Jerry Bunny

First 3 segments posted in August, 1997 as a continuation of BANGOR: Winds of Change and BANGOR: Changing Tides.

What happens to Gerard Tondreau now that he's a cute devilbunny? I do intend to continue this down the road, HONEST!

©1997 by Scott Bernier
First three segments HTML-ized on 3 November, 1997 by the author.

Return to Scott's Stories page.

[Early June, 1997]

A late blue sedan (Detroit steel of course) pulled into the driveway of an old historic house. Like the rest of the center of the tiny hamlet of Whitneyville, it had been preserved as part of the town's historic district, just down the street from the Congregational Church and 2 story, 2-room red schoolhouse which now housed the town library and historic society. The tiny hamlet of about 240 people lay just a few miles east of Machias, DownEast Maine, away from tourists. A girl, not much more than 8 years of age rushed-out, limping onto the porch.

"Mommy, Daddy! You're home!"

Mother and father got out of the car. Father held a bunny in his hands, that remained calm as it took in its new surroundings. (nosetwitch) They climbed onto the porch and hugged their daughter.

"We found one, Mariel," her mother said.

Mariel was bright-eyed with excitement. "Really! You found a DB bunny! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"You have to take special care of him, hon," her father said as he carefully held the bunny forth to her.

Mariel looked at the pepper-furred bun and gasped. "He's special like me, isn't he?" she said, looking him over some more and then held her arms out to him.

The bun gently leaped into her arms and snuggled-up. (sighfluff)

"Does he have a name?" Mariel asked.

In a timid voice the bun replied, "Jerry" (fearfulfluffnosetwitch).

Mariel squealed with delight. "They can talk! We're going to be bestest of friends, Jerry. I'm Mariel. Come-on, I'll show you were you're going to live."

"I'd like that..." the conversation was cut-off as Mariel shut the door leading her new playmate into the house.

Mother and father looked about for a moment before following their daughter within. In some bushes nearby, two rabbits nodded their heads in satisfaction.

After showing Jerry around the house, Mariel took him to her room.

"And this is my room, and now yours too." She gently set him down on her bed. "I'll set-up a little bed in the corner for you to sleep in with your own blankets." She sat-down next to him and started fiddling with something under her right pantleg below the knee.

(appreicativefluff) "I'd really, really like that, Mariel. I'm lucky to have a.." Jerry stammered-off as Mariel's right foot fell-off, shoe, sock and all. He then glanced quickly at the stump that was once his left forepaw.

She sighed in relief. "That hurts so much. Mom and Dad get upset when I take it off." She dropped to a whisper. "That's why I only do it up here in my room. I'd rather hobble around then wear that proth... prostheses." Both were silent for a moment then Mariel piped-up again. "I'll tell you what happened to me, Jerry, if you tell me what happened to you."

There were tears in Jerry's eyes, which he tried to hide. Mariel saw them and picked him up to comfort him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings..."

(whimperfluff) "It's not that, Mariel," Jerry said while wiping the tears with his right (and only) forepaw, which had a red streak in the fur. "It's... I just don't remember everything that happened." (closedeyesthinking) "I think I was attacked. There was a loud noise and then everything went black. I woke-up in a bunny hospital and couldn't hear anything."

"Bunny hosiptal?"

"I'll explain later. There's a lot for you to learn about DB bunnies." (reassuringfluff) "The doctor there wrote down on paper that my eardrums had ruptured and it would take time to heal. I still haven't healed completely, so" (pleadfluff) "if you listen to music, it has to be soft and on low volume. Anyway, when I woke-up, I didn't have the left paw anymore. The doctor said I got into a fight with a big dog and it tore-off my paw, but" (sighfluff) "I don't remember any of it. And" (confusedfluff) "what dog could make a noise loud enough to hurt my ears like that? After a couple months learning to hop without it, I was sent-out here, for I was told that there was a nice girl here who needed a friend and I'd get a nice home to live-in."

Mariel was quiet a moment taking in what Jerry had said and then related her tale. "It happened about a year ago. I was riding with Daddy on his tractor in one of the haying fields away from the blueberry patches. He hit a bad bump that caused me to fall-off. My foot got caught in the mower in back and was shredded." Jerry (shudderfluff). "There was no way to reattach it and they couldn't afford to get me a new foot until the Lions Club helped them this year, but" (sigh) "it doesn't quite fit right and hurts to use it and I know Mommy and Daddy can't afford to have it fixed right now." (deepbreath) "So I bare with it."

Jerry instinctively snuggled Mariel. "We'll get through this together, Mariel." (cheer-upfluff) "I promise. Maybe the buns who helped me can get you a better foot." (bunnihug)

Outside the window neither of them noticed the two bunnies watching them. One of them sent a quick message off.

*****BUNIX™ TIGHTBEAM ENGAGED*****
To: Browny CrimsonPaw, head of DownEast Blueberry Warren Operations.
Re: Jerry Bunny

The former Fudd, Gerard Tondreau, is adjusting very well to his new life as Jerry Bunny. No complications appear to be arising from his...reconditioning after his attempted escape in Bangor. Will report more as the need arises.

Whitneyvillewarren field operations.
*****END MESSAGE*****

[present--August, 1997]

"You're home!" (excitedpoof) Jerry hopped in place excitedly on the porch.

Mariel set the blueberry rake down, pulling a sweatband off her head and picked-up Jerry. He snuggled into her chest as she hugged him.

"Yes, I'm home, and tired, Jerry. It's hard work picking blueberries, but I'm making money to help-out Mommy and Daddy." (wearysigh) "They want so bad to be able to move west of here where there's better work." She carried the grey buck into the house. "Mommy! Daddy! I'm home!"

Mom walked into the entry with three glasses of lemonade, one smaller then the other two. "Welcome home, hon. Daddy has to work late tonight." She led the way into the living room, where they all sat down and sipped. Jerry, slurping cutely through a straw.

(excitedhopwiggle) "I helped Mommy make it!"

Mom chuckled. "He most certainly did. So how did you do today?"

"I raked nearly 100lbs!" She paused.

"That's real good dear." Mom picked-up the empty glasses.

"And the border patrol showed-up and took away another 10 migrant workers."

"It happens, dear. As long as there were no problems...good. I'll have dinner ready in half-an-hour, long enough so you have time to clean-up."

"Come-on, we'll have a bubble bath together." Mariel snagged Jerry-up.

(protestfluff) "But...but..ooomph.."

Five minutes later, Mariel was soaking in the tub with a bubble coated Jerry perched on her left knee. She giggled as he (miserablefluff) at her.

"Oh, come on. It isn't that bad, and feels so good after being out in the fields all day."

"We have to stop doing this together, Mariel."

"But why, Jerry?" (giggle)

"Because, I'm a boy, and you're a girl." (blushmuzzle)

"But you're a bunny, so it doesn't matter. Mommy explained to me about the birds and the bees."

Jerry (sighpoofed) and sent bubbles flying. "But things are not always the same with bunnies, Mariel, especially DB bunnies." Jerry gave her another lesson about devilbunny culture, much as he did almost every day since he became her pet and best friend. She blushed slightly and apologized. "No need, Mariel," (bunnihug) "you didn't know."

She picked him up and in turn, got out of the tub, and wiped the two of them-off. Jerry's fur poofed-out like a puffball. Mariel giggled again as she dressed. "The more you tell me, Jerry, the more I wish I was a devilbunny. It sounds like fun."

Jerry for the first time was taken aback for a moment before replying, "Who knows what the future holds, Mariel."

They went downstairs for dinner.

End (for now)