Ah-keen-ah! (A Tom and Huck Fanfic)

A Simple Test

Pa couldn't find a wild boar but he did find a white tailed deer he shot, cleaned, and skinned. There was enough meat for the whole day. Just when he hung the meat from a tree branch, he ran a few feet away and let out some of the moonshine he drank yesterday. I poured some of my water in his empty tin jug. He came back to sit down by the fire, I gave him the jug.

"Rinse your mouth out."

"With moonshine?"

"Water."

I gave the jug to him and he took a drink.

"It's yesterday's water."

"Better than moonshine, I'll tell you what."

"I'll tell you what little girl."

He didn't say anything, what did he wanna tell me?

"Tell me what?"

He pointed his finger at me.

"Don't start with me, I have a headache and I might get sick again."

I took a drink out of my jug, the water tasted weird, it was yesterday's water.

"Can I go get some fresh water from the stream?"

"Come straight back."

"Ok Pa."

I stood up with my jug.

"If you're not back in ten minutes, I'll beat your ass, you're still in trouble for lying."

"Yes Pa."

I started running in the direction of the stream. When I got to the stream, I started filling up the water. I thought about running away from Pa: I love him, he's my father but I saw him kill somebody and he threatened to kill my friend. Then, I had an idea, I wanted to test him, I could act like I disappeared or something, if he genuinely loved me, he would go looking for me. I took a deep breath...my chest hurt from nervousness, I took another breath...no, I can't do it. I want to teach Pa a lesson, I have to do it.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

I screamed as loud as I could.

"AQUENE!" I heard Pa shout.

I dropped the jug and took off.

"PAAAAA, HELP ME!"

"AQUENE!"

I kept shouting for Pa for a moment until I was further away from the stream. I was headed towards town.

I was in town out of breath. It was like everything was back to normal. The children at school was having class, it was still morning. I sat outside until it was lunch when we usually ate outside where we played for recess. Tom was there that day, as soon as he saw me, he ran to give me a hug.

"Aquene, I never thought you'd come back here."

"I ran from Pa, he thinks I've been taken."

"What? He'll come back here looking for you."

"Good, it's my test to him. I realize he's more loving towards me while drunk."

"How sad."

As she said it, my bully walked to us.

"Very sad Ah-keenie."

"Ah-keen-ah, how many times do I have to tell you!"

"As many times as it takes for you and your pa to leave and not return."

"I grew up here, I ain't leaving."

"Oh really?"

"Really. You're just prejudice."