The Archer's Eye

Chapter 1

"Jamie! Come down stairs!" That was my mom. The only reason she ever called me downstairs was if she needed me for something. It is the summer after my Junior year in high school and I get to go on a long one month journey to an archery tournament that people from all over the country compete in. I am one of the three archer's that were elected to represent the state of Montana. I have been practicing archery ever since I was little. My dad got me to hold a bow in my hand for the first time and I thank him for where I am right now. 

I rush down the stairs to meet my mom in the kitchen. She is holding my phone charger in hand. "You forget something?" She waved the phone charger in the air. 

"Thanks Mom." I said, rolling my eyes. Snatching the phone charger out of her hands. She laughed and grabbed the charger back out of my hands.

"Not so fast. If you were about to leave this here," she wiggled it in her hand, "what else could you have forgotten?" She started frantically looking around for more things I have forgotten to pack.  She didn't find anything else right away. Then she went into the kitchen and immediately stopped in her tracks. She saw my dad's watch sitting on the kitchen counter. 

He passed away two weeks ago when he was at work. The watch was the last thing he gave me.

~

It was my seventeenth birthday when I got a special present from my dad. My dad was always a very loving person that would love to give gifts to anyone no matter what the event. He would always help a person with any thing they need. Picking up coffee for him and his co-workers in the morning, teaching a new worker how to work the computers, and even filling in for people if they had to take the day off of work. When he gave me the present on my birthday, I immediately went to open the gift but I was met with the sound of his sweet, soft voice. "Not now, love bug. You will know when to open it when it is time. You can not open it until you have the feeling it is time. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand." I said in the same tone as him.

For months the present sat on my dresser, waiting for me to feel the right moment that I should open it. I longed every day to come back to my room and look at the present in it's perfectly folded corner, tight purple bow wrapped around the top holding a note to the box. I couldn't look at the note either. It was part of the gift and I had to wait and wait until the one perfect moment when I knew that it must be opened. That day came when I least expected it.

~

"Are you really going to leave this here and not take it with you for good luck?" My mom asked me with a worried expression on her face. She loved the watch just as much as I did. When she saw me wearing it, a grin spread over her face. It was just as special to her as it was to me. She was always wanting to see me wearing it but it worried me that I would lose it on my trip to somewhere I have never been. Not only do I not know where everything is, I don't want to have to worry about something so precious to both of us. I can't wear it when I play archery as well. It interferes with my grip too much and the thought of leaving the watch in a hotel without anyone in it made me feel sick. But my mom would worry even more if I didn't bring it with me. 

I smirked and snatched the watch right out of my mom's hand. "Of course I am bringing the watch. It is one of my favorite things in the world. How could I ever leave it behind."

"Just making sure that you will have it with you even if you don't wear it while you are competing." She said with a nervous expression on her face.

"What is wrong , Mom?" I asked, getting worried myself. She never looked this nervous for anything. She always hi her emotions and tried to always be the happy, never sad, funny mom. She was that most of the time but since the accident she has been different and more accepting of her feelings now.

She quickly changed her face back to the bright and cheerful self. "Oh nothing. I am just going to miss you so much while you are away."

"I know Mom but we said we would face time everyday, text when we are not face timing and if we can't face time then we will call so we can hear each other's voices everyday." I said replaying the conversation I have had with her what feels like a million times now.

"Good, so this should happen and if anything goes wrong you call me immediately so I can call for help if needed." She said mocking the tone I used to review our previous conversations.

"I need to finish packing now so I don't have to worry about it in the morning before I catch my plane." I stated gliding toward the doorway that leads to the staircase up to our rooms.

"You go do that, honey, and I will be..." I didn't hear the rest of what she said because I started climbing the staircase aggressively so I could get to my room as fast as a tiger.

I walked into my bedroom breathing heavily. I turned toward my half-packed luggage and slid the watch into the tiny pocket of my carry-on. I know I should leave it behind but I can't bring myself to leave it here after I told my mom I would take it. I know it matters to her if I take the watch because she rarely shows the emotion that takes over her brain but when it does, you know that it is very important to her and that it should be done with every power to make sure whatever she is getting upset over happens in her favor. 

I finish packing the rest of my clothes and other necessities for the trip. I can't bring my bow and arrow with me because I have to take a plane and the pilots would not appreciate it if I brought a bow and arrow on the plane. I will miss the smooth curve of the bow and the sharp ends of the arrow. The way the arrow tugs on the bow when lining up to hit the target. The way it releases with such precision the arrow glides off of the bow and floats over to the target to get the perfect bullseye. I will miss all of the memories that this bow has held within it. Even though this trip is only for a week I feel like my bow is being replaced and after all of the years I have had with it and all that it has taught me I am moving on from that bow to the next.

That's when I see the watch in the pocket of the carry-on and something is not right. I walk over to the watch, pull it out of the pocket and see what time it is, 2:27. I know that it can't actually be 2:27 because then I would still be and the ice cream shop, working my shift. I glance up at the clock on my bedside and it says, 5:56. 

I watch the watch for another minute or so, but the time never changes. Then it hits me. 2:27 is the exact time that my dad died.