Tomorrow: A Short Story [COMPLETE]

part iii

She wakes up. It is Saturday. She yet again heads into the woods. She unwraps a cereal bar as she slowly walks through the woods. She approaches the clearing, but does not see Jasper. She calls.

"Jasper?"

She receives no answer as she warily steps over the freshly fallen leaves. She stops in the middle of the clearing and stays silent for a moment. She decides to call again.

"Jasper? Jasper?"

She awaits the friendly sound of his approach. After a few minutes pass, she thinks that he is possibly hunting on Rowan's land. She begins to head in that direction. She walks carefully, as she has only been this way a few times before. She approaches some bushes, looking through the brush for her furry friend. She sees brown fur just beyond a wild rhododendron.

"Jasper!"

No response.

"Jasper!"

Dead silence answers her yell as she begins to push through the brush in pink shirt and overalls. She reaches the brown fuzzball.

"Jasper?" she whispers softly.

Tears begin to bombard her face as her heart pours through her eyes and onto the ground surrounding the bear's lifeless body. She cries harder as she sees the gunshot wound. Her scream of agony pierces the surrounding silent woods. Her painful cries wind down to a silent weep. She eventually gets up, wipes her tears away, and brushes off her pants. Tomorrow. One tomorrow down the line. Thoughts like these make their presence known as she begins to cry heavier.

"See you tomorrow," she says, choking, as she painfully turns around and leaves the forest for the last time.