By Diana Misby

Prologue

   I’m Coal. I’m a bunny. Or a rabbit, whichever you prefer. I’m a female, Mini-Rex rabbit who lives in Toronto, Ohio. I live in a basement that’s unfinished, with cement walls and flooring. The newer part of this basement has wallpaper and drywall, which is good to snack on, according to Clover. 

   Clover is a black and white rabbit who seems to be a “mutt,” if you know what I mean. Her cage is up against the back of my cage, which means we have lots of bonding time. Or I just have time to tell her she’s being obnoxiously loud at night. She likes to whisper to me and Cottontail. 

   Cottontail is a New Zealand Red rabbit. She’s got to be at least seven pounds, so she’d be a good meat rabbit. But don’t tell that to her owner, Little Aunty. Little Aunty would not be happy to hear that. She’s very serious about Cottontail. Of course, Aunty Itchy, who owns Clover, is serious about not eating Clover. But every now and again, she’ll joke about eating rabbits. Especially when Clover starts chewing on what she shouldn’t. My mama just scolds me when I chew on what I’m not supposed to. If she ever jokes about eating rabbits, she whispers to me, “Not you, Coal-Bowl. I love you.” Sometimes she’ll whisper to me when I’m on her lap. She’ll lay her face on my back, and talk right into my ears. I don’t know how I feel about that. Her cheek is warm to my back, which is nice, but I’m always a tad nervous about getting smushed by her. I know that she’d never do it on purpose, but I always feel a bit of caution. 

   I call my mama “Haystack.” Really, the middle-sized owner of Clover, Aunty Itchy, nicknamed her that. My mama has a green hoodie, almost the color of the hay that we eat. I used to scratch at it, because I didn’t like how it wrinkled up. Aunty Itchy joked that I was trying to climb my “Haystack.” So that’s what I call my mama. 

   Aunty Itchy is called that because she lays her face on me, too. The only difference between her and Haystack is that her hair is nearly always unkempt. So when she lays on me, her hair tickles my face. And it always makes me itchy. 

   “Little Aunty” is pretty self-explanatory. She’s the smallest of all our owners, which is funny, since she owns the biggest bunny, Cottontail. She likes me, but not as much as Cottontail. I understand that. Haystack hardly ever goes in Cottontail’s area, because even she is scared of her. Cottontail loves people, and she’s a sweetheart to everybody, but Haystack is still a bit nervous around such a big bunny. However, Cottontail dislikes me (and every other bunny), greatly. I had a fight with her once, because Haystack and the Aunties weren’t watching us. I lost, but it’s only because she jumped on me first. I would’ve won. Even though I’m smaller. But what’s two or three pounds? I still would’ve won.

To be continued.

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