Chapter 6 - Third day, Part 1

Third day



Part 1



It was raining again. The whole house was in dead asleep, except one person. Only one light sifted out to the darkness. It was very early, but his seething thoughts didn’t let the bunny sleep. Mr. Herriman was walking back and forth in his office nervously.
He created theories what might have happened to the missing residents. He set down to his desk and looked into the rain.
- Something is definitely wrong... - mumbled he slowly under his mustache.

***

Coco startled out of her sleep. She was freezing. Frankie’s prediction was right; the night was cold, indeed. She looked around and recognized that Wilt wasn’t under the blanket.
- Coco! Cococo!
Wilt woke up.
- Wha’? Um... Sorry... - he stummered he.
- Cococo co coco? - asked she.
- There wasn’t enough space for all of us, so I decided to let the others occupy my place. Don’t worry, it’s comfortable here as well! - replied Wilt.
- Cococococo! - She whispered.
- No, I’m not freezing! Brrr...sorry! - said the tall one and frayed his arm.
- Co, Coco! - commanded Coco. She allowed no resistance. She stared at Wilt for a few seconds.
- Okay, if you want it so bad! - agreed Wilt and crawled back under the warm blanket.
They tried to sleep. But Wilt was just lying with opened eyes, sunk in his thoughts. He knew this bus would be there cage for a long time.

***

The clouds continued to stream the heavy rain.
I was 8 Am, when Madame Foster opened the office’s door. She found Mr. Herriman sitting behind his desk in his pajamas. He looked a bit deranged. She questioned him.
- I couldn’t get to sleep last night, Madame. I reckon enough time has passed by to inform the local authorities about our beloved residents’ unexplainable disappearance!
- Yes, I agree. Something went wrong that’s for sure. - replied Madame Foster.
She picked up Mr. Herriman’s old-fashioned phone and reported the gang’s disappearance.

***
Bloo was sitting in the back with an angry face.
-What’s the matter? - Mac asked him.
- No fair! Frankie denies me the breakfast. That is unacceptable, how do I suppose to work then? - raised his hands the blob.
- Well, we have only a little food and if we just eat it all, we’ll starve to death! - Mac whispered the last words, because if Ed would hear that he’d panic again.
- So you’re taking her up, aren’t you? - Bloo asked.
- No, I’m just saying if we eat up everything, days before somebody finds us...
-Yup, you’re against me, traitor! - Bloo declared.
Mac wanted to say something, but changed his mind and left Bloo alone.
***

A featureless, dark blue car stopped before the Foster mansion. Two men got out from it. Both of them wore drab raincoats. They slowly walked to the Foster’s house and rang the bell.
Mr. Herriman opened the door.
- Good morning, I’m Officer Thomas Bradley, from the Wilson District’s Police Department; this is my partner, Officer Steve Mason. We have received a notice about a possible case of disappearance.
Officer Tom Bradley was a tall guy, with intelligent and emphatic brown eyes, dark brown hair and determined character. His partner was a bit shorter and fatter, with intent blue eyes, and a discreet goatee.
- Yes... Welcome to Foster’s gentlemen! Please, come in! - greeted them Mr. Herriman.
The sight of the huge bunny surprised the two men; they glanced at each other, and then stepped inside the foyer. They were shaking hands with Mr. Herriman, when Madame Foster appeared. She invited them into the tearoom. They set down and the leaders of the Foster home told the whole story, how it all began, when Bloo stole the bus and returned it only a few hours later, how Frankie got the idea to do almost the same and have a day of relaxation, and how they prepared for the trip and when they left. Steve Mason wrote the basic informations into a pocketbook, while his partner asked a few questions.
After they finished, the police officers stood up and prepared to leave.
- We will send a patrol to their destination first, and search the surrounding areas. - said Bradley.
- I’d like to thank you once more, Mr. Bradley. - Said Mr. Herriman, when he opened the door.
- Oh, call me Tom. - replied Bradley.
The rabbit surprised and blinked twice. Bradley just laughed and said good-bye. The officers got into their car and drove away.

***

- Waaaaaaaaaaaaa! - screamed Eduardo in horror. - Spider! Spider! Spider!
- Okay, Ed! Calm down! See, it’s just a tiny little insect! - said Goo and picked up the spider from the floor. She continued: - Isn’t he just cute? I don’t understand why you are afraid of these little creatures. I always liked them; maybe because I’ve seen a lot in Wisconsin, you know I spent so much time there! At first, I was like oh-no-spider-get-it-off-get-it-off, but after a few encounters I started to like them. They won’t hurt you if you don’t hurt them...
- No, this es an evil monstruo, it can suck out all your organs if you let it close to your ear! - stammered Ed.
- Duh, this is ridiculous! Where did you see that? Spiders like that only exist in horror movies.
While they were complaining about spiders, at the front of the bus, the others had some different argument.
- News is booooring! It only contains blablabla... - declared Bloo. - We should spare the batteries for the exciting late night movies!
- Of course not, Bloo! We will watch the news and that’s final! We must know if they are looking for us, or not! - Frankie said.
Bloo looked at Frankie with pure fury, but accepted her authority…Yet…
Frankie turned on the TV, all the friends set down close to it. They watched the news silently.
After it was over Frankie turned off the device. She looked a bit disappointed.
- Not even a single word from us… - she whispered.
- Don’t worry, Frankie! – Said Wilt – Only two days passed by…
- Yes, I know. – replied she. – Only two days… and we haven’t got much to survive…

***

On that night she had a nightmare. She was driving the bus in the massive rain, just before that critical moment. She saw the black sport car once again. She saw an explosion, which blinded her for a second. After she could see again, she looked in the rear view mirror. Her eyes grew large, the fear distorted her face. She saw terrible manifestations in that mirror.
All the friends were dead, some of them got burnt, and some of them were rotting. She stared at Bloo, who wasn’t blue, but black instead. He was sitting on his seat; he stared into nothing, with veiled, lifeless eyes. Suddenly, the paleness disappeared, and Bloo turned his head to Frankie. A delirious light flashed in his eyes and he made a devilish grin.
His voice was deep and raspy as he spoke:
- After all these years, we finally meet, Frankie my dear!
At the back, the others came to life as well… with the same menacing semidarkness in their eyes. Bloo jumped off the seat, and began to approach Frankie. As he came closer, she could smell the stench of the burnt flesh. The others slowly formed into a line behind Bloo.
- It was all your fault! – Bloo rattled. Eduardo repeated. Half of his body was burnt, his fur disappeared there. His other side was muddy, and fusty. Even Wilt, was furious. His body was burnt; only some of his face remained red.
- It was all your fault! – declared Bloo again. The others chanted the same.
- No! Noo! Nooo! – Frankie screamed.
-Yes, my dear! It was all your fault, and you’re gonna pay, ‘cause this route goes right in the hell! – he laughed. As he said the last words, everything started to flame, the road turned into a flaming path. It was getting hotter and hotter as the orange flames grew larger and larger.
Before the flames could consume the bus, Frankie saw a white flash, and it was over.
She startled out of her sleep. The night was cold, but she was sweating. She looked around in the bus. It was a dream… merely a nightmare… she thought. While they were sleeping it has stopped raining, and the wind blew away the clouds. Frankie recognized Bloo’s shape in the light of the full moon. First she got scared, she thought Bloo was burnt black, just like in her nightmare. It was just the play of the shades. She calmed herself down, and tried to sleep.
But to no avail…
The rising sun found her lying, with seething thoughts. She slowly turned her head to see the sunrise. Another day in prison begins… she thought.

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