Autumn
Asher threw an acorn at a hollow spot in a tree.
"What are we doing here?" I asked.
"I dunno," said Asher. "Huntin'."
"Then why don't you get off your lazy butt?"
"Fine." Asher got up from against the tree and picked up his knife. "Happy now?"
"Very."
I took hold of my own knife as Asher lead the way deeper into the forest, until we heard the sound of a turkey. We both stayed still and scanned the area. Asher found the bird first, tapping me on the shoulder and pointing at it.
Just as we silently debated who should go to kill it, an arrow flew out of the trees and struck the turkey right through the heart. A boy who looked around my age with black hair and blue eyes jumped out of a tree with a bow in his hand. He picked up the turkey, and walked away, not even knowing he was being watched.
Asher stood straight up. I could tell he was mad, as he was about to run after the boy. Knowing this wouldn't turn out good, I put a hand on Asher's shoulder. "Don't," I whispered.
"Why not?" asked Asher. "He stole our Turkey!"
"It was still fair game," I replied. "We hadn't killed it yet."
"Still! Dad's gonna be so mad!"
"Don't worry," I said. "That wasn't the only thing to hunt here."
"Autumn, that was the first turkey I've seen in a week!"
"Well we've gone home without a catch before. Dad will understand."
"Well, it's one thing if someone I've seen before steals our catch, but who was that? I've never even him before!"
"Once again, that bird was still fair game."
"Right," said Asher.
"Look, I'm tired of hunting. If dad's still hungry, he can get his own food. We've still got plenty of money from that deer."
We walked out of the forest and back into town. Asher eyes darted continuously.
"Are you seriously looking for that guy?" I asked.
"Maybe," replied Asher.
"Dude, give it a rest. He got that Turkey fair and square."
"Well I might blow up if I see him."
"Then maybe you should stop looking for him so I don't have to scrape pieces of you off the pavement."
"Very funny."
We got to our small house and Asher tried to open the door. "It's jammed again," he murmured.
"Ugh," I pounded on the door. "Dad! Open up! The door is jammed again!"
In saw the door jiggle and the my dad opened up. His face was scruffy and he smelled like sweat.
"Dad," said Asher. "Go bathe and shave."
"I just did," my dad replied.
"Well you must've dreamt that you just did," said Asher. "Because you look like you just woke up. Go now."
"Fine," said my dad, staggering toward the bathroom.
Asher flopped on the couch. "When is he gonna stop staying up till five in the morning!?"
"When we move out and he has to do his own chores," I replied getting some water from the kitchen. Asher flipped through channels on the television.
"It's five-thirty," I said. "Don't you know that nothing's on at five-thirty?"
"That hunting show is on."
"That show is fake."
"What are you, psychic?"
"Well," I said. "I'm going to walk around town."
"Have fun with that." Asher was already watching his hunting show.
I put my water cup in the sink and walked out the door.
