Litariana Meadow

“Hello little bunny rabbit,” I whisper as I inch toward a little bunny sitting in a grassy clearing. It’s fur is the color of hot chocolate, it’s tail is the pure white whipped cream that sits on top.  I am going hiking with my parents in a beautiful redwood forest where the trees are alive with movement.  I love to see all the animals of the forest. I could sit in one spot for hours on end just watching them. The bunny’s ears and nose twitch as it tries to figure out whether I am a friend or foe. I am just about to be close enough to stroke the bunny’s fur when - 

“Lita! Are you coming or what?” Momma’s aggravated voice slices through the forest noises like an arrow. I shoot an angry look in the direction of the voice, but don’t bother responding. When I turn back to the bunny, all I see is the little white puff of whipped cream disappearing into the tall redwoods.

  “Noooooo! Don’t go bunny rabbit! I won’t hurt you! I promise!” I cry dashing after the bunny as fast as my four-year-old  legs can carry me. I get poked by branches and bushes, but I don’t care. At the moment my main priority is that light brown bunny. 

“Lita? Lita, where did you run off to!” Momma calls her voice getting fainter the further I run. “Lita! Lita!” Her voice is getting more and more frantic, but her voice is only a whisper now. I almost lose track of the bunny, but then I see the little white tail that marks it. I trip over a twisted tree root, and land face first in a patch of green grass. I fight off tears, and sit up. My thoughts dissipate instantly as I take a look around me. I am at the edge of a breathtaking lush green meadow. Anemones, poppies, daffodils, cornflowers, asters, and many more flowers cover the field.  Morning dew sparkles magically in the sun. Throughout the field there are lots of houses. Each of the houses are unique in size, shape, and material. Some of the houses are giant, some are tiny, some are round, some are square, some are made of grass, and some are made in tree stumps. It’s not just the houses that catch my attention though. Roaming around the field are all sorts of different forest creatures. There are bunnies, bears, wolves, mice, squirrels, foxes, raccoons, bobcats, deer, ladybugs, spiders, bees, butterflies, herons, woodpeckers, and many more. So many more in fact that I could spend a whole day just listing them all. I realize then that I must be dreaming because I can hear the animals talking to one another! I try to see if I can spot the bunny I’d been chasing, but soon give up. I resolve to watch a group of  bobcat kittens playing jump rope instead. 

After a little while of watching different animals do things like cartwheeling, playing  board games, and chasing each other, I decide that I want to join the fun. I push myself to my feet using the help of a sapling. 

“Hello!” I announce cheerfully. All commotion stops. This is definitely not the reaction I’d hoped for. Everything is silent except for the occasional whisper from one animal to another, and the sound of leaves rustling in the wind. Slowly, a lizard, a squirrel, and a bear make their way through the crowd. 

“What is your business here in Litariana Meadow?” the bear growls suspiciously. I notice how tense he is, and I start to get the feeling maybe I’m not supposed to be her.

“Well, that’s a funny coincidence! My name is Litariana! I like to be called Lita though,“ I say nervously, wiping my sweaty palms on my overalls. The bear’s eyes widen before quickly resuming their usual grumpy state, but it doesn’t go unnoticed by me. Some of the other animals in the crowd start murmuring in surprise. The squirrel and lizard scurry up the bear and each start whispering in each ear. I can only hear three words; wait, 12, and prophecy. Curiosity bubbles up inside me, and threatens to overflow, but I sense this is not time for questions. The lizard and the squirrel return to the ground. 

“We have come to a decision,” the bear announces. “You will leave with no memory of this happening. That is, until you are 12. Then all of your memories will return, and you must come back. However, you can’t tell anyone about this. Ever. Understood?” I nod paralyzed, my eyes wide. The bear motions with her paw, and a little bunny comes hopping forward. “This is Charlan, he will guide you back to the trail.”  I can’t help but wonder if he’s the same bunny that I followed before. He’s got the same colored fur and whipped cream tail, but then again, there are lots of bunnies that look like that. Then, before I can even say goodbye, Charlan is hopping along with me at his heels.

I emerge from the trees just as Mama comes running over. I feel dazed, and there is an odd tingly sensation in my head. 

“Lita! There you are! I was so worried when you didn’t respond! Where were you?” She gives me a big hug.

“I was . . .” I falter. Where was I? There’s something itching at the back of my head. Something that should be there, but isn’t. I don’t want Mama to worry, so I just make something up. “I was just picking some nice flowers along the path, but then I dropped them. I went to see if I could find them, but they’re gone!”

“Oh, it’s alright Lita. We’ll collect some new ones. And don’t go running off like that again, okay?” she says looking me straight in the eye. 

“Okay. I’m sorry Mama,” I reply. And I’m truly sorry, even if I don’t know where I was. As we walk away I take one last look back, trying to find any clues as to where I was. All I see is a little white bunny tail that looks to me like a puff of whipped cream.