“But I’m terrible.”
“People pledge support for you to finish a hole not have a low score.”
“It might be better if they gave me a dollar for every stroke I take.”
“Bunny, most of our friends can’t afford to pledge hundreds of dollars.”
We laughed, but I still found myself at the golf course three weeks later. With seven terribly long holes to go, I sliced and sent my ball careening into the nearby woods. I sighed and followed it. As I scanned the ground further in the forest, the ground cover thinned out. With no hint of white to be seen, I turned back to find a fluffy white rabbit gazing up at me. He stood up on his back paws, twitched his nose and peered into my eyes.
“Follow me.” He said and turned toward a hole in the trunk of an ancient tree.
“Didn’t someone already write this story?” I asked his fluffy cottontail as the rest of him disappeared into the dark recesses of the hole, but curiosity compelled me forward.
I squealed as I placed one foot into the hole and found myself sliding downward into the darkness. I plopped to a stop in a soft pile of what I hoped was dried leaves. I pushed myself up and stood slowly, surprised not to bash my head into tree roots. I blinked in hopes of dispelling the darkness.
“She’s here. She’s here.” Voices from a high shrill squeal to a deep low bass echoed around me, amplified by the darkness.
I inhaled deeply. I forgot to exhale as I a hush fell. My hand rose to cover my heart, which thudded anxiously.
“She IS here.” A deep voice whispered in my ear as something furry brushed against my face.
I shuddered and let out a ragged breath.
“She’s cold.” The voice rose above a whisper and a soft weight lowered itself to my shoulder.
I jumped.
Thump.
“Light the fire.” The voice called out from somewhere around my feet.
I screamed. Hundreds of warm bodies pressed up against me as I sank to the floor again. I suppressed the next scream but still felt it tickling the back of my throat.
Bright light erupted to my left. I looked toward it, but my eyes closed against the brightness. I opened them slowly, biting my lip as the world around me came into view. A small fire leapt up from a rough teepee of wood at the heart of a fire pit of rough stones. A cavern disappeared in darkness far above my head.
Hundreds of dark shapes crowded around me. Round heads with long ears bobbing as they turned their heads this way and that to get a better look at me. As my eyes adjusted to the light, little bunny faces appeared, mouths ajar to reveal long teeth amidst fluffy cheeks. Dark eyes blinked curiously.
The deep voice echoes again as a tiny form made his way back to my shoulder. “Bunny, we have been waiting for you.” He regarded me expectantly.
I licked my parched lips, surprised to find that my scream had dissipated.
“You are so glad you have finally come to be with us.” He intoned.
I shrieked and the bunnies laughed. Then they imitated the sound of my shriek as they crowded closer. Despite the warmth of so many tiny, fuzzy bodies, I shivered.
Sometimes it is scary to belong…
Trick or Treat. Feel free to thank me in the comments.
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