Chapter 1 Part 3, Little Bunny's Plan
Book Five: Wellington Rabbit Lost and Found
“Told you the Cheshire Cat was messing with Georg.”
Brushing aside the absurd notion for the moment Wellington asked, “But why?”
“Dunno,” said the little bunny. “But I know how to find out. We need to slip into Wonderland quickie quickie before that cat takes off for someplace else. He likes to travel, you know.”
Wellington did not know and what the bunny was suggesting was a fantasy at best but he decided to humor the youngster to see what else was up his imaginative sleeve, “I did not know that.”
“Oh yes, not long ago he went exploring in Antarctica. Can you imagine the Cheshire Cat in Antarctica? Why…”
“Wait a second,” Wellington had heard enough. “I know you are itching for an adventure but creating a fantasy won’t make it happen.”
“It’s not a fantasy,” little bunny was crushed. “I might have made a few judgment errors but I would never mislead you. You, of all rabbits, you are my hero.”
“There, there lad but you must admit it sounds very fantasy like.”
“That’s because where we’re going is into fantasy stories.”
Wellington gave up and accepted that what little bunny suggested was truly bona fide. “How do we slip, as you say into this Wonderland place? And what good would it do for Georg’s missing voice?”
“It’s not that easy,” admitted the little bunny. “And a good thing too or folks would be slipping in and out of books like buzz flies. Can you imagine the confusion? What with all the extra people in the stories and such. Nothing would be right. Why I…”
“Whoa, whoa, you certainly talk enough for one small rabbit. Just explain the process. Slowly. And without any asides if you can manage.”
“Okay,” grinned little bunny happy to see Wellington was coming around. “I’ll do my best. It is possible to get into a storybook, you see.”
“A storybook?”
“Yes, you can even slip from story to story. Sometimes my friends and I would race to see who could slip through the most stories in one minute. I usually won. I am very quick you know.”
“Why can’t anyone do this?” questioned Wellington tiring of the conversation and again beginning to doubt the entire sincerity of little rabbit. Surely he was mixing fantasy and reality in some odd fashion.
“It’s all in the inflection, very hard to learn, very hard to teach. Why…”
“How did you learn?” Wellington cut off the little rabbit before he could wander off topic yet again.
“My grandfather was good friends with Miss Havisham from Great Expectations. She’s very smart and a champion slipper, but right tricky one. I’ve never met her. I hear that she is off in Egypt right now helping that Amelia Peabody detective woman. Her stories are rather involved you know. And there are so many of them. Why…”
“You’re doing it again,” Wellington chided but not entirely upset as little bunny could see a small grin forming at the edge of Wellington’s mouth. He also saw Wellington dip his head in the direction of Georg, who was sipping tea and attempting to clear his throat, to remind little bunny of their focus.
“Oh yes,” little rabbit drew up suddenly feeling very important. “Let’s to tea and I will fill you in on the details about slipping.” Wellington nodded. With a sign he put a dust cover on his typewriter and put his glasses in their case. His own story would just have to wait.
Wellington Rabbit is a sixteen (soon to be seventeen) book series about the adventures of a gentle rabbit and his friends. Each book is ten chapters long, separated into three parts and published here Monday, Wednesday, Friday.