“What happened?
As my heart skipped a beat, I realized I couldn’t get__________”
DON’T LET THEM GET ME
©2004 by Mae Ondracek
“What happened? As my heart
skipped a beat I realized I couldn’t get
away.
What was I going to do?
I couldn’t keep up this running much
longer. I was getting too
tired out. What should I do, just
give up now or
keep running
until I do just fall down? I
can’t believe I’ve been running so far without finding a hole nearby.
“I tried to remember how this all started but I was getting very winded
and I couldn’t
even remember who I was anymore.
Oh, please let there be a
hole
for me -----. Oh, my goodness.
Am I safe now? A hole!
I can’t
believe
my luck. A hole!
Oh, my, a hole. Maybe my
luck has changed.
A hole.
I can’t believe it. Listen
to those noisy critters up there.
They
Wow!
Am I out of breath.
My poor old heart would not have taken
much
more before it just wore out. I
think I would have enjoyed running like that if those darn dogs weren’t
chasing me. Gosh, I do believe I
better get back further so those dogs don’t get me.
I’d really hate to get…. Ouch!
Boy, I’d better back down this hole.
They’re jabbing sticks at me, trying to get me to come out.
Well, I just won’t do it.
There, this is better, now I’ll just have to wait until morning to see where I
am. I’ll take a nap now and rest
my weary bones. That was a hard
run.
*
* *
He
didn’t know how tired he really was, and he fell asleep almost at once.
It was real quiet in the hole and he didn’t care if there was anything
else in there or not. He was just
too tired to care. He slept
soundly, when suddenly something bumped his hind quarters and he jerked awake.
His first thought was, ‘Oh, please, please don’t let it be those dogs.’
Then he laughed at himself because there was no way the dogs could get
down this far. So he asked,
“Hello? I hope you don’t mind my
sleeping here, but I just had to get away from those dogs?”
“Hello. I am glad to have you.
You are in safe company now.
I didn’t realize you were here.
I’m a little cotton-tail rabbit and I hope you can stay for awhile.
I don’t think my mother is coming back.”
“Poor little fellow. Of course
I’ll stay. When did your mother
leave?”
“She left yesterday morning and I’m cold.
Could you warm me up?”
“Why, of course little one, come lay next to my stomach.
I think my heart has quieted down enough.
You should be able to sleep well here.”
The little rabbit lay down by the big rabbits belly and soon he was fast
asleep. The big rabbit felt so
protective of the little guy that he was real contented and again fell asleep.
They slept like this for two hours when suddenly the big rabbit was
awakened again. Something had
brushed against his coat and he was on the alert.
“Who is it?” he hissed between his clenched teeth.
“Oh, I’m sorry. But I just made it
down this hole before the dogs got me.
Please let me stay?”
“Of course you can stay. Those
dogs are terrible. I just made it
down here too; otherwise they would have gotten me.
Come rest until morning.”
They were just closing their eyes when they heard a loud noise.
They couldn’t figure out where it was coming from and listened until
the big rabbit said, “That may be the little fellows’ mother.”
They stayed quiet until they heard a screech and both got scared.
Wondering what was happening, they both became alert.
“My baby.
My baby.
What have you done with my baby?”
“It’s O.K. The poor little guy was
so tired and cold that I gave him a place to sleep.
How are you?”
“I’m alright. As I was hurrying to
the front door, I saw those big dogs and men there.
I had to run a quarter of a mile back to come in by the other door.
I’m so glad you were here.” She said.
They all settled down for a nap and they slept right through the morning until
they heard a loud noise outside the nest and things started raining down on
them. They all hurried further
into the nest and were safe.
Nothing could get them now.