The Little Black Rabbit

Izana

Ollie lived in an abusive household. His mother is an alcoholic and his father is always absent. One rainy day when his mother felt especially depressed and decided that it was fun to chase around a 10 year-old child wielding a broken glass bottle, Ollie had the chance to flee the house when he noticed the front door being slightly ajar. Ollie ran for his life, weathering the heavy rain that poured out of nowhere. Maybe it was his luck, the rain slowed down his mother on her tracks. However, no one was seen amidst the evening downpour, which didn’t stop the chase.

It’s not like Ollie had never gone out before. When his mother was too busy to even prepare him a meal and is not home, Ollie would go out and wander the streets, exploring the area while looking for a grub to eat. Usually it would be his favorite activity when he’s outside, but not at that moment.

Ollie couldn’t remember how long he had ran. What he knew was that he had already in hiding among the thick shrouds of the bushes just next to the highway. It was his favorite spot, as it borders his home in the slums, and the beautiful houses across the highway which can be seen at a distance. Ollie crouched down and held his breath.

All of a sudden, he felt a soft velvety fur brushing against his shin. He angled his head down and saw a palm-sized black furball just next to where he crouched. The furball moved, revealing a bunny with shiny black eyes. Ollie stared at the bunny, speechless.

As if sensing the awkward air, the bunny suddenly leaped out from the bushes. Ollie feel inclined to follow the black bunny, and darted out to locate its whereabouts. The bunny didn’t hop that far, but given how small it is, Ollie needs to be quick or he will lost it.

Ollie followed the bunny, not realizing the fact that he had strayed far away from his home, and into a rest area. The bunny finally stopped hopping, which also stopped Ollie from chasing it. The feeling of relief he felt when he managed to reach the bunny had now replaced with a sense of lingering doom. It was a rest area with a handful of people, and people’s stares struck fear in Ollie’s heart. Before he could even react, he felt a presence behind him.

“Oh, what do we have here?”

Ollie turned behind him. A faint scent of oakwood reached his nose, before a light and raspy voice greeted him with a friendly tone. A bespectacled man crouched down to his eye level and spoke, “Hey there, boy. Where are your parents?”

Ollie clammed his lips tightly. That odd situation caused his nerves to disfunction, and made him freeze on the spot. Ollie stayed still upon the stranger’s gaze for quite some time. No words were spoken, just the drizzle of the rain against the rooftop, which can be heard just above them.

The bunny shuffled ever so slightly, and leaped high onto the stranger’s arms. Ollie saw the stranger broke into a smile at the bunny, and as the bunny crawled into the side pocket of his trench coat, the stranger shoved a packet of bun into Ollie’s view. As if responding to his action, Ollie’s stomach grumbled loudly.

Soon after, Ollie was sitting down on a bench next to the stranger as he ate the bun that was given to him. It tasted of red bean. Ollie didn’t know because he is illiterate. Ollie was so distracted, that he didn’t notice the stranger pulling up a first aid kit out of nowhere and treating some of his bruises. Ollie only realized that he was being treated after the last bite of the bun, and the first thing that struck him was how gentle the stranger was, different from his parents.

“Is the bun delicious?” The stranger asked while smiling. Ollie was still awkward in front of him, as he shyly nodded. The stranger’s smile widened. He handed Ollie another packet of bun.

While Ollie was eagerly opening the new packet of buns, a loud commotion can be heard from a distance. Thankfully, Ollie’s focus was more leaned towards eating the tasty blueberry bun, rather than seeing the stranger’s shift of expression, his piercing glare pointed towards the source of the commotion.

A woman in her 30s with a disheveled look was being detained not too far away. If only she didn’t scream, Ollie would have never noticed of her presence. Ollie inadvertently dropped the half-eaten bun to the ground and stood up. He wanted to run away. He saw the murderous intent in his mother’s eyes telling him that he would die that day. However, before he could swerve his heels to the opposite direction, the stranger knelt down and hold him close.

“Hey, boy. Is that your mother?” Ollie didin’t respond, but his trembling was enough to tell the whole world that he feared his mother.

Ollie suddenly felt the same soft and velvety sensation in his palm. The black bunny had jumped into his hands and was snuggling against his skin. Ollie felt his trembling eased, before slowly landing his gaze towards the stranger.

“If you follow me, I will help you escape her. What do you say?”

Ollie felt a strange sense of assurance when the stranger said those words. The stranger’s gaze was kind, unlike the spiteful gaze that he always feel from his parents. Ollie readily nodded.

The stranger smiled again, before lifting Ollie’s small gait as he carried the child closer to his mother. At the same time, Ollie noticed the emergence of about four men clad in black suit. They immediately approached Ollie’s mother and detained him. Soon after, the police came and arrested his mother for attempted murder and child abuse. The stranger won a custody on Ollie and he lived happily ever after with the black rabbit.