The Pigs

Trouble Brewing

Randy sat quietly as the bus bounced it's way down the dirt road toward his house. Most children are overjoyed to be heading home after a long day at school. School was no fun for Randy . All the kids oinked when they saw him. He wasn't even fat! Home wasn't a happy place either. 2 years ago, when he was just 5 years old, his father was killed in a truck accident at work. The adults were strangely quiet when he asked about it. Some of the older boys on the bus were a little more forthcoming though. They had once pulled him aside and asked how he felt about his father being eaten alive by pigs. Then they laughed and started making obnoxious pig sounds. Older kids were so weird. Besides, did they think may because he was younger, he'd believe a crazy story like that?
His mother worked long hours to make ends meet since losing his dad. After getting off the bus he was alone for about half an hour until his babysitter Jenna got there. She was 13, and lived about a mile down the road. She had to go home first and do her chores before riding her bike to his house.
Jenna was the one bright spot in his life. They would often go on adventures in the woods behind his house. She would make up some of the most amazing stories for him. About heroes defeating bad guys, sword fights and magic spells. Best of all, sometimes she would let him get out the bb gun his uncle had gotten him for his birthday. She would draw paper targets of the villians from her stories and let him dispatch them. Under her watchful eyes of course.
Today her face was red and wet with tears as she rode up. "Jenna?! What's the matter?" He asked worriedly. She breathed in deeply to compose herself. "My bunnies and chickens. I went to feed them after school and... they're all gone. Something broke the cages open and... " Her face turned red again, tears threatening.
"Oh Jenna! I'm so sorry! What do you think did it?" He asked.
"I called my Mom and told her about it. She said it was probably the... " She stopped awkwardly, looking quickly at his face."The what? Bears? Cougars?" Randy asked. Wondering what could affect her so.
"The pigs. Mom says they've been getting bolder. Coming right into people's yards now. Killing livestock. Mom says they've gotten big. Real big. And they're not afraid of people anymore. They're the pigs that...killed your father." Jenna said quietly, looking away.
Randys stomach dropped. Pigs?! His father had really been killed by pigs? The older boys on the bus might lie, but not Jenna.
Thinking of all their "adventures" the boy quickly hatched a plan. "Jenna, we need to stop them before they hurt anyone else. I have my gun! I'm a good shot. Will you help me?" He looked at Jenna's face imploring. "Randy! No! Promise me you won't even think about it!" She yelled angrily. She had never yelled before and it scared him.
He hated seeing her angry. "Aw, I was just joking!" He lied.
"Good!" She said. "Tell you what. Lets play inside today. Ok?"
"Ok." He said quietly, following her inside. His mind already planning his own real life adventure.