1882 - 10 years old
"Now hold it up, just like this...." Helen looked small compared to the bow her mother had bought her. It was a gift for her 8th birthday, but given her small size, she struggled to use it properly. Helen had been practicing for the last two years, and today was her first hunt.
Her mother had shown her briefly how to track animal prints, and now the two were hidden a few yards away from a rabbit. "Take a deep breath and pull the arrow back," her mother whispered. Helen obediently listened, pulling her arrow back as far as she could.
"No, no - like this." Her mother straightened both Helen's arms and posture, adjusting the arrow. "There. When you have a shot, don't hesitate to take it." Helen closed one eye and stared the rabbit down, who hopped innocently through the grass. Don't overthink it, just go for it.
The arrow was let loose, soaring straight through the air at impeccable speed. The rabbit let out a choked squeal when the arrow plunged through its throat, and it fell over in the grass.
Helen leapt to her feet, nearly dropping her bow as she faced her mother. "I did it, Mom!" she cheered in delight. She raced forward, her mother following proudly, and Helen looked down at the rabbit.
"BLEGH!!"
Immediately, Helen bent over to the side and threw up in disgust. Her mother laughed loudly, a joyous sound, as she picked up the rabbit. "It's just a little blood, sweetheart!" she teased as she removed the arrow.
Helen wiped her mouth, standing up straight; "But there was so much!" she protested. Her mother laughed again as they made their way back to the cabin. "You'll get used to it, darling."
The girl skipped forward, holding her bow tightly; a question had popped into her head, and curiosity drove her to ask it. "Would Daddy have taught me how to hunt instead of you?" Her mother faltered in her step, and she stared at her daughter in shock.
Helen, however, waited patiently for her mother to reply. "I...." She stumbled over her words, glancing down for a moment as she thought. Her mother then looked up, a smile plastered on her face; "I'm sure he would have, but no one can teach you better than me, sweetheart."
She sent Helen a wink, making the little girl giggle in delight and skip forward. "You're the best, Mommy!"
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Family in Shambles
FanfictionShe had been going it alone for three years, since her mother had passed away. She had been learning to survive and doing what she NEEDED to do to survive, no matter the consequences. She knew how to lie low and hide from the law, and she became a v...
