"Remember, we must be quiet. We don't want to spook it"
Avery nodded her blonde curly locks, making them bouncing softly. Crouching her small legs into the tall grass.
I began slowly perching myself behind her as she raised the hand gun into the air. The small deer maybe ten yards ahead of us was grazing peacefully, soft snorts as it searched for food.
We were doing same thing. Searching for food. The thought of fresh meat making my mouth salivate at the sight.
I usually would be the one hunting, but Avery needed to learn. To scavenge, track and hunt, to survive. In this life nothing is guaranteed, no promise of tomorrow. And if the absolute worse happened, me no longer here to protect her. I wanted to make sure my baby had a chance.
Avery's hand shook softly as she steadied her gun on the deer. Squinting her eyes with concentration.
"Take a deep breath, focus" Whispering softly in her ear. "Relax your shoulders"
"I can do it. I know it" Speaking determinedly as she exhaled a slow breath. Making my own chest raise with pride.
Avery wasn't biologically mine. But she might as well be. I found her, just a toddler screaming in her locked bedroom. Her echoing cries able to catch mine and my brother's attention as we scavenged for food in a nearby house. Every fiber in my body told me not to risk it. Her cries will attract the Growlers. Repeating over and over to myself. Don't do it. Do not do it.
But my instincts took over. I couldn't neglect the screaming child, begging for help. Alone, starving, thirsty. No signs of people or her family were near. I couldn't bare to leave her there, knowing what would happen to her.
Shaking my head from my thoughts of the past. A soft breeze brushing my cheek, the sounds of the grass flowing in the window making the deer look up in alarm. Ears twitching as it scanned for signs of danger.
Avery exhaled one more slow breath, before pulling the trigger.
The small doe dropped as the silenced bullet penetrated the white fur coating it's chest, with a whining grunt its twitching legs slowed.
"I did it! I did it mommy!" Avery cheered quietly, her body wanting to scream with joy but her brain telling her differently. I have it drilled into her head that silence it best. Silence keeps you safe, it hides you. Like a shield, being able to lurk within the shadows without being seen.
"Come on! We've got to get this home before Growlers catch sight of us" Grunting out as I lifted the deer across my shoulder. The warm slick blood coating me as I held the two sets of limbs in each arm, arching the heavy carcass around my neck. Ignoring the fact the blood would seep through my matted auburn hair.
Avery smiled cheerfully as she followed beside me. Tucking her gun against her hip, securing it in her hand made makeshift holster.
We pushed through the foliage for about an hour before I could make out the rusty metal fencing surrounding our small RV. Keeping my eyes peered for anything and anyone out of normal.
Releasing a breath once convinced we were safe. My body was aching, sweat seeped out of my pores as I adjusted the deer's body.
Avery raced to the locked fence, unlocking it quickly as her golden locks sprung up and down happily. "Henry! Henry! I did it!" Her semi loud screams making flinch.
I shouldn't let her scream like that, but she deserves at least a moment of pure joy.
Heaving the deer onto the old picnic table next to our small fire pit. The sun was beginning to set. I would have to get to cooking this fast if we wanted to eat this tonight. The creaking of the of the RV door swung open.
"Hell yeah little badass!" Henry boomed. My brother's rusty brown hair nearly reaching his shoulders.
I can see the exhaustion hiding behind his smile
"Shh you guys, keep it down" Hushing my brother for encouraging Avery's high pitched squeals of joy.
"She deserves it! She brought dinner!" Raising his fist in the air.
"I focused! I breathed! And I killed it all by myself!" Avery propelling herself into Henry's arms. Lifting her in the air. She was nearly 6, little heavy to be carrying her around. But Henry loved to spoil her.
He was the one who swore it was the dumbest thing in the world taking her in when we found her, but but she had him wrapped around her finger by the time that little girl was in his arms.
"How about we let your momma do what she does best and you go read a book in the RV till dinner is ready" He smiled as he placed her back on the ground. Bolting to the RV with a skip.
Henry and I tackled the gutting of the deer together, his filets of meat sloppy and jagged. While mine were smooth and precise.
"Find anything else while you were out there?" Henry asked softly.
We were getting low on rations. This was the first deer we had tracked in weeks now. Food was becoming more scarce with each passing day.
Shaking my head with a shrug. "Few cans of food and water bottles. Other than that, not much"
"We might want to consider finding somewhere else to stay. This place is picked clean" He suggested while wiping the blood off his hands and onto his dirt stained khaki pants.
"Yeah but this place doesn't have a whole lot of growlers"
"Just a suggestion" Shrugging his shoulders as he set chunks of raw meat into the frying pan. "Might be better somewhere else. Maybe there's a group nearby"
Sighing heavily, wiping away the bead of sweat coating my forehead with the back of my hand.
"Henry, we've been with groups. There's always one top dog and everyone just follows like sheep. And it always ends up blowing up in our faces"
The frying pan sizzled as Henry watched the food like a hawk. "Everyone can't be like that"
Henry always looked on the brighter side. An optimist.
But he knew I made point. Over the past few years we had came across groups. Some worse than others. But they all had a one thing in common. Someone in charge, not hearing anyone's thoughts or opinions. Only thinking of themselves.
Sighing heavily.
"The group back in the city? They have no idea how to defend themselves, they only know how to steal from survivors passing through. Or how about the group living in that old church two summers back? That preacher told those people when to eat, shit, and sleep and they just listened to him while he feasted like a king while us and others barely got scraps"
Henry sighed as I before I could finish my rant. "You're not wrong. But this area wont be great once winter hits. We need to keep heading south" Flipping the meat in the frying pan, the sizzling silencing us both.
"It's so yummy!" Avery spoke with a mouthful. Licking her fingers as she gobbled up the tender meat.
Henry and I smiling toward her as we chewed happily.
Not a care in the world, she knew no other kind of lifestyle. She didn't grow up with cellphones, internet, school. Shit grocery stores for fucks sake!
Things you take for granted. I was barely out of highschool when pandemic happened. We were told not to panic, it's just the flu. Quarantine ourselves for three weeks so things could return to normal.
Ha. Normal. That's a fucking riot.
I guess Henry and Avery sensed my change of mood. Thoughts of what life use to be always managed to dampen my mood. And the conversation about leaving didn't help. Henry was right about the area , winters here in the north are hell. But the thought of having to find a new place sounded exhausting. And who knows if the RV will make it that far? It was becoming harder and harder to keep it running.
Avery swallowed the last bit of her food before crawling into my lap. "What's wrong mommy?"
Sighing softly. "Nothing hun. I'm alright, I promise" Nuzzling my face into her hair as her small hands wrapped around my neck tightly. Inhaling deeply, wishing she would always be able to fit in my arms.
"If you're all done eating, why don't you head to bed. We'll be in soon" Smiling as I kissed her cheek.
She nodded with a yawn. The amount of food making her small tummy protrude out the slightest bit making me smirk. She definitely had her fill.
Once Avery was back inside the RV, Henry and I sat beside the now smothered fire, small red embers burning low as the sound of crickets filled the air around us.
Pulling the sleeves of my hoodie past my hands, the chilly fall air reminding me of another round of winter to come.
"I'll go on a food run tomorrow. Hopefully hit a jackpot"
Groaning softly. "We really need supplies. We're low on water, and we only have about 10 cans of food left. With winter coming-" Pausing to shutter at the thought.
"We'll be alright. We'll figure it, we always do"
"You might be right about relocating" Shrugging into the my small folding chair. Annoyed with myself for somewhat agreeing with him.
"I'm always right" Henry smirked.
Rolling my eyes. "The hell you are" Unable to keep myself from yawning.
"Come on 'Lex, let's get to bed. We'll figure out more later"
I hated how relax my brother was, but it was also the best thing about him. His laid back nature, cool head. While I, the oldest. Got stuck with the typical older sibling attributes. Stubborn, hot headed, all worry and no relax.