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Sun was streaming through the lab windows, spilling out onto the tables and the cages, slowly covering the sleeping rabbits like a warm blanket. All were still asleep, except Doug, who sat looking out at the window, unsure of how he felt regarding todays activities. It was strange...he'd always expected this day would never come, and yet...here they were, with nothing actually standing in their way, and someone actually helping them this time.

Doug glanced around the lab at the other, still sleeping rabbits. Number Two rolled over, clearly dreaming, Six was fast asleep with her head buried beneath the hay, Gerry was laying on his side, his whiskers twitching, and Kevin was curled up in a ball in one corner of his cage. Doug didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to think about this. He hadn't really been participating in anything The Collective had done for so long now, he didn't even feel like he was a part of the group anymore.

And then, after The Incident...well he just sort of removed himself altogether from their happenings.

But now, here the day was. and he felt oddly...out of place. But, had Doug ever really felt in place to begin with? Sure, he'd been Gerrys friend, and he'd had some humorous conversations with him and Six, but in the end, Doug had never really felt like he'd belonged. He sighed, lowered his ears, looked at the sunlight warming his paws through the bars of his cage, and smiled. For Doug, he'd never really felt like he'd belonged anywhere...

                                                                                                    ***

Doug had been born on a farm. He'd been part of an extremely small litter, which was rather rare. He had two siblings, and their father didn't talk to them much. Their mother took care of them, best she could, and fed them, cleaned them, told them stories. Doug, however, felt drawn to his father. His father was a big, grey rabbit, with white tufts on his paws and a bright pink nose. Doug learned that his father would get up every single morning and watch the sunrise, so he decided to start doing the same, just to spend some time with him.

One morning, sitting out there with his father, watching the sun rise, Doug felt like nothing he could say would ever make his father really notice him. His father barely spoke to them at all to begin with. Doug exhaled, seeing his breath in the cool morning air, and his father smirked, almost chuckling. Dougs ears shot up, not expecting any response from his father at all.

"Discovery is a wonderful thing," he said, "There's a lot to find in the world, but the one thing you should always discover time and time again is yourself."

"W'at you mean?" Doug asked, clearly getting his accent from his mother.

"I mean, son, that while it's fun to discover things, while discovery is important and learning is magical, the one thing you should continue discovering is yourself. You should never stop discovering yourself, because you always change as you grow. Sure, you know who you are right now, but in a number of years, you'll be a completely different rabbit, and you need to discover who you are then too. What you'd be willing to do, who you'd be willing to love. Self discovery is what makes us alive."

Doug would never forget that moment. It was the closest moment he would ever have with his father, as he was killed a month later by a coyote, trying to protect his family. Afterwards, the farmers didn't want rabbits anymore, thinking they invited predators and had to think of their other livestock, so they sold each off, until Doug eventually wound up at the lab.

                                                                                                    ***

Salt had gathered the rabbits in the corral early that morning, only about an hour or two after Doug had watched the sunrise. They all stood in a group, watching her stand in front of them, explaining her plan.

"I hope you're all well rested, because today is the day. I am not Dodger. I am actually going to get you guys out of here, or die trying," she said, "First thing's first. This is going to have to be expertly timed. We're not going to be crawling through vents or something like that, we're going to actually fight for our freedom. I will be taking Gerry and Six with me to another section of the lab, while Kevin and Two will be going to get Four from The Sick. The rest of you are going to have to wait here, but don't worry, we're going to come back and get you, because we're exiting through this room."

Murmurs started in the crowd, confused at how they would be getting out of the room, noting how drastically different than Dodgers plan this one is.

"So just take it easy, stay here and relax, because you're going to need your energy. The four of you, come over here with me," Salt said, leading them to a corner of the corral. As they gathered around her, she continued, "Kevin and Two, you two will be heading to The Sick. Two knows the way, so don't worry Kevin, he'll get you in and out of there with no problems. You can trust him. Gerry, Six, you two will be coming with me. We're heading to Lab 13C. I'll tell you what we're doing there once we arrive. When everyone's done, we'll meet back here."

Kevin and Two headed off in one direction, through one vent, while Salt took Gerry and Six through another. Once inside, Kevin shook his head and sighed as he followed Two down the vent.

"How do you plan on getting Four out of there? Because those gates are very secure," he said, "How do you propose we-"

"I know what I'm doing," Two said sternly, "Trust me and we'll be okay."

Kevin was surprised, as he rarely saw Two so self assured.

                                                                                                  ***

Gerry felt like he'd been here before.

Crawling down a vent, being led by a  mouse promising him his freedom. He just prayed this time it ended differently. He glanced over at Six, but she didn't return the look. Her eyes were half shut, almost like she was still exhausted, or perhaps just depressed. Gerry didn't know what to say to her, so instead he turned his focus to Salt.

"So, what's in Lab 13C?" Gerry asked.

"It's where they keep unstable elements," Salt said, "Things they deem aren't safe enough yet to test on animals. I'm going to go in and knock a few off, and chew through the vent wires that keep anything that spills from going through the vents into the air of the labs. That way, it'll set off an alarm and they'll have to open every single door to the lab to allow fresh air in while they seal off the lab and while they're focused on that, we make our escape."

"Wow, that could actually work," Gerry said, his eyes brightening, "Why didn't Dodger just-"

"Because he never intended to rescue you, remember?" Salt asked, "He just needed help, and a cover."

"Right...that's right," Gerry said, "I don't know when I'm going to finally accept that he never wanted to help us."

Within minutes, they reached the lab and made their way through the vent cover. As Salt started to sniff a few of the samples, she marked in her head which ones she thought would be best to push over while Gerry and Six waited, watching. Gerry turned and looked at Six again, while Salt did her thing.

"Are you okay?" he asked, and she sighed.

"...this all feels too good to be true," Six said, "I just...I don't know...I feel like something's going to go wrong. Something always goes wrong."

"Don't worry, Six, this time we've got luck on our side. We're getting out of here, I promise."

"I trust you, Gerry, I do," Six said, looking around at the lab, "But it'll be weird to leave all of this behind, you know? Look at everything we managed to do here, even the things that were out of our control, like the tests. As bad as the testing is, I do feel like we managed to make the world a better place for others, for the humans we make things for, or the other animals we've spared the pain we've endured. It hasn't been all bad."

Just then they heard a crashing sound, as four different viles hit the floor and shattered. Salt came running up to them, a huge grin on her face.

"Alright, let's get out of here," she said, and that's when they heard the sound. The big, loud beeping sound, as a metal door started to come down in front of the actual lab door. Their heads spun around and saw the same happening to the vent. Horror flashed across their faces; nobody had expected this. Salt screamed for them to run, but it was already closing to the bottom. Six shut her eyes and slid her  replacement bag leg under the vent cover, stopping it from shutting. There was a crunching sound as the vent cover tried to shut, but with her leg in the way, it just wouldn't go any further. Salt crawled under the cover, got into the vent and tried to pull it back up with her paws to no avail.

"That was some quick thinking!" Gerry said to Six, leaning down to her face. Tears were in her eyes, and she sniffled.

"I told you," she whimpered, "I told you things never work out for me."

"Six, come on, you saved us! Now we at least have a chance to-"

"Not much of one," Salt said, "Either the samples will kill us first of THEY will arrive. We need to do something fast, and-"

"W'at the 'ell is t'at sound?!" Doug asked, coming hopping down the vent, much to everyones delight.

"Doug!" Gerry said, "What're you doing here?"

"I could 'ear the damn t'ing all the way in t'e lab!" Doug said, "W'ats 'appening?"

"This vent is trying to shut us in here, but Six managed to stop it," Gerry said, "We need your help to get it up."

"There's no way to get it up manually," Salt said, "But...there is a button that will reopen all the lockdown procedures in the room."

Doug sucked in his gut and pushed his head under the cover, squeezing his way through. The only reason they didn't do the same, was because while Gerry could make it through into the vent, Six would still be trapped there. Doug hopped down onto the table and began looking around for this button, but found he was almost instantly woozy and his eyesight started to swim. This stuff must be dangerous, if it made him feel this way.

"Doug!" Salt called from the vent, "It's a blue button, it's near the back of the room, by a computer, you can't miss it!"

Doug started hopping towards it, as Salt sighed and shook her head in frustration. She felt so embarrassed for not being prepared for this. Doug hopped across the tables, onto the desk and then climbed up onto the computer, reaching across with his front right paw to reach the button. He was straining, but he was sure he could touch it...if only...if he could just...

The gases started taking him over, and he swore for a moment he was back on the farm with his father, watching the sunrise. He shook his mind, clearing the vision and hit the button before tumbling off the table and onto the floor, coughing. The door cover started to lift, as did the vent cover. Six was free and she instantly made it into the vent, along with Gerry, who turned back at Doug.

"Doug, come on man, let's go! Good job!" he shouted, as Doug shakily got to his feet and headed to the table, climbing back up, and back up onto the computer.

"What's he doing?" Six asked.

"He's closing them," Salt said, "He's closing them so they don't continue to pour through the lab. He's...saving everyone."

"Doug! Let it go, man!" Gerry said, "We can still get out before it-"

"Gerry!" Six shouted, "That's no better than Dodger! Dodger would let everything else in this lab die, you're not like him!"

"But Doug is...he won't be able to get..." Gerry said, stammering, his eyes filling with tears as he looked back at his friend, his paw on the button. Their eyes locked and Doug smiled, wiggling his ears with the last energy he had.

"See ya, mate," he said, hitting the button, as the covers slid down again, locking them off from him. Gerry started throwing his head against the vent cover, sobbing, calling for his friend, while Salt and Six comforted him. Doug, however, couldn't hear his cries, as he laid down on the floor on his side and smiled. He could see it again. The farm, and his father, but this time, watching the sunset. He could hear his fathers voice in his head like he was there with him right now.

"Always discover the new, better you. You're always changing," he'd told him.

He was right. Doug had changed. Despite not being a part of the group, he was still their friend, and he'd just saved the entire Collective.

And Doug shut his eyes.

And the sun set.
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"Kevin," Gerry said, his fur rife with sweat and blood, "You have to do this, you have to do it now or it's all for nothing. Just please, do it for me. I believe in you. You can do this."

"Gerry," Kevin said, Number Two behind him, the tip of his right ear missing as he looked back and forth between the exit, Kevin and Gerry, "I can't...I can't just..." Kevin continued.

"Do it for me, Kevin. Be. a. hero," Gerry said, out of breath, on the verge of tears, "You have to do this now, because...because we're out of time, Kevin. We're out of time."

                                                                                 -2 DAYS EARLIER-

Kevin had never thought of himself as a hero, so the fact that someone who'd shown such tactfulness at leadership would call him such, well, it only made him confused as to what anyone saw in him. Kevin had always seen himself as rather timid, angry, unhappy. Definitely not leadership material, and certainly not hero material. Yet, Gerry had called him just that during The Incident, and now here he was once more, telling The Collective that Kevin was right. Now they should still leave.

"I'm sure most of you are aware, but Number Four has been taken to The Sick. Kevin has made a decision to break her out and leave the lab, and frankly...I think he's right. I've learned some things that have proven to me that it is not okay to take this existence sitting down any longer," Gerry said to The Collective as they sat and watched him in the corral on the floor, "I think it's time we finally do what we should've succeeded at a while ago, and this time, there's no Dodger here to stop us from achieving it."

"Is that mouse going to help?" another rabbit asked.

"Yes, her name is Salt, and she is going to help us, but she's nothing like Dodger. This is one we can trust. I give you my full belief in that," Gerry replied.

"You said that about Dodger too," another rabbit chimed in.

"...yes, I...I did, and I greatly overestimated his friendship. His loyalty. But not this time, trust me on that, alright? I am doing what is best for us all, so, with that in mind, I'd like Salt to take some time to discuss what our plan of action is and how we will achieve it. Salt?"

Gerry stepped back as Salt came forward, touching her ears nervously.

"Hello, everyone, my name is Salt. I'm aware the uneasiness you all understandably have when it comes to mice, but as Gerry assured you already, I am nothing like Dodger. When I ran into him last, I told him he didn't deserve you all as friends. That...that what he did was despicable, and that he is nothing but a cowardly monster. Now it's your time to be free. I have a plan. We will not be splitting into teams this time, or crawling through vents. This will be direct....it will be action and it will be dangerous, but it will lead to your freedom."

"What's the plan then?" Six asked.

Salt smiled, her eyes brimming with excitement, "We're going to do to THEM what THEY have done to you. Testing."

                                                                                                   ***

Kevin was sitting in the corner of the corral afterwards, not saying a thing to anyone and just thinking about everything Salt and Gerry had said to The Collective when he felt some fur brush up beside his. Kevin looked to his right and noticed Number Two settling down next to him.

"You okay?" Two asked.

"Depends," Kevin said, "Are you taking me to get Four out of The Sick?"

"Yes, and we're going to meet back up with them in another section of lab," Two replied; he took a deep sigh and shut his eyes, lowering his voice as he said, "Kevin, I'm sorry. I'm sorry Four was taken, I'm sorry that this is happening again. I tried to show Gerry that we didn't need to leave, that...that things weren't great here, but that we could stay anyway, and that-"

"Why're we sacrificing ourselves for unhappiness and pain?" Kevin asked, "Ya know, the entire argument anyone has ever had against leaving this place has boiled down essentially to 'well, it's not that bad here', but you shouldn't ever have to say something is bad to begin with in order to make you feel like you should stay living somewhere."

"I get what you're saying, and you're right, but-"

"No, Two, I am done, man. I am so tired of this. I am so tired of accepting abuse because it's simply too much work to escape it. Because the alternative, the pure concept of the possibility of failing at escaping it, is somehow worse than the abuse itself," Kevin said, anger rising up in his voice, "I am taking Number Four...Ellen...and we are leaving this place because I am not letting them do anything else to her. I am not...she is not going to be another Steve."

Two backed down, his ears lowering as he curled his paws underneath him for warmth. He sighed and slowly shook his head.

"Kevin," he started, "...I will help you get Four out, and help you all leave, but...but I'm not going."

"...what?"

"I can't. This life...this I understand. Anything out there would be too hard to adjust to. In here I'm warm, I'm fed, I'm taken care of a good percentage of the time. I'm a hostage, yes, but...I don't deserve to be happy," Two said, "But I will help you all escape."

"I hope one day you feel like you deserve to be happy, Two," Kevin said.

"Paul," Two said, "My name is Paul."

Kevin smirked, "I hope one day you feel like you deserve to be happy, Paul."

                                                                                                    ***

Gerry and Salt were sitting in Gerrys cage, as they'd left the corral. They knew THEY would be back soon enough this evening to put everyone away, and that Gerry would have to go back to the corral before then, but he wanted some time alone with Salt first. Sitting in his cage, in the warm hay chips, looking down at The Collective and his friends...he sighed and rubbed his paws together.

"You really think this'll work?" he asked, shooting a side eye glance at Salt, who merely smirked in response.

"I can guarantee it'll work," she said, "I've watched THEM. I know how THEY do things."

"I can't thank you enough, for...everything. For coming into our lives, my life, and proving that I could trust again and was capable of attaining the unattainable. For believing in me when all anyone else told me was to not feel bad about it, you told me it was okay to feel bad about it. Thank you, Salt, for everything."

"Hey, it's my pleasure," she said, waving a paw at him, "Now, to make this work, I will need to meet with you and Kevin tomorrow because Kevin is going to be taken by Number Two to The Sick to get Number Four back, so I need to let him know where to meet me, so I can then take him to you. I need you talk to you with him so you guys know where to be so we can find you, so I can lead you all out of here. That sound okay?"

"Sure. If I know THEIR schedule at all, THEY'LL likely be doing tests in the other lab tomorrow, so we'll have all the time in the world to plan this to go flawlessly," Gerry said, "So just swing on by in the morning, I'll get Kevin and we'll make it happen."

"Sounds good enough to me," Salt said, "I'll see you tomorrow morning."

She leaned in and kissed his nose, then scurried out of the cage and into the vents. Gerry looked back at The Collective and smiled. It was happening. It was really happening. They were leaving, once and for all.

                                                                                -2 DAYS LATER-

"I'm not going without you!" Kevin screamed, his face not even an inch from Gerrys, "Where is she?!"

"It doesn't matter anymore, Kevin, just go!" Gerry shouted back, his eyes, like Kevins, brimming with tears, "Just go, man, get them out of here! They're counting on you!"

"Gerry," Kevin said, looking in his eyes, "Gerry, you don't have to do this, you don't...it doesn't have to be this way..."

"...Goodbye Kevin," Gerry said, shutting the hatch, and turning the water on full blast.
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"How could you do this to me?!" Gerry screamed, his face right up against Number Twos, "How are we supposed to accomplish anything if we keep lying to one another?!"

"You have no idea what I have gone through to keep this a secret, Gerry," Two said sternly, not backing down, "If the other Special 7 knew about this...it'd destroy their spirit. Six isn't doing well enough as it is, and with Number Four in The Sick...no, there was just no way I was going to let this become public knowledge."

"Then why show me?!" Gerry asked, his eyes burning with rage.

"Because you need to hear what they have to say," Two said, "Trust me. It's going to make all the difference in the world."

                                                                                                      ***

It started that morning, with Gerry and Kevin sitting together in his cage, as he told Gerry about The Sick.

"I wanna bring Four back, but...she's just...she's sick now. Who knows if it could spread, I don't know, and I wouldn't care if it spread to me but I don't want it infecting any of you, and I know that's definitely not what she wants too," Kevin said.

"I think you're right though. After Dodgers visit, it really got me thinking, and I think we need to try again," Gerry said, wriggling his whiskers in thought, "I think...I think this time, I know how to do it. That garden Salt takes us too, they have to bring stuff into it, soil, water, whatever. That means there's an exit to the outside. If we find that exit, know the schedule, we can make a clean quick break."

"You really plan on getting everyone out through that one spot?" Kevin asked, uncertain.

"I hope to, but I'm going to need your help. Look, I know what happened last time hurt you, and I am so sorry, and this Four thing is...way uncool, but we can fix everything if we just leave."

"What if we leave and...and she gets worse?" Kevin asked, his voice breaking a bit, "What if she needs to stay here, to be monitored. What if...what if now THEY'RE the only ones who're keeping her alive?"

"...that's a risk, I guess, but it's gotta be up to here, not to me or you," Gerry said.

"Hey," Two said, coming into the cage, "What's goin' on in here?"

"Good, I wanted to talk to you about this actually," Gerry said, turning to face him, "...I'm planning on leaving again. You want to help or not?"

"What, The Incident wasn't enough for you?" Two asked, scoffing, "No, Gerry, you don't wanna go down this road again."

Two walked to Kevins side and took a seat, while Kevin chewed on some hay.

"I mean," Two continued, "...yeah, it's not ideal, but I think most of us have come to accept it here by this point, especially after The Incident."

"Well, I'm going to round up as many rabbits as I can, get their viewpoints, and if I can, their support, and I'll be leaving soon enough with or without you, but I hope it's with you," Gerry said, as he turned and began hopping out of the cage. After he was on the lab table, he heard the cage door open and close again, and turned to see Two coming up behind him, stopping by his side.

"Kevin says The Sick is very nice, but he doesn't want Four to be there," Gerry said.

"Gerry, if you're going to do this, then I need to show you something," Two said, "...it's very important you see this."

Gerry furrowed his brow.

                                                                                                        ***

"You've seen it firsthand, Gerald, what happens when we try to leave!" Two shouted back, "Look at it! Look at what it did to them! Look at what THEY did to them! Is that not enough?! Do you need more pressure to not go?!"

"I...I can't just....I can't let us all end up like this!" Gerry yelled back, "This...this isn't right, this isn't normal. You're saying this is what'll happen to us if THEY catch us, but this is what's going to happen to us whether THEY catch us or not, Two! THEY don't give a shit about us, man! THEY don't care! Escape attempt or no escape attempt, this is our goddamned future, and you're saying we should wait for it happily!"

"Gerry," Two said, turning to look at it again, "...Gerry I just...I wanted you to know what you were up against."

"...well, thank you for finally being honest with me," Gerry said angrily.

                                                                                                            ***

Two was leading Gerry down a shaft by himself, not even telling Six or anyone else where they were going. After a bit of walking, Gerry sighed and lowered his ears. Two looked over his shoulder at him and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, it's a bit away," Two said, "But it's going to make you rethink your plan, I guarantee it."

"If it's so important, why isn't Six or Kevin coming with us? Hell, if it's so important, why am I the only one you're taking?"

"Because...because you can handle it," Two said, "It'd just frighten everyone else."

"Two...why don't you want to leave?" Gerry asked, "You weren't very into it the first time, and now you're literally taking me to some secret thing to show me why we shouldn't try again, I mean...just talk to me, tell me why you don't want to-"

"Talking isn't enough. I have to show this to you. That's the only way it'll make sense," Two said, "I'm sorry, I know it's cryptic and vague, but once you see it....oh, god, will you understand. Only then will you really get it."

"I just want to-"

"Did I ever tell you how I came to be in The Special Seven, Gerry?" Two asked, turning yet another corner in the vent.

"No, but please, regale me with the tale. Nothing else to do in here."

"I wasn't always one of them. I used to be a regular rabbit. Then, during a test, I was electrocuted. Not even part of the test, it just accidentally happened. But, they soon discovered that being electrocuted wasn't all that bad to me, and I lived. It should've killed me, I remember passing out, supposedly dying. Yet, I woke up a few minutes later, no thanks to them. They were in awe, and suddenly I was irreplaceable. I was unique. I was one of The Special Seven."

"Good lord," Gerry said, "You...died?"

"It's the only explanation," Two said, "Maybe that's why I cling so hard to life, because I've tasted death, Gerry, and it doesn't taste very good. We're here."

Two pushed open a vent, allowing himself and Gerry into a very small, cramped room. It stank of something Gerry couldn't quite place, but before he could comment on it, Two continued past him, nodding, indicated to Gerry to follow him still.

"Where are we, Two?" Gerry asked.

"The thing about The Special Seven, Gerry, is that it's all bullshit. Four being taken to The Sick admits that. Nobody is special. We're all replaceable."

"I've been hearing that a lot lately, actually, especially in regards to you guys in particular," Gerry said.

"Remember how I told you that we have a replacement Seven?" Two said, and Gerry nodded as Two sighed, "Gerry, this is the original number Seven," he said, grabbing a small pullchain on a lamp with his teeth and turning it on. Gerrys eyes widened in horror.

Sitting before them, tied to a small wooden plank on the table, was a rabbit. A rabbit who was torn up badly, missing limbs, some replaced with mechanic limbs like Kevin, others not. It was breathing, shallowly, but breathing nonetheless. Its eyes rolled over to Gerry, catching with his own, and he quickly shut his eyes tight.

"When he was hurt by the dogs, he was so badly mangled...none of us expected him to live. As far as we knew for a while, he didn't. It was only after Number 3 one day came back from this room because of an incident with a test that he told us about this. I had to see it for myself. To see what THEY had done to our original Seven..." Two said, looking at Seven and shaking his head, his voice cracking, "He doesn't talk much, he can't move without THEM...this is your future, Gerry, if you continue to try and escape. This...this is where that road leads."

"How could you do this to me?!" Gerry screamed, his face right up against Number Twos, "How are we supposed to accomplish anything if we keep lying to one another?!"

"You have no idea what I have gone through to keep this a secret, Gerry," Two said sternly, not backing down, "If the other Special 7 knew about this...it'd destroy their spirit. Six isn't doing well enough as it is, and with Number Four in The Sick...no, there was just no way I was going to let this become public knowledge."

"Then why show me?!" Gerry asked, his eyes burning with rage.

"Because you need to hear what they have to say," Two said, "Trust me. It's going to make all the difference in the world," Two continued, turning to Seven, "Seven? This is my friend Gerry, he wants to leave, like you wanted to leave. Tell him why that isn't a good idea."

Seven opened their mouth to speak, but their tongue was damaged, their teeth dirty and broken. Gerry shut his eyes and turned away.

"Why're you showing me this?" Gerry asked.

"You've seen it firsthand, Gerald, what happens when we try to leave!" Two shouted back, "Look at it! Look at what it did to them! Look at what THEY did to them! Is that not enough?! Do you need more pressure to not go?!"

"I...I can't just....I can't let us all end up like this!" Gerry yelled back, "This...this isn't right, this isn't normal. You're saying this is what'll happen to us if THEY catch us, but this is what's going to happen to us whether THEY catch us or not, Two! THEY don't give a shit about us, man! THEY don't care! Escape attempt or no escape attempt, this is our goddamned future, and you're saying we should wait for it happily!"

"Gerry," Two said, turning to look at it again, "...Gerry I just...I wanted you to know what you were up against."

"...well, thank you for finally being honest with me," Gerry said angrily.

The rabbits were at a standstill, neither one wanting to budge on the issue. Two shook his head, his eyes narrowed, angry.

"You're never going to learn until you're strapped to this goddamned thing yourself," he said, turning to leave.

"Number...Two," Seven croaked, forcing both Two and Gerry to look at them in shock, "Number...Two...help..."

"Help...you?"

"Help...them," Seven said, "Don't let them....don't let you....become me."

"What?" Two asked, in tears now, "How could you...what do I do?"

"...escape," Seven said, and Two swore that they were grinning.
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Dodger and Lorna sat perched on a tree branch, right at the forest line, watching back at the lab. The breeze wafted through Dodgers fur, blowing his whiskers back. He shut his eyes and inhaled deeply.

"God it feels good to be outside," he said.

"And what of the others?" Lorna asked, "You have no problems leaving the rabbits behind?"

"...it was a hard decision, and I didn't enjoy making it. I'm not cold hearted, Lorna, I'm just doing what I need to to survive. I feel bad for them, and I feel bad that this has to happen this way, but I would've died as well if I had stayed in there. It was either them or me. Survival of the fittest."

"Seems the ones who cling to the survival of the fittest mindset are often the ones who find themselves surviving."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Dodger asked, glaring at her.

"Just a thought," she replied, "I'll be on my way now. Try not to get into too much trouble."

"Thanks for everything Lorna," Dodger said, and she cawed, flapped her wings and flew off into the woods. Dodger stayed on the branch a little while longer, thinking back to Gerry and all the time they'd spent together. All the kind things Gerry had said about him. How he'd called Dodger a hero. Hero...yeah right. Dodger didn't want to become the villain, but often times it's the villains who are willing to do anything they must to survive. After a few minutes, he headed down the tree and off into the woods himself, never to look back.

Dodger would spend the rest of the time after The Incident outside trying to find a way to survive. He'd keep a good portion of the free mice together, binding them like a family, forcing them to live as one. A community. As far as he felt, it was the only way to truly survive. But Dodger couldn't shake Gerry from his mind. Whether it was during food scouting or spending time relaxing, Dodger was constantly plagued by Gerry and their last interactions together. The last conversation they had was frequently running through his head, and after enough time, Dodger felt he had to go back and see him. He told them would only be gone a couple of days, he packed his little makeshift bag and went about his way towards the lab. Back to Gerry.

                                                                                                       ***

"What the hell are you doing here?" Gerry asked, nearly snarling.

"I just wanted to see you, see how you were holding up," Dodger said.

"Get the hell out of my lab," Gerry said.

"Your lab?" Dodger asked, chuckling.

"Yeah, my lab," Gerry said, pushing his face right up against the bars of his cage in front of Dodger, their eyes locked, "You left, this is no longer your home. Get out now! Now!"

"Gerry," Dodger said, "...it's not a home. Surely you still recognize that."

"I do," Kevin said.

"See, someone with an ounce of sense," Dodger said, "You always were smart, Kevin. It isn't a home. It's a prison. We've built a home on the outside. We've got a whole community out there, and we're thriving. You could be doing the same thing. I figured I'd come back and see if you'd at least even attempted to leave again."

"We don't need your help," Six said, "You tried to kill us. You sent us up the river, to be eaten by dogs! You got Fern killed! You're a monster!"

"I was desperate!" Dodger said, "I needed to get my friends out of there just as badly as Gerry felt he needed to get you out of here!"

"By doing what you did, you are no better than THEM," Gerry said, "You don't get to pretend to be the higher being here, Dodger, you're just as despicable as THEY are and you put others lives lower on the totem pole than you put your own. Once again, a species who feels their needs are more important, and that they are more important. You're not a mouse and calling yourself a mouse is shameful to mice. You're a rat if anything."

"And you're a rabbit," Dodger said, "You really thought there was a way to get all of you out of here? You guys aren't small, like we are, okay? You're the size of puppies. Mice are well known for escaping. But a bunch of rabbits go missing? That's weird, alright. That's gonna raise some eyebrows."

There was a short burst of silence, as everyone caught their breath and let some of the tension burn off. After a few minutes, Gerry exhaled loudly and looked back at Dodger.

"I've been trying extremely hard not to hold what you did against you, but you're making it rather difficult by showing up here," Gerry said, "I don't want to harbor anger. It just grows in you, taking over like a cancer, until it envelopes your entire essence and personality, rotting you from the inside out. That's not the kind of rabbit I want to be."

"That's very intelligent of you," Dodger said, sounding genuinely sincere.

"However, that being said, "Gerry said, "I cannot keep others from hating you. I do not forgive you for what you did, but I also do not wish to be angry at you for it. It happened, and that's all there is to it. But the remainder of the collective?...I cannot speak for them or their feelings regarding the situation."

"Understandable, and admirable," Dodger said, "But Gerry, I want you to know something...I do feel bad for what I did and-"

"Why should we believe you?" Six asked, "Literally everything you ever told us was a lie. Everything that ever came out of your mouth was just said to gain our trust and cooperation so you could secure escape for yourself. You're a liar, and you'll never be seen as anything more."

"...I suppose it's only fair you'd all feel the way you do," Dodger said, as Gerry furrowed his brow.

"Get out of my lab, Dodger," he said, "Before somebody loses their temper. I can't control anyone."

Dodger nodded, turned and started to head away. As he reached a grate, he glanced back over his shoulder at the rabbits and he sighed. He really did like Gerry, that's what made this whole betrayal even harder to go through with. He crawled into the vent and started heading back to the way he came in, when he ran into Salt in the vent.

"Dodger?" she asked, carrying a sunflower seed, nibbling on it.

"Salt, I see you're still here," he said.

"Of course I am," she said, "I'm not like you."

"What I did wasn't inherently wrong," Dodger said, "I did what anyone else would do in my position."

"No, that's just the excuse abusers use to mask their actual reasons for the things they do, to not take responsibility for what they've done. You didn't just help mice escape, you left rabbits to die, and you arranged to have them eaten. That's deplorable. You're a monster."

"You know what, you call someone a monster enough, that's what you'll turn them into," Dodger said through gritted teeth, finally starting to feel fed up with this assault on his character, despite clearly deserving it.

"If you don't want to be called one, then perhaps you should make sure your actions don't mimic that of one," Salt said, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some friends to see," and she continued along her way down the vent to the rabbit lab. Dodger watched her walk away, realizing that the hole inside of him was that his friends were now hers, and that's all he wanted back.

                                                                                                       ***

"I didn't think it'd be so hard," Dodger was telling Lorna only a few months after their escape. The two were sitting on a tree branch while she ate a baby possum carcass.

"That's life in the wild, Dodger, it's not controlled like in the lab. You of all mice should've known what you were returning to," Lorna said.

"I wasn't even part of a group and yet, I still became to accustomed to living within the safe confines of the building," Dodger said, "I feel guilty for what I did to them, and to the others."

"Never feel guilty," Lorna said, choking down another tiny foot, "Guilt is what allows you to doubt yourself and make mistakes. You're either the winner or the loser. There is no inbetween. You said it yourself, you're a survivor, and you do what it takes to survive. Never feel bad about being smart enough to still be alive."

Dodger nodded, mulling it over. After their conversation, he climbed down the tree and headed back to the mice burrow. When he arrived, he found the fox still laying in the same spot she was in when he left. As he passed by her, she opened one eye and exhaled.

"You're back early," she said.

"Yeah, wasn't that long of a conversation," Dodger said softly, "You doing okay?"

"I'm tired," the fox said, sitting up and yawning, stretching her front legs, "I'm going to get something to eat."

"Can you..." Dodger said, stumbling in his words, "...can you just make sure it's not that painful?"

"Dodger," she said, "My mother did everything in her power to protect me as a cub, so I understand how you're feeling, but you wanted my protection, and you made a deal with me. Don't feel bad for protecting yourself."

"That's exactly what Lorna said," Dodger said.

"I'll make sure it's not painful," she said, before turning and headed off to a small hole in the ground she'd dug and then put branches over. As she pulled the branches off, she looked down into the hole and saw the tiny mouse faces looking back up at her, before taking her pick of which one to eat this time.

Sure, the rabbits had trusted Dodger, and he tried to have them killed but failed.

The mice had trusted Dodger and he'd sold them out for protection anyway.

                                                                                                    ***

Dodger stood outside, at the treeline, looking back at the lab as the wind softly blew through his fur. He sighed, turned and headed back to his camp, to his fox, and his crippling feelings of horror for the actions he'd performed since leaving. He didn't like being called a monster, but Salt was right. He was a monster, and that wouldn't change anytime soon.
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Jasmine found herself sitting, just listening to the sounds around her, nibbling on some pellets when she heard the sound of her cage door creak open. She raised her head and sniffed the air a bit before smiling and laying her ears down.

"Hello Gerry," she said kindly.

"Hello," he said, hopping in and sitting next to her, sighing, licking his front paws.

"How've you been?" she asked.

"Weird," he said, "I don't know. It's a weekend, so nobody's coming in, and I figured I could get away with visiting you. I guess I just needed to talk to someone else for once. Everyone's so jaded since The Incident, and I guess I needed some outside perspective."

"Regarding what?" Jasmine asked.

"Regarding leaving again," Gerry said, "Kevin came back from The Sick, and he talked to me about trying to escape again, and I am just not sure how to feel about it. How can I possible convince the collective to try again after what happened? I mean, sure, it'd be just us, and none of us would betray the other, and there'd be no mouse to screw everyone, but..."

"You're worrying that they'll think you're sick in the head," Jasmine said, "Even though you know that what's best for everyone is to be out there. But, that's just what you assume is best for everyone. I know for a fact that I wouldn't survive a month out in the wild. Perhaps you should ask some of them if leaving really is what's best for them."

Gerry sighed as Jasmine nudged a pellet of hers with her nose in front of him. He smiled a little and started chewing on it.

"Gerald," she continued, "What happened was traumatic. Sure, you've all had some time to recover, but I think you have to take into account everyones feelings regarding the situation. Don't just assume escape is what everyone wants."

"I would just feel so guilty leaving them behind and-"

"You need to let that feeling go. You are not responsible for these rabbits, Gerald," Jasmine said, "You've made yourself responsible for them but you're not actually responsible for them. Certainly it's admirable, but do not put others in front of yourself, especially if it might end up hurting you and by proxy, everyone else."

"I guess that's true..." Gerry said, trailing off, looking away from her. After a few moments of total silence, Jasmine cleared her throat and licked her front right paw, then nibbled on another pellet before looking back towards Gerry.

"What happened isn't your fault," she said, and he perked up, looking at her.

"I know that," he said.

"I want you to really accept it and let it soak in. You can tell yourself it wasn't your fault, but unless you truly believe it, then it means nothing. You were lied to and used. Nobody can blame you for what happened. The victims are not the cause of their victimization," Jasmine said, and Gerry felt his eyes starting to water as she continued, "You did what you thought was best for everyone. You're a leader, and I think it's high time you stop beating yourself up about it."

Gerry nodded, rubbing his paw on his eyes, pulling away the tears.

"Thank you Jasmine," he said, before starting to leave. As he reached the gate to the cage, he stopped and turned back around, facing her, "I want you to come with us if we leave."

"I don't wish to leave, Gerald," she said, "You know that. While I appreciate the sentiment, the inclusiveness, this is my life, and it's what I know and what I can handle."

"We'll create a burrow, together, and we'll all take care of one another," Gerry said, "You wouldn't be alone, and you'd have help and-"

"Gerald," Jasmine said, "Thank you, but no thanks. I don't need rescuing."

Gerry nodded, turned back and headed back to the main lab. As he entered, climbing into his cage, he heard Six shifting from the hay in her cage as she woke up and looked up across the table at his cage. Gerry settled down in his hay and laid his head down on his paws, facing her.

"You okay?" she asked.

"I could be better," he said.

"Couldn't we all," she replied, and he smirked.

"You'd still come with me, right?" Gerry asked.

"If we left? Of course I would," Six said, "And nobody here blames you for not getting us out of there, so you shouldn't blame yourself either."

"That's what Jasmine said too," Gerry said, "It's just hard not to, especially when I'm the one who led everyone into that situation, listened to that maniac, put everyones lives in danger. It's hard not to blame myself."

"I know it's hard, but you have to believe it, otherwise you'll never do anything again, and Gerry, we need you to do things," Six said, pausing, looking at her paws, "...I need you to do things."

"Kevin told me we should try again," Gerry said, "He said we should continue to try again. I just...I don't know that I trust myself at this point. And then what? What if we get out? I lead everyone to somewhere new, and keep them safe in the wild too? The burrow idea is nice, but it's...it's too much."

"You won't be doing it alone," Six said.

"I know that," Gerry said.

"Hey, what're you guys talking about?" Kevin asked, letting himself into Gerrys cage, "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine, we're just talking," Gerry said, "You know, about what you brought up the other day, about The Sick and about escaping."

"I understand if you're hesitant, but you have to know...even if you don't want to, I'm going to try," Kevin said, "It would just be a lot easier with your help, and guidance, because...well, you're just...you're more of a leader than I am."

"He really is a good leader," a voice said from behind his cage, and all three of them turned around to see a small, shadowy figure standing on the lab table behind Gerrys cage. Gerry felt a fire ignite inside of him, his teeth showing, his ears lowered. It wasn't Salt.

"What are you doing here," he managed to snarl.

"It's nice to see you too, Gerald," Dodger said, "It's been a while."
Published on
When Kevin was woken up by screams that morning, he was still rather out of it. As he twirled around, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the bright lights, he wasn't sure what was happening, all he knew was that he could hear...Four? Four was screaming for help! Kevin shook his head, trying desperately for things to come into focus, and when they finally did, he ran to the front of his cage. THEY were in the lab, three of them, one of which was holding Four, who appeared to be covered in something, as she shouted at Kevin for help. Kevin couldn't get out of his cage now, though he wanted to, without causing confusion and trouble for the others.

"Four!" he yelled back, as THEY headed through a door with her in their arms.

"Kevin! Kevin! I love you!"

"Four! What's going on?! Four!" he screamed, but the doors shut and she was gone. Kevin spun around in circles, unsure of what to think, what to do, where to turn. That's when he heard a voice from the end of his cage and swiftly spun to see Salt standing there.

"Kevin-" she started.

"Where are they taking her?!" he yelled, "What's going on?! What happened to her?!"

"Kevin, calm down and I will explain everything and take you to see her," Salt said, "I was watching when it happened. It'll all be okay. I'll take you to where they're keeping her."

"Where?" Kevin asked.

"The Sick."

                                                                                                      ***

"What do you mean you're going to The Sick?" Two asked, and Kevin looked at Salt before looking back at the other rabbits.

"I mean exactly what it sounds like," he said, "I'm going to The Sick. Salt's taking me. THEY took Four, I need to know that she's okay, I need to make sure THEY aren't hurting her! She's...she's one of us, guys, she's part of this collective. She deserves for us to care about her, right?"

"Kevin's right, but even still, no rabbit's been to The Sick and come back, especially willingly," Six said.

"I'm going with you," Two said, "You're not going alone."

"You're not going with us, and he's not going alone," Salt said, "More than the two of us would cause THEM to notice something was up, and frankly, what we need these days is for THEM not to notice anything. No. I'm taking Kevin, and we're going to see Four, and then we'll come right back. That's how it's going to be."

"Who decided you get to call the shots?" Two asked.

"Because I'm the only one small enough to know where the damn place even is," Salt said, "I will bring him back in one piece, I promise."

"And just because you promise, it means we should believe you? We barely know you! You're just another..." Two started, and then stopped himself, almost looking ashamed as Salt stood there, staring at him.

"Another what, Two? Another mouse? I get it. I do. You guys got hurt, and you got hurt badly," Salt said, "But what one mouse did is no reason to condemn us all, okay? Dodger was a piece of shit, I'll be the first to admit it. But, don't compare him to me, please, because that is not fair. I understand why you're wary, I really do, and I get the fear, but fear gets you nowhere. Fear gets you in the ground. I'm your friend."

"Yeah," Six said softly, "...that's what he said too."

"I don't care what your guys hangups regarding mice are, okay?" Kevin said sternly, "I'm going. I'll be back. In case anyone thinks I can't take care of myself, remember that I survived in that pen with Fern, I had my leg torn off of me and I'm still here. I jumped on top of another dogs head to save Gerry, and I'm still here. I can do this. Come on, Salt."

Kevin turned and headed towards the grate in the wall, Salt at his side. After they disappeared through it, the collective sat and stared at the wall. Gerry shook his head.

"This is only going to end terribly," he said.

                                                                                                  ***

"So...you seem to know a lot about this place," Kevin said as he and Salt marched down the ducts as she lead him, sniffing the air to know where they were, "...what's the deal with The Sick? It's only ever really been mentioned in passing, it's never really been elaborated on."

"The Sick is where they take any animal that they can't cure," Salt said, "That can't be fixed. I know that sounds bad, but, you'll be happy to know that because they can't be used anymore in tests, they also cannot be killed. So, in a cruel twist of irony, the ones who aren't used are given the nicest accommodations."

"Four is one of The Special Seven, I don't know why THEY would be even be using her for something, that's so rare," Kevin said.

"Special Seven," Salt said, chuckling, shaking her head, "Let me tell you about The Special Seven, Kevin. They're frauds. Sure, they might get the awards and the glamour and the accolades, but they are no goddamn different from any other rabbit. They have the same physiology, the same mental capacities, and they are just like you."

"What? They aren't just like me, they-"

"It's a lie, Kevin. God, is that still so shocking at this point? Being lied to about this place? Sure, okay, maybe they can figure out some puzzles faster than other rabbits, some mice are better at navigating mazes than others, but there is literally no real, biological difference between The Special Seven and you."

"Then...then why do they have them?" Kevin asked.

"Because doing tests on rabbits and not giving them recognition just looks cruel," Salt said, "You are the exact same. Four, Six, Two, whatever number you want to apply to them...they're you. They're all of you. They're just the ones who got lucky enough to be picked for said recognition. But they still get tested on, they still get hurt and they. still. die."

Kevin was without words. No. He couldn't lose Four on top of everything else. Salt turned a corner and headed down another shaft, Kevin hot on her heels.

"So, where's Number 7?" Kevin asked.

"What?"

"Two told us one time that Number 7 tried to escape too, and that he died," Kevin said, "But...but then why didn't they ever assign another Number 7? Now it's just The Special Six and that one dead rabbit. That doesn't seem right to me."

"I don't know, Kevin," Salt said, "But we're here."

                                                                                                    ***

The Sick was built primarily up of premium cages for animals who could no longer be tested on, or were recovering if they could. Since it'd be immoral to outright kill them, and just plain stupid to let them back out into the wild, god forbid they spread whatever they'd caught here, THEY came up with the ultimate solution; The Sick. Filled to the brim with birds, mice, rats, rabbits, you name it. Whatever animal they could test on, they did, and this is where the poor ones ended up.

As Salt and Kevin made their way down the rows of cages, peering into each one out of mere curiosity, Kevin couldn't help but feel bad. Not necessarily for the animals because they were here, but because the Collective had tried so hard to break free of this place, and yet...they would've left all of these poor animals behind. That didn't seem fair. He decided that one day, he'd find a way to free them too, even if it hurt him.

"I've never felt a more disturbing mixture of disgust and jealousy," Kevin said, making Salt laugh.

"I told you. They live like queens," Salt said, "No work, nice homes. They're the elite of the bunch, not that they didn't earn it through their suffering."

"I'm sorry for what Number Two said," Kevin said quietly, "He didn't mean it. We're all just so angry at Dodger. He almost killed us, after using us for his own purposes, lying to us the entire time. I think it's understandable that some of us might be a little prejudiced now, that that in any way excuses the prejudice, but it at least makes some sense of it."

"I understand," Salt said, "And I didn't take it to heart. What Dodger did was despicable, but like I said, we're not all the same. Kevin..."

Kevin looked up, and saw Salt pointing at a placard on a cage that simply read "Number Four." His eyes lit up, as he ran past her and up to the cage, peering inside.

"Four?" he asked, "Four? Are you....please be in here!"

"Kevin?" Four asked, unburying herself from the hay and hopping up to the front of the cage, "Kevin! You came to find me! How did you-"

"Salt brought me here," he said, "What did THEY do to you? What caused this?"

"THEY took me out for early morning testing and then they overdosed me accidentally, and now I'm here. I was so scared. I can't believe you came to find me, I feel so special."

"Of course I came to find you, I...I love you," Kevin said, causing himself and Four to blush, "Four, if they never let you out of here...I will come back and see you as much as I can, I promise, okay? You will never be alone as long as I'm around."

"...thank you Kevin, thank you for caring about me," Four said.

"Of course."

"Kevin," Salt said from behind, "I'm going to give you guys a bit alone, I'm going to go talk to some other mice. I'll let you know when I smell THEM coming, okay?"

As Salt headed off to some other cages, Kevin made his way into Fours cage using the same gate trick that Dodger had taught them. He had been good for something at least. He nuzzled up to her, allowing her to bury her face in his neck fur. He'd never let her go. He'd already lost loved ones. He wouldn't let it happen twice. Kevin and Four sat there for what must've been at least an hour. Seeing as The Sick isn't really a bustling part of the lab THEY used often, mostly only coming in at feeding times, they had quite a while to be together.

They might be called The Special Seven, but to Kevin, there was only one special rabbit.

                                                                                                    ***

Heading back towards the lab in silence, Kevin had a bit of time to think about things. Salt was chewing on some sunflower seeds she'd been given by another mouse while they walked. After she finished and wiped her mouth, she looked up at Kevin at her side.

"So...you okay?" she asked.

"Everything's a lie," Kevin said, "There is no Special Seven, nobody is safe, The Sick isn't all that bad...we've lived under a guise of fear and lies for so long that we never think to question any of it. It's normal to us to just believe whatever we're told or we hear."

"That's life for you," Salt said.

"Thank you for taking me, Salt," Kevin said.

"Of course. I know what she means to you," Salt said, smiling, "So, what're you going to do now?"

"Now? I guess I'm going to go back to my cage, think about everything and then go to sleep," Kevin said, "And then tomorrow, I'm going to get up and tell Gerry that we need to do what we were supposed to do from the get go."

"What's that?"

"We need to escape."
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Her name was Carol.

She was a younger, dark grey rabbit, and lived at the very end of the shelving system, away enough from the core Collective that they didn't interact with her much personally. She kept mostly to herself, watching from a distance, wishing she could be more involved. She had a lot of opinions on what to do when Dodger had been "helping" them, and had even more opinions after The Incident, but was always too afraid nobody would be interested or would even listen to her. Still, Carol had an idea that she might, one day, become a valued member of The Collective, and maybe even someone other rabbits looked up to.

Then, one afternoon last week, she was taken from her cage for a test. After a few days, they took her cage away. When it came back, it was empty and clean. Carol was nowhere to be seen. Number Two had noticed this first, and one night afterwards, found his way into Gerrys cage. Gerry was awake, sitting in a corner, cleaning his paws, but acknowledge Two with a quick nod as he approached him.

"I take it you're here about Carol," Gerry said.

"Surprised you even know her name," Two said, "But no, not really. I'm not sure why I'm here. I guess I'm here because of Carol, yeah, but, also not because of Carol, if that makes sense. Just...just another rabbit, gone, just like all the rest of them. Just like Steve. At what point will we simply become numb to loss."

"You never become numb to loss," Six said, interrupting, letting herself into the cage, Kevin and Four following right behind her, "You just get used to it. Numb means that you stop feeling anything from it. But getting used to it...that just means you recognize this is normal at this point. That's what makes it sick."

"I didn't know a damn thing about Carol," Two said, sitting down, "I knew her name, but I didn't know where she came from or what she'd done to end up here."

"Generally nobody does something to end up here, it just happens," Gerry said, "None of us did anything bad, and yet, here we are. I think Carol probably suffered very much the same fate as the rest of us. She was taken from somewhere, maybe even a life she liked, and brought here."

"Did you come from a life you liked?" Two asked, looking at Gerry.

"Did you?" Gerry asked, glaring back at him before sighing and sitting up, "In lieu of what's occurred here, perhaps it's time we dropped this charade privacy and became transparent. If we're really going to be a family of any kind, we need to know more about one another. I was a gift. I was a gift to a little girl, because she was sick. Her aunt gave me to her to keep her company while her parents worked. She was my best friend, and she treated me so well."

"You told me that you were returned to a pet store because of someones allergic reaction," Six said, interrupting him.

"Obviously I lied. It's too painful to think about, so I made up a story to tell you. That's why when that little girl came into the lab recently, it made me so happy. She reminded me of my owner...that's where I'd like to go back to if we ever got out of here. I'd like to find another little girl to be friends with. Children take the best care of their pets, really love them, see them for what they actually are. Friends. The most loyal, loving friends you will ever have."

"What happened to the little girl?" Four asked softly.

"She's dead," Gerry said quietly, "So who wants to go next?"

"Well, Kevin knows this, but, I was the companion of an older woman. She fed me treats, let me stay in her garden while she worked and we were such good friends. Then one day, she slipped in her kitchen and hit her head on the counter. She died instantly. Nobody came to the house for a while, and I had to sit there and stare at my friend, dead on the floor..." Four said, "So Gerry, I sort of know where you're coming from."

"Well, my story is nowhere near as miserable as yours are," Two said, "I was just given to someone who works here by a relative of theirs. They got me thinking they could take care of me and after a few weeks realized they didn't have the time, so they gave me to THEM."

Everyone went quiet and then slowly turned to look at Kevin, who wasn't looking at anyone.

"Kevin?" Gerry asked, "You want to share your past with us? I think it'd help us understand one another more. Tell us, what brought you here?"

"...I woke up in the forest, covered in blood," Kevin started, his voice low and slightly trembling, "I'd been attacked and chased from my burrow by some wolves who'd just come into the area. I wasn't sure what was going on when I woke up, just that I needed to get back...when I arrived back at my burrow...I found my child dead inside. They'd crushed her skull with their teeth. A little bit away from the burrow, I found my partner torn nearly in two. I became so despondent...I just...I just sort of wandered around for a while until I was caught by some people who were looking to bring rabbits in for the lab."

Nobody said a thing. The entire mood changed. The air had soured. Gerry and Two exchanged a nervous glance while Four cuddled up to Kevin and pawed at him gently to show affection. Six looked behind herself, at her missing foot and sighed.

"Well, there's no way anyone can top that," Two said.

"The person who brought me here used to save animals from places like this," Six said, "She was part of group, a Collective, if you will, who went around and broke into places like this and saved animals from these fates. Eventually, she was caught, and all of us were taken away back to the labs we'd been taken from. This isn't the lab I was originally in. But, I think it goes to show, even the best of intentions can have the worst of consequences."

The Collective sat around in the dark, in the silence, contemplating what had just passed between them.

"Well there," Kevin said, "It's all out in the open now, I guess. Everyone feel better? Anyone feel closer to one another?"

Nobody answered.

"Yeah, I didn't think so," Kevin said, before turning and starting to head out, Four right by his side. Gerry, Two and Six sat huddled in a small circle, still none of them saying a word. Finally Two cleared his throat and sat up, perking his ears upright.

"Well, then may Carol rest in peace, wherever she's at now," Two said, "Wherever it is, it can't be worse than this."

"Amen," Six and Gerry said in unison.

                                                                                                     ***

When Kevin was woken up by screams the following morning, he was still rather out of it. As he twirled around, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the bright lights, he wasn't sure what was happening, all he knew was that he could hear...Four? Four was screaming for help! Kevin shook his head, trying desperately for things to come into focus, and when they finally did, he ran to the front of his cage. THEY were in the lab, three of them, one of which was holding Four, who appeared to be covered in something, as she shouted at Kevin for help. Kevin couldn't get out of his cage now, though he wanted to, without causing confusion and trouble for the others.

"Four!" he yelled back, as THEY headed through a door with her in their arms.

"Kevin! Kevin! I love you!"

"Four! What's going on?! Four!" he screamed, but the doors shut and she was gone. Kevin spun around in circles, unsure of what to think, what to do, where to turn. That's when he heard a voice from the end of his cage and swiftly spun to see Salt standing there.

"Kevin-" she started.

"Where are they taking her?!" he yelled, "What's going on?! What happened to her?!"

"Kevin, calm down and I will explain everything and take you to see her," Salt said, "I was watching when it happened. It'll all be okay. I'll take you to where they're keeping her."

"Where?" Kevin asked.

"The Sick."
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It was a work holiday, and the lab was completely empty, so Salt took it upon herself to take The Collective back to the small garden where they'd buried Steve. The way she saw it, they needed a break from all the daunting psychological torture they'd been putting themselves through as of late. Leading the way with Gerry and Six at her side, Salt felt good about herself. This was a good thing.

"What is this garden for?" Gerry asked.

"I think it's generally used to get the animals they plan on releasing back into the wild reintroduced to nature. It's faux nature, but it's still something. The birds they released? This is where they got them acclimated to the concept of the outdoors," Salt said, "I've been a ton of times, since I'm so small I can hide where they can't see me."

"Being tiny has its advantages," Six said, "How come you didn't come and tell us not to trust Dodger beforehand?"

"Because I didn't know what he was doing until he announced it that morning," Salt said, "He kept it so secret. By the time he did announce it, everyone was so used to the idea of escaping that nobody wanted to turn and stay simply because he used you for his own ends. I was the only one who refused."

"You're a better mouse than he'll ever be," Six said, and Salt blushed.

A few paces back, Kevin and Number Four were walking side by side, following the others. Kevin wasn't saying much, having been rather withdrawn since Steves funeral, or rather the funeral for Steves feet, and Number Four wasn't sure exactly how to draw anything out of him. She thought about simply telling him that he could always talk to her, or that she really cared about what he had to say, but in the end, nothing sounded sincere enough. It all sounded like she was just trying too hard.

"My owner used to feed me celery," Number Four said, and Kevin glanced at her.

"Yeah?"

"It was my special treat. She'd give it to me maybe three times a week, just an single stalk, but it was so crunchy and delicious, and I miss it so much. All they ever give us here is that bland dry food or hay. They can't even be bothered to feed us right," Number Four said, "I think that's the first thing I'd do if I got out of here."

"Find Celery?"

"Yeah, I'd just try and find a farm, and find a Celery patch and just eat Celery all day long in the sun," Number Four said, starting to smile, her tail wiggling, "That'd be the best. No tests, no worries, just...enjoying being again."

Kevin nodded, and kept quiet. As they entered the garden, Salt took Six over to a small fake patch of flowers, while Number Two sidled up besides Gerry, the both of them watching the mouse and the rabbit frolicking in the fake world.

"You really trust her?" Number Two asked, and Gerry shrugged.

"She's not asking for anything, and she helped us gather Steves feet, so she can't be all that bad," Gerry said, "Right now, Number Two, who I'm really trusting is myself."

"What?"

"I'm trusting myself to allow myself to trust others again," Gerry said, "Six has been telling me how I can't keep beating myself up over Dodger, and how it wasn't my fault, and that without trust...well, then I'm completely alone, and she's right. I need to be able to trust others. Just because one mouse hurt me doesn't mean they all will. So yeah, right now, I trust her."

Number Two nodded, and they both laughed as they watched Six and Salt play hide and seek in the flowers. Number Four was talking to some of the other rabbits, while Kevin watched from afar, looking around the fake garden. When he was sure none of the other rabbits were watching, Kevin disappeared into some bushes and came to the small clearing where Steves grave was. He sat down and let his ears flop down.

"Hey Steve," he said quietly, "...things seem to be a bit better around here lately. Wish you could be here to see it, everyone is in such a better mood lately it seems like. I don't know...I want to do something for Number Four, but being stuck in this lab, there isn't much I can do, and-"

A smell struck his nose, and he lifted his ears back up. Kevin began following the smell to a vent, and then continued through it. Meanwhile, Salt had gotten cozy up by the fake tree, laying against Sixs fur, while Six slept in the fake sunlight. A few moments went by before Kevin stuck his head through the bush and hissed at Salt, who opened one eye.

"Hey," he said, "Come with me. I...I need your help."

Salt smiled and got up, "Sure thing," she said, following him through the bushes.

Number Two and Gerry were seated by a fake stream, watching the little bunnies play and laugh and enjoy themselves. Number Two shook his head and sighed.

"Gerry, this is probably the best it'll ever get for us. You ever think about that? You ever think about the fact that Dodger is out there, living in the wild, doing whatever he pleases, and here we are, stuck in a fake garden inside a place run by people who want to hurt us?"

"I'm trying not to think about it anymore," Gerry said, "I mean, I won't deny the reality, but I try not to dwell on it anyway."

"Gerry-"

"Number Two, if this is as good as things will ever get for us, then why should we spend that time focusing on all we don't have? Why not focus on what we do have? Right here, right now, all of us and this fake garden. It's not that I don't think about getting out, living like Dodger is living, but it isn't the right time for that right now I think."

"How can you be so-"

"Because to be anything else is too sad," Gerry said, "I recognize it's probably not healthy to ignore how bad I feel, but hey, I don't want to feel bad all the damn time, alright?"

"Fair enough," Number Two said.

Number Four came hopping up to their sides and looked around.

"Do you guys know where Kevin is?" she asked.

"Haven't seen him, nope," Number Two said, "I'm going to go explore this place."

As Number Two hopped off, Number Four sat besides Gerry and fidgeted her paws.

"You and Kevin seem to like eachother," Gerry said, and Number Four blushed.

"I don't know," she said softly, "I like him, but I think he's too afraid of getting too attached to someone, since, you know, he lost Steve and stuff. But, I'm one of the Special Seven, so it's not like anything could really happen to me."

"Don't be so sure, you saw what they did to Six," Gerry said, and Number Four mumbled.

"Well," she continued, "Either way, I care about him. I haven't felt that attached to someone since my owner, so I understand not wanting to get attached, because it hurts to lose someone you really care about, but if you don't get close to anyone, then you're just completely alone, you know?"

"I know."

"I don't want to be alone," Number Four said, "And I don't think anyone should have to be, least of all Kevin, given what he's gone through. Steve, losing his leg, and then The Incident of course. He needs someone to cheer him on, and I...I need someone to talk to. I don't know."

"Number Four, you're smart, you don't need me telling you what you really need," Gerry said, "But know this much...any of us can be taken at any time and never come back, so whether you're scared to or not, you should spend this time with him if you care, because you may not have that much time left in general."

"...you're right," she said, "I don't want to be alone."

"None of us do."

The Collective spent the day relaxing, talking and just enjoying not being subjected to tests. When the time came to head back, nobody could find Salt, but Gerry remembered how they got here, and so he led them all back to their lab. It wasn't until Number Four had fallen asleep about an hour after returning that she heard the door to her cage swing open, and Kevin came stumbling in.

"Where did you go?" she asked, and he smiled, dragging in two stalks of celery in behind him.

"In the garden, through an air vent, I could smell THEIR kitchen. Salt came with me, and helped me bring these back for you," Kevin said, "I can't get you out of here, I can't really protect you, so I figured this was the best I could do."

"You...you brought me celery?" Number Four asked, her voice trembling, cracking, as she approached him.

"I love you," Kevin said, "I...I want to make you happy, and if the only way I can do that right now is getting you celery, then, well I guess it's the best I could do."

"I love you too," Number Four said, as she approached him and nuzzled his neck for a few moments. Afterwards, Kevin helped her drag the stalks further into the cage and sat down beside her as she started in one of them.

"You don't want any?" she asked, biting into one.

"Nah," Kevin said, "They're for you. You go ahead."

Number Four wasn't sure how she'd gotten so lucky.

                                                                                  ***

She could remember the first time she'd been given celery by her owner. She'd opened the cage door and put a stalk down in the center. Number Four, being a little young at that time and easily frightened, sniffed it cautiously before hearing her owner tell her it was safe, and it was a treat specifically for her. That first bite, that first crunch, it was like having heaven on earth.

She used to believe that only her owner would ever give her such a special treat, care for her that much, but it turned out she was wrong. Like Gerry, she too was learning to trust again, and goddamn was it worth it.
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Six woke at the sound of something tinny hitting the ground. Her ears perked right up, and her eyes snapped open, as she spotted Gerry already sitting, poised at the edge of his cage, watching intently for where the sound had come from. It was still night time, the lab was still completely dark, save for a few night lights, and nobody else seemed to be awake. Six hopped to the edge of her cage, and peered at Gerry.

"Gerry?" she whispered, "What is it?"

"I don't know, just stay quiet and let's see," Gerry whispered back. They sat and waited, but no other sounds came. After a while, Gerry just sighed and dipped his ears, coming to the other end of his cage and facing Six.

"What?" she asked.

"It just reminds me of the first night I met Dodger," Gerry said, "I guess for a moment I'd wished it had been him coming back."

"Why in the hell would you ever want him to come back?" Six asked.

"Maybe he'd realized what he'd done, had come to fix it, but...but I know better than to be hopeful like that. That's naive. That's the kind of thinking that got me to follow him blindly in the first place, always looking for the best in everyone, believing we can all care about one another. I'm a fool," Gerry said, and then they heard it again and both looked back where they'd been staring to see a mouse sitting at the front of Gerrys cage, on the outside. Gerry cautiously hopped back to that end, facing her.

"...who are you?" Gerry asked.

"You're right, you know," she said, "You are naive, but, at least you recognize that now."

"I asked you a question," Gerry said sternly.

"You don't have to worry about me," the mouse said, "Believe me, I'm not like Dodger. I refused to go with him. Once I learned of what he had planned, I refused to be a participant in that sort of treachery. I have something for you, actually. Come down here."

The mouse turned and skittered down the leg of the table, onto the floor, and then disappeared into a hole in the wall. Gerry and Six managed their way out of their cages, and spotted Number Two doing the same. The three of them met in the middle of the floor, waiting for the mouse to return. Number Two yawned.

"What's going on?" he asked, "I saw you guys getting out."

"There's another mouse," Gerry said, "She says she stayed behind, and has something for us."

"And what makes you think she can be-"

"Because I refuse to acknowledge that what Dodger did was in everyones best interest. It wasn't even the mice best interest, for god sakes," the mouse said, as she pulled something behind her, "He just needed someone to help him, but if he could've gotten away on his own, without saving anyone, he would've."

"That's not true," Gerry said, furrowing his brow, confusing Six.

"Well, whatever version of the truth you wish to subscribe to, I don't care. But I am here to give this to you," she said, pulling a rabbit foot attached to a keychain out from behind her, dumping it in between the group, who all, understandably, backed up, seemingly creeped out.

"What is that?" Six asked, "Is that a foot?"

"It's Steves foot," Gerry said, "Remember that house you and I were taken to, Six? For the holiday? When Dodger and I were in the kitchen, we saw one of these hanging from the wall. How did you get this?" he asked, turning back to the mouse.

"I stole it," she said, shrugging, "It's not that hard, it's not that heavy."

"Do you have a name?" Number Two asked.

"Salt," she said, "My name is Salt."

"Salt, where are the others?" Gerry asked, "And why are you giving us this?"

"Because you guys need a win," Salt said, "You guys need to start feeling better about yourselves, and the first step in that direction is to lay your friend to rest. I got it from the head lab. It was just sitting on a desk, so I'm sure the other three are around here somewhere, unless...you said one was in a home, so maybe that one won't be here. But, if I can get the other two, we could-"

"We could do nothing," Kevin said, coming up from behind them with Number Four in tow, "Because this has nothing to do with you. None of you. I'm going with the mouse to get the other feet. Steve was my friend. It's my responsibility."

"You're not going alone," Gerry said, hopping forward, "I'm going with you."

"Fine," Kevin said.

Salt nodded as the two rabbits started following her. She went to a small hole in the wall, small enough for them to crawl in with her. They followed her into the walls, and watched as she sniffed the air, leading them.

"So," Kevin said, "You decided against leaving with Dodger?"

"What Dodger did was despicable," Salt said, "Absolutely reprehensible. I couldn't condone those actions, nor be complacent in it by assisting in his escape, even if it was the best thing for my species. Ever since then, I've been sitting around, listening to you talk, and you're right...unless something benefits everyone, there's no way anything is fair."

"So you defected?" Gerry asked.

"In a sense," Salt said, "I think there's another foot in this upcoming room."

Salt stopped at the end of a grate and pushed it open, then let Gerry and Kevin through before following them into the room. It seemed to be an office of some sort. As they entered, Kevin felt himself shudder, feeling almost scared at being in something other than a lab.

"And you're doing this to get back at him, or?" Gerry asked, as Salt climbed up onto a desk and pulled open a drawer, laughing.

"No, I'm doing this because you need hope," Salt said, as she pulled the second foot out, "I would've brought all of them with me to the lab, but I couldn't carry them all. Heads up."

She pushed it over the edge of the drawer, and Gerry picked it up with his teeth as Salt shimmied her way back down the desk leg and stopped, looking around.

"Where's your friend?" she asked, and Gerry shrugged, looking around himself, before spotting Kevin looking at something, and nodding in his direction. Gerry and Salt headed over to where Kevin was sitting on a table, having hopped up onto a chair and then onto the table, his eyes glued to something. Salt told Gerry to wait here on the floor before she climbed up and joined Kevin.

"What're you so enamored with?" she asked, "...oh."

"THEY have ribbons. The awards they give us, they don't mean anything. These awards are for THEM," Kevin said, "THEY get congratulated on having tortured us. For having gotten results from not killing too many of us. It's...disgusting."

"It certainly is deplorable," Salt said, "But you can't focus on that. If you do, then...well, you just lose sight of all the good there can be."

"What good can there be, Salt? We're trapped in here like rats, no offense, and nobody even cares."

"I care," Salt said, "There's groups out there that care, and they want to help and-"

"If they want to help, they'd have helped. No. They care about their own self image. A sort of 'look at what a good human being I am, caring for something other than my own kind!', but in actuality, they never put any boots to the ground. There's no action, no follow through, it's all talk and no show. We all seemed so surprised at how callous and conceited Dodger was, but, why? Everyone is like that, mouse, human or otherwise. They're all the same, so why be shocked? Oh no, someone treated us badly and used us, not like THEY haven't been doing that to us the entire time we've been here."

Salt looked at her paws and sat beside him, "I...I know you're angry, and you have every right to be, but there are people who care. I care. You know I care because...well, I have nothing to gain. I could leave anytime I want. I don't have to be helping you lay your friend partially to rest, but I am because...because someone has to eventually feel some level of success. If all anyone ever achieves is failure, then that's all they'll believe to be achievable. They'll give up. They die. I don't want you to die, Kevin, I don't want any of you to die. There's more to life than death."

Kevin waited a moment, then lowered his ears and turned, heading down to the chair, back to the floor, "Come on," he said, "let's go."

Salt nodded, got up and followed him down as they continued back into the walls. None of them spoke again. They went, gathered the third foot, recognizing that the fourth wasn't in the building, and then headed back to their section. Salt got the other rabbits and took them back through the walls, and out into a small indoor garden. As everyone gathered around, while Number Two dug a hole for the feet, Salt came to Kevins side.

"You can say something if you want, sort of, eulogize him," Salt said, "I've heard you two were close."

Kevin didn't speak, and so she went back to the hole, to help put the feet in there. As they buried the feet, all the rabbits gathered around the grave, and Kevin hopped to the front of the grave, looking down at it, pushing his paws into the artificial dirt.

"...Steve....Steve was my friend. He was the first rabbit I met when THEY first brought me in here. Steve came from a mill, where they raised rabbits and sold them to either be pets, be eaten, whatever the owner wanted. Steve was funny and intelligent, and he deserved a hell of a lot more than being blown to smithereens, and I hope with this, he might be at some sort of peace now. I miss you, so much, Steve. You'll always be my friend. We'll never forget you. You died for us."

The rabbits waited a few moments, and after it was deemed appropriate, Number Two lead everyone else back to the lab. Gerry stayed behind, looking at the grave, when Six joined him at his side.

"Back in the lab, you defended Dodger, saying that he did care about helping the other mice get out," Six said, "...it took me by surprise, that after all that's happened, you'd defend him. What was that all about?"

"When we were sitting in the vents, Dodger told me about why he came here. His family was stuck in here, being tested on. He failed to save them, and he blames himself for their deaths. That's why he cared about the other mice, because he couldn't save his family. I hate Dodger, but...but you can't make someone a villain unless you have all the facts. Yes, Dodger is a villain, but not without a reason. Dodger cared about those mice. He just didn't care about us."

Six and Gerry took one final glance at the grave, and sighed.

"Come on," Six said, "Let's go to bed."

And with that they hopped back off to the lab.
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Kevin opened his eyes, looking all around at the trees and and feeling the cool breeze running through his fur. He struggled to get up, and after he finally did, he felt the pads of his paws soaked in what he thought was maybe a puddle of water? No. It was blood. It was his blood. He struggled to crawl, his fur soaked with crimson red streaks, and that's when he shut his eyes and didn't open them again for what seemed like hours.

                                                                                  ***

Kevin woke, but not jarred or suddenly. He just woke, still in his cage, not even startled by the dream these days. He groaned, sat up, scratched behind one ear and then hopped to the edge of the cage. It was still dark in the lab, and Kevin could only assume it was still the middle of the night. He sighed and then turned to hop back to his spot, when he noticed Number Four coming in through the gate.

"God, you startled me," he said quietly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. I just saw that you were up," she said, "Are you okay?"

"I....I had a dream," Kevin said, hopping back and sitting down, Number Four seating herself right beside him, "It's nothing unusual, it's just a dream I've had a lot from...well, from before all of this."

"You mean before you were brought here?" Number Four asked, her eyes widening in interest.

"Yeah...I generally try and shake it off when I have it, but since The Incident...I don't know, it's just become harder and harder to do and I've been having it more frequently. I guess maybe because I feel like such a failure, it just reminds me of that life," Kevin said.

"The Incident wasn't your fault," Number Four said, "That was Dodger and Dodger alone. We've all come to acknowledge that. Haven't you?"

"Obviously not, if I'm still blaming myself. I mean, I'm not really blaming myself for The Incident itself as much as I am for not sticking with my intuition, my gut feeling, of knowing it would all go south. I put my faith in Gerry and, in essence, in Dodger, and look what it got us. I'm not mad at what happened. I'm mad at myself for not seeing it coming."

"What's it like out there?" Number Four asked, settling in beside him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"It's beautiful, but it's dangerous. You'd like it though, I think. I used to live in a burrow, safe, warm, quiet. But...I think about life out there, how dangerous it is in comparison to here and...and I just...I feel like despite having to deal with THEM, it's still somehow safer in here. In here, I pretty much know what I'm up against."

Number Four sighed and flopped her ears a bit, "But...but don't you miss having freedom? Isn't that why you wanted to go with Dodger? Isn't that why you were so interested in escaping?"

Kevin furrowed his brow.

"No," he said, "No, I wanted it because everyone else wanted it. I wanted to help others. I never wanted anything for myself."

He lied.

                                                                                 ***

Kevin pulled himself up against a tree trunk beside a stream and using his paws, pulled some water up onto his fur, trying desperately to clean his wounds. It stung, and he winced, but he kept cleaning. He'd pull some water onto him, rub it into himself and then lick it until he felt some sort of relief from the searing pain in his side. He walked closed to the stream and dumped his head in under the water, then pulled it back out and shook himself hard. How long had he been out? How long had it been? Oh god, how long...

Kevin turned away from the trunk and the stream and continued carefully hopping along his way, sniffing out in the air for his home. He needed to be safe. He needed to get cleaned up and figure out how to come back from this attack. As he hopped, he felt a sharp pain in his side, and from his fur, a tooth fell out and rolled around on the dirt forest floor. Kevin stopped and looked at it. That's right. The wolves. It was always the wolves.

                                                                                    ***

"I would very much like to go out there one day," Number Four said, looking gloomy, "My owner, she always was out in her garden, and sometimes she took me in the garden with her while she worked with flowers, but, it's not the same. It was such a controlled environment, just like this, that it wasn't reality. It was nice, but it wasn't real."

"Real is overrated," Kevin said.

"How can you say that?"

"Because I've lived it, Four, because...because the world is a cruel, scary place, and unless you have someone with you, it's not really worth being in. Even then, when you have someone, it can still not be worth being in..."

"Well than," Number Four said, nuzzling his cheek with her pink nose, "Isn't it good you have me?"

Kevin blushed and put one of his paws on top of hers, sighing.

"It isn't that I don't want you to not see it. It's beautiful. But I don't want anything to happen to you, especially after The Incident. If anything, Fern dying should prove to us all that we may be special, we may be important, but we're not immortal. We can die like anything else. Nothing in this world lives forever," Kevin said softly, "Especially not the things you wish would."

Number Four looked up at him, confused, but he didn't go on. He just glanced away. So, instead, she merely cuddled up to him closer, shut her eyes and listened to him breathing. Kevin was right. The outside world is beautiful and wonderful, but so is being with a rabbit she so dearly cared about. Being right here with Kevin, why this was just fine too. Kevin waited for her to fall asleep before he looked around the lab. Number Two seemed to be awake, but was just eating some of the hay in his cage, completely unaware of those around him. Gerry was asleep, but Six seemed awake as well, but just laying there, not saying a word, just staring off at the wall in silence.

Kevin wanted to give them freedom. He wanted to help them so badly, because he'd failed to help so many others, Steve included. He felt like he let them all down. Sure, in essence, Number Four was right, he shouldn't blame himself, but he did. He'd always blamed himself. Always.

                                                                                    ***

The birds were suspiciously quiet as he approached his burrow. It was like they had vacated the area. One of the reasons he'd chosen this burrow was because of the bird companionship, because of the visual aesthetic in the fall, and because it was well insulated, but now...now there were no birds, and he just found himself slowly hobbling over broken dried leaves, each one crunching more and more under his paws. He poked his head into the burrow, and could smell it instantly. It hit his face like a ton of bricks...blood. Kevin lowered his ears as he entered further.

"No, no no no," he mumbled to himself, heading in deeper and found a smaller rabbit laying cold and lifeless on the burrow floor, cold, with a vacant stare. Kevin put his paw on them and shook, harder and harder, "Lily? Lily, come on, Lily, wake up!"

She didn't move. Kevin turned and looked around, then hopped out of the furrow furiously, his head craning in all directions, sniffing the air.

"Harriet?!" he shouted, "Harriet?!"

Nothing. He hopped along a bit, following a scent in the air until he turned past a tree and spotted another rabbit laying tangled in the roots of a tree, covered in blood, one of her back legs gone. Kevin approached her cautiously, tears swelling in his eyes.

"Harriet?" he asked quietly, as he put his paws on her body and pushed her a little, "Har...harriet, sweetheart?"

Nothing. Kevin just collapsed on her, laying with her for as long as he could. He knew he had to bury them, but....not yet. Just not yet.

                                                                             ***

Kevin had only been in the lab for a few weeks when he first met Steve. He was listless. He didn't care about anything. He had no fight left in him. Then he met Steve, and he cared about something again, until THEY took Steve away from him. The way Kevin saw it, he could never have anything, because something would always come and take it away from him.

Just as Dodger had done. He'd taken their escape from them. Kevin had let his family down, he'd let his friend down, and now he'd let the entire Collective down by not getting them out like he'd promised.

So, sitting his cage that night, watching Number Four sleep, he could feel it once more. That loving feeling creeping in. That feeling he'd learn to fight, but...he wanted to protect her, and the only way to do that, was to never leave this lab. She was safe here. She was a Special Seven. THEY would never hurt her. So, Kevin gave up on his ideas of ever living outside again, all for the safety it guaranteed Number Four.

Because...because he loved her.

And as he laid beside her, listening to her snore lightly, he realized this wasn't such a terrible life. It ultimately doesn't matter where you are, as much as it does who you're with. So sure, he'd lost the chance at escape, but in return he'd gained something better than escape. He'd gained love.

Frankly, it was worth it.
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About

The Rabbit Collective follows a group of lab rabbits struggling with their purpose, and hopeful eventual escape.