Running. The patter of feet as someone runs away from a pursuit. A little girl, no older than five or six, is running through a dark forest, as if being chased. She looked over her shoulder and saw nothing. But her feet continued to carry her forwards.
However, she bumped into something that brought her to a halt, knocking her down. She looked up and saw a face in the dark shadows just above her. Her pursuer. The face had an eerie, disturbing smile. She raised up her hands and yelled, "NO-"
SNAP!
She did not get to finish her sentence as blood trickled to the forest floor, and the crunching of her bones inside of the maw of her hunter echoed in the empty forest. A victim who nobody would remember in due time.
A MONTH AND A HALF LATER...
A car drove down the road in an empty area. In it, a cheery five year old named Penny and her family. They were going on a trip. Beside her in the car was her older brother, Jason. And in the front her mother and father. They were headed to a forest cabin for their family vacation, a nice time for family bonding.
The car turned into a dirt path, heading into the forest. After a few minutes, they arrived at the cabin. Penny burst out of the car doors, excitement palpable from the little girl. Jason got out after her, unamused by his little sister, "God Penny you are so annoyingly positive."
Their mother looked at Jason, an irritated expression on her face. She opened her mouth with a scolding tone, "Jason! What have I told you about that behavior?"
"Sorry mom..."
Jason sighed and went inside the cabin. Penny and Jason's father patted their mother on the shoulder, to calm her so they could enjoy the trip.
Penny was about to go inside, however she saw a black rabbit with white spots in her peripheral vision. She turned to it and began walking to it. She didn't really know why. But she felt compelled to follow. She walked up to the rabbit, and then it started hopping away.
Penny ran after it and eventually, she was in a field of flowers. It was a colorful space of kind smells. A comforting atmosphere surrounded the entire space and in the center was the rabbit. It had yellow eyes and they were quite captivating. Hypnotizing nearly.
Penny was about to reach out to the rabbit, however she then heard her father call out, "Penny! We have lunch set up!" Upon hearing that, Penny gave one last look to the rabbit before running back to her family.
When she arrived she saw a picnic spread out in front of the cabin. Sitting on the mat and grabbing a piece of food, Penny began to eat with her family. But, then she saw it. The rabbit. Her eyes widened and she spoke while pointing, "Mr. Rabbit!"
Jason quirked an eyebrow before seeing the rabbit himself. He spoke up, "Penny it's just a weird rabbit. Leave it be and eat your food..." Penny's parents also echoed similar statement, urging Penny to focus on her food.
HOURS LATER...
It was night now. The forest was dark, lights were on in the cabin. Jason in his own room, Penny's parents in the living room. Penny was in her PJs. Getting ready to head to sleep. However, in her bed was the rabbit. The very same from earlier that day.
Penny saw it and was surprised, before she was gleeful. She reached out and began to pet the rabbit. She giggled and kept petting its soft fur. Penny crawled into her bed and held the rabbit close.
The next morning, Penny awoke and the rabbit was gone. Seemingly having left through whatever means it arrived before. Penny got up and went to the living room for breakfast. She sat beside Jason, who was absorbed in his phone. On her plate was eggs and bacon which the girl scarfed down.
As she went through the day she didn't really have much to entertain herself with other than her favorite dolls. Jason wouldn't play with her. After all, the boy had better things to do over playing house with his little sister. Eventually, he decided to go outside. After Jason made his way onto the porch of the cabin, in the distance he too would see the rabbit.
He was mid-sip of a can of soda the family had brought along. Then, he froze for a second. Why was this rabbit always just around their cabin? There was a chance it was just how all the rabbits looked around the forest, but the odds of them having exact same patterns was unlikely.
Jason finished the sip he was taking, and not being a big fan of caring for animals or nature, he tossed the can at the rabbit. It had no effect. The light can wasn't hurting much, let alone a rabbit that was relatively far away. Jason laughed to himself, somehow finding glee in throwing a can at rabbits.
Penny had saw it and looked upset. When she went to Jason, Penny yelled, "Big brother why did you do that to Mr. Rabbit!?" Jason just scoffed. He wasn't going to explain himself. Why would he. Penny is just his little sister. So, he walked past Penny to his room, where he would remain the whole day.
The whole day Penny's father was setting up candles, crosses, and various other religious items. He was a man who was extremely religious in his views. He even kept salts for a salt circle that "wards off demons" in his pockets.
Penny, despite being only five, understood from all her father's speaking that these items were meant to ward off the unholy. She had been told demons were real by her father all her life. So had Jason, but he never listened to their father. The items made Penny feel secure because of how her father had went about bringing her up so far.
By nightfall, the house was adorned with various religious tools and crosses. Penny had changed into her PJs and entered her room, heading for bed. On a stool by her bed, was the rabbit. Back again. Penny got into her bed and reached to pet the rabbit, his fur soft under her hands.
Once she turned over in her sleep, her nightlight having been plugged in during the day, she heard a voice. It was creepy, scratchy, and warped. It said to her, "The hunt has just begun..."