Beware the Rabbits!

  My eyes flutter open as sunlight pours in through my open window and I remember that Josie, my bunny, is still missing.  I feel horrible since I’d recently neglected feeding her.  “Maggie!” I hear Mother calling my name.  “Coming,” I reply, my curly black hair flying back behind me as I rush to perform my daily chores.

    Finally prepared for the day, I bound down the steps, two at a time, and skip into the kitchen to gorge myself with pancakes.  “Howdy Miss Maggie,” Father says, "You look awfully pretty for riding horses.” 

  “Of course, it’s my first time riding alone!” I gulp down my last bite of pancake and hop to my feet.  “I’m going out now, see ya’ll later!” The bright sun shines down on me as I run out the door to the adjacent stable to find a small surprise.  My beautiful appaloosa mare, Amat, is standing just outside the stable.  Her smooth, dark coat glistens and her mane shines as she watches me with curious eyes.  I rapidly mount her and start off toward the woods.

  As I pass back by the house, I call out to Father(sure that he was responsible for the surprise), thanking him for saddling Amat.  Once we reach the forest, I urge my steed to a trot.  We ride on until we reach Parsnip River and the sunflower patch.  “Hmm…” I wonder aloud as I spot two signs pointing opposite directions. “Which way am I to travel? Right to Sunny Plains Tale Trail or left… to Sunny Plains Cotton Tail Trail!?”

  Due to my curiosity (and because I’d never ventured that way), I direct Amat to the left and we clop down the trail.  About a quarter of a mile down the path, a creature that  resembles a rabbit I once knew, grabs the startled Amat’s bridle and pulls us into a dry pile of leaves.  apparently there’s a large rabbit hole underneath, because when I reach the bottom of the tunnel I realize we’re underground.  I gasp in shock as I uncover the identity of the rabbit standing before me.  “Surprised, eh?” Josie is speaking now, “I’m a member of the Rabbit’s Republic Renderer of Rights.” “What?” I stutter.  “Rabbit’s Republic Renderer of Rights,” she repeats, “By the way, you’re on trial.”

“What for?” I plead, glancing about at the other rabbits arranged in a half circle around me.  I dismount Amat to get a better view of this insane parliament.

An elderly rabbit who appears to be the judge states, “The first charge against you is for trapping your rabbit, Josie, in a cage ever since you bought her.  The second charge is for feeding Josie chocolate and causing her grave illness.”

  “I didn’t mean to!” I protest.

  “Never the less, you are now sentenced to…DEATH!”

  “What do you think about that, Josie?” a black female rabbit inquires.

  “Well, I personally think that’s way too harsh, how about…”

  “NO! I’m the judge and I’ve spoken!” the judge bellows.

  “Yes, and I am the victim,” Josie states calmly, and makes a move toward the tunnel labeled Exit in red letters .  She darts through and motions with her paw for me to follow.  I quickly spring onto Amat, urge her to a gallop and take off into the exit tunnel.  It’s a damp passageway and it oddly smells of moldy carrots.  “I think I hear them coming after us,” Josie whispers and leaps onto Amat’s rump.

  After a few more minutes of total darkness and suspense, we burst through a pile of leaves on the other side of the trail.

  “Close call,” Josie sighs, “I guess I’m not a member of the secret R.R.R.R. anymore.”

  “Probably not,” I agree.

  We trot home in silence. Once we reach the barn, I stable Amat and grab Josie to bring her safely inside.

  “Home!” I shout loud enough for my parents to hear when I get in the house.

  “Did you have fun, Miss Maggie?” Mother asks.

  “Oh yes, and I found Josie!” I wink at my lovely bunny.

  “Where did you go?” Father inquires.

  “Oh, well I was kidnapped by rabbits and put on trial, that’s all!” I reply cheerfully,  knowing they’d probably never believe me.

~Abby L. Dortch

Saphirais a young author of eleven years and this is the second book she has ever written.  She enjoys riding her bike and building majestic Lego cities.  She lives with her family (plus pets) in a den and has a peanut and an egg allergy.