January 9, 2023, prompt: Write a story that includes rabbits in 99 words (no more, no less). Is it a family? A strange planet? Some crazy bunny person’s pets? Who are they, and what are they doing? Go where the prompt leads! Click here for details.
Year Of The Rabbit – by Hugh W. Roberts
As she carefully avoided stepping into any blood on the blood-splattered, white-tiled floor, she thought she’d ask the question again.
“So nobody was here at the time of the murder?”
“Not according to the CCTV footage from outside the room. The murder occurred six to eight hours ago, and nobody came in or out until Professor Doebuck discovered the body.
“Inspector. Hop to it! Bring the forensics out here now, please,” yelled her boss.
Nobody noticed the unlocked door to the cage containing a new rabbit breed as they left the animal-testing laboratory.
The case, now closed, remains unsolved.
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Written for the 99-word flash fiction challenge hosted by Charli Mills at the Carrot Ranch.
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Enjoyed this piece of flash fiction? Then you’ll love ‘Glimpses.’
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Glimpses
28 short stories and pieces of flash fiction take the reader on a rollercoaster of twists and turns.
Paperback – £4.99
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Hugh's Views & News 
Reminds me of Monty Python… Always a good thing.
If it made you laugh, then that’s good in my books.
I’ll never look at Bugs Bunny the same way! LOL
They’re not all cute and cuddly as they seem.
Don’t. Blink. I fear a horror story has just begun! 😱
As the case was closed unsolved, it may be taking a nap.
Drat!
Oh dear. Escape of the killer rabbit! I hope it doesn’t return. Very clever and fitting name for the professor too, Hugh. Well done.
I’m glad you spotted the name of the professor, Norah. You’re the first person to have mentioned the connection to the story.
I’m rather fond of selecting appropriate character names. I don’t always do it, but like to notice it.
What a fun story Hugh. It had me smiling. 🙂 x
Good to hear. Thanks, Debby.
Thanks to Watership Down I enjoy tales of rabbits. Yours was fun – it is custom for me to say ‘Rabbit” as the first word of the year – and your rabbit tale was the first short story of 2023. Good luck that is!
I hope so, and that good luck comes your way for the rest of 2023 and the year of the rabbit (which starts on January 21st).
That was a hare-raising story, Hugh! Revenge of the lab rabbits!
Thanks, Janis. But was it the rabbits who committed the murder?
You came up with the same take as me. Though must be a giant bunny with a thirst for blood.
If it was the rabbit, that whodunit.
Vampire bats are even smaller, but their craving for blood is even bigger.
Excellent storytelling, Hugh!
Thank you, Eugenia.
This is so fun! I “found” you by searching for information on updating a Gravatar (your post on that was a lifesaver), which led to this clever piece. Don’t mind me, as I “hop” around your site a bit more now. 😀
I’m so pleased my post about updating a Gravatar showed up on your search list.
And welcome to Hugh’s Views And News. I hope you enjoy the content and find plenty that interests you.
As the saying goes: “never judge a book by its cover” … just because a bunny is endearing and cute, it may not be after all.
From somebody who once had a pet rabbit that acted like the devil, I am with you, Linda. He was pure white, had red eyes and would bite anyone he could get his teeth into. My father ended up sending him to the farm to live.
Ahh, you wrote from experience then. I didn’t know rabbits had a mean streak! I also had a white rabbit when I was a kid. It’s name was “Scratch” and my mom made me keep it in a bushel basket downstairs. We got it from a family member who owned a farm. We ended up taking it back as my mom said it wasn’t fair to keep him by himself all day long and nowhere for it to move around.
I have to agree with your mum. Pet rabbits must be able to move around their home and be let out to run free at least once a day.
My first pet loss Hugh – thankfully just going back to the farm and not passing away. It was cruel to keep it penned up alone downstairs.
Great Hugh. Never under-estimate the wildlife
It can fight back and give as good as it gets, Brenda.
Yep the new breed of Rabbit did it 🙂
Great story!
Thank you.
Do you really think it was the rabbits? I wonder why?
Yep and here’s why.
New breed of Rabbit has second joint in front legs, this enables it to unlatch the cage door. Then hiding in wait for the scientist on duty to come back in and check animals. As he enters the room, bang, the new rabbit jumps him from behind, slicing his throat be accident while trying to escape.
Jumping through the open door, to what he thought was freedom. 🙂
You should become a police detective. Or are you already one? A great way of revealing what happened in the lab.
Nope not a detective, just slowly learning the writing craft 🙂
Those Wascally Wabbits, as Bugs Bunny would say, Hugh! Great twisty story, reminded me for a fleeting moment of the book Watership Down. Have a lovely weekend!
I’ve never read the book but loved the various movies, Terri. Brought me to tears in places.
I guess they’re not honey bunnies! LOL.
No, more like ‘bloodthirsty’ bunnies.
The cuter they may look the more suspicious they are… 😈
I agree. The silent types are always the worse.
Oh, this is a good one, Hugh! Those rabbits!
They get everywhere, don’t they, Colleen? Even in Charli’s garden.
We planted some medium-sized cherry bushes last spring. They grew quickly. After a week, I noticed the leaves were gone. The darn rabbits ate the leaves and young branches to the ground. If they survive the winter, I will have to put a fence around the bushes. 😦
Good idea, Colleen. Just don’t let them into the house. You may never see the light of day if they get in.
LOL! So true! My neighborhood is overrun with these critters.
Ya we lost our blueberry bushes to the few rabbits that are hopping around here, the bushes never came back.
That’s what I’m thinking my cherry bushes fate will be too.
Ya they can eat, cute, but always hungry 🙂
The rabbit’s revenge? Nice one, Hugh.
You could be on to something there, Cathy.
Thanks for starting my day out with a giggle. 😁
I’m always delighted when I make people laugh or giggle.