the first time the dark below happened i didnt mean to go he asked if i wanted to see the bunnies playing in the fields all the little rabbits and i didnt know any better so i crawled in and we drove but there were no rabbits i knew better i knew better and mommy was going to be so mad because strangers are bad but i thought no not a bad person to want to show me the bunnies and then he tried to crawl inside where the light was he told me all about the light and how it burned and how it called to him and if he didnt get to it this thing that was eating him from inside would get all of him and wear his skin like a puppet except dead and scary and he was so sad when he cut and tore and even though i cried i wanted him to find the light so he could be safe and we could both go home there were no rabbits the darkness came out and it hurt so much i screamed and cried and kicked and the man who wanted to touch the light didnt have his eyes anymore something else used them and it stared like hate and the coldest things it held me while it dug down in to me but no knives or fingers somehow digging anyway i cried so hard and called for mommy because she would take me away and i would be okay with a spanking because it would mean she was scared and loved me and the terrible cold would stop then my light i saw it like the bunnyman saw it it glowed and the thing with his eyes stopped and let me go somehow i got out and ran on legs that were shaky and red dripping on the ground and i still dont know why he didnt chase me because i was small then very small and not very quick he could have caught me i remember how warm it was and the junebugs whirring out in the sun and the silence and cold was gone then the earth was over me and holding me close in warmth and dark i could hear something run over me held my breath in the dark and the earth held its breath and we waited together until the footsteps were gone long gone and when i woke up i was under a tree by the root cellar the sun was setting they were calling for me when they found me i told them id fallen from the trees everyone believed and pretended not to notice the dirt in my hair it took 45 stitches to close all the holes the scars are still there in my skin like a map of bad things