Chapter Two Part One

An hour or so had probably passed by, and I was still reading the book. I had read a lot of pages from it already in over the hour, and boy you bet I was liking it because I did not want to let go of the book. 

Thud! I jump a little on my seat.

I look around me, panning my head to the light end where I came, there was nothing there, then to the dark end. I gasp suddenly at the sight. 

At the end – where it no longer was dark, was a large white fury and fluffy puff white ball of what I think seems to be from a rabbit’s tail. It was round and it looked soft. I then stood up from where I sat, clutching the book on my chest tight as if it would shield me enough as I step an inch towards the white fluffy tail of the rabbit – slowly and quietly.

Nearing it, I hid behind the shelf, thinking of the possible moves I could use. Racking my brain from FBI moves from that I had read from those detective books, thinking I could do it and perform it well like James Bond. 

I exhaled deeply. 

What if it’s a rabid rabbit? I look at the white fluffy ball. It was big, the size of my entire hand. 

I gulped the lump in my throat – my eyes widening from the size of the rabbit if it stands. From the bookshelf beside me. Raising my hands and measuring how the rabbit’s possible height would be. From the looks of its big white fluffy tail, the rabbit would be somewhere between 6’9 or 7’7 tall. 

I clutch the book tight on my chest again and glanced at the book. This would not be enough for a weapon on a 7’7 rabbit. I’m only a short 5’4 woman for god's sake! 

The white fluffy tail twitched, I stiffen and all my muscles froze while I held my breath as the shadow of a white animal loomed up. I stared straight ahead to the bookshelf across from where I was standing. 

And darn I was right when its height was 7’7 flat! Oh, plus those long ears, their height would be 8’6 or something.!

From the corner of my eyes, I could see the back of the big bunny – all white fluff and curved perfectly in a mid-arc. Then I realized he kind of looked muscled, and how I wish I had the power to become invisible, or possibly order the books or the ground to swallow me whole, or probably teleport myself to somewhere safe and away from this huge masculine rabbit. 

“Hello.”, his voice was deep and rich for a rabbit. I still didn’t move for fear of it pouncing me if I so move an inch of my muscle. 

Then I heard him chuckle. “No need to be afraid of me. I won’t harm you.” He said like it would assure my safety against a 7’0-foot-tall rabbit like him.

My breath was thinning out from holding it out too long. I exhaled loudly and stumbled in, flailing my arms in the process of balancing myself and I froze – my arms up, crouch low, like a bird about to take flight. I heard another chuckle beside me and saw his fluffy hind legs walk, or rather a hop walk. 

“I can tell you are not from here. Human.” 

I furrowed my brows. Then I stood properly straight as I slowly faced the big rabbit – still cautious of my movements. 

“What do you mean I’m not from here?” I asked. “Of course, I’m from here. I’m Selina Anderson. I live at the only mansion down at the end of the street.” I defended.

I should not have said where I lived! What if this huge monstrosity comes in later at night, and I find out that it wasn’t a rabbit, but a wolf in disguise that wants to hunt me down to the ends of the earth until I disappear from the face of the universe? 

The rabbit looked at me with wonder. “But you’re human.” he said, stating it. 

“Yes, I’m human, but a different kind of human.” It was kind of odd how calmly I replied to him.  

“How so?” He asked.

“I, well…” I paused to think of how to answer him, but came up short. How was I supposed to explain to this huge rabbit in front of me how I’m human? The question itself seemed absurd.  

His ears twitched. “Well, if you have powers, then you aren’t a human but a Zonculi.” 

I look at him with my best poker face expression. “A what?” I asked. Superpowers? Zonculi?

He smiled, showing his two front white teeth. “Silly, maybe you knocked your head hard?” 

I open my mouth to answer but closed it again. Unable to form an answer to him. I was in between feeling bewildered and confused, so I asked him instead, “What’s your name? And why are you so tall for an animal?” 

He bowed like a 19th-century gentleman and stuck out his fluffy paws for me to shake as he introduced himself. 

“My name is Lawrence.” He introduces as I shook his fluffy paws hesitantly. “Lawrence the rabbit. Nice to meet you, Selina.” 

His fur was so soft and fluffy, I wanted to hug him so tight like a stuffed toy. I still cannot believe my eyes that a tall white fluffy rabbit is talking in front of me. I think I might pass out! 

Lawrence fished out a pocket watch that was hidden somewhere in his fur. How is that even possible? He looks at me and smiled, tucking his pocket watch back in his fur. 

“Well, it seems that I might be late for my appointment.” He spoke.

“Appointment? What appointment?” I furrowed my brow as I catch up with his hopping.

He stopped short on a shelf, opened a secret compartment, and took a briefcase out. I watched him with curiosity. 

He hops again and I ran up to catch up with him again. He stops again, it was so sudden that I nearly bumped into his back if I didn’t skid to a halt quickly. I squealed in fright. Lawrence looked at me questioningly as he raised his brow. Then hops again, and I remembered the old librarian. I quickly grabbed his fluffy arm and halted the both of us. 

He looks at me again. 

“The old librarian might freak out if she sees you.” 

“An old librarian?” He raises his brow.

I nodded in reply, and he smiles at me. “Dear, we are the only two beings in this library.”

“She’s in the counter.” I shook my head and pointed to where the counter was. 

He turns around to take a peek, and he chuckled making me look at him in puzzlement as to why he chuckled. “There’s no one in the counter except for the mini old figurine of an owl.” 

I push past against him gently and took a peek, myself. He was indeed right. What I saw on the counter was nothing except for the mini old clay figurine of an owl. The books I meant to return were gone, and so was the can of pens and pencils on the counter. I look back at the rabbit confused. 

“How…?” 

“Simple,” he puffed his chest out proudly. “You’re in the other world.” 

I blink once, twice. “What?” 

“I’ll answer your questions once I get back,” he said before he hops up towards the door.

I was about to open my mouth to speak but he was gone the instant. I blinked. He was out towards the door with dust behind his back. What a fast rabbit.

I look around me – to the counter, to the tables and chairs, to the second floor, and to the windows. It was oddly quiet. Really quiet that I could even hear my heart beat in my chest. 

I sighed loudly – exaggerating. What am I supposed to do now?

Eyeing the counter, I walked towards it and thought that maybe there are some things I could find. 

I crouch down to the drawer, there were four drawers adjacent side by side to each other, and the other one had a keyhole in it. I pulled the first drawer and found nothing but a few paper clips and a pen without a cap. I shrugged, closed it, and opened the second drawer below the first one. In the second drawer, there were neat stacks of yellowish paper. There were squiggly cursive scribbles on it – one that is too slant and had this loopy ‘G’ and ‘P’ in it. Curiosity got the best of me and pulled out the stacks of paper, and rested it on my lap. 

Upon flicking the first paper, I found that it wasn’t any ordinary paper at all. It was parchment – used for writing letters and sending them to a general or a king in medieval times. Cool. I thought. Never seen one before except on movies. 

Going back to the scribbles, I skimmed through it since I couldn’t read it too well-properly because of those loopy cursives. 

“Psst.” 

I look up to see who called. I furrowed my brow. 

“Pssst!” 

I quickly stood up with the stacks of parchment in hand, looking around and squinting my eyes at the shelves and tables to search for the speaker.

“Over here!” 

“Where?” I called back. 

I heard it groaned. “Dumb stupid human. Are you deaf? The owl figurine!” 

I glance at the figurine and found that it was moving its head. I gasp in fright and backed up quickly outside the counter. It moved its wings and flew to one of the tables like it wasn’t made of wood at all but a living being. It tipped its head to the side while looking at me. 

“Why are you looking like that – like you’ve just seen a figurine move?” 

My jaw dropped. Did it not state the obvious? 

It blinked its round eyes. “Oh, right. You have just seen a figurine move.” it boisterously laughed. “Silly me.” 

”Are you a gargoyle?” I asked stupidly. 

It snapped its beaked angrily at me and I squeaked as I walked away as far as possible from the angry little figurine owl. 

“Don’t you dare compare me to those ugly gray beasts!” it flew towards the near table across from where I was, flawlessly and silently. “I, stupid human, am a beautiful figurine made from the best and biggest redwood tree.” 

I racked my brain for the term of a magical figurine that moves. I snap my fingers, pointing at it. “You’re a shabti!” 

It rolled its eyes and groaned annoyingly, “I’m not clay. I’m a figurine! And I’m not from Egypt!” 

I roll my eyes at it. “Figurines are made of clay.”  

It was silent for a while that I think it was back to being a normal figurine, but I spoke again. “What part of 'I'm made from the best redwood tree’, do you not understand stupid human?” 

I opened my mouth to retaliate but closed it instantly. I came up short of an answer at all as I realized that I was indeed stupid for saying it was clay. It shrugged its wings and flew over back to the counter. 

I followed the owl. “What’s your name anyway?” I asked calmly and again found it oddly weird I was calm when I was in front of a talking owl figurine. 

It landed swiftly on the counter. “Don’t have one.” It replied.

I nod in understanding, placing the stack of parchment down the still open drawer before closing it. 

The nameless owl figurine is alive and talking to me. 

“Then, may I call you Fish?” 

It turned to me. “Fish? I’m not a fish.” 

“I know,” I grabbed a chair nearby and sat on it propping my elbow on the counter. “It’s much easier to name something Fish.” 

It laughed. “I’m an owl. Not a fish.” 

I roll my eyes. “I know the obvious, Fish. I’m not dumb.” 

It shook its head. “But you were dumb enough to say I was clay when in fact I told you I was made from a redwood tree. And you can’t call an owl, Fish. That’s horrendous! And the beings here would mistake me for a talking fish instead of an owl.” 

I shrug nonchalantly at it. “So? Why would you care for others' opinions when your opinion only matters?” I replied, ignoring the fact that he just told me there were others like him and the big huge rabbit earlier. 

It waved its wings at me. “Opinion matters depending on what the topic is about.” 

“Well, the topic is only about naming an owl figurine Fish.” 

It shook its head. “I cannot believe a human, like you are so dumb.” 

“I’m not. It’s called irony.” 

“What is?” 

I shook my head. “Calling me dumb but you’re one too.” 

Before Fish could say something, the glass door burst open and Lawrence came in hopping quickly towards me. 

“Hey, Lawrence!” Fish greeted happily, whilst I only smiled and waved at him. “This hu-“ 

“No time for chitchat.” he interrupted the now displeased owl figurine in front of me. Lawrence hopped towards me and grabs me by my arm, pulling me to the place where I saw him first.