| The Hunt I crept slowly along, keeping my eyes and ears open for even the slightest movement. I only had seven bullets, seven chances for survival for my family and myself. My wife was ill and my children were too small to help around the house. We never had made much money and now we were starving too. If only I could find a deer, then we would have some food for a little while. If lady luck were on my side, maybe I would find two deer. We would have extra food and I could sell the hides for a little money. Maybe I could even afford medicine for my wife. I caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of my eye. So, I whirled and shot. There was a little scream as a squirrel dropped from its perch. It was a gray squirrel. I had shot it. It desperately scrambled up into a tree trunk, falling into a hole. I was sorry; I hadn’t meant to shoot a squirrel. What I needed was deer meat. Out of frustration about all the things that were piled up on me, I smacked the trunk with my rifle. Then I went on to find a deer. The squirrel shivered uncontrollably. Its eyes were wide round disks. It dug its tiny nails into the bark of the tree trunk, trying to escape. Ifs right front leg hung limply; blood trailed down from the deep hole in its shoulder. Time after time it scrambled, crying out softly as it fell back to the bottom. Its muscles quivered from the strain, but it kept on trying. The squirrel had spent nearly all of its strength when tiny hands reached down and lifted it out. They placed it on cushioning warmth and covered it with a lid. Tired and hurting, it gave in and allowed itself to be taken. Taken where it didn’t know; didn't care so long as it was relieved from the pain. When it was finally removed from the box it was in, something large and awkward was put over its head. Air was forced into its lungs while the cold, hard, painful parasite was removed and taken away. After an eternity it was taken back by the small hands, to be cared for until its recovery. At last the one with small hands gave it back to its wilderness home. |
| General Fiction |