Genesis of a KIling Machine
The peaceful and industrious farmers had just finished bidding their children goodbye as they prepared to work in their fields. Hugs were exchanged, children wished a good day at school, tools were taken from sheds and outbuildings. By our reckoning this was about 7:45 in the morning. It was a lovely day, the sun was bright behind scattered clouds, the birds were singing their hearts out. Billy Bumbletail was going to the fields with his father, something that was his favorite activity. Billy wanted to be important and smart just like dad, and tomorrow was his 15th birthday. 15 is the age of adulthood for the Lapin peoples, he would now be able to vote and speak out in the council. He picked up a scythe and followed his father down the familiar paths, his dad joked with him about how soon he would be taking over the family. Billy's heart was bursting with pride. Then there was a huge uproar behind them in the village they had just left. Both turned and ran for the town, and what they saw froze their blood.
Armored wolves, the soldiers of New Rome, were forcing the townspeople into cages mounted on wagons. Anyone who remonstrated or tried to escape were cut down. Billy saw his grandparents lying in a pool of blood as a huge wolf held his sister by her ears. His father, Zacharias, leaped up to the big wolf and slashed his leg with the balanced sickle he was carrying. The brute screamed, fell, and then Billy was on him with the scythe, cutting his throat. More wolves appeared and one ran Zacharias through with a spear. As Billy was lifting the tool to kill as many as he could something smashed into his head and he knew nothing else.
After a long and painful journey in the cages, the rabbits were put in communal cells. Every day a group of them would be taken out and would never return.
One afternoon Billy and a group of the townspeople were led blinking into the sunlight. They were staged at the entrance to the arena. None of them had ever seen an arena but form follows function. They were given swords.
They were marched into the middle of the arena. A group of heavily armed wolves waited, laughing, some yards from the rabbits. The oldest of the rabbits dropped his sword, and knelt, praying. All the other townspeople did as well. Billy just stood in the middle of the kneeling group, stunned by hatred. With a shout, the wolves were upon the non resisting rabbits, and killed most in seconds.
Billy moved like a snake. Withing seconds he had killed the two closest wolves, dodged a trident, and killed two more. As the remaining enemy closed in on him, a whistle blew and the wolves backed off. An official ordered them to spare the small rabbit. Billy was grabbed and drug back to the cells.
Armored wolves, the soldiers of New Rome, were forcing the townspeople into cages mounted on wagons. Anyone who remonstrated or tried to escape were cut down. Billy saw his grandparents lying in a pool of blood as a huge wolf held his sister by her ears. His father, Zacharias, leaped up to the big wolf and slashed his leg with the balanced sickle he was carrying. The brute screamed, fell, and then Billy was on him with the scythe, cutting his throat. More wolves appeared and one ran Zacharias through with a spear. As Billy was lifting the tool to kill as many as he could something smashed into his head and he knew nothing else.
After a long and painful journey in the cages, the rabbits were put in communal cells. Every day a group of them would be taken out and would never return.
One afternoon Billy and a group of the townspeople were led blinking into the sunlight. They were staged at the entrance to the arena. None of them had ever seen an arena but form follows function. They were given swords.
They were marched into the middle of the arena. A group of heavily armed wolves waited, laughing, some yards from the rabbits. The oldest of the rabbits dropped his sword, and knelt, praying. All the other townspeople did as well. Billy just stood in the middle of the kneeling group, stunned by hatred. With a shout, the wolves were upon the non resisting rabbits, and killed most in seconds.
Billy moved like a snake. Withing seconds he had killed the two closest wolves, dodged a trident, and killed two more. As the remaining enemy closed in on him, a whistle blew and the wolves backed off. An official ordered them to spare the small rabbit. Billy was grabbed and drug back to the cells.
A blood soaked rabbit surveyed the 3 dead wolves that had been sent to kill him. He switched his tail at the screaming crowd, a deadly insult among rabbits but an action misinterpreted by New Rome. A rabbit was about to become a general among the wolves of The City.
The coming darkness will consume all.
The coming darkness will consume all.
Created by Mak on Feb 25, 2024 using the Blue Pencil XL AI image generator model. Night Cafe.
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