Shooter's Ninth (441 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.33 on 18 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by X54 (View user info) at 2008-03-31 10:55:12 EDT
Out in the country, gunshots after dark are not unusual. Rats, opossums, raccoons and other nocturnal pests often draw fire from their human neighbors. Tonight's target would be a lanky gray tomcat. It sat licking its paw by the far corner of the house, bathed in the buzzing, orange glow of a sodium floodlight.
Dennis raised his rifle with the stealthy deliberation of one all too familiar with wary prey. The sights lingered on the cat's left side, then drifted up and settled on the smaller target atop its neck. With a head shot there would be less possibility of the animal dragging itself home, on the outside chance it had a home, and bleeding to death on some neighbor's doorstep. Dennis was all too familiar with that, too.
Crack! went the twenty-two caliber slug, outrunning sound on the way to its unsuspecting destination. Forty grains of lead hardly paused at the barrier of thin, feline skull. The cat lay still as its triumphant executioner approached. "Got you that time, didn't I you little sucker," said Dennis, lifting the animal by its handle. He dangled it, limp, heavy and dripping, at eye level, noting with satisfaction the accuracy of his shot.
He carried it around back of the house and slung it onto a stinking heap of animal remains in various stages of decay: the Death Pile. In a few days, when it had aged sufficiently for their taste, the cat would make a meal for a few of the vultures that frequented Dennis's place.
In the morning, Dennis checked the Death Pile from his kitchen window. The cat's carcass was missing. Assuming some hungry scavenger had dragged it off, he went out for a look. He discovered it a short distance away, not dead, but cowering in the weeds!
Amazed, he crept closer. The cat detected his presence but seemed unable or unwilling to flee. As Dennis drew near, he understood why. Both the cat's eyes had turned dark red. It was blind. It hissed halfheartedly, but somehow sensed that Dennis meant it no harm. And Dennis, seeing what had happened, surely did mean it no harm. Such a thing was an anomaly, a freak worth keeping. He stroked its back and saw from the exit wound that the bullet had passed completely through its head, right behind its eyes.
Dennis named the cat Shooter. He brought him inside and applied a little iodine to his bullet wounds, fattened him up on steak and chicken. Shooter's other senses appeared to be intact. He adapted quickly to his new world of darkness, learning his way around the house, staking a claim to a sunny spot on the sofa. He kept himself clean and used the litter box which Dennis provided. At night he purred himself to sleep on Dennis's bed.
Each time Dennis looked into those blood red eyes, he found himself struck anew that Shooter had survived, and, more amazing still, had forgiven him. But then, who was to say the cat wasn't better off now? He'd been none too well cared for, before--that was obvious. Dennis spoiled him like an only child and told himself Shooter's overall quality of life had improved. He also resolved never to shoot another cat.
All winter, Shooter lived happily inside. But when spring came he grew restless, clawing the window screens that kept him from the world beyond which was returning to life without him. At night, he yowled to the other cats that came round. Dennis thought about having him fixed, but how to explain those eyes to the veterinarian? He let Shooter out for short periods, watching him so he wouldn't get lost. Shooter began to learn his way around the pitch blackness surrounding the house. Dennis hoped his cat might even find a mate. Shooter had good seed.
Finally came the morning when Dennis left Shooter outside for the day. Alas poor Shooter! Returning home from work that afternoon, Dennis found him on the side of the dirt road which ran by the house, squished flat, tire tracks still visible in the dust. Clearly it had been an intentional act of retribution, for the road was plenty wide there.
Dennis cradled Shooter in his arms, laid him gently atop the Death Pile. He stood watching the flies and vultures until the sun set, seething at his neighbors' callous cruelty, plotting his revenge.
User Reviews
Submitted by X54 (user info) at 2008-04-01 22:25:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Ballare (user info) at 2008-04-01 17:12:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Not that kind of country, no, but the middle of nowhere, yes.
I think it's just 'cause I really like cats
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Cats are all right. I didn't intend for this to be anti-cat. I just thought it was interesting how this person who didn't like them at all changed his attitude after wounding one in such a dramatic fashion. In reality "Shooter" didn't get run over, but simply wandered off and disappeared. He may be with us yet. Although I doubt it.
Submitted by Ballare (user info) at 2008-04-01 17:12:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by forthewin (user info) at 2008-03-31 23:35:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Ballare (user info) at 2008-03-31 15:11:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
"they" say that if you respond to it, either positively, or negatively, it's a success. but shooting cats? man that's rough.
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You've clearly never lived in the country.
At least not that kind of country.
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Not that kind of country, no, but the middle of nowhere, yes.
I think it's just 'cause I really like cats
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2008-04-01 05:52:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Reminiscent of The Wasp Factory, although different obviously.
And not as good, obviously.
Submitted by SweetSoph69 (user info) at 2008-04-01 03:48:37 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
No Comment
Submitted by HotWillie (user info) at 2008-03-31 23:41:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
good title, good story, good picture
Submitted by forthewin (user info) at 2008-03-31 23:35:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Ballare (user info) at 2008-03-31 15:11:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
"they" say that if you respond to it, either positively, or negatively, it's a success. but shooting cats? man that's rough.
______________
You've clearly never lived in the country.
At least not that kind of country.
Submitted by X54 (user info) at 2008-03-31 23:14:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by scourge (user info) at 2008-03-31 11:53:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
kind of started nowhere, went nowhere, and ended nowhere
the character did nothing to draw you in or interest you in his emotions or motivations. this is like looking at a random snapshot of some random subdivision or perhaps a birthday cake of a stranger.
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Thanks. That helps.
Submitted by monkeyswithguns (user info) at 2008-03-31 16:21:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Ballare (user info) at 2008-03-31 15:11:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
"they" say that if you respond to it, either positively, or negatively, it's a success. but shooting cats? man that's rough.
Submitted by Ducky (user info) at 2008-03-31 12:19:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I enjoyed it.
Submitted by SgtHartman (user info) at 2008-03-31 12:07:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
meh
Submitted by lostnphound (user info) at 2008-03-31 12:00:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
No Comment
Submitted by scourge (user info) at 2008-03-31 11:53:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
kind of started nowhere, went nowhere, and ended nowhere
the character did nothing to draw you in or interest you in his emotions or motivations. this is like looking at a random snapshot of some random subdivision or perhaps a birthday cake of a stranger.
Submitted by HurtByTheSun (user info) at 2008-03-31 11:10:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
No Comment
Submitted by sicosemen (user info) at 2008-03-31 11:03:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Guess who didn't read this!
Submitted by Yozz (user info) at 2008-03-31 11:03:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
That is fucking weird.
Submitted by F.J.Bell (user info) at 2008-03-31 10:58:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Seems the decent thing to do would've been to take Shooter inside in the first instance, and tamed him into a pet that could see.
Still, I'm sure your character had his own motivations.
Submitted by dithered (user info) at 2008-03-31 10:55:36 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Auto +2 zombie kitty