The Easter Bunny is a Shape Shifter

As John drifts off to sleep, he thinks the full, white moon looks like an Easter Egg, waiting to be dipped into the dark blue Atlantic. 

In his dream, John is floating through the Ocean County Mall with his friend Patty at his side. Easter fashions are displayed in windows.  She stops and points. There’s a Godiva chocolate shop with a Buy 2 4 $40.00 sign over two huge, chocolate Easter Bunnies.

Patty

‘That’s Satanic.’

John

‘Umm…Patty, you don’t believe in Hell. So you don’t get to believe in Satan. I mean, the all-powerful, fallen-angel dude has to have a crib to have street cred.’

Patty looks at John

‘What the heck are you saying?’

John

‘No hell. No Satan.’

Patty

‘Well, there is a religious-posing Devil. And it’s called God-iva chocolates.’

John

‘Not following…not even close to following.’

Patty

‘Look at that sign. Two chocolate bunnies. Really, Godiva?’

John

‘Well, you could keep one for yourself and give one away.’

Patty

‘Oh, like that’s gonna happen. My butt will be as big as Norway. And I’m from Sweden…well my Mom was.’

As they float- walk further.  John looks down on the Mall’s Lower Level. The Easter Bunny is on his throne.  A child sits on his lap, and because John is looking down…it looks like the Easter Bunny is bending his head down over the child’s head.

John

‘We eat chocolate Easter Bunnies. The Easter Bunny is going to eat that kids head.’

Patty

‘What?’

They float-walk further and John’s perspective changes. Still looking down, he sees the Easter Bunny is bending his head down so the child can whisper in the Easter Bunny’s ear.

John

‘What?’

The dream changes. Now John is in club Karma in Seaside Heights, NJ.

Patty gets up angrily from the bar stool next to John. John is talking to a beautiful girl.

B girl

‘So you surf. And what do you do for a living?’

John thinks, I’m in a youth program for young writers at a New York City Ad Agency. But John says:

‘I’m a copywriter in Midtown Manhattan.’

B girl

‘Wow, I’m so impressed.’

John runs his fingers to push his blond hair back. As he does, he notices he is growing Easter Bunny ears. He quickly, pushes the rabbit ears under a wool  hat. Easter Bunny playa-that’s right.

B girl

‘I’d love to sleep with you.’

John

‘You tired?’

B girl pulls white rabbit fur from out of her ear.

A Booming Voice

‘What a couple of dumb bunnies.’

From a wall in the bar, a painting of an angry Jesus floats towards John.

John wakes up. The moon is shining through his window.  He bolts up in bed.

‘Jesus! The Easter Bunny is the anti-Christ?  Or was it the lying- about- being- a- real –writer-to-impress-a-girl- thing that ticked you off Jesus. ’ He lies back in bed. John thinks: confession time? No, the priest told me not to come to confession UNTIL I do something…no, UNLESS I do something wrong. He falls back to sleep. On a shelf near his bed, the stuffed, blue Easter Bunny his Aunt gave him smiles.