A dark poem inspired by hunter's quarry.
Silence reigns throughout the forest
A silent wasteland with illusion of life
Poison, traps, and bloodsuckers abound
Not a single leaf safe to eat.
Meet the prey, a girl of 16
She tried to find food
A half eaten crust
cost more than she bargained
The hunter, a man
34, a veteran
this hunt nothing special
eliminating a criminal
She hears him rustle
in leaves behind her
breaks out into a run
He sees her, aims and fires
A few hours later
the girl stares at a tree
the ants crawl down
and onto her unseeing eyes
The man comes home
a boy clings to his knee
ruffles his hair and takes off his coat
"Honey, I'm home!"