Amority

Two can play at this game

Footsteps crunched from the leaves. The deer's head lowered to nervously nibble the sparse salted grass.

Cautiously, I raise my bow, an arrow notched and ready to fire. Aiming the arrow at the deer's heart, pulling back the string, I sighted and let go. The arrow whizzed through the air, causing a faint buzzing noise.

With a thump the arrow found it's mark, the deer fell down in an instant, dead.

I hollered with excitement as I jump down from the tree I was hiding in. Ignoring the pain that spiked through my legs, I sprinted to the majestic buck lying sprawled on the ground. Blood trickled from the wound my arrow caused. The brown and green fletching decorating the otherwise plain gray shaft.

I grinned as I grabbed the walkie-talkie from my belt.

"Jace to Chica. Come in Chica."

It seemed like forever before Chica, the judge for this hunting competition, answered.

"Chica to Jace. What is it? Did you get it?"

"Yeah!" I could barely contain my excitement as I described to her about the majestic buck lying in the grass, his blood staining the grass red.

"Where are you? I'll have someone come pick you and your prize up."

"By the twin trees near the river. Next to boulder lake."

"Alright, I'll send someone down."

I smiled as I put my walkie-talkie back and whipped out my phone to text my mom, Wendy.

Just finished! Really excited!

I looked at my wallpaper for a second, noting the picture I took at my last competition. That one was for guns and I sat proudly next to buck, my rifle leaning against my prize and me. My dark blue eyes twinkling happily. A light flush colored my cheeks and my pale skin didn't look so sickly. My brownish-red hair was whipped around my face.

The wind was strong that day. I recalled.

My eyes trailed down to my hunting outfit. My camo half-jacket was almost unzipped completely, revealing my black cap-sleeved shirt and bronze locket. My dark jeans were ripped along the thighs and tucked into my sturdy, knee-length hiking boots.

I must have been staring at the picture longer than I thought, because I registered the low rumble of the jeep coming towards me. A deep honk told me that the driver, most likely Chica's younger brother, Theodore, saw me. I waved, just as he came into my view. His honey blond hair caught the dying sunlight, turning it golden. I grinned as he stopped a couple of feet from me.

"Took you long enough, Theo." I assumed an air of boredom and disgust as I looked at him down the tip of my nose- or tried to, but since he was a good head taller than me I had to stick my nose up in the air and work with the best I had.

"I'm never late milady, you're only impatient." He got out of the jeep as he said this and finished his sentence with a flourished mock bow.

"Pompous fool." I swatted him as I moved past him to put my gear in the jeep.

"Fool I may be, but thou art a lady and ladies don't dirty their hands with man's work. I'll carry your prize to the jeep."

"Whatever..." I roll my eyes as I watch him crouch next to the buck.

"He's beautiful." Theo loudly breathed.

"I know, right? He's absolutely gorgeous. He'll get me first place for sure."

"Yeah." Theo's hand wandered to the wound and he whistled. "Nice good clean shot. Why didn't you use an eye shot though? It'd be cleaner and there'd be less blood."