My Writetober 2020

Day 3: Panic

It was just a rabbit. A harmless, white, fluffy bunny with big black eyes.

Grian should've known meeting at cub's base would pose a risk. There was a reason Grian owned lots of cats.

He couldn't help it. When the bunny hopped into the server meeting, everyone but him paused to coo at the tiny thing. Instead, Grian took a step backwards and held his breath.

The rabbit hopped towards him, stopping right in front of his feet.

"Aw, it likes you!" Someone had said, but alarms were already going off in Grian's head.

Not again.

Please not again.

Please please please please please-

And then the glass inside of him shattered. Grian stumbled backwards, tripping over his own chair and falling down. He scooted backwards, still trying to escape the rabbit, which kept hopping closer.

The other Hermits were giggling and chuckling, oblivious to the fact that this wasn't all in good fun. It wasn't an irrational fear, it was PTSD. But Grian had no way of communicating that.

A whimper escaped his throat as the rabbit hopped up onto his leg. Grian squeezed his eyes shut, instinctively bracing himself for the feeling of a knife om his stomach.

The disturbingly familiar pain ripped through him, Grian hyperventilating and holding back tears. He could hear Sam's laughter, telling him to stop being a crybaby and take it like a man. His breathing quickened, a sob escaping him.

"please stop no don't hurt me don't kill me i'll be good i'll be quiet just make the pain stop please please please i'm sorry i-"

He was shaking like a leaf, the words tumbling out of his mouth. Useless apologies, promises that held no meaning, all to make it stop.

And then suddenly, it did.

Grian shakily opened his eyes, still trembling  immensely. The bunny was gone, replaced by a very concerned Xisuma. The rest of the Hermits were a few feet away, looking really worried.

"Grian, name five things you can see." Xisuma's voice was calm and soft, pushing away the fog that was clouding Grian's thoughts.

"Uhm I can see you... Uh Cub's pyramid... The other Hermits... The floor... My sweater..."

"Four things you can feel?"

"Again, my sweater. The um, the slight draft in here... The cold floor... And um my tears." Grian wiped them away.

"Three things you can hear."

"Your voice, a mob spawner somewhere beneath us, the sand being moved by the wind."

Xisuma gave him a warm smile. "Two things you can smell."

"Sandstone and... Cake?"

"And one thing you can taste."

Grian hesitated. "Blood, I think I bit my tongue."

Xisuma gently pulled Grian to his feet. "Okay, just a take some nice deep breaths, okay?" He turned to the hermits. "Anyone got water on them?"

Etho nodded, producing multiple buckets of water and some empty bottles. Xisuma filled up a bottle and handed it to Grian.

"Mumbo, Scar, can you take him back to his base? Wrap him up in a blanket burrito or something, just make sure he's okay?"

"Of course." Scar nodded. "I'll go get a pillow fort set up."

Mumbo allowed Grian to lean on him. "I'll take him home."

Xisuma nodded. "So, meeting adjourned. Take care of him, okay?"

"We will."