My Castle, a Pegasus, and the Rabbit Monster: Chapter Seven

After their encounter with the alien Bob, Pill and Pesker found themselves inwardly puzzled and outwardly stuck. Not knowing how to respond to recent events they stumbled around trying to regain their bearings. It was then that Pill spotted a white spot in the sky which certainly was not a cloud.

Pill said, 'Look, an uncloudlike white spot in the sky.'

Bob and Pesker looked at the white spot. The spot grew bigger and bigger as if it were heading their way. Would this take the stuckness out of their present situation? They were intrigued so they waited until it reached them. It wouldn't be another rabbit monster at least. And it wasn't. When the white spot grew clear and distinct enough for them to discern what it was, they recognized it to be a flying horse - a Pegasus. The Pegasus started to circle over them as if it were a buzzard waiting out its prey. And just as mysteriously as it came it mysteriously started to fly off. But the three were not easily sidetracked and they followed the magnificent horse from mythology.

They followed the horse for several hours and it finally hovered over a pallid green hill. He, not to say it wasn't a she, softly and deftly floated down on the wind to the crest of the hill. Without seeming to do anything a door opened up before the Pegasus and he went in. The door shut behind him - or her.

Our cursed crew approached the hill and noticed a bright green square where the Pegasus presumably walked into the hill. Tim proceeded to knock, but as the door was made of grassy hill his knocking didn't make a sound. He put his ear to the door but all he could hear was the ocean.

'Look for a doorbell,' Pesker suggested hopefully.

'How many hills have doors and how many of those hills have doorbells,' Pill added glumly.

'How about Colorado?' Pesker said testily.

'Kick it,' Pill said.

'It's a door, not a vending machine,' Bob chided. That much was true. It wasn't a vending machine.

After much deliberation between the three the door opened anyway. Inside the hill was dirt, dirt, more dirt and a couch. Sitting on the couch was the Pegasus.

Pegasus said, 'Well, come on in. If you're gonna be this persistent. You might as well come in.'

Pill said, 'Wow, this is incredible. Monster rabbits, talking clouds, talking dragons, an alien and now a flying, talking horse. How interesting.'

'Why were you following me?' Pegasus cut in.

'We're looking for adventure.'

'Well, it just so happens I've had one of those. I can tell you of my own adventure I had a while back in June. Perhaps in the telling you may find your own. My name is Freddy, by the way. I talk and fly because I can and I can because I'm a horse.'

'That doesn't make sense,' said Bob.

'It makes perfect sense. It makes Freddy sense,' Freddy said.

'I had an owner and his name was Quent. He grew electrolytes. He irrigated his crops with flying, water bottle sporting, pigs. Pigs, especially the flying ones, are notoriously rude and unbearable vandals. It's in their blood it seems. Well, the farmer went out to plow one day and he found that his crops were spray painted with gang signs. Pig gang signs. That was when he took out an ad, I responded and I started working for the farmer. However, not too long ago, something starting eating his crops. It was a giant rabbit.'

'One day we decided to do battle with the rabbit. When we engaged the rabbit the hare would lunge at the farmer, the farmer would dive into the dirt and I would swoop down from on high and swat the rabbit on its long irregular ears. It would rear up and the farmer would sprint to its foot smashing at it furiously with a sledgehammer he kept in his pocket. It was a spacious pocket. Of course the rabbit would then lurch forward to grab the farmer and the farmer would again dive into the dirt. This was my cue to drop out of the sky onto the rabbit's head. And the rabbit would roar in frustration hopping at the sky. The farmer would attack, the rabbit would go after the farmer, leaving an opening for me, I would attack, the rabbit would come after me, leaving an opening for the farmer and so on and on it would go. For two days we did this. Finally, the rabbit looked at the sky and then the ground and sat down. He sat where he was for a few minutes and then breathed a heavy sigh. He got up and hopped away. He never came back again.'

'The rabbit never came back again?' Bob asked.

'The rabbit never came back. I suspect he found greener pastures to trample on. Nevertheless, the farmer sold the farm. He was determined to hunt down the rabbit with me as his companion.'

'Our journey started easily enough. Nice level paths. Gardens. Trees laden with fruit. Temperate weather. All seemed well until the farmer started having visions. I remember one vision. The farmer's face grew taut, his eyes grew wide and his body grew stiff. He said,
'The tail doth expand puffily
The hair stiffens verily stoutly
Thunderous footsteps befall the sunset
And ere we know it, it cometh.'

'Ominous words he spoke. True words, for it happens those words came true, but that's a story for another day. Right now it's time for lunch.

A smile crept up Bob's face.

The Pegasus whipped out a custard and tuna sandwich, 'I don't advocate these sandwiches for the average schmoe. It takes a special horse to eat these much less a man. My diet gives me a shiny coat and nice downy feathers. It makes me feel warm and floaty. I feel almost buoyant, but without the water. Would you like some chow?'

'What do you have?' Bob asked.

Freddy walked over to the cupboard and read its contents, 'Ketchup, custard, water, salt, tuna, apple, and orange seeds. Oops! I need those seeds. This reminds me of the time I had a bike race with a fish. With much guppie slapping and fishy hullabaloo I lost. You should never underestimate a fish in a bike race.'

Boom!

More out of curiosity than prudence Bob curiously opened the hill's door which even more curiously had a doorknob on their side of the door. Fear enveloped Bob and his comrades as they recognized the boom causer looming before them in a hoary silhouette reminiscent of a furry mountain. It was the monster bunny and he was back with fur in his eye.

The bunny said, 'I hate to be a bother, but I really must see you. If you please. My name is Gahzoola. I am one and the same monster bunny. I swallow a lot of aggression ... and carrots. I have a letter from the author.'

The rabbit handed the letter over to Bob.

Dear Bob, Pill and Pesker,

It turns out the bunny monster is merely misunderstood. Please accept him with open arms as I think he will be an invaluable companion on your journeys. He has impeccable references. I will fax them to you at a later date.

In any case he is sorry for the unfortunate episode with the alien ship. He never got close enough to the ship to explain he meant them no harm. He did drop that citizen, however. At the time he had thought he had picked up a flower. (The citizen wore a bright yellow hat). Well, I have to go now.

Your attentive and apologetic benefactor,

The author.

'I guess under the present circumstances we have misjudged you, Sir Gahzoola. Welcome to our merry band.' Pegasus was chewing the cud.