It's in the air, can you feel it? Can you smell it? Can you taste it? It's there, behind the clouds, and it's about to consume us all. Beware of Easter Bunny Apocalypse, save your long floppy ears before it's too late! 20 writers are telling you how, especially Chapter 17. (Read how it started here.)

Please welcome our 17th author, Barry Nova, (aka @BarryNova). Barry was born sometime ago in the hazy days of the 80's, grown in a normal house by fairly normal people, in the garden of England. Instead of wanting to be a fireman or a tradesman, he wanted to be He-Man, but after a long and treacherous dusty road, he came to the conclusion that he could not become He-Man, not without taking large amounts of steroids and hallucinogens at any rate. "A writer I shall be!" he exclaimed one day. 

Photo by Jill Ferry

EASTER BUNNY APOCALYPSE

Chapter 17 by Barry Nova

Malcolm started the engine of his dark blue Ford Taurus. It revved to life instantly, then purred contently, waiting to eat the road with its highly tuned ferocity. He turned around slowly toward the back seat and eyed his passengers cautiously, trying not to give away his ever growing feeling of dread.

“We all set?” he asked calmly, keeping his fear at bay.

“Yes,” came the reply, in stereo from both Leslie and Peter alike.

“Well, it's all locked into the G.P.S. and we’ve got all the things we need. Les, you told mum and dad you were staying at Rebecca's house right?”

“Yeah. She prefers Becky, but yeah.” She stared at Malcolm for a few seconds, then said, “We will be coming back won't we Malcolm? Because the, er, rabbits don’t seem, well...they don’t seem to be happy with humans right now. What if they...” she trailed off into nightmarish visions of what might happen to them, only to be brought back to reality by Peter, who’d been quietly nibbling on half a carrot, listening and thinking.

“They will be more concerned with me. I dread to think what the Peeps King will have done because of my escape. He will want compensation for sure.” He chewed the carrot briefly before continuing.

“Easter won't be a happy bunny at all, my dear Leslie. I’m going to have to get my thinking ears on for this one. You may be taken captive, but I'll do my damnedest to make sure you're treated well. I’ll explain that you're not from the greedy side of humanity. And that you both saved me. Though, what good that’ll be, I don't know. After all, Easter did send me to my death. Luckily, in woodland life, strength and survival are praised. I'll either be welcomed as a hero, or torn into pieces. I've told you both, you can just drop me off nearby if you're not—”

“You did,” Malcolm interrupted. “But we made you a promise. A promise we intend to keep. Besides, you're staying in the car, Leslie. I won't put you at risk. You're too important to me. I’m going to leave the keys in the car. If you get a blank text from me...drive!” He said it and meant it, so she wasn’t going to argue.

“But what will you do?” her voice started to crack as she spoke.

“Les, I'll be fine. I'm a grown man now, not that spotty, little geek from high school!”

He cracked a weak smile, hoping she would accept it. He knew that it could, and most likely would, turn nasty. No time to worry now. He meant what he'd said to Peter. They'd been strong friends when they were younger, a friendship that was extremely rare. Different species talking to each other within the animal kingdom was common, but interaction with humans was strictly prohibited. But Malcolm had saved Peter from a hunting snare once; and in his pain, Peter had spoken out. Though understandably shocked, Malcolm had remained calm and freed the rabbit. As payment for his kindness, and through shear curiosity, Peter had continued to meet with Malcolm and they'd become good friends.

The car slipped into first gear and sped off down the road; the road the siblings had lived on all their lives. A road they would never see again.

The blacked-out Lincoln continental, containing Bruce Donnegan, pulled out as soon as the Taurus turned left at the junction. He put the bug listening device into the foot well of the passenger seat and put the car into cruise.

“Good job that Chipper was banging that sheila in the White House. And good job those government fellas are on top of screening their out-going calls and emails,” he chuckled.

“You furry, little buggers are going down once and for all...even if you take me with you. YOU'RE FUCKING GOING DOWN!”

P.S.: This is the 17th Chapter of EASTER BUNNY APOCALYPSE. Here are other Chapters: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, and Chapter 16. Let's hope our road will lead us to publishing Chapter 18 tomorrow.