Heka knew each animal's personality and habits. They were intimate, and his protective nature was evident. It was obvious when he knelt beside the struggling rabbit.
And then he tried to soothe the shopkeeper with soft words. He said quickly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare them."
He hoped the man wouldn't blame him for frightening the animals.
The shopkeeper smiled reassuringly. "No problem. They're just sensitive creatures."
Heka felt a wave of relief wash over him. At least he wouldn't be in trouble. However, he knew he had to be careful.
He never let the rabbits come near Marchio's fur again. At least before they met Marchio.
"Do you want to buy a rabbit?" The shopkeeper shifted the conversation. His words sensed Heka's lingering worry.
Heka nodded, but his mind was tangled with doubts. Should he ask about the price first? Or should he explain how many rabbits he needed?
"Yeah." He said. But then, he shook his head.
"No, I'm sorry I don't want to buy the rabbits. Because there are only 5 of them. I need more. Besides, they were scared to see me."
The shopkeeper's eyes softened with understanding. He said thoughtfully with a reassuring smile. "It's not a big deal. The rabbits just need some moment for adaptation."
His words were meant to soothe Heka's worries, to tell him that there was nothing to fear or rush. The gentle tone of the shopkeeper's voice made the bustling animal house feel a little less overwhelming.
The shopkeeper then leaned forward slightly and asked. "How many rabbits do you need?"
Buying fifty rabbits at once didn't sound like an exciting, almost absurd idea. Heka's mind raced with questions. What could he possibly do with so many?
Yet, he knew he had to answer. Instead of speaking, he raised all five fingers on one hand, signaling the number.
"Five… aren't there five rabbits?" The shopkeeper repeated, squinting in confusion.
Heka shook his head firmly and raised his five fingers again.
"Fifteen?" The shopkeeper guessed. He tried to make sense of the gesture.
Again, Heka shook his head, repeating the sign.
"Fiiff…fifty….." The shopkeeper stammered, eyes widening in surprise.
A smile broke across Heka's face as the shopkeeper finally understood.
"Fifty rabbits!!!!! You're not kidding, are you? What are you going to do with fifty rabbits? Do you also want to open a rabbit shop?" The shopkeeper chuckled. He shook his head in disbelief. Apparently, it was indeed unusual who would want to buy fifty rabbits at once.
Heka felt a wave of confusion and hesitation wash over him. How could he explain the real reason behind this weird request? While the truth was too complicated, too dangerous to share.
Instead, he simply asked quietly. "Can you help me?"
In his heart, he hoped the shopkeeper would refuse. Thus, he could abandon this wacky mission and leave The Animal House behind. But the shopkeeper's response was not what he expected.
"Fifty rabbits… but you have to wait a few days. I'll seek them for you." The shopkeeper said with a nod.
Heka's hope of an easy escape was dashed. At least one problem had been solved, but another lingered. He insisted firmly. "I just need a lilac rabbit. I don't want the other..."
He wanted to be sure the shopkeeper wouldn't try to trick him by substituting different rabbits.
"Okay… no need to fret." The shopkeeper replied with a knowing smile.
Heka hesitated for a moment, then asked cautiously. "Then… how much?"
He hoped the price wouldn't be too high. A pang of regret hit him, he should have asked about the cost before agreeing to buy so many.
"One lilac is 50 dollars, for 50 heads it is 2500 dollars. Since you bought a lot, I will give you a discount later." The shopkeeper explained.
Heka nodded, grateful for the kindness. "Thank you… Then when can you prepare?"
"I'll contact you later." The shopkeeper said.
"Okay... then I'm going to leave." Heka said,
feeling a mixture of relief and urgency.
It was better to leave now than to waste more time wandering among the animals. After all, he had many tasks waiting for him, especially for Marchio.
As he stepped out of The Animal House, the cool autumn air greeted him. His mind was already shifting to the next step, returning home to check on the cinnamon.
With the feather safely tucked away and the promise of fifty lilac rabbits looming ahead, Heka walked briskly toward home. His thoughts tangled mix of hope, uncertainty, and determination.
It was an essential ingredient for the candles he needed to make. The task felt both mundane and vital in the bizarre journey he was on.
****
Heka stood in the middle of the small, dimly lit kitchen. His eyes scanned the cluttered cupboards one by one. He opened each door slowly, searching for a simple ingredient, cinnamon.
Literally, it was a small task. But for Heka, it felt monumental.
Until now, he had never truly needed to grasp everything about the kitchen. His mother had always been the one to prepare meals, cooking whatever he wanted with ease and love.
But everything had changed.
Right now, the kitchen was his domain, a place of warmth and familiarity that he had never dared to enter.
Since his mother's passing, Heka found himself alone, forced to start from scratch. The kitchen's cabinet, once a mystery, was now his responsibility.
This was the first time he had opened them. And thought he was unfamiliar with the contents.
Nevertheless, he was not clueless. He recognized the jars, the cans, and the boxes. Also, the ingredients he had seen his mother use countless times. Yet, the task of finding cinnamon amidst the chaos was proving difficult.
Just for a moment, the kitchen transformed into a mess. Pots and pans were scattered across the counters, crumbs littered the floor, and the cabinets were disorganized, some even half-empty.
Heka realized that in his frantic search, he was only adding to the disorder. But he couldn't afford to be distracted; finding the cinnamon was important. It was the first step in fulfilling a promise he had made to Marchio. A task that felt more strenuous than he expected.
After opening every cabinet and drawer, Heka's heart sank. There was no cinnamon to be found. It was obvious he would have to go shopping.
Before stepping out, he pulled out his phone to check his remaining cost. The screen lit up, and he sighed in relief when he saw the balance.
"There's still a lot…" He murmured to himself, feeling a flicker of hope.
The cost would be enough to get through this difficult time. Since his mother's death, Heka has withdrawn from the world. He took time to grieve and gathered his strength. But now, the reality of life was pressed on him, demanding action.
His phone buzzed incessantly, and when he glanced at the screen. He saw nearly fifty missed calls, all from Clancy. Heka's mind raced.
He had been in the immortal realm for what felt like only a day, but in the real world, a whole month had passed. He hadn't checked his phone once during that time. And the plenty of calls was overwhelming.
Without hesitation, Heka silenced the phone and ignored the calls. Though Clancy could wait.
Right now, his priority was clear: he had to get to the convenience store and buy what was needed. Only after completing Marchio's solicitation would he deal with the rest.
As he grabbed his coat and headed for the door, Heka took one last look at the chaotic kitchen. It was a mess. And it was his own mess now. Before leaving, he cleaned it up and organized it.
With determination, he stepped outside. He was ready to face the challenges ahead, one small step at a time.