‘’Excuse me kind sir, but I believe you are mistaken. I’m no Harbinger or whatever it is you called me. I don’t even know what that means. I’m just Maia.’’ I responded hoping that the ‘Do not talk to strangers’ rule my mother had drilled into me did not apply to glowing rabbits who could speak. 

Next to me, Helen was looking back and forth from the creature to me as if trying to decide who was the crazy one. I gave her a sheepish smile. 

‘’Let’s just get going before this becomes any more weird,’’ said Helen grabbing onto my arm and I was about to go along when the rab-creature spoke.

‘’First off I’m a female. Why you humans all automatically assume I’m a male is beyond me,’’ I never thought animals could grumble but this one seemed to be doing it just fine. ‘’ Also Harbinger, your arrival has been foretold in our books since the creation of our kingdom and I can see the mark on your cheek.’’

‘’Whoa whoa wait I thought we were a democracy; did we shift into a monarchy when I was somehow asleep?’’ burst out Helen while I on the other hand was more interested in the latter part of that sentence. My hands automatically lifted to my cheeks. Besides the usual freckles ( which let me tell you were the bane of my existence) I couldn’t find anything out of the ordinary. 

Apparently, rabbits can not only grumble but snort too. Quite elegantly at that.

 ‘’I’m not talking about your land, human. I’m talking about the kingdom where I’m from, the great lands of Silverthorn, and the seven seas beyond. And Harbinger you don’t have to touch your cheek for the mark. It’s only visible to those who have stepped foot in our lands.’’

‘’Ok I know that geography isn’t my major but even I know that there’s no such place in the world map. Do you take us for fool si-miss?’’ Helen responded while I was still stunned and seemed to have temporarily lost the function of my tongue. 

‘’Why don’t you both take a seat so I can explain and then the Harbinger can follow me back home,’’ it responded. 

My eyes widened in alarm, and I involuntarily took a step back. ‘’Where exactly do you mean by home?’’

‘’Our kingdom of course. Everyone has been awaiting your arrival for a long, long time. I must introduce you to Alaric as well.’’ 

This was when I was convinced that I was in some sort of a dream. As soon as I heard the name ‘Alaric’, a tremor went through my body, and it felt like long-dead nerve endings suddenly sizzled with life. I was positive I had never heard such a name in my life and that this was some warped hallucination. I generally kept away from the male species and here I was being disoriented by some random name. I shook my head to see if I could get rid of these weird thoughts. I made the mistake of looking at the rabbit and was shocked to see it looking- smug. 

‘’Just please direct us towards the exit to the woods if you know or leave us in peace’’ I whispered weakly. 

‘’Who’s Alaric? What is going on Maia?’’ Helen whispered frantically.

At the sound of that darn name again, I felt another tremor course through me and felt as if my veins were singing along to his name. I was officially going crazy. I needed to get out of here. 

‘’I have no idea and I don’t want to. Let’s just get out of here,’’ and I grabbed onto her arm ready to just bolt in any direction as far away from the rabbit as possible. I was half afraid it would try to stop us. But a glance showed that it hadn’t moved from its position. 

As I turned away though, it spoke. ‘’You can’t run from your destiny Maia, it’s already written. You can go now but I believe you will come looking for me soon enough. When you do, just step into the same woods with faith and I will appear. Faith can move mountains you see. And if I were you, I would take the right-hand fork that will appear right out outside this clearing and you’ll be with your friends in no time. Goodbye for now’’ and with what appeared to be a bow, it was off. 

Dazed, I turned to Helen, and she appeared equally stunned. By mutual awareness, neither of us discussed its parting words and took the curve to the right as it asked us to. 

Why either of us were trusting a talking rabbit you might ask? Your guess is as good as mine. 

But a few steps into the pathway we came upon our party packing up. When the professor saw us, she was furious at our so-called ‘disappearance’ and almost talked our heads off. While normally I would have been appalled to be scolded by a teacher, I had heavier things on my mind right now and her words just passed unheeded. Helen kept glancing at me worriedly and suddenly I was afraid to decipher the meaning behind her looks. I silently climbed into to the bus with the rest of the party and took my seat near the window.

I was suddenly feeling bone weary, almost as if I had lost a part of myself, and muttering a hurried ‘’Wake me up when we get there’’ to Helen, I leaned back in my seat. In no time I was asleep.

That’s when the dream started.  

Author: Rtr. Aaysha Sufran

Co-authors: Rtr. Manushi Rathnayake and Rtr. Gayanjalee de Silva

Graphic design by: Rtr. Sathmi Dinanja