Rachel Elizabeth Cole - The Rabbit Ate My Flip-Flops

The Rabbit Ate My Flip-Flops

Rachel Elizabeth Cole

Illustrated by Deanna Dionne

Copyright 2015 Rachel Elizabeth Cole

Illustrations Deanna Dionne 2015

Tangled Oak Press, 2015

ISBN: 9780991766765

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

Cover by Littera Designs

First Edition

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Cole, Rachel Elizabeth, 1976-, author

The rabbit ate my flip-flops / written by Rachel Elizabeth Cole

; illustrated by Deanna Dionne.

Issued in print and electronic formats.

ISBN 978-0-9917667-7-2 (paperback).ISBN 978-0-9917667-6-5 (html)

I. Dionne, Deanna, illustrator II. Title.

PS8605.O438R31 2015 jC813'.6 C2015-904718-8

C2015-904719-6

To Dad, Glenda, and Abigail

In memory of Molly

Chapter One:

Time to Go

I stare at my computer and sigh. On the screen, a picture of a super-cool looking space station hovers in front of a swirling alien planet and a vast starry background. Above it, in large glowing green letters it reads, Galaxy Guilds: Connect. Construct. Conquer. Beneath it, a countdown timer ticks down the minutes. 20:42:16. Less than a day until the coolest game of the yearthe game my best friend, Quentin, and I have been waiting ages to playfinally releases, and am I going to be around to play it? Nope.

Im going to be stuck in a cramped travel trailer with my annoying little sister, Libby, and my grandparents in a campground in the middle of nowhere. Why? Because Mom has to go to a conference in Hawaii for her job at the insurance company and Dad is going, too. So that means nobody will be here to take care of me and Libby. And since Nana and Papa are going camping this week, they thought we should come with them. Oh, and did I mention this camping trip is an annual thing Nana and Papa do every year with a bunch of other old people theyve known since Dad was a kid?

I sigh again.

Just then a Skype message chirps. Its Quentin.

Q chow99: Sup?

Me: Packing

Qchow99: Boo

Me: Yeah

Qchow99: Galaxy Guilds is gonna be so lame without u

Me: :(

Qchow99: Why u no ask ur mom and dad to stay with me?

Me: I did but they said no

Qchow99: :(

Me: Yeah

Qchow99: How long r u gonna be gone?

Me: A week

Qchow99: Lame

Me: Yeah

Qchow99: U gonna have wifi?

Me: Dunno

Qchow99: Lemme know if u do

Me: I will

Qchow99: Gtg

Me: Ok

Qchow99: Cya

I exit Skype and power off my computer. I was so excited last year when Dad let me have his old desktop from work, but now I wish Id held out for a laptop instead. At least I could bring a laptop with me. Theres got to be Wi-Fi somewhere. Maybe even at the campsite. At least Ive still got my iPod. It wont be the same as having my computer and I cant play Galaxy Guilds, but Ive got some games and music and books on it so I hopefully wont be totally bored. Even if I cant get online.

Are you packed yet, Drew? Mom sticks her head into my room. Her arms are full of clean laundry and several coat hangers are hooked over her elbow.

I glance at the half-empty suitcase on my bed. I, uh, just about.

Moms eyebrows scrunch together. Seriously, Drew, I dont have time to pack for you. If you forget anything, youre going to have to do without it. Toothbrush, hairbrush, socks, underwear. And dont forget your bathing suit. Now hurry up. You still need to set up Tinys pen. She turns and heads down the hall towards her bedroom.

I plop down on my bed. I do not want to pack. I do not want to go. But I know stalling wont do much except get me yelled at. I yank open my dresser, grab some clothes, and stuff them in the suitcase. I fetch my toothbrush from the bathroom, grab my pillow, stick my iPod in my pocket, and call it good. Other than a laptop, I cant think of anything else Id want to bring with me anyway.

Then I head downstairs to take care of the rabbit. At least somebody gets to stay home this week.

***

I set the bowl Ive just filled with water at the laundry room sink in the bottom of the pen and stand back to survey my handiwork. Litter box, check. Food bowls, check. Rack full of hay, check. Cat jingle ball, check. Toilet paper tube stuffed with newspaper, check. Dolls bed with fleece blanket, check. Only thing missing: Tiny himself.

Tiny! I yell up the stairs. Come on, Tiny! Ive got a treat for you!

I listen for a moment. No thunder of rabbit feet galloping across the floor above me. No whiskery nose appearing at the top of the steps. Where is that silly animal?

I head up to the living room.

No Tiny on the couch, his usual hangout. No Tiny in the kitchen, waiting for the fridge to open. No Tiny asleep on my bed, either.

Libby.

I head for her room. Just as I suspected. My seven-year-old sister has the rabbit. She also has a giant duffel bag on her bed and is trying to squeeze the rabbit inside it. He doesnt seem too impressed with the idea as he keeps hopping out every time she tries to zip it up.

Just what do you think youre doing? I demand.

Libby looks up at me, her eyes going wide, then her lower lip pokes out. We cant leave Tiny! She gives me that lookthe one she always gives Mom before she asks for a new Barbie doll.

Oh, please, dont start. We cannot bring that rabbit camping. Nana and Papa have said he has to stay here.

But hell be cold and lonely and scared. He wont know where we are! Libbys lip quivers.

Hell be fine. Hell be safe and sound in his pen in the laundry room. Hell eat hay and poop in his litter box and will be as happy as a rabbit can be. Besides, Tabitha will come by and feed him and play with him every day. Tabitha is in my grade and knows all about rabbits. She has two pet rabbits, Lolly and Oscar. I used to think she was weird, since she likes to wear mens clothes and old shoes, but now were pretty good friends. And just friends.