Susanna Leonard Hill's 3rd Annual Valentiny Writing Contest!

For fun, experience, and awesome prizes, I am entering Susanna's fun Valentine's Day writing contest. See below for my fall entry in her "Halloweensie" story contest. Here is Susanna's description of the  "Valentiny" contest rules:  "Write a Valentines story appropriate for children (children here defined as ages 12 and under) maximum 214 words in which someone is hopeful!  Your someone can hope for something good or something bad.  Your story can be poetry or prose, sweet, funny, surprising or anything in between, but it will only count for the contest if it includes someone hopeful (can be the main character but doesn’t have to be) and is 214 words (get it? 2/14 for Valentines Day  You can go under the word count but not over! (Title is not included in the word count.)"

My entry hops in at a whopping 213 words!

---

                                                                 Bunnies’ Heart-Shaped Hopes
 
          As fluffy, white flakes fell to the forest floor, two bunnies peered from their burrow.
         “It’s deeper than Papa’s ears!” squeaked Calliope.
         “But it’s gotta stop,” said older sister Marisol. “Vole’s Valentine’s Day party is tonight!”
         Mama cuddled the girls close. “By tonight, the snow may be too deep for your wandering bunny feet.”
         Calliope blinked back tears. “No candy hearts and valentines.”
         Marisol’s whiskers twitched. “No music and dancing.”
         Snow covered the ground like Mama’s quilt. But deep in her belly, Calliope nurtured a glow of promise.
         She carried that pinprick of light into naptime, where its embers grew and gleamed and danced in her dreams.
         Marisol pressed her pink nose against the outside door and shook her head. They’d never make it to Vole’s house!
         As her back leg thumped, an idea sprang up. She hoped she could hop to it in time.
         Calliope sighed and stretched. When she peeked outside, her eyes widened to the size of chocolate-covered strawberries.
         Red ribbons swirled like icing atop their family’s pine tree. Velvet hearts swayed from icicle-glazed tree branches. Animals' songs floated through the night sky, speckled with stars.
         Calliope’s heart swelled to bursting as she grasped Marisol’s outstretched paws. 
         And the two swung in powdered-sugar circles … at their very own Valentine’s party.