Challenge #01889-E065: No Cause For Alarm, My Dear
Pax Humanis has an interesting work force, a lot of killers and a few who hold their leashes. -- Anon Guest
There is a world where only specialists go. There are lots of forests. Lots of lakes. Plenty of reefs. It is a paradise. It is also where they keep the psychopathic, sociopathic killers. There is one city, where the analysts and the scientists live. The scattered and vast estates are for the killing killers and the people who they, for want of a better term, love.
They're called Keepers. There's not one for ever killer. Some of the killers are regulated by professionals, since they don't form bonds with many. Keepers are the exception in the bloodlust that runs your average killer human. The killer will not harm them. The killer will protect them. Much like a wolf-dog would guard the children of their owner[1].
And, much like living with a wolf-dog, living with a psychopathic, sociopathic killer has its detriments. As the one that Allin called Bunny would testify.
Allin had been hunting again. That much was evident as Bunny came in from the vegetable garden. There was a carcass on the tackle, and a skin on the frame. Allin preferred to hunt for meat, and left the 'rabbit food' to Bunny. It was as Allin always said, Allin was the wolf. Bunny was... well... the rabbit. But then... Bunny was the bunny that Allin had adopted.
"I see we're going to have venison for a month or two," said Bunny, bringing in the cabbage and cauliflower.
Allin smiled. The Blood Smile. Allin enjoyed dissecting something that had once been alive. Doing so every other week was enough for Allin's needs. Sometimes, Allin would seek out something they needed on Bunny's request, but for the most part, chance decreed the bounty of nature.
"One month, tops," said Allin. "I'm sending three quarters of this off on a drone." One of the benefits on living on Killer's World and studying its denizens was an almost regular supply of wild game. "I wanna catch you a boar. We want bacon, and pork... and some smoked ham."
"Mmm," Bunny hummed at the thought. "Been some time since we had wild bacon, but... I'm in the mood for fish. How about a fishing trip?"
"The season's next week," said Allin, who always killed the fish for Bunny. "And we'd have too much protein."
Bunny remembered in time that Allin was hyper-concerned about the balance of food they had in their stores. "How about," she proposed, "A haunch for us, the rest to the nerds, pig tomorrow, and fish next week? I can brew up all of my preserves for the winter. All of our favourites." Our favourites. Not Bunny's favourites. Not Allin's favourites. The ones they shared.
Allin liked to share things. It had taken some years to work it out between them to get Allin to understand that Bunny didn't enjoy killing as much as Allin did. So when Allin went to peacekeeping missions, Bunny waited in the city for Allin to come back. And Allin was determined to come back, because Allin was convinced that Bunny couldn't survive without Allin's care.
So they shared everything. Meal plans. Lifestyle. A house. It wasn't a home. This was Bunny's work. Keep Allin company. Keep Allin tame. Keep Allin groomed and comfortable and happy. Knowing how to handle Allin was Bunny's job.
Allin was doing math in regards to the stores. "Calories add up. Yup. But we're keeping the marrow in the freezer. And I'm making you a deer-brain scramble. You need this brain. It was a good hunt."
Aspect-hunting was one thing that Bunny couldn't convince Allin to surrender. A wily prey animal meant their brains would make Bunny smarter. And the only way Bunny would eat a brain scramble was if Allin would have the other half. With mushrooms and tomatoes and cheese and lots of other things that hid the flavour of brains.
"Aw, don't make that face," cooed Allin. "Brain is good for you. It's dense protein. Super energy."
"It's still eating a brain," objected Bunny.
"I'll eat a salad for you," offered Allin. "Quid pro quo, right?"
"We both have brain. We both have salad," said Bunny, thus ensuring that there was only half a brain for Bunny. "Fair's fair when we share."
Allin grinned, blood from the deer still fresh on her face. "I knew I'd get you there in the end."
Bunny smiled in spite of his trembling stomach. "There's a good predator."
[1] This actually happened. I have a true story of someone who grew up with a 100lb wolf-dog that was not a Husky passed off as a 'wolf'. This was a creature that scared local inhabitants and hunted squirrels for their family. The author could stroll through sketchy neighbourhoods so long as their hound was with them.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / Korionov]
If you like my stories, please Check out my blog and Follow me.
Send me a prompt [14 remaining prompts!]