Hops

The Easter Bunny hopped down the bunny trail. He went from house to house leaving an Easter basket and a stuffed toy at each home. He came to a house unlike the rest. A storm cloud hung over her house. She lived in a purple house and there were all kinds of moans coming from inside the house. They were no doubt the tormented sounds of ghosts dwelling inside. Hops, the Easter Bunny trembled as he looked up at the creepy house. He knew a witch lived there and he knew it was haunted.

He puffed out his chest and entered the home. A cauldron sat over the fire. The interior was lit by candle light. There she stood stirring whatever potion she was brewing.

“Hello Bunny. Happy Easter.” She crooned.

“H-happy E-easter” he stuttered. She turned to look at the trembling bunny. Her blue eyes were bluer than blue. They shimmered with an otherworldly glow.

“You have an Easter basket for little old me?” she asked slyly. Hops nodded. A ghost rattled its’ chains upstairs. He tossed up the basket and she caught it.

Hops ran for the door but it slammed shut in his whiskered face.

“Where are you off to in such a hurry?” she asked. He leaned against the door. His heart pounded in his chest.

“I am done with my yearly basket distributing duties and I must get home,” Hops confessed. The witch stepped closer to him and reached out a hand.

“Come with me please,” the witch said. Hops reluctantly placed his paw in her hand and she led him into the kitchen. She placed her basket on the table and observed the speckled and colorful eggs before her. You sure make these eggs vibrant and with lots of colors.

“I love pretty colors,” Hops admitted. “Nothing as cheery as a colorful Easter egg I always say,” The witch smirked.

“You’re adorable. I don’t usually like cutesy critters like you,” she said. Midnight, the black cat jumped up on the table and instinctively Hops started petting midnight.

“But I like you,” the witch confessed. Midnight purred. “He must really like you,” the witch said.

“He rarely is so friendly around new people.”

“I’m a bunny,” Hops said. “I’m not a person.” The witch changed half the eggs to midnight purple and the other half to black and orange; those are popular Halloween colors. She picked up an egg and took a bite. She picked up the stuffed bunny he had given her.

“Cute little toy,” the witch said.

“I like cuddly things,” Hops said.

“I’m sure you do,” the witch said.

“So why did you call me in here?” Hops asked.

“I wanted to give you something,” the witch said. His ears perked up at that information.

“What?” he asked. She pulled out a handkerchief and gave it to him. He tied it around his neck. Then he thanked her and went hopping along his way. She observed her basket and bunny; they were two gifts from an unlikely new friend. Hops felt the handkerchief and smiled.

“The witch wasn’t so scary,” he thought. “You can’t always judge a book by its’ cover!”