by
Hannah Retallick
warm
water
She hugs him. Real
tight. The bunny who cared for her when she was born, brought by an auntie’s
nervous hand and placed beside the sleeping baby.
She tickles his
ears. Floppy, damp with tears, stained with dust from the floor he was dragged
across. Mummy had never killed him in the washer, drowned his stuffing in the
sink, or passed a wipe across his face.
She whispers in
his ear. He understands non-words – always did and always will. Black beady
eyes, reflecting the naked bulb. He’s crying, Mummy. I’m sorry, my love, I
must.
She strokes his
head. Don’t cry, Floppy, please don’t cry, you’re making me cry. Jessica, come
on now.
She loses her
hold. No, Mummy, no. My love, you’ll get him back when I’m done – I promise
he’ll be okay. Promise. Now, wash your hands, my love, wash your
hands.
About
the author
Hannah
Retallick is a twenty-six-year-old from Anglesey, North Wales. She was home
educated and then studied with the Open University, graduating with a
First-class honours degree, BA in Humanities with Creative Writing and Music,
and is studying for an MA in Creative Writing. She was shortlisted in the
Writing Awards at the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival 2019, the Cambridge
Short Story Prize,
the Henshaw Short Story Competition June 2019, and the Bedford International
Writing Competition 2019. https://ihaveanideablog.wordpress.com/
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