~PRELUDE~

Leonard took a single, shivering step out of the

door. A light snowfall had swept over the city during
the night, layering the ground with an inchthick of
white. Leonard looked to his left, then his right, and
reali!ed he was the only one in the street. "e dipped
his head downwards and pulled up the collar on his
#acket, like a turtle slipping into its shell. "e trotted
forward slowly, one unsteady ho$$le at a ti%e. "is
feet carried hi% down the street, around corners, and
through alleyways. "e went on undistur$ed.
"e soon found what he was looking for. An e%pty
clearing, uno$structed $y foliage or any other
structure. "e lowered hi%self to a crouch and $egan
to dig away at it, until there was a large hole in it.
Enough for his tenyearold &gure to lie down in.
"e reached into his pocket and pulled out the
necklace, holding it $y the chain. "e dangled the
orna%ent in front of his face, and as the tears
cleared away, he focused his ga!e on the ra$$it's
foot.
"e took the left hind foot in his right hand, clasping
it to his chest. (hen, he rose to his feet and held it
out over the s%all grave. "e opened his %outh to
speak his words, $ut none ca%e out.
"is hand rela)ed, and the ra$$it's foot plu%%eted
into the threefeet deep hole. *ithout casting it a
second look, Leonard $egan to scrape the loose dirt
$ack into the hole, his tears +owing again. (he salty
water dripped onto the soil as he la$ored.
*hen the hole was all $ut covered, Leonard paused.
"e stared at the dirt directly a$ove the ra$$it's foot,
as if it was never there or that there was a tunnel
connecting his eyes and the luck char%.
*ith a cry, he sla%%ed his left hand into the spot
his eyes were &)ated on, and dug at it relentlessly.
"is sorrow gave way to anger, and he fueled it in his
task as he $urrowed. "is right hand ca%e to assist,
shoveling the dirt aside. Leonard spotted a gli%pse
of grey fur, and his hands darted out to grasp it. "e
pulled it out, and $rushed o, the $its of soil that
re%ained on it. "e pressed it to his chest and held on
tight. "e could not let go. "e did not want to let go.
"e will never let go.
"e had no idea for how long he stayed there,
holding his fa%ily heirloo%. *hen he &nally got up to
his aching feet, the sun had risen halfway to the sky.
"e turned and staggered $ack to the city, his lungs
&nally accepting the air he forced down the%.
(here was a crowd. At such a point in the %orning,
people would $e around the -ity ./uare, straggling
for e)tra rations. 0ut no...this was not the -ity
./uare. (his was in the %iddle of the street.
Leonard's legs carried hi% in the sa%e unconscious
%anner that took over hi% earlier, $ringing hi%
around the street corner and closer and closer until
he saw the sight that everyone else was trans&)ed
upon.
(hree Renaissance soldiers, dangling fro% a roof
with intricate rope necklaces.
1n the wall $eside the scene, there was a splay of
$lood. 2o, not a disorgani!ed $urst of $lood fro% a
gunshot or $lade. 1ne word, encrusted to the wall $y
$lood and now engraved into the %inds of those who
read it.
Rise.