{"id":16907,"date":"2019-04-26T02:58:09","date_gmt":"2019-04-26T09:58:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/?p=16907"},"modified":"2020-11-03T14:07:37","modified_gmt":"2020-11-03T22:07:37","slug":"rebirth-rabbit-recollection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/","title":{"rendered":"HVRTING&#8217;s Rebirth of the Rabbit &#8211; A Recollection"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><em>This is part of Haunting\u2019s Recollection series \u2013 it is a complete account of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/immersions\/hvrting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">HVRTING<\/a>&#8216;s Easter show, <\/em>Rebirth of the Rabbit<em>. It contains full spoilers and is intended for readers who have attended or could not attend the show, or are curious about this creator\u2019s work. <span style=\"color: #000000;\">rabbit rabbit rabbit rabbit<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>Please also note: HVRTING is an extreme haunt offshoot of this website (Haunting.net); see the links below for more information.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"1170\" height=\"659\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/3Xo3kZ5OTQA?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><b>My Journey Begins<\/b><\/h4>\n<p>The woman in the red dress and black rabbit mask is not amused. \u201cYou\u2019re early,\u201d she disapproves, then adds \u201cwe\u2019ll be with you shortly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve been to enough immersive shows that I\u2019m used to standing outside strange buildings, patiently waiting for someone I\u2019ll pretend I don\u2019t know to hand me a clipboard so I can sign my life away and be led into someone else\u2019s fever dream. This time around, though, it\u2019s a bit different. Partly because these scenarios usually take place in the dead of night, not the middle of a sunny afternoon. But also because this is a solo experience, which is less familiar to me. Which means it\u2019s just me in the driveway, listening curiously to the distorted music piping out of a yellow, two-story home, and the maniacal shouting from the back yard.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG-1224-e1556272252529.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16931\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/img-1224\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG-1224-e1556272252529.jpg?fit=1000%2C750&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1000,750\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone X&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1555105492&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.2&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG-1224-e1556272252529.jpg?fit=1000%2C750&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG-1224-e1556272252529.jpg?fit=1000%2C750&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-16931\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG-1224-e1556272252529.jpg?resize=865%2C649&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"865\" height=\"649\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><b>A Shot of Tea<\/b><\/h4>\n<p>\u201cIs this your first time with us?\u201d she inquires, and I\u2019m honestly not sure how to answer. I stammer out some mention of the company HVRTING. \u201cWho?\u201d she responds, looking puzzled. I remember that this is simply a film within the HVRTING universe, and thus, would not break the fourth wall accordingly.<\/p>\n<p>She hands me a clipboard, holding a waiver containing a litany of warnings about things I may or may not encounter within. It\u2019s exhaustive, but fairly standard for a haunt: abuse, imprisonment, electrocution, simulated drowning, and several that are either unlikely or just plain silly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is for you,\u201d my hostess informs me after I consent to potentially being murdered. I look down and open a pillbox cleverly disguised as a ceramic rubber duck. Inside is a small pill. I take it in my hands. \u201cPut it on your tongue,\u201d she commands. \u201cDo not chew it. Do now swallow it. Let it dissolve on its own.\u201d I comply and place it on my tongue; its slightly sour. I close my mouth and follow her into the garage.<\/p>\n<p>We step over the shattered remains of crockery into a dining room pretending to be a garage. \u201cThe elders like to arrive a little late,\u201d my hostess informs, then tells me to make myself useful in the meantime by setting the table. She stops me partway through. I start placing various fine china around: tea cups, saucers, cups, and mugs. I place one down, and the woman eyes it cautiously. \u201cI don\u2019t like that one,\u201d she says coldly. \u201cGet rid of it.\u201d I look around for where to put it \u2014 but the woman looks impatient. \u201cJust smash it on the ground!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>We each play our role, the mug and I, and it shatters into a cathartic number of pieces when I introduce it to the concrete with prejudice. <i>Don\u2019t suppose we could just do this for a while?<\/i> I wonder, but that\u2019s not why I\u2019m here. I smash one more tea saucer for good measure \u2014 and I finish setting the table. But sadly, that\u2019s it for therapeutic destruction.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSit,\u201d the hostess bids me, and I do so on the far end of the table. \u201cWhat do you know about Easter?\u201d she probes, taking the seat across from mine.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth5.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16921\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/rebirth5\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth5.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,533\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth5.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth5.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16921 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth5.jpg?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth5.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth5.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth5.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>I throw out something to the effect of \u201cit used to be about fertility and rebirth, but now it\u2019s all about that damnable rabbit.\u201d She nods.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cExactly. It\u2019s all chocolate, and a giant rabbit that hides eggs for you to find. It doesn\u2019t make sense, I mean, what kind of rabbit lays eggs?\u201d We both laugh, before she moves on to why I\u2019m really here. The hostess explains that tonight\u2019s ritual is ancient, and in the true spirit of Easter rather than the modern bastardization. Then she asks me the key question.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHave you ever desired to start again, to be reborn?\u201d<\/p>\n<p><i>Say no, it\u2019ll be funny,<\/i> part of me urges. <i>Quiet you,<\/i> I scold. <i>It\u2019s too early in the show for that kind of sass<\/i>. \u201cYes,\u201d I answer instead. Again, she nods, then asks if the pill has dissolved yet. I notice its feel against my tongue; it\u2019s getting there. There are two brightly-colored sake cups in front of us, one for each, which she fills with tea before bidding me take a sip. \u201cJust a small one,\u201d she clarifies. It\u2019s a little bitter, but not too bad.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou were chosen because of your strong mind,\u201d she informs me after a bit of exposition regarding the old-school interpretation of Easter we\u2019ll be playing with today. \u201cIf you complete the ceremony, both you and the goddess Eostre will be reborn. But if you fail, you will be trapped in darkness, left to face the nightmarish manifestations of your own mind until another can succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><i>Sounds like Tuesday,<\/i> I manage to not say. My hostess raises her tea. \u201cTo Eostre!\u201d she toasts. I echo, and we drink. It tastes a bit sweet, but mostly light, and washes the last remnants of the tablet from earlier down my throat. I\u2019m still not sure what it does, but I have little opportunity to ponder. It\u2019s time for my journey to begin in earnest.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><b>Down the Rabbit Hole<\/b><\/h4>\n<p>My hostess leads me back out over the ceramic fragments of mismatched tea cups and toward the house proper. We\u2019re greeted by a woman in all black, and a bunny mask to match. The woman in black guides me to my left, through a cramped half-bath. \u201cSorry about the tight quarters,\u201d she apologizes, \u201cbut it\u2019s only going to get tighter from here.\u201d I see what she means as I step through the door into a very brown room, with a very black leather body bag on the floor \u2014 well, no ordinary body bag. It\u2019s body-shaped, with laces traveling from the feet to the neck. Straps run across it, securing whoever is unlucky enough to enter. This is not a body bag \u2014 it\u2019s a body coffin.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth2.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16919\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/rebirth2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth2.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,533\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth2.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth2.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16919 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth2.jpg?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth2.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth2.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth2.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis will keep you safe on your journey,\u201d the black-on-black hostess explains. We squeeze me into it as best we can manage. It\u2019s tight, claustrophobic, but oddly comforting \u2014 like a swaddled baby. To complete the ceremonial attire, a black leather fetish mask is pulled over my head. It obscures my vision, but I can still hear well enough as she continues. \u201cYour body won\u2019t be going anywhere\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p><i>Clearly,<\/i> I muse, by now fairly snug within the body coffin.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut your <i>mind<\/i> will. You\u2019ll see things, you\u2019ll experience things, you\u2019ll feel things.\u201d <i>Sounds like a party.<\/i> \u201cBut be careful, because your mind is fragile. It can easily get lost in the darkness.\u201d But the key warning from her is this: \u201cWhatever you do, make sure your mind stays intact. If a piece gets lost, do whatever it takes to get it back.\u201d <i>Foreshadowing much? <\/i>I think, wondering about how they\u2019ll portray my psyche getting torn to bits later on. Then music I hadn\u2019t noticed up until now gets dialed up, and I recognize the de-tuned opera I heard out in the driveway earlier. The mask prevents me from seeing, but I hear and sense movement around me as the fever dream soundtrack plays on.<\/p>\n<p><i>Okay\u2026 should I be doing anything? <\/i>I wonder, trying in vain to look around the room. They mistake this for distress and check on me, asking if I\u2019m okay and put a pillow under my head. I\u2019m fine, but I don\u2019t complain about the coddling. <i>If I wasn\u2019t worried about getting zapped with a cattle prod at any moment, I\u2019d be tempted to nap,<\/i> I think, but that ends up not being an issue. Instead I get a nice little break, until eventually the music shifts to a recording of a countdown to a rocket launch.<i> 5\u2026 4\u2026 3\u2026 2\u2026 1\u2026 Here we go,<\/i> I tell myself, bracing for whatever horror comes next. The recording stops, the hood is ripped off, and I\u2019m greeted by\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Bugs Bunny?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth3.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16922\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/rebirth3\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth3.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,533\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth3.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth3.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16922 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth3.jpg?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth3.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth3.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth3.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><b>Welcome to Wonderland. \u2018Tis a Silly Place.<\/b><\/h4>\n<p>\u201cHey! Nibbles, right?\u201d Bugs greets with enthusiasm, addressing me by the name I gave myself if I was a rabbit. \u201cI guess I\u2019ll be your guide. This here\u2019s Wonderland,\u201d he explains excitedly. \u201cNothing is what it seems. Left is right and right is wrong,\u201d he continues, adding that it doesn\u2019t make complete sense to him either. <i>That makes two of us, <\/i>I think better of saying out loud. I wasn\u2019t sure what to expect from an Easter show from HVRTING, but there\u2019s a lot less abuse than I\u2019ve come across in their other productions. The abrupt tonal shift from somber ritual to full-throttle silly has me off balance, and it takes me a second to realize Bugs is trying to get me to follow.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAny good journey must start with a full stomach,\u201d Bugs opines as he leads me to a table laden with\u2026 treats? To my eyes, we\u2019ve got a bowl each of sliced lemon, lime, and pineapple, and a few others I don\u2019t have time to clock before he bids me dig in. \u201cI love pineapple,\u201d I tell him grabbing a piece and popping it in my mouth.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/A765DD86-633E-4526-9796-F85DE9BE8D12-e1556272224931.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16929\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/a765dd86-633e-4526-9796-f85de9be8d12\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/A765DD86-633E-4526-9796-F85DE9BE8D12-e1556272224931.jpg?fit=1000%2C749&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1000,749\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone X&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1555157163&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;25&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.033333333333333&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/A765DD86-633E-4526-9796-F85DE9BE8D12-e1556272224931.jpg?fit=1000%2C749&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/A765DD86-633E-4526-9796-F85DE9BE8D12-e1556272224931.jpg?fit=1000%2C749&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-16929\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/A765DD86-633E-4526-9796-F85DE9BE8D12-e1556272224931.jpg?resize=866%2C649&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"866\" height=\"649\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou mean schlurm?\u201d Bugs corrects. \u201cTry a grinkle,\u201d he adds, offering a lime. <i>Surrealism eh? Oh, I can play that game,<\/i> I think, then pop the \u201cgrinkle\u201d wedge in my mouth. I\u2019ve had enough tequila shots to know to brace myself for the sour assault on my taste buds, but my eyes widen as I bite into what might as well be a clementine. <i>Must be that pill from earlier,<\/i> I realize. <i>Messed with my taste buds somehow. What else is going to be odd?<\/i> Bugs points to a shot glass near me. \u201cYou must be getting thirsty. Try the blood of the schleem!\u201d It tastes like a malty, chocolatey ale. I\u2019m a fan. Bugs introduces me to the other guests at the feast: Annabelle, who has passed out on the table (poor dear, too much schleem blood); another woman whose name escapes me, but has some history with my guide; and Sarah, his closest companion.<\/p>\n<p>Sadly, they aren\u2019t the most talkative bunch (dolls rarely are), so it\u2019s up to Bugs and I to carry the conversation. Children\u2019s music plays as he gets up and walks around me, holding a chef\u2019s knife, then\u2026 stops. An uncomfortably long pause ensues, so pregnant it probably went on to give birth to octuplets.<\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t know if you\u2019ve ever had this happen to you, but in my experience having a man in a bunny suit stand in front of you with one hand on your shoulder and the other holding a blade about a foot and a half from your face while a cartoonish voice sings \u201cHop, hop, hop, like a bunny do\u201d over and over gets unnerving pretty quick.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth11.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16909\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/rebirth11\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth11.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,533\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth11.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth11.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16909 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth11.jpg?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth11.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth11.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth11.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDo you\u2026 want me to hop like a bunny?\u201d I ask. No response. Bugs just\u2026 stands there. I try again. \u201cWhat\u2019s the knife for?\u201d Still nothing, then suddenly he snaps out of it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo cut the schleem!\u201d Bugs explains, offering me a tray filled with neat lines of red powder and a rolled-up dollar bill. I snort one dutifully, still half-expecting pain, but it turns out powdered schleem flesh is virtually identical to cherry Pixie Stix. Satisfied, Bugs sits back down and warns me that the darkness is spreading. \u201cAre you the type to go toward the darkness, or away?\u201d I feel like answering weird with weird, so I give a convoluted answer that amounts to \u201cit depends.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo, how\u2019d you come by the name Nibbles?\u201d he asks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was in college, during my studies,\u201d I explain. \u201cI was on acid at the time, and met the original Nibbles. A big pink rabbit who explained to me how the universe works using carrot rings. I took the name in his honor after he was swallowed by the darkness.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A pause, then Bugs replies. \u201cThat was a <i>great<\/i> story. In fact, I think you may be even more at home here than me!\u201d He leans in, leaning his head against mine. \u201cI think we\u2019re gonna be <i>best <\/i>friends.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG-1328-e1556272267258.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16932\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/img-1328\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG-1328-e1556272267258.jpg?fit=1000%2C750&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1000,750\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone X&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1555153546&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;40&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.058823529411765&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG-1328-e1556272267258.jpg?fit=1000%2C750&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG-1328-e1556272267258.jpg?fit=1000%2C750&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-16932\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG-1328-e1556272267258.jpg?resize=839%2C629&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"839\" height=\"629\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think Sarah might take exception to that,\u201d I tell him, but he\u2019s having another episode. I feel him quivering as the children\u2019s music continues to play, then after another eight-births-worth of awkward pause he agrees. Suddenly Bugs grows nervous and hurried.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re running out of time, the darkness is growing,\u201d Bugs explains. He quickly grabs treats I haven\u2019t tried yet and all but force-feeds me several: a Twinkie (I don\u2019t catch his name for it), a healthy green sprig of Cornish game hen, and a dinker (looks like lemon, but tastes like nectarine to my addled tongue). \u201cAnd to cap it off, something special. Something sacred, between friends.\u201d I\u2019m pretty sure it\u2019s just cream cheese, but I don\u2019t argue. Next thing I know I hear hurried footsteps behind me, and then a gun \u2014 no two guns \u2014 are pointed at my face. I look up to see a pair of white-and-pink bunnies with black hockey masks point guns in my face.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFreeze! You\u2019re under arrest, put your hands up!\u201d<\/p>\n<p><i>That\u2019s more like it,<\/i> I tell myself. I comply.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/554432C7-ED04-41B0-9993-DEF0F12F7529-e1556272209970.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16928\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/554432c7-ed04-41b0-9993-def0f12f7529\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/554432C7-ED04-41B0-9993-DEF0F12F7529-e1556272209970.jpg?fit=1000%2C749&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1000,749\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone X&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1555151348&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;20&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/554432C7-ED04-41B0-9993-DEF0F12F7529-e1556272209970.jpg?fit=1000%2C749&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/554432C7-ED04-41B0-9993-DEF0F12F7529-e1556272209970.jpg?fit=1000%2C749&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-16928\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/554432C7-ED04-41B0-9993-DEF0F12F7529-e1556272209970.jpg?resize=820%2C614&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"820\" height=\"614\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><b>Mother and Father Are So Very Disappointed<\/b><\/h4>\n<p>\u201cHandcuffs, please,\u201d the male blue bunny says to the smaller pink female bunny.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI thought you had them?\u201d she counters. <i>The silly continues<\/i>, I think, but now I\u2019m here for it. They bicker about who forgot the cuffs. They also forgot the hood.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cJust close your eyes,\u201d the male tells me, adding \u201cand no peeking!\u201d I do so, and let them lead me away. \u201cFirst we\u2019re gonna take a left,\u201d he tells me with authority, turning me to my right. \u201cThen another left.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThen down the stairs?\u201d I offer as we start climbing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSee? This guy <i>gets<\/i> it,\u201d the male says to his partner, then reminds me not to peek. I walk into a door. \u201cGuess he wasn\u2019t peeking,\u201d male bunny muses. They open the door, walk me in a few paces, and tell me to sit. I open my eyes and discover I\u2019m <i>definitely<\/i> in an interrogation room. Not at all a dark bedroom with a fog machine and an overhead lamp painted red.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo, the handcuffs?\u201d The blue bunny asks the female impatiently. She quips back that she does not have them. The male then asks if she could go and find them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI told you. I. Do. Not. Have. Them!\u201d She pauses and looks around the room. \u201cSeriously, I spent all afternoon getting this aesthetic perfect.\u201d She looks up at the fog swirling under the singular overhead red light, \u201clook at this light, look at the fog \u2014 it&#8217;s perfect. But there\u2019s no music! The silence is killing my vibe, Glenn! So, can you please put something on while I find these handcuffs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth8.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16916\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/rebirth8\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth8.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,533\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth8.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth8.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16916 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth8.jpg?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth8.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth8.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth8.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Glenn looks confused but then a light bulb goes off above his head. \u201cI\u2019ve got a great idea! It\u2019s a little too quiet in here \u2014 why don\u2019t I turn on some music and you can find the handcuffs!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cUgh,\u201d she says and stomps off to the closet. Glenn looks at me, \u201cbut wait, what are you going to do?\u201d I look up at his big bunny eyes and respond, \u201cI\u2019ll jut sit here, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPerfect. I have the perfect role for you.\u201d He puts out his gun, and hesitantly, I take it. \u201cPoint this gun at the prisoner sitting right here \u2014 and shoot him if he moves.\u201d <i>Ah, he means me.<\/i> I point the gun at him \u2014 and smile. He reaches over and grabs another gun. \u201cOh, Nibbles. Haven\u2019t you noticed your gun is made of rubber. This one is real. Try and shoot me and I\u2019ll shoot you, <i>for real<\/i>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><i>Touch<\/i><i>\u00e9<\/i><i>,<\/i> I think, and place the gun on my lap<i>. <\/i><\/p>\n<p>He scampers off to a large boom box in the corner. I notice the female bunny has thrown copious amounts of clothing out of the closet and is now going through dresser drawers. She then tries the handle but it\u2019s locked. She moves to the nightstand, but the music distracts me. Not because it\u2019s creepy \u2014 but because it\u2019s\u2026 well\u2026 it\u2019s Miley Cyrus\u2019s \u201cParty in the USA.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat the hell is this?\u201d he accuses the female.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a great song, that\u2019s what it is!\u201d she retorts. He grumbles, mentioning he was looking for something scary. \u201cWe are trying to <i>scare <\/i>the prisoner. Maybe the next track is better.\u201d The Jonas Brothers starts playing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOkay, this is just ridiculous,\u201d he mutters. Personally, I\u2019m having a gay old time, as is the now-dancing female, but the male is put out. He skips through the playlist until he lands on Bon Jovi\u2019s \u201cLiving on a Prayer.\u201d <i>Guess this is scary enough. <\/i>The two come together and approach me together.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth9.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16914\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/rebirth9\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth9.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,533\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth9.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth9.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16914 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth9.jpg?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth9.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth9.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth9.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOkay, let\u2019s be serious now,\u201d he stage whispers to the female, then turns to me. \u201cSo where is <i>it<\/i>?\u201d he demands. I genuinely don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDon\u2019t play dumb, we know you have it,\u201d the female counters. They stand me up and frisk me poorly, checking my shoes, the top of my socks, then finally up my nose. To my surprise, something clatters to the floor.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA-ha!\u201d they exclaim, shoving the contraband up to my face. It\u2019s\u2026 a mini Mr. Goodbar? \u201cWhat do you have to say for yourself, mister?\u201d I begin stammering a reply, but the male cuts me off. \u201cWe are <i>so<\/i> disappointed in you.\u201d Then they rip off the hockey masks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGuess you didn\u2019t expect it to be your mother and father! But we\u2019ve caught you red-handed!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>By now I\u2019m past the point of being confused and just go with it. Apparently my friends told them I\u2019d been getting into some bad chocolate, but <i>Hershey\u2019s?<\/i> That\u2019s beyond the pale. \u201cYou\u2019re breaking your poor mother\u2019s heart!\u201d I play along, weeping that I just wanted to make it on my own, but that\u2019s no excuse.<\/p>\n<p>Dad leans in close, \u201cMom has devised a sure fire way to cure you of your addition to bad chocolate.\u201d She walks off, entering the closet \u2014 and comes back with a full tray of Hershey\u2019s minis, kisses, hearts, and more.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf you\u2019re so into bad chocolate, then you can just sit there while we watch you eat this whole tray,\u201d mom bunny tells me, placing the tray in my lap. I take my medicine, eating a few while they bicker over whose fault it is that I turned out this way, then mom starts to cry.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLook what you did!\u201d Dad shouts. \u201cGo to your room! I mean, the bathroom,\u201d he adds, as he grabs me by the ear. He then ushers me out and across the hall to my next destination.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG-1368-e1556272279289.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16933\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/img-1368\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG-1368-e1556272279289.jpg?fit=1000%2C750&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1000,750\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone X&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1555160919&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;125&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.25&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG-1368-e1556272279289.jpg?fit=1000%2C750&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG-1368-e1556272279289.jpg?fit=1000%2C750&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-16933\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/IMG-1368-e1556272279289.jpg?resize=916%2C687&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"916\" height=\"687\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><b>Sometimes Darkness Tastes Awful. Other Times, Like Lime<\/b><\/h4>\n<p>The door slams shut behind me, and the first thing I notice is the highly aggressive smell. The second thing is a hairy and very nude ass of a male \u2014 but with the top half of a rabbit. The owner of said ass turns to face me and it\u2019s yet another bunny, this one with an oversized top-hat, face, and bow tie that covers anything naughty on his front.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou were once innocent,\u201d he begins. \u201cPure. Free from anxieties, worries, fears.\u201d His voice is high enough to be androgynous, and for a brief moment I wonder if it might actually a woman under there with body hair prosthetics. <i>Nope, no way, too much work, <\/i>I decide. <i>Just a top-notch falsetto game<\/i>. The rabbit fidgets, reaching hands toward me then pulling them back sharply, seemingly at war with himself.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth4.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16920\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/rebirth4\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth4.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,533\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth4.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth4.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16920 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth4.jpg?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth4.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth4.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth4.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYour actions fractured your heart, allowing in the darkness that has corrupted us both.\u201d Abruptly the rabbit\u2019s voice shifts from gentle to an angry, almost demonic growl. \u201cYou did this to me, <i>you<\/i> did this,\u201d he snarls, hands closing around my throat. <i>Was strangulation in the waiver?<\/i> I wonder. But the rabbit\u2019s better nature forces itself back into the driver\u2019s seat and he pulls away after barely a squeeze. He apologizes, adding that the <i>bad parts<\/i> of him come out sometimes, making him angry. Making him want to hurt things. \u201cBut I\u2019d never hurt you\u2026 would I?\u201d We both pause and consider, then the rabbit changes the subject.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen your heart fractured, it split into seven pieces. Each letting in a little darkness.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>I must find these pieces and consume the darkness within if I am to be made whole. These seven pieces, it turns out, bear an uncanny resemblance to those plastic Easter eggs which you break in half to find candy or prizes inside \u2014 my very own Easter Egg hunt.<\/p>\n<p>I find the first egg in the toilet, which is splattered liberally with what I hope is chocolate. <i>Either way, we\u2019ve come too far to nope out now<\/i>, I remind myself, fishing it out and opening it to find a pair of jelly beans. \u201cYour dirty, waste-filled mind,\u201d the rabbit explains while I attempt to chew. But between the <i>eau de merde<\/i> fragrance stinking up the room and whatever awful non-candy flavor the beans carry, I can barely force them down.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth13.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16911\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/rebirth13\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth13.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,533\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth13.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth13.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16911 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth13.jpg?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth13.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth13.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth13.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Next up: the shower, containing a severed arm in a bear trap holding the next shard of my soul. \u201cThis is what\u2019s left of the last version of you that tried to complete the ritual,\u201d my deranged companion explains. The darkness beans inside are little better than the first, but I\u2019m ready for it this time.<\/p>\n<p>I peer around, looking for the next, and find it on the windowsill. This time, the egg is stuffed inside a pair of lubed-up condoms. \u201cYour twisted sexuality,\u201d the rabbit tells me. \u201cYou need to confront it, swallow it, and purify yourself.\u201d Mercifully, the beans are merely odd rather than outright vile. <i>Grass clippings? <\/i>I guess. But we\u2019re done here.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe need to hurry,\u201d my companion urges, all but dragging me out of the bathroom and into another bedroom. \u201cThe darkness is coming, we don\u2019t have much time!\u201d He pushes me toward the closet, and inside I find both darkness and a fishbowl of syringes. I take the hint and fish around for the next egg. Carefully. \u201cYour addictions,\u201d my companion sneers. \u201cTelevision, video games, <i>immersive theater<\/i>. You\u2019re addicted to hobbies, holding you back from your full potential.\u201d I find my prize and pop the beans in my mouth. Apparently, my addictions taste like lime. Four down, three to go.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth14.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16912\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/rebirth14\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth14.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,533\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth14.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth14.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16912 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth14.jpg?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth14.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth14.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth14.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>I figure I know what\u2019s up when I see another closet, and make a beeline for it. Apparently this is unbecoming. \u201cIf you\u2019re so eager to hide in the closet,\u201d the rabbit seethes, \u201cthen get in there and don\u2019t come out till you find yourself!\u201d In total darkness, I fumble around until my hands find a bucket. A bucket full of plastic eggs. Empty ones. <i>Oh dear, this could take a while, <\/i>I think. I do my best, but with zero light and a buttload of fakes I start to wonder if there\u2019s even a real one inside at all. I don\u2019t get to find out.<\/p>\n<p>My companion flings the door open, shouting \u201cyou take too long!\u201d and all but dragging me out into the light and over to my next shard. It lies in a bucket of blood, which is refreshingly on-brand for HVRTING. \u201cYour injuries,\u201d the rabbit explains, still seething. \u201cAll the pain and hatred you inflict on yourself, and upon others. You need to let. It. GO. Consume the darkness inside, and purify yourself.\u201d I do so. This time the darkness tastes of fish.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re running out of time!\u201d the rabbit shouts, leading me out of the room and downstairs in a hurry. \u201cThe darkness is closing in, we need to hide!\u201d He brings me down to the first floor, then down into the basement lit only by an off-strobe red light. <i>Oh good, nothing could <\/i><i><u>possibly<\/u><\/i><i> go wrong down here<\/i>. It\u2019s cramped, dark, and <i>totally fine<\/i> that it\u2019s just me and a literally half-naked bunny man with a Jekyll and Hyde personality.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ll be safe here,\u201d he says. I\u2019m not convinced. \u201cThis is my play room,\u201d he adds, giggling. \u201cAnd you\u2026 you\u2019re my <i>toy<\/i> now. My best friend, for ever and ever\u2026\u201d His hands slip back around my throat. The darkness, it seems, has found us.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth15.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16913\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/rebirth15\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth15.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,533\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth15.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth15.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16913 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth15.jpg?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth15.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth15.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth15.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOh dear,\u201d I mutter. <i>Shit, didn\u2019t mean to say that out loud<\/i>. Understandably, my deranged playmate doesn\u2019t respond well. I don\u2019t catch exactly what he says, but he\u2019s clearly upset by my remark while he puts a cloth sack over my head.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHold out your hands,\u201d he orders, and I comply. I feel another plastic egg, larger than before, get placed in them. <i>That\u2019s\u2026 six, right? One more to go?<\/i> Either way, he\u2019s done with me. Carefully, we make our way up the stairs, then another set of hands takes me and guides me outside. It\u2019s time for the finale.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth7.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16917\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/rebirth7\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth7.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,533\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth7.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth7.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16917 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth7.jpg?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth7.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth7.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth7.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><b>I\u2019m My Own <\/b><span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\"><b>Grandpa<\/b><\/span><b> Egg<\/b><\/h4>\n<p>We step outside into what I assume is the back yard. I feel the sun on my bare arms, hear the distant sounds of traffic\u2026 and then I notice the giggling. <i>This one sounds even loonier than the last,<\/i> I remark internally. The hood comes off. I just barely suppress the urge to shout \u201cHELLO NIGHTMARE BUNNY FRIEND\u201d when I\u2019m greeted by a fully demonic, black, and rather manic rabbit.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOnly six,\u201d NBF tells me. \u201cNot enough. You\u2019ll be trapped in darkness. Without all your eggs, it will continue to spread until you\u2019re all alone,\u201d he adds, a little too pleased at the notion for my liking. \u201cBut I can help you,\u201d the demon bunny offers. \u201cI can make you one, final egg, so you can complete the ritual. Do you want my help? Do you accept it?\u201d<\/p>\n<p><i>Don\u2019t see that I have a choice,<\/i> I think. \u201cYes,\u201d I reply. He giggles again.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth10.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16915\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/rebirth10\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth10.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,533\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth10.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth10.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16915 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth10.jpg?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth10.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth10.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth10.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPerfect! You\u2019ll become the last egg, endless, round, and beautiful.\u201d <i>Oh, you meant that literally?<\/i> I\u2019m a little overstimulated at this point, so I forgive myself for not catching that right away. I get a hockey mask of my own, splattered in paint, eyes covered. He leads me onward, cackling. \u201cBut first, we have to <i>decorate<\/i> you. All Easter eggs need to be decorated!\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cStand here,\u201d he tells me after about twenty ginger steps. I get squirted, slathered, and rubbed from all sides. \u201cMore color!\u201d NBF shouts, giggling again as he slaps some more dye on me and gently pinches a nipple. \u201cAll good eggs need to be <i>dipped<\/i>!\u201d he tells me, gently pushing me a few more feet. More hands help me into some sort of apparatus. <i>An inversion table? <\/i>I wonder. <i>This feels like an inversion table. Which means\u2026<\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16930\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/b9cf4817-90d0-4e3a-b151-ea8920aca7bb\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/B9CF4817-90D0-4E3A-B151-EA8920ACA7BB-e1556272238165.jpg?fit=1000%2C594&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1000,594\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone X&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1555180418&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;50&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0083333333333333&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;HVRTING&#8217;s Rebirth of the Rabbit&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/B9CF4817-90D0-4E3A-B151-EA8920ACA7BB-e1556272238165.jpg?fit=1000%2C594&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/B9CF4817-90D0-4E3A-B151-EA8920ACA7BB-e1556272238165.jpg?fit=1000%2C594&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-16930\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/B9CF4817-90D0-4E3A-B151-EA8920ACA7BB-e1556272238165.jpg?resize=1000%2C594&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"1000\" height=\"594\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAre you ready?\u201d NBF asks. I tell him yes. Then sure enough, I start to tip backward. Someone else\u2019s hand covers my nostrils, and my head gets dunked upside-down into a bucket of what I hope is just water. I linger there, honestly pretty okay with the whole situation, until my breath starts to run short and I tap out. I\u2019m pulled up immediately, and hear a soothing voice offering encouragement. \u201cSo brave,\u201d she praises.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe color\u2019s not vivid enough. Needs another dip,\u201d NBF observes. Back over I go, again a hand covering my nostrils. I see how long I can hold my breath this time, then tap out once I hit my limit.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSuch a good bunny!\u201d the soothing voice exclaims.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne more?\u201d NBF asks. \u201cOne more,\u201d he decides before I can reply. <i>To be fair, I\u2019d have said sure anyway.<\/i> Third time\u2019s the charm, but there\u2019s more to go.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cStill needs more color,\u201d NBF remarks, guiding me to a new spot then giggling as he steps away. A moment later I feel something impact my chest and burst. <i>Water balloons?<\/i> Another, on my stomach, and then I feel the wetness it leaves behind. <i>Yep, water balloons.<\/i> What feels like a decent number get hurled at me, and while a couple sting a little, it\u2019s mostly just entertaining.<\/p>\n<p><i>Besides, could be worse. Could be paintballs,<\/i> I observe. <i>Don\u2019t say that. Don\u2019t even <\/i><i><u>think<\/u><\/i><i> it,<\/i> I scold myself. <i>You\u2019ll give them ideas.<\/i> But no more impacts come. Instead it\u2019s just hands, placing themselves on my more-than-a-little-damp shoulders, guiding me back the way I came. Then the mask comes off, and I see two things: A woman in a sundress, head covered by some sort of ski mask, with black bunny ears; and a crouched, quivering man in an albino bunny mask, white shirt stained with pastel watercolors.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth6.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16918\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/rebirth6\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth6.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,533\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth6.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth6.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-16918 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth6.jpg?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth6.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth6.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth6.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h4><b>Rebirth<\/b><\/h4>\n<p><i>Eostre, I presume? <\/i>I deduce. <i>Guess we succeeded after all<\/i>. \u201cYou have been reborn. <i>We<\/i> have been reborn,\u201d the woman confirms. She thanks me for my help.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor a newcomer to succeed, to survive the darkness, is impressive.\u201d This would normally be the point where I offer a witty remark, but I\u2019m fresh out of snark and mostly focused on a) processing what I just went through and b) changing into the spare clothes I was advised to bring.<\/p>\n<p>I wasn\u2019t sure what to expect coming in, but given my previous experiences with HVRTING I was expecting something more along the lines of a nightmarish hellscape. I\u2019m not complaining, mind you, but a lot has happened over the past hour even if it was for the most part lighthearted and silly. I\u2019ve had a good time, and that\u2019s what matters.<\/p>\n<p>Eostre walks me back to the gate I first entered. \u201cEostre thanks you for awakening. We\u2019ll see you in a year for your next ceremony.\u201d I nod, and head back out into the real world, reborn, refreshed, and a little tie-dyed.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/48926BA7-0765-4995-9C22-57EAA33287C8-e1556272193986.jpg?ssl=1\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"16927\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/rebirth-rabbit-recollection\/48926ba7-0765-4995-9c22-57eaa33287c8\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/48926BA7-0765-4995-9C22-57EAA33287C8-e1556272193986.jpg?fit=1000%2C1000&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1000,1000\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;1.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;iPhone X&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1555180516&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;50&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0083333333333333&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/48926BA7-0765-4995-9C22-57EAA33287C8-e1556272193986.jpg?fit=1000%2C1000&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/48926BA7-0765-4995-9C22-57EAA33287C8-e1556272193986.jpg?fit=1000%2C1000&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-16927\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/48926BA7-0765-4995-9C22-57EAA33287C8-e1556272193986.jpg?resize=800%2C800&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"HVRTING Rebirth of the Rabbit\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Once I make it home, I break open the party favor I received from the naked bunny in the basement. Inside is a set of goodies that feels pretty apropos for the experience: a bloodstained bunny keychain, temporary tattoos, a mini bottle of vodka, and a magnum condom. A deliberate subversion of what is normally a very kid-oriented holiday via a heavy admixture of dark humor and adult themes. And, when all\u2019s said and done, a welcome vacation from sanity.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>____<\/p>\n<p>To attend an extreme HVRTING show, you must email THE DIRECTOR to make sure the experience is a good fit. Find more information on upcoming shows and out-of-show, personal experiences on HVRTING&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hvrting.net\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">website<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/HVRTINGNET\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Facebook page<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/hvrtingnet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Instagram<\/a>. Check out our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/events\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Event Guide<\/a> for more extreme horror events throughout the year.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i>Matt is a mostly boring person with a horrifying imagination. Occasionally interesting things happen to him, including immersive theater. He lives in Los Angeles and only rarely gets lost in his own nightmares. <span style=\"color: #000000;\">Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit Rabbit\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This is part of Haunting\u2019s Recollection series \u2013 it is a complete account of HVRTING&#8216;s Easter show, Rebirth of the Rabbit. It contains full spoilers and is intended for readers who have attended or could not attend the show, or are curious about this creator\u2019s work. rabbit rabbit rabbit rabbit Please also note: HVRTING is [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":48,"featured_media":16910,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false}}},"categories":[11842,11649,81],"tags":[21,99,13212,130,142,96],"yst_prominent_words":[10082,16572,491,16583,5209,7767,16573,16576,11269,16585,16584,16586,16587,4919,16575,4604,16577,4354,16574,268],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.haunting.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rebirth12.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p89hUA-4oH","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16907"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/48"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16907"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16907\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16907"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.haunting.net\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=16907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}