Precious' POV
"So where is Mr. Fox now?" Nigel asks.
"I lost sight of him." Kayate crosses his arms.
"Attention all animals!" Mrs. Lion is heard through a stage mic. "As a result of the lockdown issued by ours truly, we have gathered enough evidence to conclude the ongoing situation. Everyone to the casino for the announcement."
"I guess it can't be helped." Nigel mutters under his breath as he stands. "Come on, we should go before she accuses any one of us."
All the animals gather in the said location, each murmuring their thoughts to one another. Until, when everyone settles, and Mrs. Lion, on the stage, continues.
"I gather everyone here for a head count, to make sure everyone is here," she starts. "Lovely that everyone could be here on this special occasion to witness the truth revealed on the attempted murder of our special guest... And the suspect is..." She looks around at the audience, creating the suspense. "... Our very own domino..."
My heart skips a beat.
"M-me?"
This can't be true. It isn't!
"What? What type of absurd accusation is that? Sounds like a cover up."
"Oh no, Mr. Hyena, you have no say in this. Your love for the girl only makes you biased."
Nigel freezes.
"I think we can all agree that we'd like for our very suspect to confess." Mrs. Lion's wicked smirk forms on her face.
"Wait, no... that's not true! I-!"
"Precious." Nathaniel's voice cuts me off. "We don't have to stay here with these maniacs."
"Nathaniel..."
"Everyone's still under lockdown." Nigel brings up.
"But they already found the suspect."
"She's not the suspect!"
"Of course, I know that! That's why we're going to leave, and never coming back."
"I'm not gonna let that happen."
"Let her have a choice."
"She already did."
"Precious, my love, don't you want to see Emma again?"
"Emma..." I moan and my surroundings go dark. I only see Nathaniel.
And a girl, a little human girl with a long, blue gown. Jet black skin and beaming white eyes on her blank, dark face.
"Precious, you naughty dog, why do you choose that dog over us?" Her light, carefree voice, just like I remembered. "We're your family. You wanted a boyfriend, so here he is. What more could I give you?"
"So, you really are alive..."
"The fire could never get rid of me. I sent Nathaniel because I was worried. The world is dangerous, you know, for only a small puppy."
"When will I be big? Like-" I know someone, who I want to say, but the name slipped out me. What was his name again?
"Being a pet is where you belong. Pets like you get crushed on their first step if they choose to leave their destiny. Do you have a desire to be crushed?"
"How do you know I'm not already?"
"Because you can open your eyes. Being around these people are no good. Come back."
I feel a hand brush against my cheek. I look up to see Nathaniel.
"... with me..." His lips brushes against mine. "Just forget, it'll be easier to live on past the desire to live without me."
"I don't want to forget..." I mumble as I'm stuck, frozen. And he slides a kiss into my lips.
And at just that moment, my head starts to clear. I didn't realize the heavy weight I was holding. And I feel like I can relax, like all this time I was holding my muscles tight, as if trying to keep something contained within me.
And yet, I realize I was.
He slowly parts from my lips. "Precious..."
"Nathaniel..." Everything around me gets brighter, I can see where I am now.
"I love you."
"I..." I love him?... "I hate you."
His expression goes dark, and he releases me.
"After all I done for you... that's not nice. What about Emma?"
"Stop manipulating me!" I know he was playing with my mind before, with illusions. It's just I'm not strong enough to awaken from it. "When will you hate me?! After all, I tried to kill you."
"You don't know what you're saying," Nigel says.
I turn to him. "No, I wanted to kill him so that we can be together, Nigel, peacefully."
"You're lying. You're not yourself..."
"Mr. Hyena, didn't Nathaniel try to kiss your sister?"
"Impossible, you weren't there." Nathaniel tries.
"Mrs. Lion made me witness the whole thing. So say it! Say you hate me!"
"You want me to hate you? You want to be hated?"
"I hate you."
"All this time, you pretended."
"You manipulated me. You made me be quiet, and now I can't stay quiet anymore."
"I never liked you since the beginning... I loved you. But when you made your first advancements to him on 'that night', that made me mad. But then that convinced me that you are capable of showing love on your own, that part of you I never knew existed. I want you to love me like you did. You tried to kiss him, on your own free will, and now you gave him your first kiss. I will never hate you... I will always have hate for Mr. Hyena, for stealing your heart."
"Well, I love him."
"And I'll make you love me. I won't give up on you."
"I don't want to see you anymore. I don't want to be here anymore..."
"Then I'll make that wish come true." With a click, Mrs. Lion points a gun at me.
My heart stops, gaze fix on the muzzle, then to the trigger.
If I run, she'll definitely shoot. If anyone tries to help me, she'll shoot.
"I have the honor of ending your life, to make sure it gets done. Last words?"
"Mr. Hyena..."
He stands there, in shock. "No..." he mutters. "Tell me it wasn't you-" Then he suddenly collapses.
"Nigel!" I drop onto the ground near him.
And the gunshot. I shut my eyes in anticipation, waiting for the bullet, which seems to be happening in slow motion.
But the bullet never comes.
I turn around, the bullet is travelling through the air in slow motion.
Then another bullet, quicker, shoots the other. And time was back to normal.
"Bravo!" A voice from the doorway.
We all turn to see who it is.
"Officer... Reginald..." Mrs. Lion is surprised.
"I heard of a cult." He smiles. "And now the mystery comes to a close."