Jiggling Bush

Opening my mouth just so I could close it again—like a fish. Repeating it a couple of times. I struggled to let my voice out. No, it's more like I couldn't.

I stared at her with conflicted emotions. How? I wanted to know how the heck did I ended up here. Seconds ago, I remembered being trapped inside that horrendous place shrouded with pitch-black darkness. Forcing me to see and to realize just how horrible am I as a person. And in a blink of an eye, I am already in front of this gigantic lion statue that was as dark as obsidian. So shiny as if someone poured oil all over it.

Tell me. How am I supposed to act in this situation?

"Alicia, can you come with me for a moment? I think I saw something there." Dominick said while slightly dragging her away from me; not waiting for her response. She attempted to break free from his grip but he tightened his hold on her. Tight but not tight enough to hurt her.

Without the need to say anything, I'm a hundred percent certain he noticed my apprehension. And that he probably wanted to give me some space that's why he did that. Though I don't think it was a good thing, still, he saved me again.

Phew!

The bitter wind blew. The leaves rustled and the hairs in my body stood. Especially when the swishing sound reached my ears. It's like the cries of the children long dead.

'You're not alone, Sean. You're not alone.' I repeatedly mumbled inside my head like a mantra.

As if they had a mind of their own, my feet brought me towards Liam's side, the lanky man. Though I'm not particularly comfortable with him, I don't really have that much of a choice, do I?

"Aren't we getting out of here yet?" I asked.

"I was waiting for you to say that. Let's go."

With his cue, we left the area.

Unlike the time when we entered where I stayed at the back, I stayed close to Liam. Though his attitude was far from being respectable, I know that he's dependable at least. I can feel it based on how he carried himself.

No one spoke as we headed to the exit. Only our footsteps, the rustling of the leaves, and the seldom swishing sound of the wind that injects fear to anyone who hears it can be heard. But for some reason, it looks like it was only I who was affected by it. Alicia and Dominick are not acting any different from how they usually do.

We can already see the exit and we slowly began to pick up the pace. Then suddenly, the spherical bush that was located at the side of the hedge arch jiggled along with the loud rustling. Liam who was at my side assumed a defensive position almost instantly. I look at my back and found out that Dominick is also doing the same thing. While Alicia had gone pale.

I raised my left hand that was carrying the lamp towards the bush to see what was causing it to move. Maybe around two seconds, it jiggled more violently and a white thing hopped from it and charged straight at us.

Liam reflexively jumped to the side, avoiding it. Alicia clings to me. And Dominick attempted to kick it but it easily dodged his foot and went to me for cover.

It stopped moving and we finally got a closer look at what it was. My three companions heaved a sigh of relief but I seriously don't know what to feel about it.

Because it was Ethan!

What the hell are you doing here? And why would you show yourself to us? I wanted to ask him a whole lot of questions but how am I supposed to do that if I am surrounded by these people?

"I never thought a rabbit can scare the shit out of me!" Alicia mumbled to no one in particular. "But seriously, it looked like it was quite drawn to you, Mr. Jack." She said when she saw that Ethan never left my side.

I wonder the same thing as well, Miss Alicia.

'Can't you just leave already?' I wanted to tell him.

"Maybe because he knew that I have a pet rabbit?"

Her eyes turned wide as soon as I said that. "Oh! I remembered you bringing your pet rabbit to the agency as well! So what are you going to do with that?"

What else? Beat the shit out of him till he tells me the reason why he would follow me all the way here.

"I don't know. Maybe adopt him?" This is mine to begin with. I mean, he was my informant to begin with.

"Make up your mind, Jack. I was planning on turning that into a rabbit pie." Liam chimed in with his coarse voice. And I tell you, that was the first time he ever told us of what he thought.