The Wabbit is unsurprised

The Wabbit was not surprised by how miserable everyone looked. Things were bad and although they seemed to go on normally as normal, an air of melancholy hung over the Wabbit's neighbourhood. Even the advertisements looked miserable. The Wabbit was not naturally miserable, being a wabbit - although he could be as pawanoid as the next wabbit. And he knew that wabbits have a funny sense of humour that not everyone understands. But the Wabbit set out to smile at everyone he saw, because he thought that might cheer people up. Even if he was a bit sceptical, he would twy.

The Wabbit in the mysterious Lanes

It was some relief to the Wabbit that when he hopped out the next day, that things were just as he expected. His favourite haunt was the criss cross network of Lanes that hid behind the big houses. There were secret yards and gardens and they were not without mystewy. The Wabbit did not mind the others who also used the lanes. They were in the Wabbit's territory and not the other way around. Sometimes there was even a police car. And occasionally, people brought carrots to the Wabbit and of this the Wabbit told no-one. In the Lanes, the Wabbit liked to keep everybody happy. The Wabbit needed allies.

The Wabbit dreams of Himself

Then, all of a sudden in the dream, the Wabbit changed into a white wabbit. The Wabbit knew it was him, even though it did not look like him. He was lying in a toy shop window amongst some toys. In the dream, the Wabbit was sleeping but every so often a hand would crash the keys of a piano - and it was so loud and such a surprise that the white wabbit would wake up with a start. Then the Wabbit did wake up to find himself at home. It was good to be awake!

The Wabbit dreams about a Time Tunnel

As the Wabbit slept, he dreamed a dream of the building that the street man had pointed out. As he looked at it, the whole building wrapped around him and became a tunnel that was drawing him in. Nothing that the Wabbit could do could prevent it - although in his dream he tried to run away. In real life he could run very fast indeed, but in the dream, the pull was just too strong for him.

The Wabbit returns for Supper

The Wabbit returned hoping for a good supper. They (as the Wabbit referred to non-wabbits) were cooking risotto. The Wabbit knew a few grains of rice would not harm his tummy but a bowl would not be good for him. He would content himself with some carrots. But the smell was delicious. Then the Wabbit curled up on the carpet and fell into a hazy dream-filled sleep.

The Wabbit takes Stock

Even the Wabbit found some things a bit daunting. The Wabbit could see there was no way in to the building that was pointed out by the man in the street. He could see no door or open window and no people inside. But the Wabbit knew one thing. Although the building held answers to what had become of the shadow people, the Wabbit was aware that the shadow people hadn't always been shadows and he didn't want to become a shadow too. So the Wabbit thought it was pwudent to retrench, to sum up, to ... take stock. He shifted his position from foot to foot and puzzled. Then he hopped for home and supper. The building would still be there when he came back. Of that he was certain.

The Wabbit gets a Clue

Hopping along and thinking about a nice hay and carrot lunch, the Wabbit was suddenly surprised. It looked like ... yes it had to be. Here was the Wabbit's opportunity and he felt a little nervous. He hopped up to the man in the street and asked him straight. "Do you know what happened to the shadow people who were forced out of Castle Doom?" The man did not reply. He only shook his head. The Wabbit thought that maybe he didn't understand wabbit talk but then the man pointed at an official looking building that was behind the Wabbit. The Wabbit turned and thumped his tail and growled. When he looked back, the man was gone. But the Wabbit knew he had been given a clue.

The Wabbit falls foul of the Weather

The Wabbit was back in the street but unfortunately the weather had taken a turn for the worse. The Wabbit did not like getting very wet because it was hard for him to get dry. The Wabbit found himself thinking about the shadow people who had been turned out of their homes. What would they do on a day like this? The Wabbit pondered for a while. He thought they must have found a place to get into the warm, away from windy draughts. The Wabbit shivered a bit at the very thought of windy draughts - and made a run for shelter.

The Wabbit gets stuck on the Balcony (again)

The Wabbit was in one of his favourite places. Fwom the balcony he could see the whole street - although he could not get down very quickly. Just sometimes, the Wabbit would get stuck on the balcony when no-one knew he was there and sometimes the window shutters were closed behind him. Then he was really stuck! It wasn't anyone's fault - just bad judgement and thoughtlessness. But when the Wabbit was stuck he thought it wasn't such a bad place to be. There was foliage and a pwetty windmill which went clack-clack and chased away the infernal wing-ed things. The Wabbit hated wing-ed things.

The Wabbit is surprised by a new street

The Wabbit was surprised to find a new street where he had not been before. He explored right down to the end but there was no way through except to the river. The Wabbit knew there were herons there and the Wabbit was cautious (he did not weally like wing-ed things). For a moment he thought he saw a couple of the Shadow People who had been thrown out of Castle Doom. But no. They were only passers by. The Wabbit thought that people lived in very strange burrows. But that one at the back was one big hutch.

The Wabbit contemplates Chinotto

Finally the Wabbit got to go to a decent cafe. He was pleased because he was a very, very critical wabbit indeed. On a shelf near the floor he found a box of strange drinks. Now the Wabbit was partial to a small bit of orange although he knew it could be bad for his wabbit tummy. But an orange dwink called Chinotto was interesting! He had a very small wabbit friend called Chinotto who was a dwarf wabbit, but he didn't think they were related. He noticed it was just before 11. am so he could content himself with a cappuccino. Chinotto deserved more investigation.

The Wabbit fancies a spot of Lunch

Now if there was one thing that troubled the Wabbit it was spelling (not everyone knows wabbits can spell). All the more so because he was feeling ... peckish. So when he spotted a menu for lunc, he knew the food might suffer from lack of care. He was fond of salad and tarragon was a herb of which he was well aware. He loved tarragon! All the same ... you never know. Perhaps he might hop in and snuffle around the tourists' feet. Or perhaps he might hop onwards to the pizza place. But he was always hanging round there and all the staff knew him. It was just too familiar. On consideration, the Wabbit knew at least they could spell the most exotic names and there would be fresh basil. Gnam, gnam! The Wabbit snuffled and passed on his way.

The Wabbit expresses disapproval

The Wabbit was back in the 'hood. Quite nearby he hopped past a gateway that used to be open. But now it was all closed up with a high wall and a thick iron fence. The Wabbit stared at it with hostility. He very much disliked poor territorial behaviour. Did they really have to remember special numbers? "No way!" thought the Wabbit. They were getting too big for their boots!

The Wabbit watches a Mechanic

The Wabbit did not travel by car very often. But when he did, he took care to look all around. He was acclimatised to cars in stwict correspondence with the Wabbit Council Code of Practice. But he did not expect the car to go up in the air, because the Wabbit knew that is not the way of automobiles. And so he hopped down and saw the most exciting thing. A man had a stick with a light coming out of it and he was doing something to a long pipe. The Wabbit heard them talking about a hole. Now he was familiar with holes - they were a place in the ground, but he could see there was no room for a wabbit. It was some other kind of hole, not a dug hole. After an hour the man put the car down and the Wabbit hopped in the back seat. Phew, thought the Wabbit! It would have been a long way home with no car.

The Wabbit under Lock and Key

Still on the lookout for the people of the shadows from Castle Doom, the Wabbit paused and looked up. He knew the Lanes were haunted and that behind the locked gates were spooks of all kinds. This did not fwighten the Wabbit, although it made him wary as a brush wabbit in the high chaparral. The Wabbit did not care for locks since he could chew through a door (given some time and inclination). There was something behind here though. Something they wanted to keep hidden. But what? The Wabbit stood on his hind legs and rubbed his chin along the bolt. He would be back.