Nanny Crumpet (Snippet)

This snippet is not a final draft.

Nanny Crumpet turned towards Rosie, who was coloring at the little, plastic table their mother had put in the corner of the room. “Rosie dear, keep an eye out for any dust bunnies. They like to hide under the couches and stuff.”

“Dust bunnies?” Rosie asked.

“Balls of dust,” Johnny answered. “They’re not real bunnies.”

“They’re nice as can be,” Nanny Crumpet replied. “But they can’t stay in the house.”

Rosie nodded, her face tight with confusion. “Right. I’ll find them, I promise.”

“Atta girl,” Nanny Crumpet glanced at Johnny. “Help your sister, alright?”

“Alright,” Johnny nodded.

Nanny Crumpet exited the living room, vacuum in hand, and began to head up the stairs to start cleaning the rugs.

Rosie got on her hands and knees, peering far under the table she’d been sitting at. “No bunnies here.”

Johnny checked behind the door. “None tucked behind the door.”

“Oh!” Rosie grinned, reaching beneath the couch. “I found some! A whole flock!”

“Colony,” Johnny corrected. “Let’s scoop them out.”

Rosie’s arm disappeared beneath the couch up to her shoulder. “They’re running away from me.”

Johnny frowned. “Dust bunnies can’t run, they’re not real bunnies.”

Rosie sat up and huffed at him. “Well these ones run.”

Johnny got down, his head on the floor as he squinted to look into the dark beneath their sofa. Sure enough, there were little bunnies made from dust bounding around beneath the couch.

Johnny sat up, giving his sister wide eyes. “How are we going to get rid of them? Nanny Crumpet said they can’t be inside!”

“Easy,” the five-year-old shrugged. “We lure them out.”

“With what?” he frowned.

Rosie smiled. “Dust carrots!”