A peaceful scene of the canopy of oak trees bathed in the midday summer glow. The atmosphere is peaceful and calm. Nature at its finest.
" BLAH!!"
" Aaaah!"
*BANG* A loud, thunderous gunshot disturbs the previous calm and quiet of the woods. Birds take flight in different directions, sounding the alarm to warn the other forest inhabitants who quickly took to their heels. Running disparity for their lives. The source of the sound appears to be coming from an open field turn D.U.Y gun range with the help of some tin cans placed some distance away from a picnic table that is being used to hold the gun, a Remington Model 700, ammunition as well as some snacks and drinks.
" Fuck!!, you asshole"
"Ha, I think you missed". Three people can be seen in a clearing amongst the dense woods, an elderly male wavy hair, stubble, and round glasses. Along with two kids, a pre-teen girl silver-haired with an oversized red tee and loose olive cargos giving her a streetwise edge. And her older brother with tanned skin, messy black hair, and sharp eyes partly hidden under a blue cap. He wears a tight grey t-shirt along loose tan pants.
" I know I missed, can't you see I missed, I see I missed, is there anyone who can't see I missed? "The younger teen girl roars furiously in frustration at the teen boy.
"you know, just wanted to point it out," the guy says, which pissed off the girl.
" how about I try using a different target?" *click* She points the rifle at the guy and smiles cockily, the guy smiles nervously.
"hey-hey, come on, you wouldn't shoot your brother would you now?" he says as if almost starting to question his predicament and its outcome.
" would i now.."
"she wouldn't shoot me, right Dad ,She wouldn't shoot, would she". In response, the girl starts her aim and seems intent on pulling the trigger.
" That's enough, you two." The older man cautions them as he mans the grill.
" But dad…" she whines.
" No, gun down"
"Ha, looks like you're in trouble." She flared up with rage again; it seemed her brother always knew how to annoy her every time with no fail.
" Kevin, be nice to your sister."
" But dad…" The elderly man just raised his right eyebrow and they both got the message there whining will get them no where.
" Fine…!" they both say in sync. The girl lowers her firearm, murmuring to herself as the old man looks at his two kids and smiles.
" It wasn't even loaded," she grumbled.
" That doesn't matter whether loaded or not you never casually point a gun at someone, Heaven knows one day you could make a mistake, one you could never take back, okay" he rattles off.
" yeah yeah, okay," she says placing the gun on the table. He smile tossing her a burger from the grill
"That's my little pea stock," she turns blushing praying her brother hadn't heard it, but seems god wasn't receiving any request at the moment.
"pfft… hahahahahahhahah… little pea stock" Her brother burst into explosive laughter, falling to his sides and then to the ground rolling and holding his stomach as he gasped for air. The girl at this point seems to be having second thoughts about dropping the gun.
" That's enough Kevin. Why don't you give it a go too"
"come on Dad, this is child's play," Mr. Hale smiles.
" why, you chicken," he says tormentingly.
"Oh come on, Dad you don't think that is going to work on me," he says headstrong trying to maintain some dignity. Mr. Hale shrugs.
" I don't know what you mean Binky-" Kevin stops his dad from saying any more. Nova smiles.
" hmm, Dad did you say something?" she smiles at her dad, who smiles back.
" ok, ok I'll try too, just don't call me that please," he says very embarrassed. He walks grabs the rifle, removes the scope in one move, and looks at his sister who is still giggling at his pet name. He breaks off from the normal shooting stance rifle in one hand aimed up-head, the other hand in his pocket.
"trying to act cool, that's like 800 meters away, there's no way you can make that." He just shrugs and lines up his shot. And *BANG* -------*CLING* the distinctive sound of metal hitting metal. It was a bullseye. Before what had happened had fully settled in Nova's mind. His hand finally came out of his pocket with three more bullets between his finger loading one more bullet into the chamber, again. *BANG* -------*CLING*. Quickly after the last bullet was loaded into the chamber once again, he turns to see the shocked expression on her face, turns around to face her drink in hand, rifle placed over his shoulders. *SIPS*.*BANG* -------*CLING* All three shout exactly hit there targets. He finishes his drink and throws the bottle behind him. As it flies through the air.*BANG* -------*CLING*. Another direct hit, he removed one more bullet loaded into the rifle. He smiles as if it were nothing. He places the rifle down. He wa over to his sister who was still awestruck from his shooting earlier.
"WOW," As some of the words escaped her mouth she knew she had done something she shouldn't have. Kevin smirks widely as cocky as ever.
" impressed! lil sis"
" no" Even though she didn't want to admit it her brother's shooting was just breathtaking. She had seen him shot many times in competition, that's what had motivated her to take up marksmanship, but she was never going to tell him that, the thought of seeing his smug face pissed her off to the new highest.
"oh, really, maybe I should have tried a little harder," She got pissed by his words.
" can I just shoot him now?"
" calm down, pea stock."
"pfft," he was about to explode into another laughing fit, but managed to hold it back barely.
"your brother has been practicing longer than you; the number of hours and hard work he dedicated to get to where he is now is evident from his skills".
"Hard work" her brother sees her stares at him, he was out of earshot so hadn't heard their father, he slyly waves at her, which pisses her off again. What pissed her off most about her brother was actually because she knew how hard he worked to get this good.
" but that doesn't mean he has to act like that."
" like what??" her brother asks, appearing behind her.
" ahh, god nothing, she says, pushing his face away from her's" They squabble amongst themselves. Mr. Hale smiles.
Why don't you give your sister some pointers??". This gets them to stop fighting. They collectively say.
" HUH!!"
"but, Dad, I can't hit it even after I tried again," she says, appealing to her dad.
" yeah and again, and again, and again, and again"
" Okay thank you, I get it, I can't do, i get it okay. Happy?," she genuinely seems sad about it. Kevin's expression change, too. He has a flashback, seeing himself in Nova's place. He walks over to where the rifles and ammo are placed, picked up a rifle load one more round. Nova looked away, thinking her brother was just going to show off again.,
" hey," Nova turns to see him holding out the rifle to her. He looks oddly serious..
" how about we try again? ," Mr. Hale smiles. Nova, now feeling a bit embarrassed, walks toward him.
" I was already going to do that," she snapped, taking the rifle from her brother. She looks at him.
" oh really, cause it looked like you were about to cr---". He says, smirking once more. She just looks at him in silence.
"thanks," It was so quiet Kevin almost didn't catch that.
"What was that"?
"nothing, let's do this". She moves forward and checks the rifle to see the single
loaded round. She takes a classic marksman's stance and aims. But she looked stiff. Kevin approaches from behind her.
" relax a bit, would you? You look like you're about to punch someone."
" how about I punch you
" focus." This was the first time She had ever heard her brother's voice sound so serious.
" relax, feel free. The target is right ahead of you." She does what he says, and he smiles.
"deep breaths, clear your mind". The usual Kevin would have certainly made a joke right about now, but now he seemed oddly focused and grown up.
" okay, now is your shot lined up"
" I think so," She says uncertainly. Kevin behind her smiles.
" have some faith, ok, and go for it." his tone returns to his usual relaxed manner. She smiles too suddenly confident. She gently squeezes the trigger. *BANG* -------*CLING*. The recoils push her back a bit.
She checks the target, and it was a direct hit.
"I hit…I hit it". She says as though in disbelief. She turns, looking at her dad and brother who smile at her { burgers and deer in hand}. Jumping up to her feet she runs towards the target she hit, whilst loudly proclaiming her accomplishment.
" Dork-". He says with a smile on his face, he notices his father is looking at him, smiling back.
" What…"
"Oh, nothing, just thinking she kinda reminds me of someone".
"I wonder who," he says.
" GUYS….GUYS, LOOK," she screams from where the targets are placed, holding the can she hit smiling. Mr. Hale smiles looking at her, then looks at Kevin, who is also smiling ear to ear.
" I wonder who as well." Nova waved the can in the air as if it were a prize, smiling as she bathed in the mid-day rays.
" don't tell your mom i let you drink a beer"
"what beer?"
" Exactly"