What messed with my head the most was how she closed her eyes. As though she understood what I was saying, and she knew what was coming, and... And it was like she was accepting her end.
It bothered me fiercely, and after talking to my grandpa about it, he told me that what I felt was normal for someone to experience, especially when you mess up a shot on an animal and have to put them down. He told me, "It gives you an idea of what it's like to have take a life, especially when it's another person. It makes you understand what you're doing, and teaches you to make it count the first time."
Just the other day I went back to where I killed the coyote, and located the skull. The rest of the body was gone, having been eaten by scavengers. I dug a small hole close to where I killed the coyote, and buried the skull there, and stacked a few stones on the spot to mark it.
Why did I go through all the effort, you might be wondering. I did so as a sign of respect to the animal, and as a sort of recompense for the horrible shots I made.
I'm sorry to bother you guys with this, bur if you want to take something from my story, please remember this: If you ever have to take a life, whether an animal or a person, the best thing you can do is make it as quick and painless as possible, to ensure that they do not suffer needlessly.
If you've read this far, thank you for taking the time to read this and have a wonderful day and a happy new year.
