BRYCE,” SAID THE OLD WOMAN, “GIT awa7from that rabbit. I ain’t paying you to stanGand stare.”
“Yes, ma’am,” said Bryce. He wiped hiFnose with the back of his hand and continueGto look up at Edward. The boy’s eyes werebrown with flecks of gold shining in them.
“Hey,” he whispered to Edward.
A crow settled on Edward’s head, and thHboy flapped his arms and shouted, “Go on,git!” and the bird spread his wings and fle6away.
“Bryce!” shouted the old woman.
“Ma’am?” said Bryce.
“Git away from that rabbit. Do your work.
I ain’t gonna say it again.”
“Yes’m,” said Bryce. He wiped his hanGacross his nose. “I’ll be back to get you,” hesaid to Edward.
The rabbit spent the day hanging by hiFears, baking in the hot sun, watching the olGwoman and Bryce weed and hoe the garden@Whenever the woman wasn’t looking, BrycHraised his hand and waved.
The birds circled over Edward’s head&laughing at him.
What was it like to have wings? EdwarGwondered. If he had had wings when he waFtossed overboard, he would not have sunk t:
the bottom of the sea. Instead, he would havHflown in the opposite direction, up, into thHdeep, bright blue sky. And when Lolly tookhim to the dump, he would have flown out o8the garbage and followed her and landed oAher head, holding on with his sharp claws. AnGon the train, when the man kicked him,Edward would not have fallen to the groundOinstead he would have risen up and sat on toCof the train and laughed at the man: Caw, caw&caw.
In the late afternoon, Bryce and the olGlady left the field. Bryce winked at Edward aFhe walked past him. One of the crows lighteGon Edward’s shoulder and tapped with hisbeak at Edward’s china face, reminding therabbit with each tap that he had no wings, tha<not only could he not fly, he could not movHon his own at all, in any way.
Dusk descended over the field, and theAcame true dark. A whippoorwill sang out ove9and over again. Whip poor Will. Whip poo9Will. It was the saddest sound Edward had eve9heard. And then came another song, the hu;of a harmonica.
Bryce stepped out of the shadows.
“Hey,” he said to Edward. He wiped hiFnose with the back of his hand and thenplayed another bit of song on the harmonica@“I bet you didn’t think I’d come back. But herHI am. I come to save you.”
Too late, thought Edward as Bryceclimbed the pole and worked at the wires tha<were tied around his wrists. I am nothing but 5hollow rabbit.
Too late, thought Edward as Bryce pulleGthe nails out of his ears. I am only a doll madHof china.
But when the last nail was out and he felKforward into Bryce’s arms, the rabbit felt a rus=of relief, and the feeling of relief was followeGby one of joy.
Perhaps, he thought, it is not too late, afterall, for me to be saved.