The Natural

The forest was alive. Birds chattered.

A creek rushed nearby, bubbling over the stones. Summer crickets hummed in the heat.

Mike moved through the trees.

Silent. Careful. Focused.

His beard was thicker now. Darker. He seems younger than we’ve seen him before.

Camouflage gear blended him into the wild.

The forest floor was mud-soaked.

Every step was measured. Precise.

Behind him is Tucker, just nine years old.

Trying desperately to step in his father’s footprints, but his legs weren’t long enough, so he had to hop every few steps.

He carried a hunting rifle too. It felt heavy in his small hands.

His stomach growled. "Can we go home?" Tucker whimpered.. "I’m so hungry."

Mike didn’t look back at him. "No, Tuck. You have to catch your meal today."

Tucker sighed. "But we haven’t seen anything all day!"

"You have to be patient. And you have to keep your voice down."

"I never thought hunting would be so boring. I—"

"-Shhh!"

Mike’s hand shot up.

Tucker froze.

Mike crouched low and motioned for Tucker to do the same.

Tucker dropped to his belly and followed Mike as he crawled forward.

Through the undergrowth and over damp leaves and tangled roots.

They reached a break in the trees and there it was.

A bull moose standing in a clearing.

A female grazing nearby.

The male was huge.

Massive antlers stretched toward the sky.

It chewed lazily on a patch of grass.

Mike set his gun down and gestured for Tucker to come closer.

Tucker waddled over.

Mike’s voice was barely above a whisper. "You see that moose?"

Tucker nodded.

"He’s yours."

Tucker’s eyes widened. "That thing? It’s so big!"

Mike smirked. "You’re not scared, are you?"

Tucker’s jaw tightened. "No way!"

Mike chuckled. "That so, tough guy? You know, a long time ago, this is how people lived. No grocery stores. No restaurants—"

Tucker cut in. "Not even like… a farm?"

Mike laughed softly. "Once upon a time, no farms either." He gestured to the woods around them. "It was just this. You. And your food. The entire human species thrived on this one moment." He turned, looked Tucker in the eyes. "Will you miss? And let him get away?"

His gaze hardened. "Or will you tag him? And your family survives another winter?"

Tucker sucked his teeth. "No pressure," said Tucker.

Mike grinned. "Remember what I taught you."

Tucker nodded.

"Hold your breath."

Tucker lifted the rifle to his shoulder.

Lined up the iron sights. His breath came fast. His hands shook.

He pulled the bolt back and the rifle clicked.

His chest tightened.

"Can’t I at least use your scope?" said Tucker.

"No son of mine is making his first kill with a scope!" said Mike. You take the shot fair and square."

Tucker gulped.

Took aim.

The moose chewed, oblivious to the doom that beckoned him.

Tucker’s finger tensed on the trigger.

He exhaled.

Held his breath.

BANG!

The gunshot ripped through the trees.

A thunderous crack.

Birds erupted from the canopy.

The moose jerked!

It took off in a sprint.

Disappearing into the woods.

Tucker lowered the rifle. His arms felt like lead. His chest tightened.

Mike sighed. "Close."

Tucker’s stomach sank. He missed.

Mike clapped him on the back. "Next time, Tuck. Next time."

Tucker nodded, but deep down, something unsettled crawled through him. He knew in this life missing wasn’t an option.

***

Tucker and Mike tracked down the woodland pair again. Tucker aimed once more from another crouch position.

BANG!

The bullet whizzed past.

The moose’s head snapped up.

The female darted into the trees—gone.

But the bull didn’t run this time.

It stayed. Its dark eyes locked onto Tucker.

Staring.

Tucker’s breath caught. “I missed.”

Mike’s voice was low. Controlled. “That’s okay, Tuck. It’s…” Mike saw the bull watching them.

Tucker swallowed. “It’s… it’s looking at me.”

Mike’s voice was barely above a whisper. “I know. Don’t. Move.”

The moose shifted. Turned to face them.

Its massive antlers stretched wide.

Tucker felt his stomach drop.

Mike’s hand moved slow and careful as he reached for his rifle.

Then the moose charged., fast!

Too fast!

Its head lowered to kill. A thousand-pound missile, coming right at them.

Mike snatched his rifle.

Tucker’s chest clenched.

Time slowed.

His body burned.

His grip tightened on the gun.

And then—

He moved.

Tucker leapt to his feet.

His mind went blank. His body took over and he fired on instinct.

Click, bang!

The shot ripped through the air.

The moose kept coming.

Click, Bang!

It was almost on top of them.

Tucker moved forward.

Not back.

Not away.

Forward.

His boots pressed into the mud, steady and controlled.

Like he was possessed by a soldier marching toward war.

Click, Bang! Click, Bang! Click, Bang!

The moose stumbled.

Then—collapsed.

It slid face-first into the dirt. Dead.

Blood pooled from five clean bullet holes in its head.

Tucker stood over the body.

His breathing was steady.

His hands didn’t shake.

His heart pounded, but he was calm.

Mike stared at him.

Astonished.

He shook his head, a grin creeping onto his face. "Damn, boy… you’re a natural."

***

Tucker gasped awake. Back to the present.

His eyes fluttered open. Why did he dream of that memory?

Everything was spinning.

His head throbbed.

His body ached.

He tried to push himself up—

Pain.

A sharp, hot agony shot through his left arm. It was clean, in and out.

He groaned.

His hand clutched at his side it was wet and warm.

Then he saw Lien.

Lying still a mix of their blood pooled beneath her.

Her eyes were open.

Staring into his soul, but there was nothing behind them.

No life.

Tucker’s chest tightened.

No. No, no, no!

He crawled to her.

Shaking her shoulders. “Lien? Lien!”

Nothing.

"I’m not gonna let you give up!"

He flipped her onto her back. Pressed his hands to her chest and started CPR.

Once. Twice. Again and again and again.

His arm screamed in pain.

Blood seeped from his wound.

Dripped onto her skin.

"Come back to me!"

He kept going.

Desperate.

Pumping.

Each push sent more of his own blood spilling onto her.

Trickling down her chest.

Sliding up her face. Tucker’s movements slowed.

He stopped. His head lowered.

His breath shuddered and he took a moment yo collect himself.

He leaned down and kissed her one last time.

He gently closed her eyes.

Folded her arms over her chest.

He stood up. It was time to end this madness. Everyone was gone. It was just him and Victor now.

His fists clenched. His body was shaking, but his eyes were dry. His face set. Cold. Hard.

Tucker Matlock was done grieving. He was done running.

He was going to finish this.