Arfie and Ben and the very Tired Bunny – Chapter 3

So, I’m hoping you’re still with me and this time our two wee terriers have brought a smile to your face (even though you know you shouldn’t). Sadly, the rest of my site is looking a bit like a history lesson as I haven’t been in do any updating there – its also a serial and will happen when the Arfie and Ben chapters have finished.

Chapter Three.

 They dug a very big hole so Armi could leap right out. 

 He didn’t.

‘He’s not waking up, is he Ben.’ Arfie peered into the hole. He leaned closer to the rabbit’s ear.. ‘Wake up, Armidale.’

Armidale didn’t. 

‘Lazy things, rabbits.’ Ben said. ‘Always were.’

Arfie and Ben sat down. The day was ending very fast and soon the moon would be out but Armidale stayed put. 

‘I’ll help him.’ Arfie said. ‘He probably just needs a bit of a push.’

‘And a tug.’ Ben said. ‘Rabbits are best pulled not pushed.’

Soon Armidale was stretched out on the lawn. The day was very nearly not and the grass was wet with dew damp. Arfie shivered and so did Ben but Armidale stayed perfectly still.

‘He a good sleeper, isn’t he, Ben.’

Ben moved closer. ‘They live in dark burrows. ‘Spect they don’t know how to wake up fast.’

Arfie sniffed. ‘He’s a bit smelly.’ 

‘Always are.’ Said Ben. ‘Never knew one that wasn’t. Furry smell. Things get caught in it.’

‘What things?’ Arfie looked closer.

‘Twigs and leaves and dirt and bits of old poo.’

Arfie stepped back. ‘He is a bit grubby. Can’t see any poos but there’s lots of dirt. It’s in his ears. Look.’

Ben didn’t. ‘’Spect that why he didn’t wake up.’ 

Arfie blew a little bit of dirt from an ear. ‘Wake up!’ He gave him a gentle push. Armidale slept on.

‘He’ll be hungry, won’t he Ben?’’ Arfie looked at the dark sky and the streetlights that shone across the path. ‘I’m hungry too.’

Ben walked across the back yard and to the end of the driveway. ‘And there’s no sign of her with any rabbit food.’ Ben sighed a deep sigh as he ambled back. ‘’Spect we’ll have to take him with us.’

‘He’ll probably wake up when he smells his food.’ Arfie said. ‘Come on Armidale.’

Armidale didn’t so Ben gently tugged him by his ears and Arfie pushed the bits that weren’t too dirty. He was already a bit soggy from dampish rabbit fur. Some of it was coming out in his mouth. 

‘He’s heavy for an old rabbit, isn’t he?’ He puffed when he stopped to spit out some dirt. 

Ben pulled a teensy bit harder and then sat down. ‘His neck’s the problem. Rabbit’s necks are always a bit stretchy. Make them hard to move.’

‘And wake up.’ Agreed Arfie as they once more pulled and pushed, and nipped and tucked to get Armidale up the back steps and into the kitchen.

They’d just put him down on the lino-tiled floor when Mrs Balfour screamed.. 

Arfie barked and Ben ran around the kitchen. ‘It’ll be a cockroach.’ He said.

But Mrs Balfour wasn’t reaching for the cockroach spray. She was reaching for two smallish white terriers. ‘You bad bad dogs!’ Oh, her voice was so loud. ‘Bad, wicked nasty dogs!’

She dumped them in their baskets and ran into the laundry.

‘Spect it’s our footprints.’ Ben said. 

‘And Armi’s fur. It’s left dirt all over the floor.’

He peered out to look at the sleeping rabbit. ‘Guess what?’

Ben lifted his head from his paws. It was hard work heaving a snoozy rabbit across a road. ‘What?’

‘One of his eyes is open!’ 

Ben rested down. The house was warm and cosy after the chilly backyard over the road. His tummy was empty and that wasn’t good. She’d feed them soon and the best way to get there was to sleep. ‘Spect her scream surprised him.’

Arfie snuggled down. ‘Closed now.’ He said. ‘She’s closed it.’

Ben said nothing.

‘Why’d she close it again, Ben. He can’t eat his dinner if he’s sleeping.’

Ben still said nothing.

‘Bit silly if you ask me.’ Arfie mumbled. ‘Don’t you think it’s a bit silly, Ben?”