The Haunted Candy Shoppe

Chapter 16-Little Red Lights

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE'S ON OUR SIDE?"

Eva stared at the hyperventilating bunny in my hands. I'd been trying to explain to her that the bunny was on our side and that it wasn't evil like the rest of the candy. The sun was already mostly set. We were not even halfway to my house.

"He will not hurt you," I said for the sixty-millionth time. "Pet him. He doesn't bite."

Eva reluctantly stretched her hand out in front of her. As her hand neared the bunny's head, the bunny shied away and tried to hide further in the crook of my arm. I gestured toward him with my other hand to show Eva he wasn't hostile. She looked at me, everyone else, then the bunny. She gently put her hand on the bunny's head and started stroking its ears. The bunny opened its eyes and looked at Eva. It sniffed her hand, then rubbed up against it. This understanding between them was beautiful. Sadly, Layla had to cut it short.

"Guys, it's almost dark." She started walking again. When no one but the bunny followed her, she turned around and said, "you can look at them all you want wen we are inside and safe."

We all started trotting towards where we knew my house was. On the way there, we passed by the pond that was by the Caramel Creek. The pond was always somehow full when the creek wasn't. Ducks and geese always found refuge in there. There was nothing in there now, which led me to think that it was already super late.

I already learned my lesson when I fell into the caramel creek. I stood away from the pond to avoid any mishaps from happening. The bunny didn't seem to understand that anything and everything was dangerous now. It was hopping on the edge of the bridge we were on. It was leaning really far and I was afraid that it was going to fall in. Just as I was about to go and pick it up, I saw what it was looking at.

Little red lights in the water.

They were darting around the pond. I didn't know what they were but I found myself being intrigued by them. I watched them come into a group and disperse. It was beautiful. At least until I heard a plunk. I looked around.

No bunny. I looked in the water and a saw a dark spot amongst the red lights. The realization hit me like a bullet train. Because the bunny was solid chocolate, he was sinking. I don't know what came over me but I dove after him. The pond was at least nine feet deep, if not more. As o neared the group of red lights, I saw them nipping at what I assumed was my bunny.

I snatched the bunny from the midst of the lights. I could clearly see what they were now that I was up close to them.

They were Swedish Fish.

I swam to the surface with the bunny in my hands. I looked back and I saw all of the fish swimming towards me with itty bitty fangs bared. I broke the surface and tossed the bunny onto the bridge. I could hear it's labored wheezing as it tried to get air. I tried to pull myself onto the bridge, but I felt tiny pin pricks all over my legs. I looked back to see all of the fish pulling me back into the water. I started kicking as hard as I could. Doing this, I lost my balance and fell into the water.

Then all I saw was the contorted images of my friends and a red cloud of blood.