A sunny day it was, like usual, on Carrot Side Rd. I was hopping through the playground minding my own business, munching down my carrots, when Bear the hare came up and threw down a handful of ignorance at me. Jack the Black was what he called me- it was what everyone called me. I think they were referring to my fur color. Bear’s words hurt me more than a veterinarian with a five inch needle, but that felt like a pinch compared to the dreadful beatings. From left paw to right paw, he smothered me to the ground. He was no heretical demon or anything, but I thought otherwise then.

I walked back home cheerless from my first grade class. I was thinking whether or not hare ears would look nice on my bedroom wall, but I forgot about that devilish proposal and continued home. I arrived home, ran up to my room, and stuffed myself with orange skinned carrots. I started plotting revenge on my bullies, as I listened to a few hip-hop songs. That was the only music we had, hip-hop. My mother, Teresa, called my name expecting me to hop right down to the kitchen. Well, I tried to, but woulddn’t budge. I laid there, on my bedroom floor, for hours, then fell asleep.

I woke up the next day smelling like crab. I still don’t remember eating crab, but I do remember the carrots- five dozens to be exact. In fact, I woke up that day feeling like a pirate ship. I felt as big as one at least. I finally got up, and went to the bathroom. I found an old French essay of mine stuck to the back of my head. I probably slept on it. I threw it away and headed down to my kitchen. I found a white, lined paper on our brown table. It read:
Dear Jack,

I’m sorry, your father and I have moved on to greener pastures, literally. I hope you stay safe, and clean your room. Sorry we didn’t say goodbye, we had to do what we had to do.

Sincerely,
Teresa.



Thinking about the fact that my parents left me somehow made me remember that I was late for school. It was thirty minutes past the bell rang. I grabbed my book bag and sprinted to school. I had a terrible time getting there. After falling in mud, and dropping my bag a few times, I got to school. I walked in class late, and dirty. I sat down trying to dodge a lecture that would not benefit me in any way from my teacher. That did not work.
“Jack!” my teacher called.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah?” she copied
“Yeah,” I said in firmness.
“Sit down and next time don’t be late. You can’t be projecting this time of behavior in front of all the other students. What were you thinking?
I showed a fake sign of approval and placed my bag next to my seat. Throughout the whole class I couldn’t stop thinking of how bad my life has been. I should have been paying attention to our study on bugs which live underground, but that wasn’t important. The bell rang, and I left the room. Just when I thought I was free, Bear was there to stop the impossible from happening. He was accompanied by a group of others to help him humiliate me.
“So, uh, Jack I heard your parents left the town.”
“Something like that.”
“That makes you guys a minority by two percent less.”
Although I knew that didn’t make sense I felt a level of anger that I have never felt before. My eyes seemed to widen, and my hand clinched into a fist. I gritted my teeth and swung my fist at his face. His body sat there flat on the floor. His ears drooped down behind him, and I began to smile. I looked at him lay in the fetal position, and then realized that I was in for some trouble.

I began running from Bears “friends”. It seemed to me that they were just scared of him, but I was thinking too much about whether or not he had friends rather than thinking of surviving. We past Lake Grathtop, and got to a dead end. It seemed to be a forest. I slowed down and sneaked through the tall evergreen trees. It began turning dark, and I was still being followed. I was sure they were lost, but I knew I was to. Just when I started relaxing, it seemed to me that the trees were talking. The grass seemed to grow by meters every second. I was scared, and probably hallucinating. I ran as fast as I can. I wanted to escape. I finally reached a point were I could see outside the forest. I continued until I reached a wooden cabin.
I entered, and found a table with papers and a pen on it. That was all. I began writing, and I didn’t stop until I heard some chattering coming from outside the house. I slid to the edge of the window, and peered outside. They were right in front of the cabin. They seemed angry. I panicked, and didn’t know what to do. They started moving closer to the house, so I decided to jump out through the window. I climbed out, and ran for my life. I looked behind me every once in a while to see if they were after me; they were not there. Finally, I got back to Lake Grathtop. I looked down, and saw my reflection in the clear blue water. I had to leave, I thought to myself.
Now, I’m in a better place. I’m having a great time. Carrot mountains, beautiful doe, and of course all the hip-hop in the world. From here I saw what I missed out on earlier in my life. Bears friends entered the small, black house, and found a little paper with orange stains on it- that of which I wrote on. It read:
If you are reading this I ought to be up above you, flying high with the angels, and chilling with God. See you all so very soon.