Through the Forest

Position, check. Bow pulled back, check. Silence, check. The arrow goes flying. It strikes the deer perfectly. He's down for the count. Papa taught me well. I run through the forest to collect my prize. CRUNCH.Human. I hide behind the big oak tree, just about 2 yards from my prey. I peer slightly around the tree. It's a boy. No one's ever been in my part of the forest. He is leaning over MY prey, looking around for the shooter. I shield myself completely behind the tree, glad for once that food was scarce, so I was skinny. He grabs my dinner by the horns and hauls it to a rusty old truck nearby. He throws it in the back after one last through look around. The stranger walks swiftly, with determination to his car and simply drives off. I can breathe again, but it's hot, angry breath. I guide myself home to the cabin with my stomach growling all the way. I know papa left the emergency food supply strictly for emergencies but I was starving beyond belief. I don't even know how I had the energy to hunt, I hadn't ate in a few days. Things were so much easier with papa here. I didn't need to worry about my next meal. Now it was only me. Papa was still with me, but six feet under in our backyard. I go to his study and put on his old sweater I knitted him many years ago. Maybe when I was 8. Mama taught me to sew at a very young age. The sweater still had papa's scent and I relished in it. I head back into the kitchen and open the basement's hatch. I decide to have some saltine crackers. I know it's the least filling, but papa's voice echos in my head about perserving everything I have. He said to me, "think like me, take my talents, and survive " with his last breathes. I eat 2 crackers before I put the whole pack back. I feel I'm disappointing father. I would rather go on an empty stomach.