Established

Chapter 3

        I ran along along the dirt path, panting tons. I stopped by a large oak tree to catch my breath. bending down, I coughed a little and watched a worm wiggle it's way into a patch of grass. I stood back up straight and looked around, turning to my left. Leaves, a park beyond the trees and bushes, I knew. That's where I last saw Alex, before I poked her shoulder and yelled, "TAG!" I saw green and brown everywhere, just leaves and twigs scattered on the ground. I don't see the upside down curls and smiling face when I jumped back.

        "FOUND YOU!" She yelled. I fell back and hit the ground. Sploosh. Leaves everywhere leapt  around me. She screamed, "ETHAN!!" She ran to my side and looked down at me with the widest, most prettiest eyes in the whole wide world. And at the moment, the most scared, "Are you okay??" She huffed her breath as she bent, looking at me while I kept my eyes shut. She thinks I''m not okay. I smiled a small bit. "Ethan?" Her small little girl voice, confused. "You scream like a girl." I giggled.

        She frowned, "What's THAT suposed to mean?" Her voice suddenly a screech. I sushed her, "Sshhhhhh.." I heard a little hmph. I opened my eyes and pulled her down next to me. "ETHA-" She started to scream, but I shushed her again, " Sush Alex. Just listen." We lied down for a few minutes, listening. The whistling grass, outdoor air instead of an air conditioner running. "Ethan, I-" I stopped her again, "Now look." We both  looked up at the sky, smaller branches reaching toward the sun. A soft wind blew our hair from our faces as we peered into the clouds, "That one looks like a cactus wearing sunglasses." I pointed. She frowned again, "NOO- it's a bunny." We both giggled.

        Alex suddenly sat up. I tilted my head,"What's wrong Alex?" Her voice was wobbly," What was that?" I stood. "The win-" "No. There." She pointed to a tree. I heard some sort of patting sound. Leaves rustled, and a twig snapped. Alex winced and hugged me. I stood, partly hugging her head. I wasn't much taller than her, so it was easy to not have to bend down to hug her. We both grew more frightend at what- or who- it could be. "Nice monster, ni- nice little scary monster." I could hear her 4-year old voice mumbling to herself. "Nice little monster. Good little monster." I joined in our attepts of comforting each other. She looked up at me, a single tear trickles down her face. " IS it a monster, Ethan?" Gosh, I love it when she says my name. "If it is a scary little monster, it will be a good little scary monster." I grinned, hugging her tighter. We heard more patting, some more wind blew and leaves trickled from a tree. A flash of white, something pink. Suddenly, a twitching nose popped out of a bush. A single pink nose. "Heh." A tiny giggle. I looked down, "Hehe.. he.." Two wet eyes looked at me. Alex blew a strand of curly hair from her face. Phoo Phooo. PHOOOOOOOOOO! She kept trying to flip it past her face, " That's not gonna work silly!" I smiled, pushing the strand back myself. "AHHHH!!" I saw a blur and felt leaves on my back again.

        "Ethan?" I heard sniffling. "Ethan you scream like a girl. " A giggle, more sniffles. "Quit crying you baby!" I opened my eyes to see a very pink nose and some curly hair. "AHH!" I screamed again. "YOU'RE A BABY BUNNY!!" I screeched. "I know he is! Isn't he cute?" She smiled proudly. "I'M gonna call him Pickles!" She held up a white bunny with black eyes and a wiggling pink nose. I moaned, "Aleeexxx. You can't keep a bunny for a PET. That's Brutus'es job!" I thought back to my old golden retriever. "Why nooooott?" She whined, "We can't abanden poor Pickles!" I sighed. She is gonna be impossible. " Her name isn't Pickles." She tilted her little head. "Why nooottttttttttt?? And it's a HE." She corrected. "You aren'yt my mommy." She argued. I sat up, "Fiineeee, let's go back to my house then." I said standing up. She stuck her bottom lip out and gave me a puppy face, or should I say, a bunny face. She sniffled too. "AND we can bring Pickles." I added. Her eyes lit up. "YAY! Let's go!!" She tried to pull Pickles up with her, though he's nearly her size. I helped tug him along. "I've seen rabbits in pet stores, but their not as special as MY bunny." She grinned prodly. "Don't make fun of all the other bunnies Alex." I said. She looked up at the sky, "Sorry other bunnies." She said apologetically. I laughed. "She didn't mean it." I added. She nodded solomly. "Let's go see if your mom will let you keep Mr. Pickles!" We smiled.