barn or country back roads prior to the attack.
Graye had hugged Johnny not long after the event as she quietly sobbed and repeated her thanks and appreciation.
He couldn’t consider himself a hero. Johnny felt that his failure to identify the animal as an actual threat was partially responsible for Sunny’s death, and Jared’s turmoil. When he’d initially seen the emaciated and horrific-looking animal, he was certain it was merely a cruel device set into motion by his ailing psyche.
Johnny felt horrible for Jared, but he couldn’t find the words to communicate that effectively. As he watched his friend get upset off and on throughout the day, he never once felt that Jared was weak for being upset, and this confused Johnny. He knew if he had ever cried in front of his father, he would have been called several names or something worse.
Johnny only felt sympathy for his friend. He also felt sad that Bryce had had to witness the chaos the coyote had inflicted. He knew this day would be a day that stuck with her for the rest of her life.
***
Dinner had been served late, and it was already dark outside by the time the family finished up. “May I be excused?” Jared asked as he looked at his mother. He hadn’t touched much of his spaghetti and bread.
Johnny looked at Jared’s nearly full plate. His friend typically had a healthy appetite; he knew the boy’s nerves must have been preventing him from eating.
“Yes, sweetheart, you may,” Graye replied as she looked toward her pathetic looking son. He hadn’t changed out of his pajama bottoms.
“May I be as well?” Johnny asked.
“Yea, bud, you’re good too,” Jackson replied as he gave the young man yet another appreciative look.
As Johnny set his plate in the sink on top of Jared’s, he turned to follow him from the kitchen.
Little Bryce was sleeping at the table. It appeared the day had been a long one for her too, as she was simply too tired to partake in family supper.
Johnny retreated to his room upstairs.
He was wearing his boxers and the t-shirt he slept in. Sitting on his bed, he stared out the window, studying the roads leading to the house. The day had been a major setback for him mentally, and his mounting paranoia prevented him from curling up in bed and attempting to sleep.
He knew that logically his father had no idea where he was, but something within him continued to insist that there was actually a reason to remain hypervigilant.
The boy was, however, thankful that the morning conversation with Jackson, and the incident in the living room with Graye and Bryce, had been completely overshadowed by the coyote and the death of poor Sunny. As he continued to watch the roads for headlights, he once again heard the whimpering of the puppy. This was almost instantly followed by the sinister sound of his father’s truck engine. He raised his hands to his ears. “Please just stay away.”
The boy heard a knock on the door. He turned to the door as Jared stuck his head in.
“Hey man, can I come in?” Jared asked from the doorway.
Normally Johnny would not associate with anyone while in his underwear. Tonight, however, he knew Jared more than likely needed to talk, and there was a pair of shorts on the bed.
“Yea, dude, come on in.” Johnny turned from the window and began putting on the shorts while sitting down. The sounds were gone. The room and the world outside were serenaded by wildlife, but not puppies or old truck engines.
Jared entered the room, walked toward Johnny, and sat on the bed.
“You lookin’ at the stars?” Jared asked as he looked to the window as well.
Of course Johnny was not going to admit that he was suffering from paranoid delusions of his father driving to the farm and finding him.
“Yea,” the boy replied as he finished pulling up his shorts.
“Well, come on, there’s a better view from out here.” Jared pushed up on the window to open it further, which lead out to the roof above the
Graye had hugged Johnny not long after the event as she quietly sobbed and repeated her thanks and appreciation.
He couldn’t consider himself a hero. Johnny felt that his failure to identify the animal as an actual threat was partially responsible for Sunny’s death, and Jared’s turmoil. When he’d initially seen the emaciated and horrific-looking animal, he was certain it was merely a cruel device set into motion by his ailing psyche.
Johnny felt horrible for Jared, but he couldn’t find the words to communicate that effectively. As he watched his friend get upset off and on throughout the day, he never once felt that Jared was weak for being upset, and this confused Johnny. He knew if he had ever cried in front of his father, he would have been called several names or something worse.
Johnny only felt sympathy for his friend. He also felt sad that Bryce had had to witness the chaos the coyote had inflicted. He knew this day would be a day that stuck with her for the rest of her life.
***
Dinner had been served late, and it was already dark outside by the time the family finished up. “May I be excused?” Jared asked as he looked at his mother. He hadn’t touched much of his spaghetti and bread.
Johnny looked at Jared’s nearly full plate. His friend typically had a healthy appetite; he knew the boy’s nerves must have been preventing him from eating.
“Yes, sweetheart, you may,” Graye replied as she looked toward her pathetic looking son. He hadn’t changed out of his pajama bottoms.
“May I be as well?” Johnny asked.
“Yea, bud, you’re good too,” Jackson replied as he gave the young man yet another appreciative look.
As Johnny set his plate in the sink on top of Jared’s, he turned to follow him from the kitchen.
Little Bryce was sleeping at the table. It appeared the day had been a long one for her too, as she was simply too tired to partake in family supper.
Johnny retreated to his room upstairs.
He was wearing his boxers and the t-shirt he slept in. Sitting on his bed, he stared out the window, studying the roads leading to the house. The day had been a major setback for him mentally, and his mounting paranoia prevented him from curling up in bed and attempting to sleep.
He knew that logically his father had no idea where he was, but something within him continued to insist that there was actually a reason to remain hypervigilant.
The boy was, however, thankful that the morning conversation with Jackson, and the incident in the living room with Graye and Bryce, had been completely overshadowed by the coyote and the death of poor Sunny. As he continued to watch the roads for headlights, he once again heard the whimpering of the puppy. This was almost instantly followed by the sinister sound of his father’s truck engine. He raised his hands to his ears. “Please just stay away.”
The boy heard a knock on the door. He turned to the door as Jared stuck his head in.
“Hey man, can I come in?” Jared asked from the doorway.
Normally Johnny would not associate with anyone while in his underwear. Tonight, however, he knew Jared more than likely needed to talk, and there was a pair of shorts on the bed.
“Yea, dude, come on in.” Johnny turned from the window and began putting on the shorts while sitting down. The sounds were gone. The room and the world outside were serenaded by wildlife, but not puppies or old truck engines.
Jared entered the room, walked toward Johnny, and sat on the bed.
“You lookin’ at the stars?” Jared asked as he looked to the window as well.
Of course Johnny was not going to admit that he was suffering from paranoid delusions of his father driving to the farm and finding him.
“Yea,” the boy replied as he finished pulling up his shorts.
“Well, come on, there’s a better view from out here.” Jared pushed up on the window to open it further, which lead out to the roof above the
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