The Seal, The Seagull, The Mutt, And The Jack Rabbit

Part Three. The Jack Rabbit

"The future depends on what we do in the present." Mahatma Ghandi.

Part of me knew. Part of me hoped I was wrong. Part of me was excited to finally go somewhere safe.

My name is Ryuu. I'm 16, 6', and a male. My current family is my mother, little sisters, and my cousin. I get straight A's, I have been emailed by 4 colleges and 6 universities regarding scholarships.

January 25th was the day I became a "bad kid." I managed to sneak my best friend into the states from Mexico. I didn't know he had guns and was planning to... Goes to show how little you truly know someone.

February 3rd there was a large shoot out on Broadway. The guns had been traced back to his dead body and on the note... he thanked me for getting him. 

March 17th I went missing after running for weeks. Taken by my new "Family."

That's the basic run down of the events that lead me here. Knocking on a traumatized girl's door, calling her "Mutt."

Eris is her name. She's severely misjudged and easily pursued by love. Then there's Garin. He's full of anger and hatred toward the world... I never thought I would get through to him. Kenji is the life of the party. Full of pride and just happy to finally have a supportive group. Happy to have a family.

These people are so broken. More broken than I thought anyone could be. I knew why I was here. I knew who I had to be for them.

"Eris.." I opened the door to Eris' bright white room, holding a tray of food. "I made some breakfast..!"

She looked scared, holding a pillow close to her chest. I gave her a soft smile and wandered over. "R-Ryuu... right?"

I sat down on the corner of the bed, setting the tray beside me. "Yes.. how are you feeling?"

"Fine..." She was still hesitant to trust me.

"I'll let you rest. Make sure to eat, you'll need it-"

"To be stronger?" Her tone dropped, sounding more somber. My heart sank and I stared at her for a moment.

"So those bruises go away faster." I gave her a soft smile and stood up. I hit my head on a dream catcher as I rose. I heard Eris let out a small laugh.

"Don't hurt yourself.." She said with a small weary smile. She was weak and it was so noticeable. I nodded to her and left the room, closing the door behind me.

I made my way down the long hall to Garin and Kenji's room. They had tall bunk beds on the left wall, beside the closet. A desk was next to the window on the far wall from the door, a simple pot sitting on the window sill with a dark purple prayer plant. I set the tray of food I had brought for them on the desk.

"FOOD!" Kenji sat up really fast, hitting his head on the top bunk. "Ow..."

"What..?" Garin rolled over and looked over the edge of the top bunk. We stared at each other for a moment, trying to figure each other out. I gave him a soft smile, this cause him to break eye contact and look at the food. "What is that?"

"Breakfast. Are you ok, Kenji?" I Shifted my gaze to Kenji- who was struggling to put on slippers.

"I'm good!! I've been hit in the head with baseball bats harder than this- What all did you make??" Kenji hopped up, excited to finally eat.

"French toast with strawberries and whipped c-" I got cut off.

"Loaded toast?" Garin asked, sliding down the ladder that lead to the top bunk.

"Yes..! Bacon, eggs, orange juice, and a small cup of blueberries. Help yourselves to more in the kitchen too." I gave them both a soft smile before I left. I began cleaning the kitchen while everyone ate and woke up. I explored more of the house to see what all there was.

There were two visible stories. The first floor included the kitchen, living room, dinning area, a full size bathroom, Seal and Seagull's room, and Mutt's room.

The second floor had my bedroom, a small bathroom, and a very small living space. In the living space there was glass on each wall and the roof, like a green house. My room had a King size bed and a dresser. The bathroom had a stand up shower, toilet, laundry hamper, and a sink with enough counter space for my toothbrush and somesoap.

The house was fully furnished and, surprisingly, asthetic. I walked to this empty corner of the house that's across the dining room. There was a small button on the wall that opened a square in the wall. There was a cubby with a painting and a switch.

"...curiosity will be the death of me." I flicked the switch and a large spiral staircase spiraled down the corner, flowing past the floor. I began walking down the stairs, seeing where they would lead me.

What I found had shocked me. It was incredible...