No Where To Run [Short Story]

NO WHERE TO RUN

I woke up at early dawn, silently hopping out my small burrow. The long, wild blades of grass made no sound telling of my whereabouts as I moved cautiously to the brook 40 or 30 hops from my home, stopping every tenth or so to sniff for danger. Once I took my morning drink I looked for my favorite place to eat. Blades of grass with sweet dew made from dawn were my favorite but they were rare and the meadow was so vast that I had to often travel quite a bit of time before I got there.

I hopped until the great fire ball rose from behind the small hill in the distance. When I stopped to sniff I turned behind a rock with green stuff on it. When I was younger I tried some of this stuff, not on the same rock, but I did try it and it was salty and sour; Not very tasty at all. I continued hopping with my strong back legs, letting the sun warm the short fine fur on my side before turning again, giving the ball of blaze my backside. I saw something move on the side that the rock I passed should be on and I stiffened up, dead in my tracks.

I was on the verge of bolting but nothing came forth. It was while I was feasting on the wide range of Sweet Dew Grass that they came. The horn blasted, I stiffened, herd the barks, tensed even more for quite a while but nothing happened. So more cautiously I ate.  In my mind I measured in hops how far the huge range I’d lived near while growing up was from here. It would take them two or three days to get here, that’s how long it took me anyway. I began to devour the delicious lawn again then sat thinking deep thoughts. Barks were not so distant but raised no alarm.  It was when I could smell them that I bolted.

My thoughts were already as wild as the giddy barks and howling I heard behind me. How could I have not heard them before? Those stupid dogs and their humans and horses? Why couldn’t they just leave me alone? Where do I go? Back home? No, too far. Why haven’t I thought of a way to escape, I always go here! How’d they get here so fast?

I would have to go over that later if I survived. No matter where I went all I saw was open field and now I could hear the paws of those monsters right behind me. Their ragged breath faint on my heels, I twisted and zigzagged learning that I had 4 to out run and somewhere I saw 6 running after something medium sized and red. Finally reaching a small hole I dove inside.  I knew I didn’t have much time before they dug up the hole or their humans with their instant death makers and their horses came for me.

I waited until the hole was almost dug up, terrified of the snarls I heard, the snapping snouts and the clawing paws.  I knew I really had to get out of there because the hole was getting wider and I saw a horse and human head.  I heard harsh voices and swiping instant death makers moving the snouts and claws. That’s when, with a squeal I leaped out, scaring the human into backing up with a yell.  I landed in a group of dogs that quickly tried snatching me up but I ran under one of their legs. Once again I was dashing for my life.

Trees were now close and I darted in between them. The dogs tried to copy my movements, tripping and being slowed down in the process.  I made a close call when I hopped over a root and landed right beside the paws of one of those great beasts. As I was racing the dogs for my life, I noticed up in the trees a medium sized fox running as well. A few dogs, the other half, were chasing it.  In a flash of an eye it vanished in thin air, leaving it’s would be assassins behind in wonder.

 I wished strongly that I was that slick. My hopes of escaping let up as I and the pack saw the huge gate come into view. It dawned on me, that there might not be a hole for me to slip threw but the red ribbon tied to the wires assured me.  I remembered this gate as a child, remembering this gate made me realize that the range that I and my siblings grew up on wasn’t that far from where I was eating.

I scolded myself as I got closer, behind me I could hear the dogs running in earnest because they knew as I knew, if I got between that gate, I was free. The whole drew up next and I squeezed thru, tearing my fur coat in the process.  I didn’t care I was free; I felt the burn of my skin and knew that sticky red liquid would come up next but I was filled with relief and joy that I was free.

I barely journeyed a foot when that fox slinked up above the extensive, tall grasses. Its tail was swishing side from side in a way that made me think it was planning this all along. It looked down on me with what I thought a small, knowing smile.

A bunny can outsmart the dogs and its human and its horses and even the human’s instant death maker However, nothing can outsmart a fox, and that’s that.