The Ghost's Redemption

Chapter 22

"Cover your ears." I whisper as I put the rifle on top of a sturdy branch of an oak tree. I align the sight of the barrel behind the shoulder of the small buck. When I'm locked in, I take a deep breath like always, then squeeze the trigger. After the shot rings out, I see the buck kick its hind legs out behind him, an indication I hit him. I pull back the chamber so my gun is no longer loaded as I watch the buck run around the woods, noticing it having trouble to walk. I am confident it will go down soon. 

I look down to Henry who is wide eyed and looking over the branch to watch the buck very intently, and Gracelyn who is hiding behind her brother still covering her ears. "You can put your hands down." I say to her and she listens. 

"Is it dead, mama?" Henry asks as he stands to his feet. 

"Did you see how it kicked out his legs?" I say looking back to where I originally shot it, "When they do that, it usually means you hit them. So now we have to wait a little bit until we look for him. Do you want to try to shoot some squirrels while we wait?" He nods his head excitedly while holding his hands in front of him, "Get your gun behind the tree, remember don't point it at us." I say to him clearly. 

Henry takes the few steps to behind the tree where I lied his gun, just in case we had the opportunity. He holds his gun properly with the barrel pointed to the sky as he walks over to me, sitting on my knee. "Close the action." I instruct him and he pushes the level forward. "Now we wait."

"There's one!" Gracelyn says behind me, holding onto my shoulder. Henry looks around to where she is pointing, then he puts his .22 to his shoulder. He pulls the trigger, but the squirrel doesn't move. 

"Shoot again." I tell him in case he was feeling discouraged. He unloads the action and pushes the next bullet forward, just like how he was taught. When the next bullet flies in the air, the squirrel falls from his branch, Henry got the animal! This is Henry's first squirrel! "Good job, buddy!" I say squeezing his little body, "Look, there's another! Reload." I whisper. 

Henry puts his cheek back on the butt of the gun, carefully moving the barrel in the right direction. When he pulls the trigger, the squirrel drops again! "I got him, mama!" 

"You did, now open your action and leave it just like that. It's time to go look for the buck, go get your squirrels. Come on Gracelyn." I say standing up, slinging my rifle onto my back and taking her hand. 

She looked so cute in her buffalo hide hat, gloves, and boots that her aunt Leah made for her and Henry looked so old with his raccoon hide gloves and hat. Henry Russel is 5 years old and Gracelyn Hannah is two years younger than Henry. Henry is an identical match to his father, with brown hair and matching brown eyes, while Gracelyn has my color of hair but Ethan's brown eyes. Henry is named after my father and Ethan's father Russel, and Gracelyn's middle name after my mother. 

Henry is very much like Ethan; mature, cute, strong, hard working, and very intellectual for his age. He loves to help his dad whenever he can, especially hunting like we are now. The kid is always outside, which is both good and bad. I am glad he likes to be out of the house, but that also means he gets himself into more trouble than good. 

Gracelyn is the typical girl child. She thinks everything Henry does is gross and is not so sold on dealing with animals, except for horses. She loves my horses and even has her own pony, that she begged her father to get her. And being wrapped around her little finger, Ethan got her the damn pony that I do not get along with. But the horse adores Gracelyn, so I tolerate it. She is a total daddy's girl, but she still hangs around me more often. 

Ethan is currently on a job right now so that is why I am hunting right now. I don't mind hunting, it brings back good memories of hunting with thee Lakota tribe and it is very rewarding to bring home your own deer. It is even more rewarding to teach your children the fundamentals of the sport.