Eleven Days Escape Time

Day 1.

September 7. 10 days until the competition.

Gromit flipped open the newspaper, quickly glancing at the cover. They'd done it again- Prize Cauliflower Raised From Damage! And a picture of the duo graced the front pages of The Daily Lamppost once more.

After starting their very successful pest control business in wake of the annual giant vegetable competition at Tottington Hall, Wallace and Gromit had been making hundreds and finally paying off unpayed debts and dues. This all was fine and dandy, and the extra money really helped their household, but there was only one downside- they were running out of room very fast in their humble abode, the basement quickly filling to the brim with hundreds upon hundreds of tiny smelly bunnies. This rubbed the wrong side of Gromit- he could not stand the reek of rabbits. He was beginning to spend the money he'd earned on nothing but expensive shampoo to rid his fur of the stench of rabbit.

He sighed as the breakfast alarm began to ring, signaling Wallace was awake. "It was a long, hard night last night, Gromit!" He heard his master's voice as he reached for the lever. "I'll need a good, hearty breakfast under my belt," the bed creaked, the door opened, and Wallace slid through- almost.

A plop and a few dangling legs later, Wallace had gotten stuck in the opening. "Oh, uhh, Gromit?" Wallace chuckled, "It happened again- I'll need assistance!" He called. Gromit sighed, and with an eye roll, pulled the assistance lever. A large hammer swung down and hit Wallace, squeezing him through the trap door and into his chair. As his machine got him dressed, Wallace picked up the newspaper and flipped it open as Gromit wheeled a car over with his breakfast, the newspaper, and some tea. "Another successful night," Wallace smiled, he opened the paper, turning to Gromit. "How are the... inmates? Must be getting a bit full down there?" Gromit nodded slowly, his ears perking up as Wallace's stomach let out a hungry growl. "Talking of which," he grabbed his fork and knife as Gromit set the tray in front of him. "Now for a great, big, plate of-" his smile faded to a frown as Gromit revealed the breakfast he'd made of....vegetables. "Vegetables.." Wallace said in disgust. Gromit slowly nodded, encouraging him to eat it, as it was part of the diet he had started him on to try and get him to lose a bit of the excess weight he'd gained from his previous diet of cheese. "Still got me on the diet, ay lad? There's a good dog," he picked up a piece of celery, on the brink of eating it, but came up with the perfect distraction so he wouldn't have to. "Oh, uh, Gromit, lad? How's that prize marrow of yours coming on? Must be a while since you've measured it." He gave a sheepish grin as Gromit confusingly raised an eyebrow, before heading outside.

Outside, sure enough, it had been a while. Another 2 inches. Gromit satisfyingly rolled up the tape measure and watered his prize marrow, tending to it before hearing a loud snap and a yelp inside from Wallace- most likely getting stuck in one of the many mousetraps he'd set in Wallace's secret cheese stashes, before heading back inside to free his master.

"Caught red-handed, ay lad?" Wallace chuckled at his corny pun as he held up his pinched hand. He knew Gromit was disappointed. He sighed. "I'm sorry Gromit, I know you're doing this for my own good but- I'm just crackers about cheese!" He smiled as Gromit tiredly nodded. "Look, if I must change my ways, at least let me do it my way." He reassured as Gromit became somewhat nervously intrigued. Wallace pressed a button on the table, and the hatch above the chair opened. "It's time we try my latest invention," he dramatically opened his arms. "The Mind Manipulation-o-Matic!" He smiled, pressing a second button and wincing as it clamped around his head. "It removes unwanted thoughts and desires- I haven't tested it yet, but it should be perfectly safe- just a bit of harmless brain alteration, that's all!" He reached for the lever to begin it as Gromit watched in heightening horror, but to their sudden surprise, the phone rang.

As Gromit sighed with relief, Wallace was on the phone with a very important customer. "It's Lady Tottington! From Tottington Hall!" Wallace excitedly said has he covered the mouthpiece. "Don't worry ma'am, we'll be there in an- Ahh!!" he accidentally smashed the button to the Mind-o-Matic, and was sucked into the ceiling.

***

On the way to Tottington Hall, Wallace and Gromit were stopped at the sight of a broken down van.

They parked next to it, Wallace getting out to help the older lady who it belonged to.

"It's a shame you didn't see that pothole coming, Madame Winnebago," Wallace sympathized as he approached her. "Oh, my vision isn't what it used to be," she frowned. "Thank you so much for stopping to help me." She gratefully smiled as Wallace opened the trunk of the Anti-Pesto truck, grabbing a spanner and jack. "Not a problem at all." He said, propping the van up to change the flat tire. Gromit looked on from the window of the Anti-Pesto van. It was Madame Winniebago, the town's fortune teller, mind reader, and general well known magician. She was very strange, staying hidden in her van most of the time. Gromit didn't think much of her and all that kind of magic and whatnot. He was more of a logic and reason dog. She wore a purple dress and headwear, covered in beads and jewels. Her van matched her- painted purple with different spray painted designs on it. Wallace waved to Gromit, inviting him out once he'd fixed the van. "As a token of my gratitude, I will grant you one free look into the future-"

"I see rabbits! Lots of them!" She exclaimed, looking into her magic crystal ball. "And by the light of the moon-" her face dropped. "One particularly large and ravenous rabbit!" Wallace and Gromit turned to each other in horror. "Oh, this is not looking good." She looked on as Wallace and Gromit inched closer. "What doesn't look good?" Wallace asked, a nervous tone in his voice. Winniebago snapped her fingers, and the crystal ball shut off. "Nothing much." She smiled nervously, standing up to shoo them out of the van. "Good luck out there in your effort in the battle of the pests," she escorted them out, and slammed the van doors closed.

Wallace and Gromit stood in disbelief at the van as it tore off into the distance. "What do you think she meant?" Wallace turned nervously to Gromit, who shrugged, just as confused as he was. "Anyways," Wallace shrugged it off, and hopped back into the van, "we have a client to tend to, and rabbits to catch!"