A World in Ruin

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

            I awoke to the sound of trees scraping across my window.  I open my eyes and look outside, the morning had already come.  I slowly get out of bed and put on my regular training outfit which consists of black baggy pants, a gray loose fitting V-neck, and short boots that are excellent and easy to move around in.  I quietly shut the door behind me and walk past the kitchen to the weapons room.  I grab my bow and arrows and head out.

            The woods are not too far from our house, they are about half a mile away.  I start jogging and looking at my surroundings.  All the houses I pass are beaten down.  The mud squishes against my shoes with every step I take.  The sound of moaning and crying fills my ears as I jog by an eerie alleyway with people lying in the mud.  I quickly pass and keep running.

            I finally reach the bridge the leads into the woods.  Under the bridge is an old river that has now become polluted and black with sewage.  I continue to jog across until I reach the edge of the woods.

            I can feel the sweat forming on my forehead as I slow my pace and quietly enter the woods.  I inhale the sweet smell of the trees and listen to the birds singing.  I sigh contently and continue to search for my prey.  I take my bow off my shoulder and click an arrow in.  I hold it low as I quietly run, eyes peeled for any sign of life.

            After running a few minutes I spot a deer eating grass in an opening in the woods.  I crouch down low, bow pointed at my target.  I take big, deep breaths and prepare to fire just before I hear leaves crunching behind me.  I spin around and point my bow at the approaching villain. 

"It's only me Gwen," Tara whispers with her arms out, palms facing me so I don't shoot.

            I put my finger to my lips.

"Shhhh," I whisper.

            I point off in the direction of the deer and when her eyes land on it they widen to the size of dinner plates.  Her mouth drops open into an 'O' shape, making her look like a fish.  I suppress a smile as I turn back towards the unaware deer. 

            I raise my bow back up and aim at its head.  I calm my quickly beating heart and position my fingers just right on the bowstring.  After taking one last deep breath I release the arrow and it pierces its target right in the eye.

"Great shot," Tara praises while walking out to the deer.

            She leans her head to its neck to check for breathing.  I stand out of my crouch and join her by the deer.

"Wow, I haven't seen a deer in these woods since before the first war," I breathe.

"I know it's surprising.  They must have been hiding out and this one got separated."

"Well its loss is our gain," I reply, pulling my arrow out of its eye.

            It was a pretty decent sized deer considering we haven't seen one in eight years.  It was a little smaller then a door and it was pretty plump.

"Tonight, we eat like queens.... And kings," Tara adds.

            I nod my head and look at the deer whose blood now pools at our feet.

"How are we going to get this home?" I ask.

"I guess we will just have to carry it."

"Half a mile?  With starving people in the streets who will probably attack us for food?  One of us needs to carry it and the other needs to have a weapon ready."