The Hare, the Bow and the Girl

By D H Richards

Stranded in a strange land! How do you make sense of a world you know nothing about? What do you do when you fall in love with the wrong person? And what happens when you annoy the wrong six foot tall rabbit? It’s bad enough that Eric lost his parents but he now finds himself thrust into a world where men and rabbits live side by side in an uneasy alliance. Tension, mystery and intrigue lie beneath the peaceful surface of the strange valley on the eve of the wedding of the King’s daughter. And now Eric must make a choice that could cost him his life...

• Language: English
• Publisher: D H Richards
• Release date: Dec 2, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310484230

Book preview

The Hare, The Bow and the Girl

Book One

Dream of The Lepus

By D H Richards

Text copyright 2013 D H Richards

All Rights Reserved

All characters appearing in this work are fictitious.

Any resemblance to real persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

For more information please visit

http://dhrichards.blogspot.com/

cover image

Takagi Haruyama, Edo period, Rabbit

Dedicated to Jeanne, William, and Weston

Prologue

The knife was unlike any Riley had ever seen. His great-grandfather had given it to him earlier that evening, for Riley’s 16th birthday. It had a worn wooden handle, polished smooth by decades of use. It was a dark hardwood, maybe even some sort of tropical wood, and appeared to have had carvings on it, but they were worn down. Embedded in the handle was a single red gemstone, cut into an oval shape. The blade was the strangest part. It was about eight inches long and polished to a dull sheen, not like the shiny new knives Riley had seen at Sears. There was an inlay near the handle of a darker metal showing vines and leaves and what appeared to be an animal, a rabbit perhaps, peering through them. And if he looked carefully he could swear the rabbit had a cap on its head.

Why a rabbit, he wondered. Wouldn’t a deer be more appropriate? Why would the rabbit be wearing a cap?

Riley was inside the house, studying the knife. He looked out onto the porch where his great-grandfather was sitting. He wanted to ask him about the knife, it looked so strange, so very foreign and different from any knife his friends had shown him or that he had even seen, but the old man had only thrust a box into his hands after dinner and gruffly wished him a happy birthday. Riley was mostly scared of the man.

His great-grandfather was old, very old. His face, once strong and handsome—Riley had seen it in old photos—was now loose and sallow, his eyes sunken in, his bright smile faded into a permanent frown. But it wasn’t his age that made Riley scared; it was how the old man seemed to only to communicate by gruff noises.

Riley himself was tall but rail thin; a floppy head of unstylish long brown hair on his head over a pair of dishwater blue eyes. He was not much good at sports and honestly not that good in school either. And everything he did seemed to disappoint the older man, who was not shy about letting Riley know it.

Almost everything: Riley knew his grandfather was…well, not happy, but satisfied that Riley had taken up archery. He never let his great-grandson forget how good he used to be with the bow, but he did once acknowledge that Riley was good too.

The only other person in the house was Riley’s mom, but she was rarely around, often working double shifts down at the cannery. It was Riley’s job to look after his great-grandfather—a job that he often got wrong, if the old man was to be believed.

Riley looked again at the knife turning it over and over, looking for a mark or some clue as to where it was from, who had made it. He wasn’t even sure what it was for. It had a smooth edge, as if for slicing, not for cutting or sawing. He weighed going out to ask his great-grandfather about the knife. If he disturbed the old man after dinner he might get yelled at—or worse, ignored. He might wait until his mom got home, but doubted she would know much. She was adamantly against weapons of any kind, to the point that she made Riley keep his bow in the garage.

He screwed up his courage and opened the door out onto the front porch, Paw Paw?

The old man sitting on the folding chair looked up. He took a moment to register who had spoken and then looked back away.

Thanks for the knife, Paw Paw. It’s cool. Looks old…

It is.

The old man did not look back this time. He carefully drew up the blanket on his lap. Riley stood there studying the wooden planks of the floor, tracing the patterns in the wood worn down by years of use and years of neglecting paint. Paw Paw had lived here with his parents, who had built the house in the last century. Even though it was drafty in the winter and leaked in the rain, Riley liked it. It was better than living in a trailer like some of his friends did.

The old man had worked for the railroad in Monroe, but that was decades ago. Now all that was left of the family was Riley and his mom, Paw Paw’s grand-daughter. Riley’s dad had left when he was born, and his grandfather had died in Vietnam. Everyone else was dead or lost. He heard he might have relatives out west, but he had never met them.

Paw Paw didn’t do much. He sat on the porch during the days, unless it got too cold, and stared out into the distance. The old man had few words to say to Riley.

Riley found himself staring at the floor often around the old man. When he looked back up, the old man was still looking out.

I wanted to thank you, Riley began again.

You’re welcome.

No, I mean…I wanted to let you know… it’s a pretty nice knife—really. I mean, it’s old, right? Was it yours?

Yes.

The quiet came back. Beyond the porch evening was leaving the sky above; below the air was still with a chorus of cicadas steady in the background. Little blinks of lighting bugs emerging from the bushes.

Paw Paw?

The old man just sat there. Riley saw he wasn’t asleep, but he didn’t respond.

The rabbits? Riley tired again to start the conversation—still no movement.

Paw Paw, every time after dinner you sit out here… what I mean is… you never talk about it.

You like the knife, Riley?

He stopped short. The old man hardly ever called him by his name. Riley was afraid he’d said something wrong.

Yes, sir. Is there a reason it has a rabbit on it? Why is the handle so smooth? questions tumbled out from Riley, afraid of being cut off again, It looks old.

It is. Probably older than I am. It was a gift…given to me by someone…special. But now I am giving it to you, for safekeeping.

Is it connected with the rab—?

I used it when I hunted you know. It’s a solid knife.

I didn’t think you hunted.

Sure did. After my parents passed I had to eat, right? Some deer in these woods and back then lots of rabbits, squirrels, even possum if done up right isn’t bad…

The rabbits? But I thought, you know, we’re supposed to leave them alone. Momma told me if I ever hit one with my bow you’d disown me.

Yeah, that’s right. Never touched a rabbit with that knife, that’s for sure. I couldn’t…This was before. Again silence settled over the porch. The older man returned to staring out at the edge of the woods.

Before what Paw Paw?

Never mind. Nothing. Late.

I’m getting good at the bow Paw Paw. I hit the bulls-eye today from 100 feet walking by, just like you suggested. I bet I could hit even a rabbit now. All I’d have to do is—

Stop! The old man swung his arm up from the blanket, his long finger pointing at Riley. Stop!

Why? Every time I ask—

Just stop!

Tell me why? Why can’t I go hunting like you did? I could help out, no shame in deer or rabbit for dinner.

Don’t ever!

Why not? Riley couldn’t help himself.

His mother would have beat him soundly for yelling at the old man like that, but Riley was confused and annoyed. Even though the family was poor and other mountain families hunted the deer and rabbits in the forest, he’d never been allowed to do so. Most nights they ate vegetables from the garden or hotdogs from the stores, but never game.

Why not?

The old man looked at Riley, his hand still pointing; his mouth open. But he suddenly closed him mouth and lowered his hand. He turned back to look out at the night. Just don’t.

I’m not a little kid anymore. I can do whatever I want, you know. I could hit a rabbit, I could. I just might to show you I can. Tell me why I can’t! Tell me!

But the old man just sat and stared.

Fine then, Riley turned and opened the screen door.

I’m waiting for something.

The old man said it so softly Riley wasn’t sure if he heard it. He turned back around, letting the screen door close. What are you waiting for Paw Paw?

The old man slowly turned around and looked back into the house. The sound of Riley’s mom cleaning up came from inside the kitchen. He motioned Riley to come back over and sit on the chair next to his wheelchair.

I’m waiting for a rabbit to come back.

Back? From where? Does it have to do with the knife? For the first time he could remember Riley saw a twinkle in the old man’s eyes; his face had come alive.

Well Riley, that’s the story isn’t it?

Chapter One – Into the Bamboo Forest

Pull up a chair and sit down Riley. You can’t tell your mother none of this. She would have a fit if they heard me talking about this.

Riley nodded his head, afraid to say anything least the spell be broken. He had never seen his Paw Paw so animated. His eyes had a light in them Riley had never seen before. For once the old man wasn't scowling at him. His eyes had a light in them Riley had seen before only in an old photo of his great grandfather. The photo was a studio portrait, done, Riley guessed, when he had graduated from high school. His great grandfather had a thin, handsome face, with high cheekbones, full dark hair and piercing eyes, eyes full of life and fight.

When I grew up here we used to live off the land, I guess you would say. To us it was just living. Back then route 60 was a long ways away. Nobody had cars, just horses. Just to get into town was a half days ride, never mind any cities. The railroad was a good day’s ride too at that time. But there was plenty of game in the woods, and we could plant enough to eat. My mother used to put up preserves too. I did not realize at the time but life was sweet Riley. See, in 1906 was when my parents died. Drowned trying to cross back one night when it stormed real bad, down by the stream that runs by the Bamboo. My older sister had gone out to Memphis, all the rest were long gone. You see I was what they call nowadays a ’mistake.’

Pawpaw gave a small chuckle.

"I had some Aunts and Uncles who lived down the mountain a couple of towns over, but it was just me in this house. You know my Daddy built this house right after the war, the civil war. Came up here and bought land on this mountain. I guess he saw orchards here or something, though he never did put much in. By the time I come along my parents were getting older. Both of ‘em sort of clung to me in a way, sheltered me something fierce. Only they didn’t see it that way, just wanted to protect me from harm. See right before I came along they lost my older brother, he was about 10, thrown from a horse. My daddy was heartbroken, never let me out of his sight after I come along.

"But then they died when I was about 19. This house was about all I had. I had stopped school after eighth grade to stay at home and help my parents. Not much work for a man back then up here then, guess there still isn’t. But I figured I could grow some stuff, hunt the rest and make it okay, despite folks worrying about me.

Yes, there were a few folks worried about me. The women over at the church tried to get me hitched up, I was 19 after all, almost past my prime in those days. But wasn’t ready yet. I was at loose ends. Thought about going out west to see my sister, or even up north to the shipyards in Baltimore- heard you could get a good job there. But I wasn’t ready to leave this mountain just yet. No shame in saying I was kind of a lost soul Riley. I turned out alright mind you, but I had never been further than Lovingston, and there only once for a wedding. I guess you could say I was a little sheltered but I hardly knew it. I felt like the mountain was kind of a big universe. What did I know?

The old man stopped for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. Riley was about to say something when he coughed, and the story started