_What_Bunnies_Are_For_-_Part_9_

        Outside Tommy's room, Tabby was pulling herself up from the
floor. She held another taser, which she was putting clumsily in a
rack marked "Recharge". Jamie hurried to help her up.
        "What happened?" he demanded.
        "You... had to use your taser on him?"
        "I used the taser, never mind that! What happened to you?"
        Tabby swallowed hard. "A buck effects a doe almost as badly
as vice versa. I had to shock myself."
        "Blessed Saint Mary!" Jamie exclaimed, as he helped her up.
"What did you do that for?"
        "The pain helps..." (She leaned ackwardly, had trouble
unbending, but finally made it up.) "...it helps to clear the mind.
Some bucks feel better about it if they can tell themselves they've
been punished. I'll be all right in a minute. Are _you_ all right?"
        Jamie's face tensed. "It didn't hurt, much," he grunted. "I
need a men's room."
        Tabby looked her companion over. She tucked in his shirt tail
for him. "How far did he go before you stopped him?" Jamie's face was
setting into a mask of anger. She put her hands to it and massaged
gently. "He honestly couldn't help himself, Jamie," she cooed. "It's
our pheromones. It's like a madness, it hurts inside, we desperately
need release! Jamie, please forgive him."
        The human's face worked; for a moment he seemed near tears.
"I need a men's room," he repeated, less severely.
        Tabby sighed. "By the time you're through in it, he'll be
himself again. He'll need your forgiveness, Jamie. Please?"

        Jamie took a fresh taser from the rack, although Tabby said
he wouldn't need it. She went to the den while he waited outside. A
phone rang inside. There was a voice, then two, then the door opened.
Tommy looked Jamie in the face for perhaps half a second, then looked
away. "Come in," he invited. "Tabby's on the speakerphone."
        "Hi, Jamie! <giggle>" Tabby's voice responded.
        "You're in better spirits," he replied, gruffly.
        The bunny sighed over the phone. "Tommy, tell him."
        "I'm sorry," the buck said. "I never ment to hurt you. If
Tabby hadn't come so close.... Tabby, why did you do that? You know
what it does to me! Why?"
        "I'm sorry, Tommy, but Jamie had to know! Humans will seldom
believe what they're told when it's this bad, they need to see it."
        "Tabby, I raped him! He couldn't get to his taser in time and
I...." The buck sat on his bed by the phone and let out a single sob.
"Dear God, Jamie, I'm sorry! You can't understand...."
        "Well you're right there, I don't understand! What you did to
me.... Blessed Saint Mary, that was no venal sin! You should go to
jail for it! And you're telling me the devil made you do it?"
        "Not the devil," Tabby replied, "his own body. If a doe so
much as comes near him, her scent triggers an intense need for sexual
release. His scent does the same to her. It's the company's way of
making sure we breed when and with whom we're told...."
        "And you did that to him with me in the room?"
        "That's why I gave you a taser Jamie," she replied, annoyance
creeping into her voice. "Why didn't you use it?"
        "I... I was shocked, he caught me by surprise, the way he was
begging my pardon and all...."
        "Stop!" Tommy begged. "Please, stop waving that in my face! I
told you I'm sorry, I couldn't help it, what more do you want of me?"
The shuddering buck held his face in his hands and wept openly. "You
can't know," he sobbed. "Ever since I reached adolescence I've been
in solitary confinement with only occasional humans for company! If I
come too near a doe I go crazy! If I come too near another buck I try
to kill him! The does get their choice of customers, every night,
while I'm up here alone, it's NOT FAIR! IT'S NOT FAIR!" Tommy fell
sideways onto the bed, weeping frantically.
        "Uh, Tabby...." Jamie told the speakerphone.
        "Go to him!" she snapped. "For the love of mercy, go to him!"
        Jamie stood before the bed, wondering what to do. For half a
minute he stared. Finally he sat at Tommy's head and drew him into
his arms. The buck turned and held Jamie desperately, crying onto his
shoulder. "I'm holding him," he told the speakerphone. "What now?"
        "Pet him," Tabby suggested, "the way you did Sammy."
        Jamie stroked the weeping buck's ears. After a while, Tommy
let go and sat up. "I'll be okay, I think," he said, weerily, and
reached over to the phone. "Tabby? Call me later?"
        Tabby agreed and Tommy hung up. "I need to be alone now, I
think, try to sleep. Could you...."
        The man nodded and headed for the door.
        "Jamie?" (He turned.) "I really, honestly couldn't stop
myself, you know that. Can you forgive me, please?"
        Jamie nodded. "And forgive us our sins," he quoted, "as we
forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil."

        Tabby bounced up to him as he closed the door. "You know,"
she said, cheerfully, "you probably saved him from suicide."
        "Well fine then. But I hardly heard a note for my pains."
        Her good humour disappeared like a magician's rabbit; Tabby
all but snarled. "You've seen how he lives. Isn't that punishment
enough?" Jamie had no answer. "Come on," she said, "we have the rest
of the furries to visit before your tour's done."

                                        (continued)
Copyright 1995 Allan D. Burrows
All Rights Reserved after publication