Whistler

ONE: A fun family bonding time...

          The Samaniegos had always been hunters. There was not a  Samaniego house where you cannot find a single head of an animal hanging on its wall. There was even a creepy tale going on in town about those heads moving as if alive. Hunting was a part of who they are. Animal right laws might have lessen the frequency of their hunts and their choice of games but it will never diminish the hunt running wild in their blood, strengthened by gene and time itself.

          At young age, adult Samaniegos take their children with them when they hunt. At one somewhat similar instance, on a Thursday morning, Leon Samaniego wrote an excuse letter to his son's adviser stating he wants to take the thirteen year old Levi Samaniego for a fun family bonding time. His son was always bugging him on coming with him on a hunt. Today he intends to let him so.

          “Is it done yet? I'm hungry.”

          The young Levi grumbled as he twirled the bangs of his messy hair. He was an albino kid: white, pale skinned, white haired, and of sapphire blue eyes with crimson pupils. Now those eyes were trained at his father's hulking figure in an apron.

          “Almost, and voila...”

          Leon transfered the contents of the frying pan to a bowl. Levi set the plates he fished out the drawer while the whistling Leon poured hot soup on two mugs.

          “What is this?” Levi spooned the fried green and yellow thing his father was making a while ago.

          “Breakfast. They call it "okoy" or something. You mix sliced vegetables with flour and fry them altogether.”

          “Please Pops, stop it with the weird cuisine. That fish paste you brought yesterday made the kitchen stink. Why not go with hot dogs for a change, right?”

          “Don't say that. Now Lev don't play with your food and say your graces.”

          “I'll go wake mom.” The boy offered.

          “No, don't disturb her," his father prevented. “Let her get some rest. She pulled an all-nighter yesterday at the lab. I'll bring her food later.”

...

          “So Pops, you going out hunting today?” Levi opened as he wiped the dishes.

          “Yep. Your Uncle Andrei told me there were rumors about a strange animal roaming the mountain.”

          “That's so cool! Pops let me come with you. Please?”

          The son's sapphirine eyes shone expectantly. Andrei Primo was his father's friend and a fellow hunter. Levi liked the guy because he always bring him sweets every time he visits them. What's more, he would always tell Levi exciting tales of his hunts.

          “I don't know...you said my cooking was weird. And that kinda hurt.”

          The pleading went on for a moment and ended with Leon Samaniego letting his son come with him in exchange for Levi not telling his mother that he broke one of her favorite vases.

          The prepared excuse letter was dropped off by the school guardhouse on the way to the Madya-as Mountain.

          On the car Leon was whistling the tune of Ed Sherran's Perfect that was playing on the radio. Levi was amazed every time his father whistles a song because he just seems to do it perfectly.