begin his reasoning on why his mother needed him to protect her, but Sarah answered.
“Yes, you must go,” her words were directed to Ricky but her eyes remained on her husband. “You need to learn soon enough how to take care of yourself out there.”
Ethan had been prepared to protest, but at his wife’s pleading look he relented. He understood only too well what she was thinking. She had always been afraid to let Ricky go out in case something happened to Ethan. She hadn’t wanted him to die alone if he got lost in the elements; if he was unable to find his way back alone, he would be doomed.
“Go, I’ll be fine. I’ve wanted a chance to finish that blanket,” Sarah said.
Ethan had found some mismatched yarn on one of his jaunts to the town in search of food, he knew how much Sarah loved to knit and he couldn’t pass it by. His discovery of the yarn was bittersweet, as Sarah had asked him one night to place the finished blanket over her head when the time came. She couldn’t stand the thought of dirt falling onto her face and over her eyes when she was buried.
Ethan gave in. With a whoop of delight, Ricky ran for his coat, boots, hat and a small bow and arrow set his father had given him for his seventh birthday. Ricky ran over to kiss his mother then excitedly threw his arms around her thin shoulders and squeezed.
“I love you, Mommy,” he whispered in her ear. “I’ll bring you back a really big something.”
“Just make sure you come back.”
“Of course I will,” Ricky said surprised. “No one would ever love me more than you do.”
Ethan kissed his wife and told her not to worry even though he knew she would. Aidan looked long and hard at the tiny woman; he silently vowed then and there he would watch over her family, even if it meant his life. They were a family more than worthy of his protection. Jail or not, he was still sworn to protect the innocent civilians; these people were about as innocent as any he had ever encountered.
Aidan knew his unit had stood by him, supported him; he determined he could still make them proud. The look he sent Sarah was returned, she understood and he thought perhaps she relaxed a little.
* * * *
They walked outside from the gloomy dark cavity of the earth floor into a cloudy and cold equally gloomy morning. They walked along in silence for a short while until Ricky asked Aidan what he was looking for.
“Lots of things.”
“Like what?”
“Rabbit burrows, fowl, or deer.”
A calm stealth washed over Aidan and he moved as a stalker, a predator, his attitude changed to match the hunter who was now on the prowl. His voice was hushed when he spoke and he moved without making a sound.
“Ricky, you’re not a boy anymore, you’re an animal, a smart one. You need food and you know it’s out there. You bite twigs, nibble grass, but you don’t notice how the twigs bend, you’re unaware your foraging gives your predator a map to your discovery. Now, become the hunter, Ricky. You see the disturbed vegetation, you look for tracks; by the height of the broken twigs you determine how large your prey is by the angle of a bite.”
Crouching low to the ground Ricky, caught up in Aidan’s quest, reached out a small tentative hand to some bent foliage. He thought for a moment knowing the prey was shorter than himself, Ricky declared, “A fawn?” his whispered.
“Smaller, Ricky, look at the tracks.”
Ricky had seen rabbit tracks. Disappointed the prey was so small Ricky let his breath out almost losing respect for their quarry.
“No,” Aidan admonished; he shot a fast look to Ethan who had joined them nearer to the ground. He had seen where Ricky’s thoughts had taken him.
“Even rabbits provide food, it doesn’t matter what the prey is or how big it is; it’s still the taking of a life. Her life or ours, Ricky. What will it be?”
Ricky thought for a moment; her life reverberated throughout his mind. They were going to hunt and kill
“Yes, you must go,” her words were directed to Ricky but her eyes remained on her husband. “You need to learn soon enough how to take care of yourself out there.”
Ethan had been prepared to protest, but at his wife’s pleading look he relented. He understood only too well what she was thinking. She had always been afraid to let Ricky go out in case something happened to Ethan. She hadn’t wanted him to die alone if he got lost in the elements; if he was unable to find his way back alone, he would be doomed.
“Go, I’ll be fine. I’ve wanted a chance to finish that blanket,” Sarah said.
Ethan had found some mismatched yarn on one of his jaunts to the town in search of food, he knew how much Sarah loved to knit and he couldn’t pass it by. His discovery of the yarn was bittersweet, as Sarah had asked him one night to place the finished blanket over her head when the time came. She couldn’t stand the thought of dirt falling onto her face and over her eyes when she was buried.
Ethan gave in. With a whoop of delight, Ricky ran for his coat, boots, hat and a small bow and arrow set his father had given him for his seventh birthday. Ricky ran over to kiss his mother then excitedly threw his arms around her thin shoulders and squeezed.
“I love you, Mommy,” he whispered in her ear. “I’ll bring you back a really big something.”
“Just make sure you come back.”
“Of course I will,” Ricky said surprised. “No one would ever love me more than you do.”
Ethan kissed his wife and told her not to worry even though he knew she would. Aidan looked long and hard at the tiny woman; he silently vowed then and there he would watch over her family, even if it meant his life. They were a family more than worthy of his protection. Jail or not, he was still sworn to protect the innocent civilians; these people were about as innocent as any he had ever encountered.
Aidan knew his unit had stood by him, supported him; he determined he could still make them proud. The look he sent Sarah was returned, she understood and he thought perhaps she relaxed a little.
* * * *
They walked outside from the gloomy dark cavity of the earth floor into a cloudy and cold equally gloomy morning. They walked along in silence for a short while until Ricky asked Aidan what he was looking for.
“Lots of things.”
“Like what?”
“Rabbit burrows, fowl, or deer.”
A calm stealth washed over Aidan and he moved as a stalker, a predator, his attitude changed to match the hunter who was now on the prowl. His voice was hushed when he spoke and he moved without making a sound.
“Ricky, you’re not a boy anymore, you’re an animal, a smart one. You need food and you know it’s out there. You bite twigs, nibble grass, but you don’t notice how the twigs bend, you’re unaware your foraging gives your predator a map to your discovery. Now, become the hunter, Ricky. You see the disturbed vegetation, you look for tracks; by the height of the broken twigs you determine how large your prey is by the angle of a bite.”
Crouching low to the ground Ricky, caught up in Aidan’s quest, reached out a small tentative hand to some bent foliage. He thought for a moment knowing the prey was shorter than himself, Ricky declared, “A fawn?” his whispered.
“Smaller, Ricky, look at the tracks.”
Ricky had seen rabbit tracks. Disappointed the prey was so small Ricky let his breath out almost losing respect for their quarry.
“No,” Aidan admonished; he shot a fast look to Ethan who had joined them nearer to the ground. He had seen where Ricky’s thoughts had taken him.
“Even rabbits provide food, it doesn’t matter what the prey is or how big it is; it’s still the taking of a life. Her life or ours, Ricky. What will it be?”
Ricky thought for a moment; her life reverberated throughout his mind. They were going to hunt and kill
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