A Killer's Heart... Complete

In The Making

" Mommy,  please tell pops I don't want to go."

" Baby girl,  I know but he said you have to go hunting. Don't know why only rednecks go hunting."

Pops walked in with all his gear. Camouflage pants, jacket, and boots. He had a strip holding raffle around his shoulder.

" I got something for you, lil pearl.",  my pops hand me a matching camouflage outfit with matching boots.  He looked into my eyes and bend down at me.
"I want you to understand that I'm preparing you. I need you to get ready. I will be waiting out side."

I did not want to go. Pops is someone you do not say no to.

My mom had a sad face and turn to me. She hands me the outfit and hurried me getting dressed.

" Baby girl, you learn everything. Make this a lesson and not a punishment. Here take this book. I know you love to read" She holds a book by Marcus Garvey. She looked at me.
"It will tell you more about yourself. Keep knowledge with you. Not only from the streets but from the books too. Keep your eyes and ears open."

She pulls my hair in a bun, turned me around and gave me a kiss. She reached in her pocket and hand me a Swiss army knife.

"Take this baby girl,  just in case."

I looked into her eyes, confused. It made me worried about what I will encounter out there in those woods for 2 days. Pops is training me, so I know it's going to be a struggle.

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"Hurry up baby girl,  I want to make camp so we can set up."

He moved through the woods like he was born here. He walked in a nice quick pace and I had to keep up. He suddenly stops in a center of the woods and lay his items down. " Here, we camp here.", Pops said in short breaths.

"Daddy, I'm scared. There are bears out here or worst snakes.", Walking with my bags in my hand.

"Well, there's plenty of stuff to hunt them." My pops were serious. He grew up in the Bronx, what he knows about hunting?

"I was born in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.  My dad took me hunting, fishing, and camping all the time. He gave me my first raffle when I was 6 and showed me how to use it as well. I missed him. When he died, my mom moved back to the Bronx and that was that. But I never forgot the things he taught me. Or the beauty of the woods."

I never heard him talk like this. I always thought he came from the streets of New York. I realized now, this what made him. It eases the pressure of fear and made me want to learn more about this man. I stand there listening to pops talked about family and cookouts. How they used to eat clay and drink fresh spring water from the creek.

He started to pinch the tents and set up a campfire. Soon he set up everything he instructed me to follow him.

"You going to learn to hunt. To follow the signs of your prey. You have to know how they sleep, eat and shit. I mean everything. Don't be afraid of patience. It's the key.", He stated while walking me through the woods.

It was still early. The sun was still shining high in the sky. My pops wanted to leave before the sun came up. I got plenty of rest on the ride here.

I can hear the birds chirping and the wind blowing through the leaves. The sound of silence was around us. He stops me on track and told me to get down.

"Shhh, baby girl." In a low soft voice. " Look, see that? It's a deer."

100 ft away was a deer standing through the trees. You can barely see him, but you knew he was there. I stand down and watch my dad in action.

"Like I said patience. Any little sound will tip him off. Then you have to wait for a while and silence." Still whispering and a soft voice.

We waited until pops had a clear shoot. Soon, a snap from the woods tipped the deer off and got us scared too.

"Shhhh, we are not alone." Still whispering calmly.

I waited in silence with my dad. It seems like forever. Suddenly I heard my dad said "oh shit" while looking behind me.

I just stood there for a minute frozen in fear. What's behind me? I can hear panting and short breaths. Then I heard a slow grrrrr that stood my hair up.

My pops just kept a good eye and worried look on us, by going back and forth to me and the creature behind me.

"Please don't move.",my dad whispered without moving his lips.

I remember the knife my mom gave me stuff in my side pocket. I have been had my hand on it this whole time. "Just in case"

My dad tries to go for the gun but the creature was too fast for him.  I don't remember much. All I  know I turned around really quickly and pull out the knife. With my eyes closed.

" Open your eyes sweetie. Please!" Yelled my pops.

I open my eyes and saw a wolf teeth on my lips. The eyes half closed and noise still dripping off sweat. I screamed so hard. My dad pulls the wolf off and lay him to the ground. I still had the bloody knife in my hand.

"Well, it not a deer, but this kill will do.
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Thanks for the reading....enjoy everyone