Behind the Story: Killer Bunnies on Mars

I had a lot of fun writing Killer Bunnies on Mars. The idea behind it really evolved from two distinct experiences I had, both within about a month of each other.

The first happened at a vineyard.

I was visiting Sonoma, California, and while I was immersed in my own thoughts, I was suddenly caught by the sneaky eyes of a rabbit. What struck me was how silent, observant, and alert it was.

Who knows how long it had been watching me?

That behavior captivated me the most. Unless I am in a very specific situation, I rarely feel silent or observant. I have my phone, text messages, my own thoughts constantly demanding my attention. And my alert mode tends to switch on only in certain situations, like walking alone at night.

A few days later, fires broke out in California. The skies turned crimson red, and ash fell across parts of the Bay Area. Everyone stayed inside because of the poor air quality, and when I briefly ventured outdoors, I felt my world go silent.

Under a bright orange sky, I thought of Mars, the red planet.

Then I thought of the rabbit I had seen back in Sonoma.

I started thinking about how accustomed we’ve become to the comforts of Earth. Since humans are the top predator here, we often forget about our own survival skills while other creatures continue to fine-tune theirs.

And, well, who knows what centuries—maybe even millennia—of practicing those survival skills could do for them.

After all, that is exactly what happened to us a long, long time ago.

Veronica Camp