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Blood afterwards

There was a ton of wildlife around today. Usually I see a few small birds hopping around under the hedges for safety but as I walked along pheasants would repeatedly burst forth and flee into the sky with a frantic whirring sound. But what gave me more of a fright each time were big, rabbits that leaped from cover but only when I was practically putting my foot beside them. They were very brave waiting till I was so close and were perfectly invisible (at least to me anyway). They were big creatures and I don't know who was more shocked at our meeting them or me (it was probably me, actually).

I knew they weren't rabbits but hares when I got back to the road and set off and saw one, fresh roadkill by the verge. In the moment I passed the detail that caught my attention was the rim of blood, bright and new, around the white of its eye.