The three of them sitting together, the weight of what just happened heavy in the air. Professor Nomed cradles his injured hand, his face pale.

  "Now uhm... we can't tell anyone the truth," he says quietly. "Otherwise we'd have OSHA on our asses."

  Rico glances between them nervously. "It was just an accident... right?"

  "Right... I hope," Lorie responds, but uncertainty colors her voice.

  "Just keep working on it," Professor Nomed insists.

  Lorie stares at his injured hand. "It just broke your hand."

  "It was just an accident," he repeats firmly. "Now go..."

  Lorie and Rico leave in silence, their footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.

  a week later. The rabbit - now fully assembled - commands attention in the center of the room. Every joint, every servo, every piece perfectly in place.

  "It's done," Lorie announces with quiet pride.

  Professor Nomed appears, excitement barely contained. "Turn it on!"

  "Answer a single question first," Lorie demands. "Where's Rico?"

  "He's working on... something. It's none of your business." Impatience edges into his voice. "Now! TURN IT ON!"

  Lorie activates the robot, and in one fluid motion, the mechanical creature jolts off the table and stands upright.

  "Rabbit, come!" Professor Nomed commands.

  The robot remains motionless.

  "Hare, come," Lorie says softly.

  The robot walks to her with precise movements.

  "Its name is Hare, btw," Lorie explains, as the mechanical creature turns its head to study them both.

  "Hare, show em what you can do," she says, handing it two balls. The robot begins juggling them with mechanical precision, its movements fluid and unnaturally perfect.

  "I also removed the speaker so... no talking," Lorie explains. "Hare, hand em back."

  She extends her hand, but the Hare just stares, motionless, the balls still moving in their perfect arc.

  "Hare, hand them back," she repeats more firmly.

  Nothing.

  "And this is why we have this." Lorie pulls out a small device and presses a button. The Hare's body jerks as electricity courses through it.

  "If the Hare won't listen, you can give it a controlled shock," she explains clinically. "Hare, drop the balls."

  The balls fall from its hands, bouncing against the floor with hollow thuds.

  "What do you think?" she asks, turning to Professor Nomed.

  His eyes shine with barely contained excitement. "It's impossible to explain how impressive this is."

  "Hare, deactivate," Lorie commands, and the robot powers down.

  She turns back to Nomed, her voice carrying an edge of concern. "What's Rico doing?"

  "None of your business," he responds curtly before walking away.

  Lorie watches him go, then mutters to herself, "I should archive the blueprints."

  She reaches for a folder and opens it, but finds only empty pages. Panic begins to rise in her chest. "Where did it go? Where's the blueprints?"

  Movement catches her eye - Rico leaving the room. "Rico? Rico!"

  He glances back at her but continues walking, his footsteps quickening.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  Suddenly, memories flash through her mind like lightning: "HE'S JEALOUS" "HE'S WORKING" "THE BLUEPRINTS ARE GONE"

  "Rico!" she shouts, breaking into a run after him.

  Lorie bursts into the hallway, her footsteps echoing off the lockers. "Rico came back!" she calls out, but her steps slow as the emptiness of the corridor hits her. She comes to a complete stop, confusion and worry etching her features.

  "What's happening?" she whispers to herself, the question swallowed by the harsh ring of the bell.

  In English class, Lorie leans toward Freddy, anxiety clear in her whispered words. "What's happening to Rico?"

  "What did he do?" Freddy asks, keeping his voice low.

  "He won't talk to me."

  A small smirk plays across Freddy's face. "Maybe he's a late bloomer. ??"

  "Not funny..." Lorie's voice carries a sharp edge.

  "So the rabbit's done?" Freddy changes the subject.

  "It's the Hare now."

  "The Hare is done? Right??"

  Lorie nods slowly. "Yes. But... someone took the blueprints."

  "Who do you think?"

  Anger flashes in Lorie's eyes. "Nomed! I feel like he took em. Like he's taken everything!"

  "What do you mean?"

  "He's taken all the credit of it," Lorie's voice rises slightly. "That greedy little ba-"

  Mrs. Churchwell appears beside their desks, cutting off Lorie's words. "Are you guys ready to turn in the quiz?"

  "Yeah?" Lorie responds, caught off guard.

  They hand over their papers, and Mrs. Churchwell smiles warmly. "Are you guys excited about the final?"

  "I guess," Freddy shrugs.

  "Good," Mrs. Churchwell says before walking away.

  "Hey uhm, Lorie?" Freddy begins.

  "What's going to happen when it's over?" he asks, seemingly unaware of what just occurred.

  ---

  Nomed in his office, the scratch of his pen against paper the only sound. The piercing mechanical screech that suddenly tears through the silence makes him jolt upright.

  "What the?" His eyes dart toward the machines room.

  Each step toward the sound echoes ominously down the empty hallway. When he pushes open the door, the Hare stands there, silhouetted against the dim workshop lights, its mechanical body unnaturally still.

  "Hare deactivate," he commands, his voice steady despite his racing heart.

  The Hare's head turns with a soft whir, its glowing eyes fixed upon him.

  "HARE DEACTIVATE! NOW!!" Panic edges into his voice.

  The attack comes with horrifying speed - cold metal fingers crushing against his throat. The Hare lifts him as if he weighs nothing, then slams him against the concrete floor with bone-crushing force. As Nomed gasps for air, the robot rises to its full height, its shadow falling across his prone form.

  "Hare... stop!" he chokes out.

  The mechanical rabbit reaches for the hammer on the workbench, its movements precise and deliberate. In the fluorescent light, the metal head gleams.

  "Noo!"

  The first strike catches him in the chest, ribs cracking like twigs. The second crushes his shoulder, bone fragments spraying across the floor. Each subsequent blow lands with mechanical precision, turning flesh to pulp, bone to splinters. Blood sprays across the workbench in crimson arcs, pooling on the floor in ever-widening circles. The seventh and final blow splits his skull like an overripe melon, brain matter and bone fragments splattering across the concrete.

  The Hare releases the hammer, now slick with gore. It clatters to the ground, the sound echoing through the workshop. Nomed's mangled hand, fingers twisted at impossible angles, the Hare. It stands motionless over its handiwork, its pristine metal surface spattered with red droplets, its eyes still glowing with that same emotionless light.

  Lorie and Freddy walk down the hallway, their footsteps echoing in the empty corridor.

  "So today's the big day," Freddy comments.

  "Yeah, Nomed is going to show the Hare off at your brother's anniversary," Lorie responds.

  They turn a corner and freeze - the machines room door stands open, a dark rectangle in the fluorescent-lit hallway.

  "That's not normal..." Lorie whispers.

  As they enter the room, a sickening odor hits them. Freddy's nose wrinkles. "What is that smell?"

  The Hare sits motionless in its usual spot, but something feels wrong about its stillness.

  "Hare?" Lorie calls out tentatively.

  The robot suddenly activates, releasing that terrible mechanical screech they've come to know. They approach cautiously, the sound grating against their nerves.

  "Where is Nomed?" Freddy asks, looking around the room with growing concern. His voice rises. "NOMED?! Rico?"

  Lorie's eyes remain fixed on the Hare as it turns its head to look at her, its mechanical gaze somehow more menacing than ever before.

  English class, tension hanging in the air as Lorie leans toward Freddy.

  "What, he just disappeared now?" she asks, frustration evident in her voice.

  "Maybe he just never came," Freddy suggests weakly.

  "No... something's off. He would not just disappear like this."

  Freddy shifts in his seat, hesitation crossing his features. "Look, Lorie, I found something I think you should see."

  "What did you find?"

  "Just come to the computer room during lunch."

  The bell's sharp ring interrupts them.

  "I'm going to talk to Rico first, okay?" Lorie says, gathering her things.

  "Ja," Freddy nods.

  later Lorie finds Rico at his locker. She approaches silently before announcing her presence.

  "Rico!"

  He startles visibly. "Yeah?"

  "Do you know where Nomed is?"

  "No, I don't." Rico avoids her eyes. "The front office told me he's not home either."

  "Why have you been avoiding me?"

  Rico shifts uncomfortably. "Hehe uhm... I... I'm kinda in the middle of doing something. So bye."

  He tries to leave, but Lorie's hand shoots out, grabbing his arm. "In the middle of what?"

  "A project. Now please let me go."

  She releases him, and he begins to walk away.

  "Buena suerte," he calls back.

  "Que?" Lorie whispers, confusion crossing her face.

  Rico walks down another hallway, muttering to himself. "That was close."

  He turns the corner and freezes - at the end of the hallway stands the Hare, its mechanical form eerily still.

  "Hare?! I... I..."

  The lights flicker out. When they return, the Hare has moved closer. They go out again - when they return, it's even nearer. The third blackout lasts longer, and when light floods back, the Hare's face fills Rico's vision, followed by a terrifying mechanical scream.