Because You Asked Me To

     "Tell me a bedtime story," he commanded, still jumping up and down on his bed.
     "It's late. Aren't you tired enough?" I knew I let him eat too much cotton candy. We had just gotten home from the highly anticipated magic show, The Amazing Jeff. I was sure all of the excitement of the night would promise me an easy and early bedtime. Clearly, I was wrong. "Besides, I'm not really that good at bedtime stories."
     "Sure, you are! You're the best! C'mon, for me?"
     "Alright, but I don't go around doing these for just anyone," I warned. "I'm only doing this because you asked me to."
     He crawled under the covers and snuggled close to his stuffed bear. "Deal."

     Once upon a time, there was a duck and a rabbit who were the best of friends. Duck and Rabbit did everything together. When it was sunny, the two friends would walk to the lake and Duck would swim around while Rabbit lay back in the shade, lovingly watching his web-footed friend enjoy the cool water. When it was rainy, Duck would waddle over to Rabbit's den and they would have rainy-day dance parties together. Duck would turn on The Bunny Hop and they would hop around until the sun was once again shining. Rabbit and Duck were on a lifelong quest to make life together as fun as possible because "that's what life should be about!"
     One day, as Duck and Rabbit were walking through the meadow, they heard a rustling sound in the leaves. 
     "What was that?!?" Rabbit asked in a panic. 
     "It is probably the Quail family out for their daily stroll," Duck assured Rabbit. But just as they took another step...SNAP! The leaves rustled around and without either of them realizing what had happened, Rabbit was caught in a hunting trap!
     "Oh no! Oh no! Oh no," Rabbit cried! "How did this happen? We are usually so careful! How will I ever get out of this mess?!?"
     Rabbit and Duck stared at each other in disbelief. Yes, they have heard of animals getting caught in hunting traps, but never in their wildest dreams did they imagine one of those animals to be them.
     "Hold on," Duck said, trying to remain calm. "Maybe I can open it from the top and you can hop out?" But alas, Duck lacked any sort of joints in his wings and webs, making opening anything close to impossible.
     Duck and Rabbit felt helpless and was beginning to give up all hope when Bear came waltzing through. "Bear! Please help us! Rabbit got caught in a human trap!" 
     "Well that is not good at all," Bear said matter of factually. With one giant swat at the metal cage, Bear's powerful paws destroyed the hunting cage and Rabbit was able to hop out and be saved!
     "Hooray! Hooray!" The three of them jumped and cheered with joy! "Thank you, Bear! You saved my life," Rabbit sighed gratefully. 
     Bear smiled, "it was nothing. Friends gotta stick together in times like these." 
     "Yes they do," Duck said gratefully. "Yes they do."

      As my attempt at a bedtime story came to an end, I watched him as his chest slowly rose up and down with each heavy breathe. "Finally," I whispered. "Good night, precious angel. Fly away to Neverland."

*a short story by Emily Street*