Fenway and Hattie and the Evil Bunny Gang

by Victoria J. Coe

  When Food Lady arrives and heads for the coffeepot, Hattie wipes her mouth. She offers Food Lady an exaggerated grin. “See?” she says, stashing her bowl in the dishwasher.

  Food Lady glances up from her steaming mug. She smiles as me and Hattie race to the back door.

  Yippee! We’re going outside! My tail goes nuts. “I’m so ready! I’m so ready!” I bark.

  We bolt through the door, and I sniff the warm, sunshiny breeze. My ears rise at the sounds of jingling on the other side of the fence.

  Hattie must hear it, too. She runs straight to the Friend Gate and pulls it open.

  I leap and twirl. Hooray! Hooray! We’re going to play!

  We rush through the Friend Gate into the Dog Park next door. Hattie strides over to Angel, who’s slumped on the porch steps. Her face is frowning and sad, like she’s lost her favorite squeaky toy. When she sees Hattie, she crosses her arms.

  I trot up to Goldie, and we do the bum-circle dance. She smells concerned. About Angel? “What’s happening?” I ask.

  “That’s what I’d like to know,” she says. “How’s the bunny situation?”

  My ears droop. “Rotten. I haven’t made any progress at all.”

  “Hmm. Perhaps that’s for the best,” Patches says, wandering over. “You might want to rethink this. Thumper is new. He’s probably scared. Maybe you could try being kind and patient with him.”

  “Oh, there goes Patches and her great advice,” Goldie says with a huff. “Bunnies belong in the wild anyway. You’ll be doing this guy a favor when you reunite him with that gang of his.”

  Patches gazes at me with pleading eyes. “Look, Fenway. I just think there could be another—”

  “Stop it!” I shout at her. “I know you’re on that Evil Bunny’s side.”

  Patches recoils. “Believe it or not, I’m on your side,” she mutters as she backs away.

  Is she serious? Be kind and patient . . . with that nasty fur ball? She is clearly not the one looking out for me. I turn to Goldie. “Do you wish you’d gotten rid of Patches when you had the chance?”

  “Now, don’t go putting words in my mouth,” she says.

  “But she was so annoying. And ungrateful.”

  Goldie sighs. “Well, she didn’t stay a puppy forever. Unlike your bunny, who will always be a bunny.”

  “You’re right. He needs to leave.” I sink down in the grass. “But there’s a Very Big Problem.”

  Goldie’s ears perk. “What’s that?”

  “The cage.” I pause to think. And scratch under my bumpy collar. “It’s trapping him in, but it’s also keeping me out.”

  Goldie cocks her head. “Hmm, that does sound like a problem.”

  “You should see Hattie snuggle him,” I say. “It’s the very definition of revolting. What I need is a solution. And soon.”

  Goldie glances at Patches, who’s now curled up in the grass. Then she faces me again, a strange gleam in her eye. “What was that you said about snuggling?”

  My stomach clenches with the horrible memories. “Hattie pulls that Evil Bunny out of the cage, and—hey, wait a minute, Goldie!” I cry. “Are you saying . . . ?”

  Goldie paws the ground. “Next time she does, you’ll be ready for the chase?” she murmurs in a sly voice. “Could work.”

  “That’s it!” I jump and spin. It’s the Best Idea Ever! “Wowee! Thanks, Goldie! You’re a real friend.”

  “Whoa, calm down there, Fenway,” Goldie says. “Your victory hasn’t happened yet.”

  I stop spinning. “But it’s only a matter of time,” I say, dropping down in the grass. “Now I have a great plan. Thanks to you.”

  She flops down beside me, her golden paw covering my brown one. “Your chance will come,” she says. “And you’ll be ready.”

  I look over at the short humans. Angel’s still slumped on the step, her arms still folded. She grits her teeth. She says a word that I know, “Zahra,” and one that I don’t, “lied.” It must mean something terrible, because Angel is mad and sad at the same time.

  Hattie’s gaze drifts to the ground. She and Angel are quiet for a few minutes. Hattie’s forehead scrunches, like she’s trying to think.

  Then Hattie’s eyebrows arch like she’s got an idea. “Hey!” she pats Angel’s shoulder. “See-Thumper?”

  Angel’s face brightens. “Okay,” she says.

  Hattie takes her hand. “Come on!”

  I jump to my feet. “Did you hear that?” I say to Goldie. “They’re probably headed for the cage! This could be my big opportunity!”

  “Good luck,” she calls.

  “Fenway,” Patches cries. “Maybe you should stop and think . . .”

  I tune her out. The short humans make their way to the Friend Gate. I’m right on their heels, my tail going berserk. I’m so ready! I’m so ready!

  Hattie babbles nonstop. “Thumper, Thumper,” she says, her voice full and cheery. The short humans pick up speed as they skip through our Dog Park, up the porch steps, and into the house.

  I’m practically romping on Hattie’s sneakers. I have to stick by her side every second. My big chance is almost here!

  Food Lady walks by, an overflowing basket of dirty clothes balanced on her hip. She greets Angel with a smile, then heads downstairs to the Musty-Smelling Place.

  Hattie pulls Angel into the Eating Place. “Ta-da!” she says, going straight to the table. And the cage.

  Angel leans in, her face glowing. “Aw,” she coos. She wiggles her fingers at the Evil Bunny.

  The second Hattie unlatches the door, I start leaping wildly. Whoopee! It’s almost time for Goldie’s plan!

  Hattie shoves her arm inside the cage. She reaches for the nasty fur ball, who’s huddled in the corner, trembling. And twitching with evil.

  Sure enough, Hattie scoops him out, grinning proudly. She rubs his fur against Angel’s cheek.

  “Awww,” Angel says again, caressing the Evil Bunny’s back.

  My fur ripples with disgust.

  Hattie sucks in a breath. She smiles hopefully at Angel. “Fenway . . . park?” she asks, nuzzling her chin against the Evil Bunny’s head.

  My ears spike. Hattie’s talking about me, and the park! But just as quickly, my ears flop with sadness. She might be talking about me, but she’s nuzzling him.

  Angel looks surprised. She glances at the door where Food Lady disappeared. “But—what?” she starts to ask.

  Hattie doesn’t let her finish. She thrusts the Evil Bunny into her hands.

  Angel gasps. She gazes at the bunny adoringly. “Awww . . .”

  I’m not exactly sure what’s going on, except that the short humans are distracted. Which can only mean one thing—opportunity. I’ve never been more ready!

  I leap up, throwing myself at Angel’s legs. “Drop that bunny!”

  She wobbles and grabs onto a chair to steady herself. “What the—?” she cries, her eyes wide and startled.

  The Evil Bunny flies out of Angel’s arms. He hops wildly around her legs. Squeeeeeeeee! Squeeeeeeeee! Squeeeeeeeee!

  “Angel!” Hattie screams, pointing at the bunny.

  Angel goes to nab him, but he squirts out of her grasp. “No!” she cries as he skitters under the chair.

  I’m ready to pounce. “Surrender, bunny!” I bark. I lunge for his fluffy little tail, but he manages to hop out of reach.

  Squeeeeeeeee! Squeeeeeeeee! Squeeeeeeeee!

  “FEN-way!” Hattie yells, scrambling toward me.

  The bunny scampers around a table leg, then rockets out of the room.

  Squeeeeeeeee! Squeeeeeeeee! Squeeeeeeeee!

  I burst into the hallway. “Do you think you can escape?”

  Hattie races after us. “FEN-way!” she cries.

  That Evil Bunny sure can fly! I follow him into the Loungi
ng Place.

  The short humans are hot on my tail. “FEN-way!” Hattie yells. “Stop!”

  I zip around the couch and pull to a halt. How did I lose sight of that squealing little coward?

  He can’t have gotten far. Based on the bunny-ish stench, he’s nearby. Nose to the ground, I sniff for clues.

  I track the scent around the other side of the couch, my nostrils working overtime. The low table smells like books and magazines and flowers. The comfy chair smells like Food Lady and lemony tea. And the couch smells like Fetch Man’s socks. Maybe that nasty fur ball’s not on the furniture, but he’s here somewhere. And I’m going to find him!

  I circle past Angel, who’s on her hands and knees, peeking under the couch.

  Hattie rushes up behind me, her arms reaching . . .

  Whew! I shoot behind the couch, barely beyond her grabby hands. She’s trying to sabotage my efforts!

  My nose leading the way, I follow the stinky trail along the back of the couch. Yowza! He definitely went this way.

  Angel’s fingers nearly grab my hind paw, but I’m way too quick for her. I race to the other end of the couch. I should’ve known she’d take the bunny’s side, too.

  I’m diving under a small table when suddenly it teeters and—crash! A lamp falls and shatters on the floor.

  “Oh no!” Hattie’s jaw drops. So does Angel’s.

  Clearly, they were upset by the loud noise. But I can’t let anything distract me! I speed around the table legs, hopping over jagged pieces of broken pottery. The scents are getting stronger. My nose is going wild. I’m getting closer to that Evil Bunny!

  I rush past the low table, my hind leg bumping the corner with a thump! A vase of flowers wobbles, then—smash! Splash!

  Water starts trickling off the low table. Flowers flop onto the floor. I barely dart out of the way in time.

  “Get-im!” Hattie cries, pointing.

  I’m about to leap onto a puffy chair when Angel comes at me from the other side. I pivot sharply and crawl underneath instead. It’s dark and cramped and stuffy. The perfect place for a cowardly bunny to hide!

  I smell him before I see him. When my eyes adjust to the darkness, I’m face-to-face with the little monster himself!

  “Ha! I’ve got you now!” I bark, lunging.

  He rockets away, squealing hysterically. Like the coward he is.

  I’m scootching after him, sounds of muffled gasps and short humans’ footsteps all around. By the time I burst out from underneath the chair, Hattie’s sweating and panting and searching under the couch. Angel’s at her side, trying to catch her breath.

  But there’s no sign of that Evil Bunny. He’s obviously hiding again.

  Like he can get away with that. His scent can’t hide!

  Nose to the rug, I’m scooting past Hattie when her hand seizes my hind leg. “Hey, let me go!” I bark, kicking furiously. “I’m in the middle of a job!”

  “FEN-way, stop!” Hattie shouts, clearly upset. Like she’s the one whose plan got interrupted.

  “Not now!” I bark. “I have an Evil Bunny to track!” I’m yelping and thrashing with all my might when Hattie’s eyes widen in horror. And Food Lady screams.

  “Hattie!” Food Lady yells. Something terrible must’ve happened in the Musty-Smelling Place, because she sounds awfully upset. She gazes around the Lounging Place, her face horrified.

  Did she have a plan that got interrupted, too?

  Hattie exchanges a worried look with Angel. She smells scared. And anxious.

  Food Lady’s hands are on her hips. She glares at Hattie, clearly waiting for Hattie to say something.

  But all Hattie can do is gulp.

  It’s obvious that more than one disaster is going on here. But I have to stay focused. “Outta my way, people!” I bark, kicking until my leg pulls free of Hattie’s clutches. “I’m in the middle of an important job!”

  “FEN-way!” Hattie screams. She lunges after me, but I’m way too speedy.

  Sniffing wildly, I race over the rug, through broken pottery pieces, and around the puffy chair. That nasty creature thinks he can hide from this nose? Ha! He’s dealing with a professional! He’s definitely somewhere in the Lounging Place, and I won’t rest until I find him.

  “FEN-way!” Hattie rushes across the room, making a wide arc around the low table. She’s trying to head me off!

  “Nice try, Hattie!” I shoot out of her grasp in the nick of time. Me and Hattie have played chase so many times, I know all her moves. There’s no way she can catch me.

  I hop around a soggy magazine, over the limp flowers, and take a sharp turn toward the couch.

  Food Lady lets out an angry sigh. “Hattie, what . . . ?”

  I catch a fresh whiff of bunny under one end of the couch. I dive into the darkness.

  “Angel!” Hattie shouts. I hear short human footsteps run up behind me. Another set rush over to the other end of the couch.

  “I-got-im!” Angel’s voice cries. Next thing I know, her sideways face appears up ahead of me.

  Hattie’s guarding one potential exit, while Angel’s patrolling another. It’s the oldest trick in the history of chase. Do they think I’m an amateur? I halt in my tracks and poke my head out from under the middle of the couch.

  Just then, Fetch Man charges in from the Dog Park, reeking of oil. “What the—?” he cries. “Hattie?”

  Food Lady pivots. “Oh no!” she shouts, her eyes full of horror. She rushes toward him, pointing at the dark, greasy footprints trailing behind Fetch Man.

  Yippee! A distraction! I squirt out from under the couch, my nose tracking the odious bunny scent.

  “Angel!” Hattie yells as I zoom around Angel’s sneakers.

  I’m vaguely aware of Angel’s reaching hands, but I’ve got something more important to focus on. The odor is overwhelming. And the drapes are twitching . . .

  Just as Angel’s fingers start to close around me, I spurt out and zip over to those drapes! I root under the heavy fabric, my nose assaulted by the stench—aha! I’m ready to pounce!

  Squeeeeeee! Squeeeeeee! Squeeeeeee! The Evil Bunny scampers past me and shoots out from under the drapes.

  Why, that little—! I race after him, just as the fur ball flies toward Angel. Her grabby hands are about to nab him.

  “Angel!” Hattie screams. “Get-im!”

  “What?” Fetch Man and Food Lady yell at the same time, frozen. Their faces have matching expressions of shock.

  Angel lunges for the Evil Bunny. Her fingers brush his hind leg, but he tears away and scampers out of the Lounging Place before she can grab him. She shrieks and bolts after him. Hattie’s not far behind.

  The short humans are fast, but I’m faster. I bolt past them down the hallway, hot on that bunny’s evil, cottony tail. “You think you can outrun me?” I bark.

  Squeeeeeee! Squeeeeeee! Squeeeeeee! He heads straight for the back door. That’s partially open.

  “Prepare for certain doom!” I bark. I’m hauling as fast as I can, but the Evil Bunny gets to the door first . . .

  And shoots outside!

  I’m about to rocket after him, but Hattie’s hands close around my torso. Talk about bad timing! “What’d you do that for?” I bark, twisting and squirming. “I almost had him!”

  But as usual, Hattie doesn’t get it. She thrusts me into Fetch Man’s greasy hands as she, Angel, and Food Lady speed past us and out the door.

  Fetch Man sets me down. “Stay!” he yells, then races out the door himself.

  I bound after him, but he slides the door shut. Practically on my snout! “Hey!” I bark, scratching the screen. But it’s no use. They’re all out in the Dog Park except me. Even the Evil Bunny!

  All I can do is watch. But there’s no sign of that nasty creature anywhere.

  The humans are all fra
ntic. And busy. Hattie and Angel zigzag across the porch, bending and craning their heads under the table and chairs. Food Lady investigates a pile of tools scattered in the grass. She studies the quiet lawn mower and peeks in its grassy bag. Fetch Man searches beneath the barbecue.

  After scouring every inch of the porch, Hattie and Angel rush around the Dog Park. Their heads swivel aimlessly as if they can’t make up their minds where to look.

  Food Lady checks out the vegetable patch. Fetch Man examines the lawn mower bag, even though Food Lady’s already looked there. Angel drops to her hands and knees and peeks under the bushes, while Hattie races to the giant tree.

  She scales the ladder-y steps up the trunk and disappears in the leafy branches. Soon the upper half of her body pokes out the window of the little house. Her head twists from side to side, her hand shielding her eyes. She gazes into the Dog Park below like she’s looking for a lost bone. Or a ball.

  Fetch Man and Food Lady head to the Friend Gate. Fetch Man gives it a rattly pull and seems glad that it’s shut tight. The tall humans walk slowly and carefully around the perimeter of the whole Dog Park. When they get to the back fence behind the giant tree, Fetch Man squats on his haunches. He examines a patch of dirt, bending his head way down. Is he trying to see under the fence? Hey, is that the spot where the Evil Bunny Gang’s hole was before?

  Food Lady crouches next to Fetch Man. She looks under the fence, too. Even from the house, I can see the distress on their faces.

  When Hattie finally climbs down from the giant tree, she and Angel gather with the tall humans around the hole. They are huddled together, staring at it like it’s the most interesting thing they’ve ever seen.

  If only I weren’t trapped behind the door, I’d be all over that hole. What if the Evil Bunny Gang is on the other side, growling and thumping their sinister hind legs? Or coming for their leader after all?

  Hey, wait a minute! I’ve been so focused on watching the humans, I almost forgot that I haven’t seen one single trace of that Evil Bunny this entire time. Where is he?