Chapter 35: Too Many Carrots
"RUN!"
Andre didn't need to be told twice.
The moment the Rabbit Priest pointed at them, he and Andre turned and sprinted down the corridor.
Behind them came dozens of footsteps.
And screaming.
A concerning amount of screaming.
"GET THEM!"
"THEY RUINED THE FEAST!"
"RABBIT GOD DEMANDS THEIR MEAT!"
Kai ran faster.
"I REALLY HATE THIS VILLAGE!"
"You only figured that out now?!"
Andre shouted back.
The underground tunnels twisted in every direction.
Every corridor looked the same.
Stone walls.
Torches.
More stone walls.
And somewhere behind them, an army of angry rabbit cultists.
A spear suddenly flew past Kai's head.
It embedded itself into the wall.
"THEY HAVE SPEARS?!"
"APPARENTLY!"
The chase continued.
Every turn led to another hallway.
Every hallway led to another dead end.
The cultists were getting closer.
Then Kai spotted a wooden door.
"There!"
The two slammed through it.
And immediately stopped.
"..."
"..."
It was a kitchen.
A giant kitchen.
Tables filled the room.
Large cooking pots bubbled over open fires.
Stacks of vegetables filled shelves.
Knives hung from walls.
Barrels occupied entire corners.
And everywhere—
Carrots.
An unreasonable amount of carrots.
Kai stared.
Andre stared.
There were sacks of carrots.
Crates of carrots.
Carrots hanging from the ceiling.
A painting of a carrot.
For some reason.
"What the hell is wrong with these people?"
Kai asked.
Andre opened a barrel.
More carrots.
"They need help."
The sound of approaching footsteps snapped them back to reality.
The cultists were almost here.
"We need to block the door!"
Kai said.
He grabbed the nearest thing he could find.
A broom.
Andre stared at him.
"You serious?"
Kai raised the broom.
"It can help."
"HOW THE HELL IS THAT SUPPOSED TO HELP?!"
Kai opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Fair point.
Andre immediately grabbed a massive wooden crate overflowing with carrots.
Muscles bulged.
"Move."
With a roar, he shoved the crate across the floor.
It slammed against the doorway.
Then he grabbed another.
And another.
Within seconds the entrance was completely blocked.
The cultists crashed into the other side.
THUD.
THUD.
THUD.
The makeshift barricade shook violently.
Kai looked impressed.
"You could've escaped prison anytime you wanted."
"I know."
"Then why didn't you?"
Andre shrugged.
"Food was free."
Kai wasn't sure if he was joking.
The barricade groaned.
Wood cracked.
"We need another exit."
The two quickly searched the kitchen.
Drawers.
Storage rooms.
Pantries.
Anything.
Then Kai noticed a staircase hidden behind a shelf.
"Found one!"
The stairs climbed upward.
Toward faint light.
The two immediately took it.
Behind them, the barricade finally broke.
The cultists poured into the kitchen.
And became very angry.
"THE CARROTS!"
"THEY BROKE THE CARROTS!"
"MONSTERS!"
Andre glanced backward.
"They're more upset about the vegetables."
"I noticed."
The staircase ended at a wooden hatch.
Kai shoved it open.
Sunlight flooded the passage.
Both men climbed out.
And found themselves inside a church.
Rows of benches stretched before them.
Colorful stained-glass windows illuminated the room.
A giant rabbit statue stood behind the altar.
Its smile somehow looked threatening.
Kai immediately hated it.
"Of course it's a rabbit."
A distant bell suddenly rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Andre looked outside a nearby window.
"...Kai."
"What?"
"It's not good."
Kai joined him.
Then immediately understood.
The entire village had mobilized.
People emerged from houses.
Farmers dropped their tools.
Merchants abandoned their stalls.
Children pointed toward the church.
Hundreds of villagers.
All moving in the same direction.
Toward them.
"Oh."
"Yeah."
Andre nodded.
"Oh indeed."
The church doors burst open behind them.
The first cultists emerged from the underground staircase.
"There they are!"
The chase resumed.
Kai and Andre sprinted out of the church.
Straight through the village square.
Villagers joined from every direction.
"What do these people do for fun?!"
Kai shouted. "I think this IS their fun!"
The fields appeared ahead.
Rows upon rows of carrots stretching toward the horizon.
The village border wasn't far.
Maybe a few hundred meters.
They could make it.
Probably.
Hopefully.
Then Kai heard wheels.
A familiar sound.
A carriage burst from a side road.
Pulled by two horses.
Moving far too fast.
The driver stood upright.
One hand on the reins.
The other waving frantically.
"GET IN!"
Kai blinked.
"Udit?!"
The young man looked annoyed.
"Less talking!."
Andre grinned.
"See? Knew that guy liked us."
"I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE TIME!"
The carriage raced toward them.
The cultists closed in from behind.
And for the second time in less than a day—
Their survival depended on making one very stupid jump.