kit and bunny

as an assignment for a class in high school, we were asked to make a short story in whatever manner we liked. i opted to make a children's story. my hope was to create a story about mental health in a way that a child would be able to understand.

                                                                                     

In a small forest, 

There was a small town, hidden in between the trees.

 

In a small corner of the town, there lived a rabbit. Her name was Bunny.

The rabbit lived in a wooden house with her best friend, a fluffy kitten named Kit.

Kit and Bunny had lived together for a long time, and knew everything about each other.

In this town, the sun almost always shone between the trees and filled the windows of Kit and Bunny's home with a warm glow.

One day, it began to rain.

The next day, it rained again. 

A few days and nights later, the sky was still dark. The clouds remained, and the rain continued to fall.

Kit and Bunny were in their home, stuck inside to avoid getting their fur soggy.

"Bunny!" Kit said, " Do you want to play a game of cards with me?"

"Not really." responded Bunny in a quiet voice. She turned away from Kit and stared out the window, watching the clouds.

"How strange," thought Kit to herself.

"Bunny loves to play cards!"

The next day, Kit wanted to make a special surprise to cheer up Bunny. She had not seen Bunny smile since the rain began so many days ago.

Kit spent hours making fluffy pancakes, covered in strawberry jam and sugar cubes. She laid the piles of food onto the table and called in Bunny.

"BUUUUNYYYY!" Kit screamed throughout the house.

Bunny walked into the kitchen slowly, a blanket wrapped around her head.

"Y-yes, Kit?" She said sleepily.

Kit smiled at Bunny. "I made your favorite, Bunny! It's pancakes!"

Bunny didn't say anything. Kit was confused.

"What's wrong with the pancakes? Did you want blueberry jam instead?"Kit asked quickly.

"No...they're lovely, Kit," Bunny responded. She looked at the floor. 

"I'm just... not hungry today."

Kit was worried. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen Bunny eat anything.

"Aren't you hungry, Bunny?" Kit asked quietly, "...When was the last time you ate?"

"I don't know, Kit." Bunny spat. She seemed a bit upset.

Kit didn't know what to do. Bunny seemed annoyed, and Kit did not know what she had done to upset her. Bunny sighed and left the kitchen, leaving Kit alone.

The next day at breakfast, Kit was alone. How strange! Bunny always ate breakfast with Kit! Kit looked out the window. The rain kept falling. Kit did not know how many days it had been falling now, but she felt like she had not seen the sun in a long time.

"Where is Bunny?" Kit thought to herself at the table. She decided to go to Bunny's room and see what she was doing.

Kit approached Bunny's door and knocked gently. There was no response. Kit opened the door slowly and leaned inside. 

"Bunny?" she called into the room.

Bunny was laying in bed, fast asleep.

Kit gently shook Bunny awake under the blankets.

"Bunny, wake up! It's morning!"

Bunny grumbled from under her blankets.

"...don't want to get up, Kit. I'm so tired." she groaned.

Kit tried to remember what time Bunny had gone to bed."How long have you been sleeping, Bunny?" Kit asked gently.

Bunny kept her eyes closed. 

"Since lunch yesterday, perhaps. I've been very sleepy."

Kit felt Bunny's forehead. There was no fever. She felt Bunny's paws. They did not seem to be clammy. She put her paw over Bunny's heart. It seemed to be beating along at a healthy rhythm. 

"Are you okay, Bunny?" Kit stammered. Her eyes began to fill with tears. 

"You don't seem to be yourself anymore."

Bunny sat up in bed. Tears filled her eyes as well. 

"I don't know. I've been awfully blue lately. Ever since that rain came, I haven't been able to find anything to smile about."

Bunny looked at Kit.

"I'm terribly sorry I was unkind to you, Kit. I don't know why I've been so mean lately. I haven't felt like myself at all, and I'm not sure how to get back to normal."

"Hmmmmmm," pondered Kit. "I wonder if Doctor Turtle knows anything about how to fix a problem like this."

"Maybe he does!" sniffed Bunny, drying her tears with her paws.