Read Online Immortal Coil: A Novel (Immortal Trilogy Book 1) by James McNally - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: James McNally
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did.
“And I did get a bird, but Ralph complained about my form. He criticized how I held my gun and even how slow I was retrieving the kill. I was a little annoyed that he sent the dogs in to collect his kills, but I had to get my own. Not a big deal, though since I only had one bird to collect.
“Toward the end of the day, when it was just about time for us to head back, things took a strange turn. Suddenly Ralph was aloof, distracted. He walked behind me most of the time. When I stopped he would stop, too.
“‘Go on up ahead,’ he said. I looked at him for a long time before I started moving. I was looking behind me every couple of steps just to make sure he was still there. I suddenly had a feeling that I was Hansel about to be left in the woods. But what was going on was even more sinister than that.
“When I was about five hundred yards away I heard him lift his rifle. I heard the click as he cocked it. I stopped moving, afraid to look back. Was he pointing the gun at me? Somehow, I knew he was. My blood ran through me like ice. I suddenly wanted to hug my mother really bad. I would miss her. She was never really that good to me, but she was the only mother I had. Would she cry when I didn’t return? I would like to believe she would, but I didn’t know. I squeezed my eyes as tight as I could and waited for the rifle shot.
“‘It’s a dangerous world out there, you should be careful,’ Ralph said then pulled the trigger. The gunshot echoed through the trees stirring up all kinds of wildlife around us. I dropped to my knees, felt at my back for the hole that wasn’t there. About twenty yards to my left a wild turkey lay headless and bleeding, its body still twitching. Behind me Ralph was laughing. Did he know I had wet myself at the moment the gun went off? Probably not, but he soon figured it out, though. He had the nerve to be angry at what I had done. This wouldn’t be the last time Ralph would play this game, but future episodes would not be as fun for him because I never again wet my pants, and I wasn’t half as scared. Yes, there was always the possibility he would go through with the real thing but by then I just didn’t care anymore.
“When we got home he said, ‘Go clean yourself up; you’re disgusting.’ As if I had done this out of stupidity or something.
“I showered and dressed for dinner, and in the kitchen my mother was preparing the birds so I watched.
“As she plucked the feathers from my pheasant, I asked if she needed any help.
“‘I got this,’ she said. My mother was young when she had me: seventeen. She was young now. She married a man twice her age just so she wouldn’t feel alone, or so I believed. She was convinced this was her last chance at happiness. I was a distraction from her true happiness, and a threat to it as well, I think. At least, that’s how I felt.
“‘That’s my bird,’ I said.
“‘Tough bird,’ she complained. ‘And probably not even worth cooking. I’m tempted to throw it to the dogs.’
“My smile faded. ‘I’ll eat it.’
“‘It’s full of buck shot. You should have used the Remington 7600 and saved some of the meat.’
“ That’s the gun your husband intended to shoot me with , I wanted to say. But she would have hit me for being a liar and threatening to destroy her marriage. ‘That’s not the gun Ralph let me use,’ was what I said instead.
“I helped her when I could, but mostly I just sat there staring at her wondering how she could be so blind to the evil Ralph exhibited. Eventually, I would give up trying to figure her out. But back then I still held out for her love and attention.
“I ate some of the turkey that Ralph shot instead of shooting me, and it tasted good. But I credit that to my mother being such a good cook. My bird was tough like she said. It ended up in the dog dish. They seemed to like it, anyway.
“The dogs slept with me most nights and I enjoyed their company. That night they were
“And I did get a bird, but Ralph complained about my form. He criticized how I held my gun and even how slow I was retrieving the kill. I was a little annoyed that he sent the dogs in to collect his kills, but I had to get my own. Not a big deal, though since I only had one bird to collect.
“Toward the end of the day, when it was just about time for us to head back, things took a strange turn. Suddenly Ralph was aloof, distracted. He walked behind me most of the time. When I stopped he would stop, too.
“‘Go on up ahead,’ he said. I looked at him for a long time before I started moving. I was looking behind me every couple of steps just to make sure he was still there. I suddenly had a feeling that I was Hansel about to be left in the woods. But what was going on was even more sinister than that.
“When I was about five hundred yards away I heard him lift his rifle. I heard the click as he cocked it. I stopped moving, afraid to look back. Was he pointing the gun at me? Somehow, I knew he was. My blood ran through me like ice. I suddenly wanted to hug my mother really bad. I would miss her. She was never really that good to me, but she was the only mother I had. Would she cry when I didn’t return? I would like to believe she would, but I didn’t know. I squeezed my eyes as tight as I could and waited for the rifle shot.
“‘It’s a dangerous world out there, you should be careful,’ Ralph said then pulled the trigger. The gunshot echoed through the trees stirring up all kinds of wildlife around us. I dropped to my knees, felt at my back for the hole that wasn’t there. About twenty yards to my left a wild turkey lay headless and bleeding, its body still twitching. Behind me Ralph was laughing. Did he know I had wet myself at the moment the gun went off? Probably not, but he soon figured it out, though. He had the nerve to be angry at what I had done. This wouldn’t be the last time Ralph would play this game, but future episodes would not be as fun for him because I never again wet my pants, and I wasn’t half as scared. Yes, there was always the possibility he would go through with the real thing but by then I just didn’t care anymore.
“When we got home he said, ‘Go clean yourself up; you’re disgusting.’ As if I had done this out of stupidity or something.
“I showered and dressed for dinner, and in the kitchen my mother was preparing the birds so I watched.
“As she plucked the feathers from my pheasant, I asked if she needed any help.
“‘I got this,’ she said. My mother was young when she had me: seventeen. She was young now. She married a man twice her age just so she wouldn’t feel alone, or so I believed. She was convinced this was her last chance at happiness. I was a distraction from her true happiness, and a threat to it as well, I think. At least, that’s how I felt.
“‘That’s my bird,’ I said.
“‘Tough bird,’ she complained. ‘And probably not even worth cooking. I’m tempted to throw it to the dogs.’
“My smile faded. ‘I’ll eat it.’
“‘It’s full of buck shot. You should have used the Remington 7600 and saved some of the meat.’
“ That’s the gun your husband intended to shoot me with , I wanted to say. But she would have hit me for being a liar and threatening to destroy her marriage. ‘That’s not the gun Ralph let me use,’ was what I said instead.
“I helped her when I could, but mostly I just sat there staring at her wondering how she could be so blind to the evil Ralph exhibited. Eventually, I would give up trying to figure her out. But back then I still held out for her love and attention.
“I ate some of the turkey that Ralph shot instead of shooting me, and it tasted good. But I credit that to my mother being such a good cook. My bird was tough like she said. It ended up in the dog dish. They seemed to like it, anyway.
“The dogs slept with me most nights and I enjoyed their company. That night they were
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