by Dee Addison

Illustration by Christopher Essex

Benny Bunny was a white stuffed rabbit. He was given to Lyndsey for her fourth birthday. Lyndsey was a young girl with long flowing brown hair and big smiling brown eyes. Benny quickly became Lyndsey's favorite. Lyndsey introduced Benny to her pets. She had a tan and white teddy bear hamster named Cinnamon, a big white Persian cat named Bud, and a huge but friendly golden retriever named Rhett.

At night, while Lyndsey was sleeping, Benny would open his eyes and watch Lyndsey's pets play. Cinnamon liked to run around in her cage and play on her wheel. Bud would play in the hallway outside Lyndsey's bedroom, batting around a ring from a milk jug. Rhett patrolled the house, making sure everything was safe and secure. Benny wished he could move and play like Lyndsey's pets.

One night, Benny made a wish on a star he saw outside of Lyndsey's bedroom window. "I wish I could walk around and play like Lyndsey's pets," Benny thought to himself.

All of a sudden, the star Benny wished on grew bright and a shining light came from it. A beautiful fairy appeared next to Lyndsey's bed.

"Don't be afraid, Benny," said the fairy. "My name is Kristal. I am the Toy Fairy. Since you have made Lyndsey so very happy, I will grant your wish for you tonight. Under one condition: if you should wake up any people or if any person should see you, you will return to being a stuffed rabbit."

"Thank you!" Benny said excitedly, "I will be quiet. I promise."

"I will come back later to check on you," Kristal the Toy Fairy said as she faded into the night. "Remember, don't wake up any people."

Slowly Benny began to move. He got out of bed quietly so he wouldn't wake up Lyndsey. He went to talk to Cinnamon, whose cage was on a small table near the bed.

"Cinnamon," Benny said. "I wish I could be more like you."

"Why is that?" asked Cinnamon, while she was running around on her wheel. The wheel made a gentle whirring sound.

"Because you have your own house and your own toys," answered Benny. "You always seem to have so much fun."

"You don't want to be like me," said Cinnamon, shaking her small furry head. "I have to stay in my cage. I rarely get to go out. You want to be like Bud. He gets to roam all around the house."

"Hmm, that's something to think about," said Benny. "I think I'll go find Bud."

The Persian cat, Bud, was playing with his favorite milk ring when Benny came up to him.

"Bud," said Benny, "I wish I could be more like you."

"Why is that?" asked Bud, as he was batting his toy back and forth between his paws.

"Because you can roam around the house and play with your toys."

"You don't want to be like me," answered Bud, "I have to stay inside the house. I'm not allowed to go outside. You want to be like Rhett. He gets to go outside and play."

"Hmm, that's something to think about," said Benny. "I think I'll go find Rhett."

Benny found Rhett, the golden retriever, sniffing around the back door.

"Rhett," said Benny, "I wish I could be more like you."

"Why is that?" asked Rhett as he started to walk around the backyard again, continuing to patrol the boundaries of his family's property. The much smaller bunny followed him.

"Because you can go outside and play, " answered Benny. "You get to play outside with the squirrels and the birds."

"Yes, I can do those things," said Rhett, nodding his head slowly. "But I want to be more like you."

"Like me?" Benny said, his eyes wide in surprise. "Why?"

"Because Lyndsey takes you everywhere she goes," answered Rhett. "When she plays with Cinnamon, you are with her. When she plays with Bud, you are with her. When she plays with me, you are with her. She loves you very much. If I were you, I wouldn't want to change."

"Hmm, that's something to think about," said Benny.

Benny went back to Lyndsey's bedroom and crawled back into bed, being careful not to wake her up.

After he settled in, Kristal the Toy Fairy appeared again to Benny.

"Benny," Kristal asked, with a smile on her tiny face. "Would you like to stay alive?"

"No, I don't think so, " answered Benny firmly. "If I was alive, I would have to stay in a cage like Cinnamon or stay inside the house like Bud or stay in the backyard like Rhett. I don't want to have to stay home without Lyndsey. I love her too much. When I'm a stuffed animal, she can take me everywhere with her. Please change me back."

"Okay, Benny," said Kristal the Toy Fairy as she faded away. "I guess sometimes it's better to just stay the way you are."

"Oh yes!" agreed Benny.

Lyndsey stirred and sat up in bed, her brown hair flowing behind her. "There you are, Benny!" she said, looking at the bunny with wet eyes. "I had a dream you left me. Please don't ever do that again! It makes me sad. I want you with me forever. I love you!"

With that, Lyndsey picked up Benny Bunny. She gave him a big hug and fell back asleep holding him tight.

Benny smiled to himself and said "I love you too!"