It was October 26th, 1973, and Mike and Tobias, two childhood friends and college Juniors, were driving along the rural dirt roads of Northeast Virginia. Mike smoked a blunt, as Tobias drove, eyes focused on the road. “So, where are we goin’?” Mike asked, shooting a glance to Tobias.
Tobias shifted his eyes to face Mike. “A lotta people around town have been saying that some madman in a rabbit costume has been chasing them around and threatening them with a hatchet, or an axe, or somethin’ like that.” Tobias said, once again shifting his eyes to face the dark road ahead, only illuminated by the bright glow of the sedan’s headlights.
“You really believe that fuckin’ chickenshit story?” Mike glanced to Tobias, raising his brow, before taking another puff of the blunt. “Seems real enough, there are more madmen out in the world than you think.” Tobias sniffled, keeping his eyes on the road.
Mike adjusted his glasses. “Okay, but why the fuck are we going out there if this guy has a fuckin’ axe? Are you fuckin’ suicidal?” Mike scoffed after saying this. “You think I’m stupid enough to not go strapped?” Tobias shot a glance at Mike, before taking his backpack out of the back seat, and opening it, showing a .38 Special. “So you want to go to jail for murder?” Mike asked, once again scoffing.
“It won’t be murder, if some madman is swinging a hatchet at you I think you have the right to defend yourself.” Tobias then placed the firearm back into the back and closed the bag up, placing it in the back seat once again. A few minutes later the two arrived, and parked their car, right up by an overpass. “The people said they’ve seen him around here, by this tunnel.” Tobias said as he removed the keys from the vehicles, ignition, causing the two to now be surrounded in darkness.
“Ain’t no way I’m going out there in the dark.” Mike said, tossing his blunt out of the rolled down window. “I brought a flashlight, don’t worry.” Tobias reached into the back of his car, grabbing the backpack and sliding it on, before sliding out of the car. Mike rolled his window up, and then slid out.
Tobias held the flashlight and turned it on, lighting up the area in front of him. Tobias now began to walk, with Mike following behind. “Where the hell are we gonna find this guy?” Mike asked as he walked with Tobias. “If he’s here now he’ll probably be somewhere around this bridge and tunnel.” Tobias said, as he and Mike walked through the darkened tunnel.
Mike began to sweat, and bore a nervous expression. “Seems like you’re scared of the imaginary rabbit killer.” Tobias joked. “Shut up, man!” Mike said with annoyance. Tobias gave out a chuckle, just as the two exited the tunnel. “Let’s check the train tracks up there.” Tobias said. “What if we get hit by a train?” Mike asked with a bit of anger in his voice. “We’ll hear it coming, we’ll have enough time to get off the tracks.” Tobias said.
The two climbed up onto the train tracks and began to look around. Tobias flashed his flashlight around, in an attempt to see anyone or anything out of place. Tobias then stopped, Mike stopped too, looking around anxiously. “Did you hear that?” Tobias looked around, shining the light. “Hear what?” Mike asked. “I heard leaves rustling, I think it came from the woods down there.” Tobias turned to Mike. “I’m gonna check it out.” Tobias said, as he slid the .38 Special out from his backpack.
“Don’t-” Mike said, reaching his hand out, but it was too late, as Tobias had already ran down the hill and into the darkness below, taking the flashlight with him. Mike debated on following, but for the time being he simply stood, looking around anxiously, gallons upon gallons of sweat were coming down from his forehead.
Mike sat, tortured by the silence, until suddenly, two gunshots rang out, and a scream from Tobias. The flashlight had gone out, and several loud crunches were heard. “Tobias? Tobias?! This isn’t funny man!” Mike screamed, slowly making his way down from the train tracks and into the woods below. “Tobias?! TOBIAS?!” Mike shouted, his voice trembling.
He saw a figure coming towards him. He stepped a bit closer, thinking it was Tobias. “Real funny joke, but it’s over now, let’s go-” Mike stopped mid sentence, seeing that the figure was wearing a white bunny suit, and had a white hood on with rabbit ears, and a plastic rabbit mask covering his face. The figure was hopping around on both legs, and was saying, “Hop… Hop… Hop…” repeatedly in a deep voice, as it approached Mike.
Mike backed up and fell onto a stick, causing it to crunch and make a loud sound, and the man in the rabbit costume stopped hopping, and looked right at Mike. The man in the rabbit costume brought out a hatchet from behind his back, and began to full on sprinting towards Mike! Mike burst out into a sprint, running for the tunnel.
“GET OUT OF MY WOODS!” The pursuer shouted, as he ran for Mike. As Mike entered the tunnel, the man in the rabbit suit caught up, and swung his hatchet at Mike, but it just missed. Mike then turned around and kicked the attacker, who grunted. Mike then grabbed the hatchet from his hand and then slashed his face with it, breaking the mask and creating a gash in the man’s face.
The man screamed, as Mike ran back to the car. Mike tried opening the car, but couldn’t, due to Tobias having the keys. Mike, thinking quickly, grabbed a nearby rock and hurled it through the car window, unlocking the car and sliding inside. Mike began to attempt to hotwire the car in an attempt to escape. He darted his head around, searching for his attacker, but he was gone, seemingly having retreated after Tobias had injured him.
As he attempted to hotwire the car, he heard a slam against the window. He looked over, his heart jumping out of his chest. “FUCK!” Mike screamed, but was shocked to see… Tobias? He wasn’t dead like Mike had thought, but he was clearly hurt. Tobias slid into the passenger seat of the car, and set his bag down. “FUCK!” Tobias shouted. “GIVE ME YOUR KEYS! LET’S GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE MAN!” Mike shouted, shaking Tobias by the shoulders. “Mike…” Tobias said in a shocked voice. “Yeah?” Mike said, slowly turning his head to face his friend.
It was then when Mike noticed the large gash on Tobias’s cheek, with fresh blood running down his face. “Hop… Hop… Hop…” Tobias said aloud in that same deep voice that Mike had heard from his attacker. “No… No… No… NO… NO… NO!” Mike shouted with tears streaming down his face, as Tobias slid out the same bloody hatchet, and plunged it into Mike’s chest.