Monster Mammal Motivator

My panting grew louder as if it were outside of me, pounding in my ears. My feet thudded along the hot trail with tall conifers on both sides that appeared to lean over me threateningly. “What am I doing here? I’m no good at running,” I thought as more sweat ran off my eyebrows, stinging my eyes. “I could be having fun now and this is soo borrring.” A rustle from the brush to my right made me jump and then slow down to peer into the undergrowth. Suddenly, something really big came crashing out onto the path. I didn’t have time to take a good look but took off. The ground shook as the creature bounded forward and seemed to gain on me. A quick look over my shoulder realized my worst fears; it was big as a grizzly, but …with…long ears. I accelerated and focused on waking myself; this must be a nightmare. Could that be a giant rabbit booming ever closer? I passed some other runners who looked determined but calm. They hadn’t seen it yet. I turned my horrified face to them to warn them and pray for help. My foot hit a protruding root and I started to fall, but, with arms flailing like a goose taking off, I kept my balance. My breathing was now as fast as my heart beat as both echoed deafeningly in my skull.

Ahead was a clearing and as I raced forward I saw people there, people that could save me. One man was first to reach me. It was my cross-country coach and eccentric science teacher, and he was smiling! “You won!” he shouted, “ I was thinking about using a rabbit runner in the race and remembered those kangaroo boots I’d developed. What do you think of the robot rabbit?”