“Siobhan! Hey, come take a look at this!”
“What is it?”
“Just come see.”
“Fi-i-ine.”
The older sister shuffled into the room, knowing that resistance was futile and the easiest way to get her younger sister to leave her alone was to just go along with it. She flopped down on the sofa and turned her attention to the television.
On the screen, a lone man was sitting on a stump in some kind of forest clearing. The camera was behind him and to the side so she couldn’t see his face, but she could tell that he was eating.
“Wo-o-ow. Engrossing. I can see why you had to call me all the way in here to see this.”
The younger one grinned. “Wait for it.”
“He’s really shoveling it down, eh?”
The man on the screen suddenly perked up. The camera zoomed in on what had made him become alert: a pair of tiny red eyes glared at him from within the trees. She hadn’t even noticed them there. Who knew how long they’d been watching him eat.
Then the camera switched angles and she finally got a look at the man. He looked about the same age as the sisters, somewhere in his mid-20s. His face lit up into a grin.
“Whoah!”
“I know, right?”
“Is that...?”
“I know!”
The man stood up, never once taking his eyes off the glowing red ones in the trees.
“What is this? What’s he doing on TV? How did—”
“Shhh! Just watch.”
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On the TV, he held out his hand, palm up. As the sisters watched, something appeared hovering over it, something blue. It began to grow, enlarging rapidly in his open hand into a swirling ball of what looked like water.
“The special effects are really solid. What is this?”
The younger sister said nothing in reply.
The man drew his hand back, then lobbed the ball of water at the glowing eyes. It vanished into the darkness between the trees with an audible splash.
“What’s he doing?” the younger sister said.
“Maybe he’s trying to scare off whatever it is without hurting it?”
“Yeah, that sounds like him.”
Something rustled in the trees, then it emerged into the clearing. It was small, white, and furry, with two long ears. A rabbit. Only this bunny had two antlers jutting out of its head just in front of the big ears. It was also soaking, the water making its ears flop adorably.
“Jackalope!” the man blurted. “So cute!”
“I'd know that voice anywhere,” the older sister said. “Holy shit, it really is him.”
“I know!”
The horned bunny looked up at him with those piercing red eyes and shook its body, spattering water all around.
“So cute!” it said in a voice that sounded just like his, and took a hop toward him.
A small information window appeared in the corner of the TV screen.
Jackalope
Don’t be fooled by its small size and cute bunny-like appearance, this ferocious monster uses its ability to mimic any sound to lure its prey in close enough to pounce on. Those unfortunate enough to survive its venomous bite will wish it had killed them once the Jackalope’s curse sets in.
“Uh oh,” the man said, as though he’s just seen the same information.
The Jackalope took another hop toward him. “Uh oh,” it said. Then its red eyes boiled and darkened into two tiny black holes. A horizontal slash appeared under its nose that almost seemed to split its head in two. Foamy froth spilled from the wide gash to reveal jagged rows of fangs.
“Holy shit, is that supposed to be its mouth?” the younger sister said.
It was the older one’s turn to say nothing. She simply stared at the TV with rapt attention.
The man’s brow furrowed as though concentrating. He held out his hand again.
“I don’t think water’s going to cut it this time, Daniel,” the younger sister said.
As though thinking the same thing himself, instead of water, a ball of fire grew and flickered in his hand. He held it out toward the creature and took a threatening step forward, but it only moved one hop closer to the man as well, pitch black eyes locked onto him. Its appallingly wide mouth snapped shut with a clack.
“You asked for it!” he said, and pulled his arm back, preparing to hurl the fireball at the Jackalope.