THE SCENT OF WARM FOOD GREW CLOSER and closer with each step Kou took. They wandered into an abandoned store, where the wooden shelves were broken into piles and the aisles that once held many products were pushed off to the side. In the center of the store, a bright fire was lit while a black pot was dangling above it as the scent constantly reached the nose of the small child.

An old man in a yellow raincoat, boots, and hat sat by the fire, mixing whatever was cooking with a ladle. He had a scruffy gray beard and wrinkles beneath his brown eyes. Several bowls were between him and the pot. He noticed Kou from the corner of his eye and motioned his hand for the small child to come closer.

With the thought of food flowing through Kou’s mind, they walked up to the fire and sat by it. They peeked into the pot, only to see an assortment of vegetables mixed together into a stew.

“My,” the old man said in awe. “I’ve never seen a young’un with eyes like yours before. What are you doing in a rundown place like this?” he asked, while he continued to stir.

The small child opened their mouth to speak but not even a single peep could escape. Kou held their sleeved hands up to their own throat and let them drop to their side before staring down at the ground with a saddened expression.

“What? Did a cat get your—“ The old man saw the dimmed light in the child’s eyes. “Oh, I see now,” he said as he picked up a bowl. “You can’t talk no matter how hard you try, right?”

Kou looked up at the stranger and nodded.

“With eyes like yours, especially with being voiceless and all,” he said as he poured some of the stew into the bowl. “You must be the White Rabbit.”

Kou tilted their head to the side with a puzzled look in their eyes as their stomach growled loudly.

The old man chuckled. “Seems like I’ve got some explaining to do.” He plopped a spoon into the bowl and held it out to Kou. “Here, eat up while it’s fresh and don’t worry, it’s just carrot stew.”

Kou rolled up their sleeves and held the bowl with care as it began to glow, much to the old stranger’s surprise. The small child picked up the spoon, causing it to glow as well.

“That alone confirmed my feeling.” He continued to stir the stew again. “My name is Abraham and you must be Kou, correct?”

The small child nodded with a mouthful of food.

“Guess I should start from the beginning.” He took out the ladle and placed a cover on the pot. “This world is called ‘Oasia’ and you’ve taken a good look at this city, haven’t you?”

Kou nodded again, while slowly eating and carefully listening. Their glowing eyes focused on the old man.

“Well,” Abraham sighed deeply. “This city was torn apart by the quakes. The entire world shook,” he paused. “Some of the buildings collapsed while others were ripped apart by such strong forces with the ground. When the flood came afterwards, that’s a whole different story.”

The small child pointed at their bunny hood and tilted their head. A glint of curiosity flashed in their wondrous eyes, causing a slight smile to form on the old man’s face.

“Where do I even begin when it comes to the White Rabbit?” he asked, pulling out a small fan from behind him. “Well,” he said as he fanned the flames. “I was around your age when I was told the stories.”

The smoke from the flames swirled around the pot and in front of the light, forming strange shapes. The small child quickly finished the last of their stew and saw the shadow of a small rabbit on the wall, formed by the smoke. It hopped and hopped while the smoke itself twisted and swirled in a strange dance, forming the shadowy sets of forests and cities.

“Here in Oasia,” Abraham said as he took a deep breath. “The legend of the White Rabbit goes back for generations upon generations. Most of things have been passed on, but even a few details went missing. Whether you believe it or not, this world wasn’t always hidden under the stars.

Kou carefully put down the bowl on the floor and watched the moving shadows as if it was a show. Their eyes brightened with curiosity and the shimmering glow of a new darn as the shadowy rabbit came to a halt.

Abraham stopped fanning the flames and tossed the fan to the side. “Oasia used to be the world of hope and joy. When the light faded from the world, there were many who believed that a White Rabbit with eyes like the sun would come and fix everything. After years, the belief in the magic of it faded and soon, the legend became nothing more than an old bedtime story.”

The small child’s bright eyes dimmed with sadness, averting their gaze from the shadowy rabbit and down toward the fire as it reflected off their eyes. Kou’s lips quivered; the child wanted to say so much but couldn’t utter a single peep in front of anything.

“When I was around your age.” Abraham slightly leaned forward in his seat with his eyes fixed onto Kou, catching the small child’s attention. “I thought the legend was literal. I once through a small rabbit with glowing eyes would return the light to the world.” He placed his hands on his knees and gave a warm, fatherly smile. “And set everything back to the way it used to be.”

Kou’s eyes widened.

“Now, I see what fate is trying to play,” he said with a sigh. “Listen, the people of this world are kind and they’re trying to make the best out of what they’ve got,” Abraham advised with a furrowed brow. “Kou, don’t misunderstand what I’m about to say, okay?”

Kou nodded as they kept their sleeved hands together.

“This world doesn’t want you here,” he said in a strict tone, causing the small child’s eyes to dim further and stare at the ground. “Yet, it brought you here despite that. To anyone, wouldn’t that sound like a cry for help?”

Kou’s gaze was brought back up to the old man.

“Now, even I don’t know the full story about the White Rabbit.” He leaned back in his chair. “Y’see, after a story is passed down from one generation to the next, there is always a small detail that gets changed each time, but I know this for sure,” he paused then said, “There will come a choice that you’ll have to make and it won’t just affect you, but also everyone on this forsaken world. Most importantly, never forget that Oasia is just as alive as you and me.” Abraham opened the pot and poured the stew into four other bowls. He stood from his seat with a bowl in each hand and walked over to the wall behind him. He placed each one in front of a bouquet of flowers laid next to a picture. The old man returned to the fire, picked up the last two bowls and did the same thing.

The small child hopped off their seat and joined Abraham while he quietly kneeled in front of the pictures. Kou peeked over the old man’s shoulder and saw the black and white pictures as if the sun itself shined down upon them.

The first two pictures appeared to be kids no older than Kou themselves. The first was a young boy while the second was a much smaller girl. Their smiles were filled with happiness and seemed like the type to brighten anyone’s day, no matter how hard life could get.

“They would’ve loved to meet you,” he let out a deep sigh. “Especially the little one. She loved the story of the White Rabbit. If the chance ever came back then, I’m sure you’d be close friends with them.”

Kou glanced over the other two pictures. The first was a woman with a warm, motherly smile. While the last was too faded for the small child to see with clarity. Kou looked back and forth between Abraham and the pictures. The hint of increasing sadness became clear in the old man’s gaze. The small child tried to speak out once more but again, not even a single whisper could escape.

“My wife knew the legend better than me,” said Abraham dejectedly. “If I knew as much as she did, I’d send you where to go, but I can’t. An old man like me can’t keep up with the energy of a youth like yourself. I’m just a messenger trying to live out the rest of the days I have left.”

The small child saw the pain and despair that Abraham endured as if it was as clear as a sunny day could be. Kou’s hands trembled, wanting to do something in return for the food and story. The child wrapped their arms around the old man’s shoulders, hugging them tightly to give some comfort.

Abraham’s eyes widened with surprise and a puzzled expression. “Kou?”