Lay Your Love

Chapter4: Disgusting sewer water

A beautiful morning sunrise, mist in the air carefully sweeping above the cold and frozen ground. The fresh smell of fall in the air, tiny chirps coming from small finches from the bushes. But Tom's attention isn't on the beautiful sunrise nor the mist in the air, nor the rotting smell of leaves.

Tom's attention and focus was on a singular white rabbit. Its ear tips were black but the fur was a beautiful white, almost shining. The rabbit was currently eating, on the bottom of a newly grown tree, ripping off parts of the young tree and eating it. Tom's aim was solely on the small creature's head. Then Tom pressed the trigger. The world fell silent and BANG the rabbit didn't even have the time to react as it fell limp down to the ground and a few birds flew out of the tree. Then a small gasp came beside him, Tom turned around to see Hillary standing with a coffee mug. "You have quite the aim, bowlingball!" Hillary said with an impressed smile, while Tom felt a weird and uneasy feeling on his chest due to the compliment.

"Uh it's nothing," Tom answered. Hillary scoffed as he walked up to Tom. "Pft you gotta learn how to accept compliments, son! anyway, you won't just leave the rabbit all the way over there, right? go get it!" Hillary said with a small smile and Tom nodded as he got up. "Ey leave the gun, you might fall or something, I don't want to make another trip to the infirmary" Hillary said and Tom just placed the gun down and then started to walk across a field to the near forest where he shot the rabbit. There was a solid hundred meters at least between the camp and forest, or maybe seventy Tom didn't care. With each step Tom got closer and closer, soon he reached his target. Tom looked at the plant the rodent had earlier been eating at, such a parasite. Then his attention turned towards the small dead animal, its fur shining fur now drenched in crimson. Tom kneeled down and petted it, it was so soft, it almost felt like clouds. It was still warm, but it's skull had an almost fist like hole in it. The snow beside the rabbit's head was painted in different shades of red. It vaguely reminded him of winter berries, one of the most colorful things when it's winter. It even sorta pissed Tom off, that he couldn't even enjoy anything that had the color red to it. It always reminded him of a certain commie. Tom shook his head and roughly grabbed the dead rabbit.

When Tom turned around he halted in his steps. There was a soldier looking at him. He didn't know who it was, rather he couldn't make out who it was. But the soldier had binoculars in front of him and Tom could feel his gaze on him. Tom stared back and that made the soldier lower his binoculars and walk away. How long had he been there?.

Tom stood there for a while more, he could see the whole camp Hillary had set up. It felt almost weird looking at it from there, like he was some sort of animal. Tom once again shook the feeling and walked out of the small forest and walked over the field again. But this time the small sound of dripping blood accompanied him. His fingers felt cold and he could feel how the small creature in his hand started to become limp, hard and cold. Then he reached the camp.

Tom felt a bit confused as to where or to who he was supposed to give the rabbit to. A few soldiers passed him and gave him impressed looks. Then through a tent in front of him, Kevin came out. "Kevin!" Tom shouted out and that made Kevin turn to Tom, soon Lans came out of the tent too. "Where am I supposed to put this? and where's Hillary?" Tom asked and Kevin's eyes lightened up as Tom showed him the rabbit. "Woah! Jackpot! how'd you manage to catch that? we haven't even set out any traps yet" Kevin asked. "This morning, by gun! no traps needed!" Tom said happily. "Nice! you're like some sort of sniper!, well anyway, I think I know who you should give that to" Kevin said but Tom felt uneasy about the fact that he had to keep meeting new people. "I uh-" "I could bring it to the chef, Tom" Lans said, Tom and Lans made eye contact.

Tom gave him a small smile and handed over the rabbit. Lans took it carefully and waved as he walked off. "Oh Hillary is in the medic bay by the way!" Lans said with a smile. Tom and Kevin stood there for a few seconds. "Well, see ya after your talk with Hillary? Since you're good with guns, I'll make Gene come up with something, alright?" Kevin asked, Tom nodded and then Kevin walked off. Tom started heading for the medic bay with his fingers fidgeting, it was only then Tom noticed that they were covered in blood. How? He didn't even touch the rabbit's skull?.