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?”-- FarmerJohn, Jun 02 2002 Donnie Darko http://www.donniedarko.com/You *really* don't want a sinister giant rabbit as a motivator. [pottedstu, Jun 02 2002, last modified Oct 21 2004] jackalope http://paulnwhelan....files/JACKALOPE.jpgterrifying [thumbwax, Jun 02 2002, last modified Oct 17 2004] shouldn't you be out raking hay or planting something?-- runforrestrun, Jun 02 2002 Isn't this redundant with the "live tiger (keeps you running)" idea, despite FJ's attempt to disguise the content of his idea with imaginative prose.-- pottedstu, Jun 02 2002 Sometimes I think the prose can give one a better feel for the idea, to enrich not disguise it. I'll agree that this idea is rather crappy but not stolen.-- FarmerJohn, Jun 02 2002 That thar's one a dem Jackalopes-- thumbwax, Jun 02 2002 Well, I think the prose is great - worked especially well for the used food idea, i thought.-- yamahito, Jun 03 2002 Somebody just tell me how I should vote on these, k?-- waugsqueke, Jun 03 2002 Reminds me of Jimmy Carter who, sitting in a boat, was attacked by a swimming, crazed bunny.-- FarmerJohn, Jun 04 2002 random, halfbakery