A Final Request For Mercy: Inklet, #8

By Amy Laurens

Abbi the Labrador loves her people—but she loves her bunny friend Zac even more. So when he pleads with her to let him out of his cage one night, she does.

Even though it's the wrong thing to do. 

Even though the consequences will be worse than she ever imagined.  

A tragic short tale about the true meaning of friendship—and guilt.

1300 words.

Welcome to Inklets, a series of short (and sometimes short-short) stories ranging from sci-fi to fantasy to lingering just on the edge of normal. One thing's for sure: you won't look at the world the same way again.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Inkprint Press
• Release date: Apr 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781386997559

Amy Laurens

AMY LAURENS is an Australian author of fantasy fiction for all ages. Her story Bones Of The Sea, about creepy carnivorous mist and bone curses, won the 2021 Aurealis Award for Best Fantasy Novella. Amy has also written the award-winning portal-fantasy Sanctuary series about Edge, a 13-year-old girl forced to move to a small country town because of witness protection (the first book is Where Shadows Rise), the humorous fantasy Kaditeos series, following newly graduated Evil Overlord Mercury as she attempts to acquire a castle, the young adult series Storm Foxes, about love and magic and family in small town Australia, and a whole host of non-fiction, both for writers AND for people who don’t live with constant voices in their heads. Other interesting details? Let’s see. Amy lives with her husband and two kids in suburban Canberra. She used to be a high-school English teacher, and she was once chewed on by a lion. (The two are unrelated. It was her right thumb.) Amy loves chocolate but her body despises it; she has a vegetable garden that mostly thrives on neglect; and owns enough books to be considered a library. Of course. Oh, and she also makes rather fancy cakes in her spare time. She’s on all the usual social media channels as @ByAmyLaurens, but you’ve got the best chance of actually getting a response on Instagram or the contact form on her website. <3

Book preview

A FINAL REQUEST FOR MERCY

INKLET #8

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AMY LAURENS

www.InkprintPress.com

A Final Request For Mercy

The full moon shone, bathing the yard in muted silver and turning Abbi into a dark, doggy shadow as she lay underneath the lemon tree. She stretched, tail thumping the ground; the night was warm, the Zac rabbit was home, and all was well with the world.

A movement caught her ear and she raised her muzzle to sniff. Algernon the guinea pig, appearing for a midnight snack in the cage across the yard. His head bobbed as he ate, ears flapping and lettuce crunch-crunching in his teeth.

The tip of Abbi’s tail twitched. Chasing him around his cage never failed to amuse her—especially since he never failed to run.

Abbi sat up and scratched at her collar, which always managed to tickle the itchy spot under her chin. A good chase would help her forget the discomfort.

A soft moan made her ears prick high—but Algernon munched away as though nothing was wrong. Strange.

Abbi sauntered over to the hutch. Hey, piggy-pig. What’s up?

Algernon ignored her, concentrating on his food.

Another moan.

Abbi’s eyebrows twitched. Zac? she asked. Is that you? She lowered her head against the hutch, listening for the rabbit’s presence. He mostly