Dark Empathy by Archibald Bradford (inspiring books for teens TXT) 📕

under the rug in lieu of being clothes-lined, with one leg leading the way while the other folded beneath her to support her weight as she slid across the icy cobblestones.

The woman yelped as the bunny girl cheekily slapped her rump on the way past by way of chastisement.

“Oh! These blasted couriers! They’ll be the death of me I swear!” She complained as she did everything she could to balance the rug on her shoulders and stay on her feet.

But the energetic young monster girl wasn’t listening, already having regained her footing and resumed her race through the University City. Another fifty yards, not to mention three side streets and a shortcut over the snow covered roof of a shed, and she reached her current destination.

She rapped her knuckles against the wood frame of the door while using her other arm to unsling her messenger bag from over her shoulder, her breath coming out in icy puffs.

“Algrade Courier Service! Delivery!” She called out.

One bare rabbit foot thumped the ground anxiously, her cheeks were flushed with energy beneath her warm pink eyes, the cool winter air no match for the heat her vigorous run was generating in her body.

“That you Becks?” A muffled voice came from inside.

“Hullo Miss Abernathy! I have another parcel for you!” She called back.

A minute or so later a woman of later years opened the door, pulling a woolen shawl tighter around her shoulders to ward off the chill.

Both eyes were covered with a scarlet wrap but Rebecca had delivered to her many times and knew that she was blind, so she kept talking to help the woman find her way.

“This one is smaller than the last, but still, you get a lot of presents!”

“Presents! Ha, they’re herbs dear, for my tea. Come inside you little punk, this cold is no good for my joints. Would you like some carrot juice? Made fresh yesterday, I used up the last of the ones from my window garden.”

Rebecca’s foot stopped tapping at that: carrot juice was her very favorite.

“No, thank you.” She finally said, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice; “I have to finish with my deliveries.”

The blind woman chuckled as she felt her way into her kitchen, the bunny close behind.

“My dear girl, we both know you will make up the time, I heard you coming from four blocks away with all of the ruckus you make! Now stop tapping your foot and have a drink with an old lady.”

A smile slowly stole across the lively monster’s face.

“Well, maybe just one glass.”

She shifted her bag back behind her hip and settled at the table while the old lady took a kettle off the stove and poured herself some tea before fetching a tall glass of the promised juice for Rebecca.

“So how did your application go?”

The bunny’s pierced ears drooped at the old woman’s words.

“I, uh, didn’t get in. No bond-mate and too many applicants more qualified. Try again next year they said.”

The kindly woman’s face fell as she set the drinks down on the table.

“Oh drat! I’m sorry dear. I know how badly you want this.”

The Lapine shook off her melancholy as she sipped at the beverage.

“It’s alright, gives me more time to prepare, next year will be different! There’s a retired lawkeeper living on Bleaker Street, he’s been showing me some moves.”

The old woman chuckled as she sipped at her tea while the eager young monster did her best not to chug her juice.

“The Aegis will be lucky to have you Becks.”

Rebecca beamed at the words of encouragement and made small talk for a couple minutes before finishing the last of her drink and bidding her farewells with an endearing kiss to the elderly woman’s cheek.

Several minutes later she was back on her route, and true to Miss Abernathy’s words, she did make up the time.

After making a few more deliveries in the crowded city she ended up in front of a narrow three story building with multiple chimneys spewing forth white smoke. A chalkboard sign shaped like a loaf of bread sat out front, advertising a sale on dinner rolls at Renaldo’s Bakery.

She pulled the door open and began her usual spiel.

“Algrade Courie-”

Before she could finish an enormously fat woman wearing a ridiculously puffy winter coat shouldered into her, forcing her back outside while still holding the door handle.

“-Will never shop here again!”

The woman didn’t even notice the bunny as she trundled off in a breathless huff.

“Great! There goes half our business!” A familiar voice shouted sarcastically from inside.

The Lapine cautiously peeked in through the doorframe, her ears perking up when she spotted the young brunette with flour on her cheeks and a golden crown askew on her head.

A willowy man who likewise had flour caked onto his sweaty brow was wringing his hands in distress at the angry fat woman’s departure, his eyes flitting from the door to the brunette and back again.

“Cordelia, you shouldn’t have done that.” He said with great anxiety.

She rolled her eyes.

“Read the sign!”

With one imperiously jutted finger she indicated a sign on the wall above an entire shelf dedicated to plates full of free samples taken from a variety of pastries.

Try it and buy it! Sampling is welcome, grazing is not.

The angry young woman continued.

“That water buffalo was costing you at least two hundred coins a month. Coming in here every day just to ‘see what was new’ with the samples.” She threw up her hands; “Nothing is new! Bread and pastry! Same as yesterday! She was always ‘trying’ with no ‘buying’!”

Rebecca smiled as she let the door close and stepped into the warm air of the bakery, the scent of fresh bread filling her nostrils.

She didn’t eat bread, but