The rabbit and the balloon

A balloon moved quickly across the field. A rabbit chased after it. The rabbit said, “Hey balloon!” The balloon said, “I can’t talk now.” The rabbit said, “Where you headed?” The balloon said, “I’m sorry, I’m in a hurry.” The rabbit said, “Can I come with you?” The balloon didn’t answer.

The balloon flew into the woods. The rabbit stopped. The rabbit was nervous. It looked at the balloon as it moved through the trees. The rabbit called out to the balloon, “Hey!” The balloon kept on its way. The rabbit said, “Wait for me!”

Suddenly there was a popping sound. The rabbit said, “Balloon, are you okay?” There was silence. The rabbit said, “Balloon?” Nothing.

With great fear the rabbit hopped into the woods. The rabbit looked around in terror. It called out, “Balloon, it’s me, rabbit. Are you alright?” Quiet. The rabbit moved forward, sniffing the air for a whiff of the balloon. The rabbit said, “Where are you?”

There was a flapping sound. The rabbit moved cautiously in its direction.

The rabbit came upon the balloon, flat, torn, and stuck on a jagged branch. The rabbit said, “Balloon, balloon, are you okay?!” A wind flapped the limp balloon against the branch.

The rabbit leapt and pulled the balloon down gently with its mouth, and laid it flat on the forest floor. The rabbit got near the balloon and whispered, “I’m so sorry, balloon.”

The rabbit looked up at the sound from the tree above. An owl had alighted from a branch and was diving towards the rabbit. The rabbit grabbed the balloon in its mouth and ran back towards the field.

The rabbit looked back as the owl reached its outstretched claws towards the rabbit. The owl’s talons got caught in the shredded balloon. The owl was distracted and ran into a tree. The owl lay unconscious on the ground.

The rabbit was shaking as it hopped to the owl and untangled the balloon from its claws The rabbit moved quickly through the woods with the balloon lightly in its mouth, saying, “It’s going to be okay!” The rabbit shot back into the field, and then down into its lair.

The rabbit set the balloon down on the straw bed. The balloon lay still and silent. The rabbit said, “You’re safe now. I’ll protect you.”