It's so long ago... Summer
it was. A warm breeze twirled around the stems of the trees. I was a
bit in love.. unknowing that life had something different to offer than
daily happiness and a horizon full of opportunities.
My father had
taught me about walking carefull during the summer because of the adders
sunbathing and attacking out of fear. We didn't see any adders that
day, but we saw a dead wild bunny. It didn't take a too close look to
see it was shot. The grass had firmly encircled the dead body and thus
probably hidden it from the killer.
We made a little grave. What
else could we do?
Being raised near the woods we knew there would
be young bunnies hidden somewhere. Maybe chased after by dogs. Trembling
somewhere.
Soon we had found the hole and it didn't take much
digging to find two little bunnies. They were very hungry. We knew
they had only a slight chance of staying alive, but without taking them
with us they would stand no chance whatsoever.
So we took the
little two and went to the animal department of the university. Studying
biology came in handy! We fed the two little ones with a special
solution and they fell asleep quietly. One of the curious friends took
one of the two, and we took the other one with a bag full of special
solution home.
The bunny started out as a real baby. Sleeping,
drinking, and peeing.
But soon one could see it grow. And it needed
more than a simple open top box. So we got a special bunny container
from a friend, which was OK for a short while.
But wild bunnies
jump!
We wanted to give it freedom. And protection at the same
time. So I emptied a closet, and it stayed there when we went away or
to sleep. The rest of the time it jumped around in our little
appartment and it was fun!
I just needed to pat on the ground two
times and it came to look. The bright curious eyes looking eagerly for
surprises and play.
Then the summervacation came. It didn't need
special solution anymore, but it still needed our care. Like a cheeky
young child it could bring itself in problems. When going through a pile
of paper, or when jumping high against the door. We decided to take it
with us on holiday, much to the pleasure of the children that went with
us.
In the weeks that followed we had much joy and fun, but more
and more the thoughts of parting troubled our minds. What to
do?
Then the first signs of autumn arrived. It enjoyed playing
between the dry leaves and we often went to a part of the wood with many
bunnies. It didn't seem possible, but maybe.. maybe...
And then
it happened. It was a rather chilly afternoon. The sun was drifting low
and already a soft orange coloured the sky. The nutty smells of a moist
autumnwood prickled the senses for the first time that year. Did it
take away the human smell?
I sat silent, with my bunny playing near
me, when I saw two other bunnies hopping near. I didn't dare to
move.
Suddenly three pair of ears went up. Scanning eyes and
sniffing noses. A few hops.. a minute without movement.
It
seemed to be a carefully choreographed ballet.
The moment they saw
each other I knew I had to have a carefull look at my bunny. I would never
see it again.
Too fast for my human feelings they were gone. I
heard the leaves on the sand move and then there was absolute
silence.
That autumn my house felt empty..
Seasons came and
seasons went. When it was summer again we went on a hot day to the
place where I'd last seen my little bunny. We saw several traces of
bunnies resting in the sand. And plenty of droppings. So I can do
nothing else than assume he had found his bunny-paradise in that wonderful
quiet part of the wood.
