our guest; the young ithe is to remain under his watch and is not to leave the warren without escort until further notice. Everyone, dismissed."
While Flyairth and, what appeared to be, her second-in-commands and other high-ranking rabbits retreated into another chamber to deliberate, the warren commoners returned to their daily activities. In an orderly manner, which had apparently taken years of methodical training, each one of them left the assembly chamber when their name was called by a prefect, and made their way back to their burrows, using their whiskers to feel their way along. Jamie could still hear the blind rabbits' furious muttering about him as they left, leaving him in the company of Captain Broom, Hannah and Rosebud.
A short while later, Jamie sat outside, talking with his new friends. Now that he was back above ground, he could see that Flyairth had indeed thought everything out well before settling down here with her fellow disabled rabbits. Thinial was located in a small clearing, surrounded by dense forest, which kept it virtually hidden from the prying eyes of predators. The northern bank of the Enborne River could be seen nearby, providing a fresh water source for the warren, as well as helping the blind find their way around by following the sound of the water.
After Rosebud had gotten permission from her guardian that Jamie be allowed outside, as long as he stayed within the boundaries of the warren and under Captain Broom's constant supervision, they had found a secluded spot a safe distance away from the rest of the rabbits, which were still on edge with the boy's presence. It was only then that Jamie realised how hungry he was; the last time he remembered eating was during dinner with his mother, the night before his flight in the glider. Unfortunately, he had no food on him, other than a fistful of stale peanuts he had found in his pocket, hardly enough for a hungry boy.
His eyes lit up when he spotted several apple trees nearby, the delicious-looking fruit hanging from their branches. While for the rabbits of Thinial couldn't climb trees, putting the apples completely out of their reach, for Jamie it was an cinch. Improvising a spear with a sharp end using his knife, he soon had a fine harvest of fresh, juicy apples, enough to satisfy his hunger and even treat his friends to a decent meal.
While Captain Broom remained mostly silent, avoiding conversation, yet his eyes, which were the only working pair in the warren, never leaving Jamie, Hannah introduced Rosebud to her new friend. The young doe was excited to meet Jamie, her initial fear of him entirely forgotten, as she thanked him for saving her and Hannah. They sat for hours, enjoying the day and exchanging stories of their lives and homes.
"So where you come from, all humans can talk like us?" the blind doe asked excitedly, as Jamie told her about his home. Although still anxious about what Flyairth would decide for him, Jamie was beginning to enjoy the company of these strange giant rabbits. Back home, aside from his parents and Kenny, he had never had so much loving attention from anybody. In spite of her disability, Rosebud was very friendly and full of spirit as she continued questioning Jamie, "And you are saying you have never seen a talking rabbit before?"
"Yes, you guys are just like something out of an animated film, only very real," Jamie replied, reaching over to pat her between the ears. In contrast to earlier, when she had fearfully pulled away, this time she relaxed, enjoying the touch. Her monotonous and miserable life had suddenly taken a turn for the best with Jamie's arrival. "The rabbits I know can't talk and are much smaller than any of you guys. And you say you haven't ever seen a talking human before?"
"No, the humans we know are the equivalent of the animals you say you know, only more savage," Rosebud replied sheepishly, weary of insulting her new friend. Of all the mysteries Jamie had encountered so far in this strange world, the most baffling of all was the fact that none of his new friends claimed to have never seen humans like him before, and vice-versa. How could this be possible?
Ever since arriving here, Jamie had first assumed that he had found something that had somehow gone unnoticed by the rest of the world; but now, he realised that these giant talking animals were as unaware of human existence as he was of theirs, which made no sense whatsoever. He estimated to be only several miles out of Newtown; even in this part of the country, the woods were regularly scouted by tourists, hikers, farmers and hunters all year round. How was it possible that these rabbits had apparently existed here unnoticed since the beginning of time, without ever having seen humans before? His thoughts turned to his cell phone, which was still off the air. Did this mean that something had happened to his home? Rosebud snapped him back to reality by nuzzling him in the shoulder, "Are you all right, Jamie?"
"Oh yes, just lost in thoughts," Jamie replied, gently pulling the doe onto his lap for a cuddle, while Hannah watched them with a warm smile. Captain Broom frowned a bit but didn't intervene. "Tell me, what is this Dark Territory your aunt was talking about?" Before Rosebud could reply however, Captain Broom, whose attention had been instantly redirected at the mention of the Dark Territory, answered instead.
"The Dark Territory is a forbidden and dangerous land on the far side of the river," he said, launching into the story of the event that had changed their lives forever, "I believe Rosebud and Hannah have already told you that we aren't natives to Thinial." For the first time ever, Rosebud and Hannah sat listening to the former Captain of Owsla's tragic story, one he had never recited to anyone before.
"Hrair seasons ago, I was Captain of Owsla at Sandleford Warren, under the rule of the great Threarah, who was also a close friend of mine. Anyway, at some point both Sandleford and Thinial were becoming overcrowded, so an expedition was sent, to venture into the unexplored Dark Territory in search of a suitable location to establish a new warren to accommodate our surplus population. Unlike customary procedure, where the Captain of Owsla leads an expedition, the Threarah insisted on leading instead, leaving me as Deputy Chief in his absence; a preparation for my upcoming promotion to Chief Rabbit of the new warren."
"A few days after the expedition set off, we were visited by a stranger, claiming to be messenger from another warren with whose Chief the Threarah had formed an alliance, and had come to make arrangements for some of our people to migrate to his warren on our Chief's orders. Then, the Threarah suddenly returned alone and injured, exposing him as a deadly enemy; as it turned out, this stranger was the warlord Chief Rabbit of another, dark warren of savage rabbits that enslaved or killed any strangers. The Threarah said he had found another warren called Redstone shortly before it was sieged by the Owsla of that same enemy warren called Efrafa. The Efrafans had tortured and killed his companions one by one, forcing him to reveal Sandleford's location. It was only by one of Frith's miracles that he managed to escape and make it back in time to warn us. Unfortunately, our problems were far from over…" Jamie listened as the aged rabbit continued his story.
"The savage stranger was forcefully driven out but swore he would make us suffer. Of course, we all dismissed it as a hollow threat…until the White Blindness struck us unawares. Thinial was the first to fall; a few foolish, inconsiderate survivors fled to our warren, bringing the plague with them. Soon, Sandleford was also on the brink of collapse so the Threarah had to make the executive decision to drive out anyone who showed the least symptoms, including myself and even his sister Flyairth. Somehow, I managed to retain my sight and sense of smell and helped round up as many survivors as possible training them to cope with their disability, to start life over…what little we have left of it anyway."
"And so here we have remained all these seasons, cut off from the rest of the world because of the potential of infecting other healthy rabbits. We never receive visitors and always make sure our warren remains hidden, to avoid attracting elil, against which we are utterly helpless. Those rats you drove off were only a hindrance compared to what a lendri or a homba could do to us. And that doesn't come close to the summer, when the Blindness flares up again from the ticks and fleas that still nest in our ears…" By this time, Jamie felt deeply touched and, knowing what he was up against, was determined to do something about it.
"I thing I might be able to help you," he said, "Back where I come from, my mother is a veterinarian…an animal healer," he explained, seeing the puzzled expression on his friends' faces, "She has a vaccine that can cure you all…" Rosebud, who had been snoozing on his lap, was on her feet in an instant, on fire with excitement and even Captain Broom had forgotten his stern military attitude and was all ears.
"You have a cure for the White Blindness?" she gasped in amazement, "Then, you can give us back our eyesight and sense of smell? Make us whole again? Give us the chance of seeing our families again…?" But Jamie, who had seen the Myxomatosis vaccine being used on sick rabbits before, shook his head sadly.
"I am afraid it isn't that perfect; it can't restore your eyesight or sense of smell once they are lost. However," he went on, seeing Rosebud on the verge of tears, her hopes of seeing her parents and brothers again about to be shattered, "it should be able to clean up the virus from your system, making it possible for you to live among healthy rabbits again without fear of contamination. You should be able to return to your home warren without fear of getting anyone else infected…"
"Is this true?" asked a sharp voice from behind them, catching them off-guard. Jamie turned and saw Flyairth emerge from some nearby bushes, from where she had been eavesdropping. Concerned for her niece being in the company of a human with only a mouse and an old ruin of a rabbit to keep an eye on her, the moment she had finished her meeting, she had gone out to check on her. Her enhanced hearing had quickly picked up the excited voices of Rosebud, Hannah, the young ithe, and even Captain Broom conversing nearby. She had half-expected to catch the ithe up to no good and was amazed to find that her niece's judgement had been correct.
"Aunt Flyairth! By Frith, you gave me quite a turn! We were just…" Rosebud stammered, uncertain as to how her guardian would approve of her having so close physical contact with a potentially dangerous human. Jamie was thinking along the same lines but relaxed when he saw Flyairth smile.
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you dear," the blind Chieftess said, "I couldn't help but listen; it seems I was right to trust your judgement after all. But what was that you were saying about having a cure for the White Blindness?" she asked, her expression turning serious again, turning to Jamie, who described the Myxomatosis vaccine best to his knowledge.
"The vaccine can't restore your eyesight or sense of smell, but it can remove the threat of the disease that is still in your blood and restore your health," Jamie explained, "At least that's what I know."
"Do you have that…cure on you? Maybe you can provide here and now?" Flyairth asked, clearly interested in making the most of this unexpected opportunity; although it was well known that the White Blindness was incurable, the fact that this strange human could actually talk, something also supposedly impossible, gave her hope that maybe this ithe knew some miracle they didn't. Her smile faded as she heard Jamie's reply.
"No, I would need to get home and get it from my mother's infirmary. It would be impossible to make it on my own." Flyairth shook her head sadly, "Then I am afraid I can't persuade the others to let you stay." Rosebud instantly turned to her guardian, her sightless eyes shining with tears, "No Aunt Flyairth, please, you can't do that!"
"I am very sorry dear; believe me, I would have wanted your new friend to stay," she said and from her expression, Jamie could tell she truly meant it, "But I am afraid, I still have an obligation to my people. From their perspective, young Jamie is still a threat to us; if I were to use my authority and forcefully override their wishes, unrest and possibly revolt could break out. Dependence on each other is what keeps us alive; if we were to lose that now, we would all be doomed. I just can't risk it. On the other hand, if you provide us with that cure you speak of, I would be willing to take the risk…"
"It doesn't matter," Jamie said, placing a comforting hand on the doe's shoulder, "Either way, I can't stay here much longer; I still have to find my father. However, I promise you that I will come back someday…with the vaccine for all of you." Flyairth, Rosebud, Hannah and even Captain Broom looked amazed.
"But you owe us nothing…"
"I don't think ill of you because you are asking me to leave, to keep your people appeased; the four of you believe in me and that's good enough to earn my friendship in return. Don't worry; if there is any chance that I can help you regain your old life, I will make sure that you get it. Who knows, maybe someday, if it works, I might even earn the trust of the others as well…"
"Those spineless, narrow-minded, ungrateful wretches…" muttered Rosebud grimly, furious at her fellow rabbits for forcing her Aunt to send Jamie away like that, when he could in fact be the key to getting them out of their hollow lives.
"Mind your language Rosebud!" Flyairth scolded her niece, "Narrow-minded or not, we still owe them a lot for all the support they've shown us throughout our struggle to survive." She turned back to Jamie, "I have managed to persuade the others to let you stay for another night, but you must leave in the morning. In the meantime, if you need anything, just ask Captain Broom or Hannah. Goodnight." It was then that Jamie realised it was nearly nightfall; he had spent a whole day talking Rosebud, Hannah and Captain Broom.
Pretty soon, the prefect gave the word and all the rabbits began descending underground for the night. Jamie and his friends followed last of all, to avoid the other rabbits, leaving the sounds of stirring owls and other night predators above ground. Captain Broom's Owsla escorts were waiting for him at the entrance and quickly ushered him down to the same burrow where they had left him the night before.
Later that night, Jamie lay with Snitter in their burrow, by the light of his last glowstick. At least this time, the Owsla had refrained from sealing up the burrow, giving Rosebud and Hannah the opportunity to come and visit him as soon as the others were fast asleep. With Snitter dozing off in a corner, Rosebud sat beside Jamie, while Hannah snoozed on the boy's shoulder. In a few hours, it would be time for them to say farewell; and none of them felt ready for it, least of all Rosebud.
"I don't know what to say," the doe said, holding back tears, "All these seasons of exile, separated from my parents and brothers, I had always wanted a true friend (Hey, what do you call me then?" Hannah asked indignantly) and now…"
"Cheer up Rosebud," Jamie said encouragingly, "After all, I promised you I will be back someday. And then you're going to be free of this wretched life. Wait a minute…" he said, suddenly coming up with an idea. Turning to the sleeping Snitter, he removed his medical collar; aside from the standard collar bearing the dog's identification, Snitter also wore a second collar, lined with a chemical crust for protection against mosquito and tick bites. Remembering what Captain Broom had said about the rabbits of Thinial suffering the most during the summer, when the still infected ticks and flees in the area would multiply and ravage the warren, he just might have a way to help them out.
Taking the collar, he fitted it around Rosebud's neck; the doe cringed at having something fitted around her neck, "Wh…what in Frith's name are you doing?"
"This collar will protect you and those around you from further attacks of the Blindness until I return with the vaccine," he explained, "Also, my scent and Snitter's on that collar should repel most predators; I hear most animals turn tail and run at human scent." Although obviously only a temporary solution, the collar could hold out for several months or so, until Jamie could return with the vaccine.
"Thank you Jamie. I appreciate it," Rosebud said, giving her friend a friendly nuzzle, "And good luck with tomorrow; promise me you'll return to us safely. And should you see my parents and brothers on your journey, tell them I am still alive…" she said, holding back more tears.
"Don't worry; I promise I'll be back before you even have time to miss me!" Jamie replied, playfully nudging Rosebud in the side, who giggled, putting aside the sad thoughts of her family. After a few minutes of fun, she left to return to her burrow with Hannah, leaving him in peace.
Before settling down to sleep, Jamie took out his cellphone; after being in this strange place for nearly two days, he realised he should try and keep a log of his adventures. Since paper was scarce, the only source being the pages his SAS Survival Guide, which he didn't want to spoil with scribbles, instead he decided to put his phone to a different use. Although he couldn't transmit or receive, the phone's in-built video camera and memory chip would make a perfect visual diary. Setting the camera to recording mode, he turned the phone round, so the lens was facing him.
"My name is Jamie McEwen," he said, uncertain as to what to say, "I am 13 years old and I live in Newtown Common, Hampshire England. On the 31st December 2012, I went looking for my father, who had gone missing during a rescue mission with his chopper. While following his flight path, I encountered a strange Aurora, which, crazy as it sounds, seems to have turned the whole world topsy-turvy. The whole countryside is now inhabited by giant, talking animals. I have befriended a mouse called Hannah and a doe called Rosebud, the inhabitants of a plague warren called Thinial, located on the northern bank of the Enbourne River. All the rabbits here are blind from Myxomatosis but I have offered to help them find a cure if and when I make it back home. This is my second day; tomorrow, I will be going to inspect a crash site I observed from my glider. I hope it may put me back on Dad's trail…"
Finished with his first log entry, Jamie saved it in the phone memory and put the phone away. Aside from the visual log, he had also made sure to take several photographs of the Thinial rabbits, which could help his mother identify the disease for the vaccine. As a token of gratitude, he had also taken some time that afternoon before curfew to harvest as many apples as he could, leaving the rabbits with a fresh supply for their larder, enough to last them for the next couple of months at least, sparing them the trouble of having to blindly scavenge around for food, or flayrah, as Rosebud called it.
As he settled down to sleep, using his folded-up jumper as a blanket, and Snitter as a pillow, his mind filled with unpleasant thoughts of what he would find at that crash site tomorrow; perhaps he would only find his father's remains to bury? In spite of his uneasy thoughts, he was exhausted and soon drifted off to sleep, plagued with nightmares of a giant one-eyed rabbit, giant savage humans and a sneering man dressed in black shooting his father in the head…
Author's note: Sorry for the lengthy delay, but I was experiencing writer's block, among other problems. Coming up next, Jamie departs for Sandleford and finds the first signs of his father… Remember, this part of the story is written in parallel with the first. This chapter takes place around when Alan and co were at Cowslip's warren, when Robbins revealed his treachery. Enjoy and please review!