Journal Entries

The Rabbit Hunt

One time Analiese was hunting just below a low ridge. It was this time of year, the sun shining but the weather kind of cold and blustery.

Analiese needed a few rabbits for her mom's kettle, so she was looking on the sunside of everything thinking those rabbits would be cold and hungry and staying in the sun for warmth. And she was right about that because she had a string of three already hung over her shoulder.

She was using an old .22 pump, something like what carnivals used to have when Uncle Jim was a boy. She thought he maybe stole that gun from one of those carnivals but she never asked. It shot straight too, making a little pop and it was easy to carry.

Sometime before noon she noticed a pickup roaring down a track where the dry creek bed wiggled it's way down the valley. The truck pulled to a screeching halt about 150 yards away and a big cowboy got out of the passenger side. He reached for a rifle sitting in the rear window rack and proceeded to lean across the hood, pointing the gun in Analiese's direction.

Next thing she knew, there a loud swishing sound then a sharp crack as dust kicked up in front of her. She looked up the slope thinking maybe that cowbody had seen something up the hill, but there wasn't anything she could see.

Just then she heard another swish and crack as more dust and gravel kicked up behind her.

"Wonder if he knows I'm here," she asked herself.

So then she began waving and yelling, but that was greeted by a explosive shower of dirt at her feet.

"Shit!" she thought and started running. She could hear the zings, swishes and cracks behind her as she headed for a lone and forlorn looking cedar nearby. When she reached the tree, she turned around and noticed the cowboy had moved ahead of the truck and was shooting standing straight and tall.

Carefully, Analiese layed the little rifle across a branch, aimed and pulled the trigger. There was a pop then a moment later a small puff of dust appeared to the right of the cowboy. Analiese noted the distance and then aimed the same amount as best she could figure to the left of the cowboy. A moment later the cowboy dropped his rifle and was jumping up and down and hollering. She couldn't understand what he was saying but she saw that he was grabbing his butt which had presented itself in profile while he was standing there shooting.

The driver of the pickup ground the rears and fishtailed all the way around raising clouds of dust that obscured the scene a little but Analiese could see the cowboy frantically trying to crawl inside the cab as the truck spun around. Finally, he got inside and the truck sped away with the door banging and flapping like a big wing.

"Got him!" Analiese thought to herself proudly. "A little low but it'll do."

And with that she decided to resume her hunt.

About two hours later, she noticed a sheriff's vehicle coming her way, a Jeep Cherokee with blue and red lights flashing on top.

"Oh shit!" she thought as she started to move away without looking like she was in a hurry. Soon the jeep, bouncing and creaking, caught up to her and a deputy got out pointing a rifle at her with a big long magazine coming out of the bottom.

"Don't move!" he ordered. "Drop your gun and get your hands in the air, do it now!"

Analiese complied and soon found herself on her knees with her hands on top of her head and a rifle barrel pointed in her ear. She didn't say anything knowing your mouth usually got you into more trouble than it was worth.

One of the deputies was checking her gun and the string of rabbits.

The other deputy who was holding her at gunpoint asked, "What are you doing out here?"

"Just hunting bunnies," replied Analiese.

"Sure it's not whitemen?"

"No sir! Never have needed too. We don't eat whitemen."

"Don't get smart with me, okay? You're in a world of trouble right now."

"Really, how come?"

"Don't act like I'm stupid. We know you been taking potshots at Clyde Bennett and his hand. You got something against Mr. Bennett?"

"No sir. I reckon Mr. Bennett's got something against me."

"Well, you are on his lease you know?"

"No sir, I'm on the reservation."

"I know that idiot! But Mr. Bennett's got a lease here and doesn't like people trespassing."

"Yeah, I know, but it's my land so I'm not trespassing."

"Well, be that as it may, you didn't need to shoot at Mr. Bennett did you now?"

"I don't recall, sir."

"Oh, really? What do you recall?"

"I recall some cowboy shooting at me, sir."

"Is that a fact?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, young lady, you'll pay hell proving that in court."

"No sir, I ain't going to court."

"The hell you ain't! You see that man in the back of our vehicle. He's Mr. Bennett's foreman and he's going to positively identify you< little Smarty Bitch, as the person who shot Mr. Bennett without provocation, striking him in his glutteous maximus. You hear?"

"His glutteous what? I don't see how he can identify me. We all look alike don't we?"

"I told you not to get smart with me didn't I?"

"Yes sir, you did."

Just then the other deputy who had been talking to the man in the backseat said, "Willis, you better come here a minute."

"What for?" asked the first deputy.

"Just come here. I've got the gun and the rabbits so she ain't going anywhere."

"Willis" walked over to the other deputy and Analiese could hear them discussing things in hushed tones. The man in the backseat would occasionally nod or shake his head. Finally, Willis returned.

"Well, you little smart mouthed bitch! Today's your lucky day. It turns out you all do look alike for a fact, so I guess I can't nail you this time, but if I ever catch you out here again, for any reason, I'm going to make you wish you'd never been born. How old are you anyway?"

"23 sir."

"No, you're not. You're not a day over 13 or 14."

"Okay, I'm 14, so what?"

"So what? I'll tell you so what. They'll put you in a foster home until you're old enough to get a real job and then you might can maybe see your family again. How's that sound for so what?"

"Not very good, sir."

"Yeah, not very good at all. Heap big bad, ain't it, little squaw?"

"I reckon so, sir. Can I go now."

"What's your hurry?"

"I'm getting a little tired of standing on my knees sir and holding my head if you don't mind."

"Get up then but don't try nothing funny, you understand."

"Yes, sir. Can I go now?"

"Yeah, get out of here before I change my mind."

"One other thing sir."

"What?!!!"

"Can I have my bunnies and rifle back."

"Yeah, you can have your bunnies and rifle back but you're not getting the bullets, understand?"

"Yes sir, and thanks."

"Get your stuff and get out of my sight!"

As Analiese passed by the other deputy and the man in the backseat, she noticed they were both looking at her. The deputy was grinning.

"Have a nice day, Analiese."

"Thank you, sir, I'm sure I will."

"Yeah, you sure will," he echoed then winked at her.

Analiese wondered what that meant as she walked away.

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