Dead and Alone

Chapter 3

Climbing back up the tree, I shook my head as I settled back in between the extended branches of the tree. I wasn't going to let this mystery girl get me distracted from hunting and providing for my family. Sighing, I let all of my thoughts about her drift away. Closing my eyes, I listened for any oncoming prey that might have been my family's next meal.

The crunching of dead leaves became closer as a deer emerged from behind a tree in front of me. She held her nose in the air and sniffed, checking for predators. Her nostrils twitched as she checked the air for scents that were unfamiliar to her. Thinking it was clear, she dropped her head to the grass that was becoming more gold than green and began to graze. Pulling back on my bow silently, I aimed at her heart. Releasing the arrow, it went flying towards her and embedded itself into her flesh.

Quickly jumping from I tree, I rushed over to her and yanked out the arrow. Wiping the gore off of the tip on the grass, I watched as her eyes slipped closed and she fell to the ground. Her ears fell limply against her head and her breath was no longer visible in the crisp air. The life had drained out of her, and she was dead.

Grabbing her back legs, I threw her over my shoulder and slid the clean arrow back into my quiver. Hiding my bow in its usual place, I towed the Cottontail deer back to my house to be skinned and cooked. Man, she is heavy for a doe, I thought to myself.

Grabbing a rope from our small shed, I tied it around her hooves and hung her upside down from a tree branch. Pulling my knife out from my belt, I began to skin her. Her hide came off cleanly, revealing her muscular form along with her insides. Once her skin was removed, her insides fell onto the ground in a lovely heap. Cutting as much meat from her skeleton as I could manage, I disposed of her carcass and brought the meat and insides to my mother, so that she could prepare them for dinner.

A large smile was on her face as I handed her the deer meet. She laid it on a cutting board and began to slice it into thick pieces. She pulling out a black, cast iron skillet, laid a hunk of lard in it, and turned on the gas stove. Humming to herself, she waited for the lard to melt. Exiting the kitchen, I went to the living room where Rose was sitting in front of the television.

"What are you watching, Rose?" I asked, eyeing the 13 inch screen.

Most of the time it didn't even work. I wondered why is was suddenly running so perfectly.

"King," she replied simply as Hector appeared on the screen and began a speech that required him to stand at a wooden podium instead of sitting in his large throne.

Sitting next to her on the cold floor, I wrapped us up in a thick blanket that my mother had knitted. Kissing her forehead and combing through her curly, golden hair with my fingers, we continued to listen to King Hector's bullshit lies about how much he loved the people of his kingdom. If he really loved us, there wouldn't be thousands of people starving to death, because they can't afford anything that is necessary for survival in the market.

He raised the taxes on everything last year. Ever since, the citizens have been struggling to survive. My family is lucky that we are hunters. If we weren't, we would've starved a long time ago. The woods and the creatures that inhabit it are our only hope of survival. Of course, my mother's garden helps excluding the winter months.

The king continued to ramble about the need to become a strong united nation while I watched Rose. Her big blue eyes were fixed on the king. A little scowl was set on her lips as she listened to his words. I could feel her trembling against me, and her little hand clenched into a fist against my side.

"What's wrong?" I asked, smoothing her blonde hair as she looked away from the screen and into my eyes.

"King no good," she answered in her short, choppy English as the scowl deepened, and her thin eyebrows knitted together.

Clicking off the television, I watched Rose climb onto my lap and snuggle against my chest. Wrapping the blanket tighter around her, I kissed her forehead as her eyelids snapped closed. Soon, I heard her light breathing deepen while sleep enveloped her.

"Goodnight, Rose," I whispered, ruffling her silky hair and leaning my head against the front of the sofa as my own eyes fell shut.

****

"Lucas," my father whispered.

"Mhh?" I moaned, not wanting to open my eyes and wake up just yet.

"Emergency meeting in the caves," he stated quietly.

This one statement caused my eyelids to snap open quickly. I almost jumped up off the floor before I realized Rose was still soundly asleep in my lap. Gently picking her up, my father cradled her like an infant and sliently moved her onto the torn, dirty sofa. I hopped up from our spot on the floor, kissed Rose on the forehead, and sprinted into the cold night air.

The wind bit at my red, flannel shirt, making it ruffle at my sides as I ran as fast as my long legs would carry me. The cold nipped at my nose and ears as I shivered. Nothing sounded better than wrapping back up into that blanket even if it meant I had to listen to thousands of King Hector's horrible speeches.

"Hey! What are you doing out here so early?" a lovely voice asked as I turned around to face whoever it was.

The girl from the woods stood in front of me. The one that resembled King Hector, and for some unknown reason she had the biggest smile on her face.